30 Christmas Market Foods & Festive Drinks You Need to Try
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our Disclosure Policy for details.
Last updated on March 31, 2026
My biggest motivator for planning a Christmas market trip with my mom last winter wasn’t for the festive vibes (although that was enticing)—it was to try all of the delicious Christmas market foods and drinks! There are dozens of local specialties, from crispy fried potato pancakes, warm apple fritters, and hot mulled wine, which can only be found during the holiday season.
If you’re anything like me, you may be unsure of what to order once you’re there. That’s why I put together this guide sharing 30 Christmas market foods and drinks you have to try to help you know what to look for based on where you’re visiting.
Table of Contents
30 Must-Try Christmas Market Foods
It won’t take you long to notice that most of the markets will serve the same food, most of which comes from Germany. It’s not a huge surprise considering the Christmas market tradition began in Germany over 700 years ago.
However, many markets will have specialties from other parts of Europe. Nearly every market we visited on our 12-day train trip had crêpes, raclette, champignons, and bratwurst, which hail from several different European countries. Markets in metropolitan cities like Paris, Brussels, and Zurich primarily served international cuisines. Think tacos, burgers, Indian curries, and more traditional items, too.
No matter where you go, you’ll find the staples I cover below. But if you’re visiting Christmas markets outside of Germany, I highly recommend seeking out the regional specialties. Now, without further adieu, let’s dive into the 30 Christmas market foods and drinks you can’t miss on your trip!
German Christmas Market Foods to Try
Below are some of the most popular and common Christmas market foods to try in Germany. I’ve eaten everything on this list and promise they are 100% worth ordering. If possible, visit the markets with others so you can try more of everything. Just make sure you have euros on hand, many of the Christmas market foods will be cash only in Germany.
➡ Read Next: Christmas Markets in Europe: 13 Things to Know Before You Go ⬅
Spätzle
Spätzle (pronounced sh-petz-luh) are Germany’s famous egg noodles. It’s their take on pasta, but a bit heavier because of the egg. You’ll find Spätzle at virtually every market in Germany, as well as the Alsace region of France, Austria, and Switzerland. It’s most commonly served with some gravy or sauce. I tried it with mushrooms in a butter sauce, and it was so darn good!
Dinnede Flammkuchen (Swabia pizza)
I explain what Flammkuchen is in the France section of this post, but Dinnede is the German take on this pizza-like dish. Unlike a pizza in Italy or the USA, this doesn’t have a sauce on it. It’s filled with various toppings (ham and onion being the most common) and loads of cheese. The dough is thicker than flammkuchen, and it’s slightly smaller.
I prefer the flammkuchen over this (the dough-to-topping ratio is better), but this is more filling!
Schupfnudeln
Schupfnudeln is another German-style noodle dish. However, these noodles are made from potato and have a more gnocchi-like consistency. They are formed into thin, long football-like shapes, slowly cooked, then topped with sauerkraut, sour cream, and, if desired, a bratwurst.
Honestly, this wasn’t my top pick of the pasta-like Christmas market foods in Germany you can order. But it’s definitely a favorite among locals.
Käsespätzle
Käsespätzle (pronounced kaze-a-shpetz-luh) was one of my top three favorite Christmas market foods I ate on my trip. It’s traditional spätzle noodles, smothered in a cheese sauce with green onions, then topped with more crunchy onions. It felt a bit like Mac n’ cheese or a creamy Alfredo, but with fluffy spätzle. I truly loved it!
Reibekuchen (Kartoffelpuffer)
Reibekuchen (pronounced rye-buh-kook-en) was my favorite thing I ate during my Christmas market trip. It’s one of the most popular Christmas market foods and is a super traditional dish across German-speaking countries. Depending on what region you’re in, you may see it called Kartoffelpuffer. Regardless of name, they’re a potato pancake.
I found them very reminiscent of hashbrowns or latkes, but with grated onions cooked in them. They are battered, then fried and served with applesauce. While they are rich and heavy for being fried, the applesauce balances it out, and it’s cooked so beautifully that it melts in your mouth. They are so damn good!
Spiessbraten
Spiessbraten (pronounced shpees-brat-en) is Germany’s take on barbecue. It’s slow-roasted pork on a rotisserie wheel, where all the juice crisps the outside of the meat. It can be served in a chunk with a side dish like slow-cooked collard greens or spätzle, or sliced as a pork sandwich served with mustard and onions. I didn’t get a picture of this before devouring it, but who doesn’t love roasted pork?
