an aussie in austria

Austrians don’t really do dessert on Christmas Day, but that doesn’t mean they miss out.

For the entire month of December (and as long as they last after) Austrians bake truckloads Christmas cookies. They are everywhere – in shops, at work… and especially in people’s homes. Be prepared to be offered massive platefuls wherever you go.

And not just one type, but multiple varieties. They all seem to have the same butter-cookie type base, but then there’s the added extras: almonds, honey, chocolate topped, chocolate dipped, gingerbread, meringue, jam, icing sugar, coconut etc etc. The day we went over to Thomas’ parents’ house to collect our first batch of cookies, his mum presented no less than 10 separate tins containing different types… and that was only the beginning of December.

On Christmas Day his Grandmother told me that she used to make no less than 45 different types each year, though she’s cut back these days. 45!!! At this comment I gave Thomas a warning look – meaning, “there’s no way I’m ever going to do this in the future… so don’t bother asking.”

But they are an integral and awesome part of an Austrian Christmas, so I do my best to try as many different types as possible!