Champignons
Champignons were one of the most common Christmas market foods from our travels. It’s slowly roasted mushrooms cooked in butter, with paprika, salt, and other spices. They may seem like a boring option compared to some of the other amazing Christmas market foods on the list, but it’s a delicious and rich treat that’s super flavorful.
Bratwurst
Bratwurst and beer are probably the first two things to come to mind when you think of Germany. I get it, they do it right. Every Christmas market you visit will, without a doubt, have bratwurst slowly cooking on a massive cast-iron over an open pit. Currywurst is a popular type of bratwurst that tops the bratwurst with a curry-based sauce and a sprinkling of curry. It definitely takes the traditional brat to the next level!
Baumstreizel (Chimney cake)
Now, let’s dive into the sweet treats you’ll find at German Christmas markets (and likely others, too). Baumstreizel (pronounced bom-strize-al) is a chimney cake, or split cake. They take a buttery bread dough and place it around a cooking pin to create a chimney-like cone. It’s slowly cooked over a fire, and once it’s brown and crispy, it’s covered in cinnamon sugar. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds!
Weihnachtsgebäck (Cookies)
Weihnachtsgebäck is the German term for the variety of Christmas cookies you’ll find at the markets. There are dozens of varieties, but a few of the most popular ones for Christmas time are:
- Vanillekipferl: Vanilla cookies shaped like a cashew.
- Zimtsterne: Cinnamon cookies shaped as a star and often topped with jam or powdered sugar.
- Lebkuchen: Traditional spiced gingerbread cookies.
Kohler Kusse
Kohler Kusse is a marshmallow dessert on top of a waffle biscuit base, then dipped in chocolate. Traditionally, you would get a dark or milk chocolate covering, but they go crazy at the markets and now offer flavors like lemon or stracciatella using milk chocolate. I’m not a huge fan of marshmallows, so this one didn’t top my list, but they are very popular Christmas market foods to try.
Maronen (roasted chestnuts)
Roasted chestnuts are hardly exclusive to German Christmas markets. Countless countries across slowly roast chestnuts during the wintertime as a warm treat. You can get a paper cone filled with hot chestnuts for around €2 to €3 at almost any Christmas market in Germany, Austria, or France.
Germknödel or Dampfnudel (sweet dumpling)
Germknödel (pronounced gamf-noodle) is an Austrian and Bavarian dessert that is essentially a fluffy dumpling filled with jam or compote, covered in a warm milk and vanilla sauce, then sprinkled with cinnamon. It’s rich, sweet, and a super-filled treat! I really enjoyed this because it wasn’t overly sweet and was very warming. We ordered the blueberry, but a plum compote is the most traditional.
You may also see this called Dampfnudel in parts of Germany or the Alsace region of France. While it’s the same structure and toppings, a Dampfnudel is not normally filled with anything.
Tools to help you plan your trip
Christmas Market Foods to Try in France
Below are a few of the traditional foods to try at the Christmas markets in France. I visited the Alsace region, which is home to the “Christmas capital of the world“, so many of these dishes are specialities from this region.
Soupe de Chataigne (Chestnut soup)
The Christmas markets can be downright freezing, and few things cut through the chill like a steaming bowl of soup (though glühwein gives it some competition). Soupe de Chataigne is a thin soup made from a meat broth and chestnuts. It had a sweet finish to it with a nutty undertone and was really, really good!
Bretzel (pretzel)
I expected to see pretzels everywhere we went in Germany, but they were quite hard to come by. Little did we know, we just needed to head to Alsace, and we would see bretzels (French for pretzel) everywhere! You can get a sweet version, like the bretzels below, or savory. We saw bretzels with cheese, sausage, peppers, and plain. They’re often served with a spicy mustard.
L’escargot de Bourgogne
I don’t know about you, but when I think of France, I think of escargot and baguettes. In the Alsace region, we saw several stalls at the Christmas markets selling Escargots à la Bourguignonne. It’s traditional escargot (yes, that’s snails) but cooked with butter, parsley, and shallots. I absolutely loved them! They had such a bright flavor to them and were very garlic-forward.
I know escargot is not for everyone. My mom tried one, but decided that was enough for her. However, if you like to be adventurous with food or enjoy snails, this is a must-try dish in the Alsace region.
Crépe
Crépes were one of the most popular foods at the European Christmas markets. Every market we visited, regardless of country, had crépes on offer. If you’ve never had a crépe before, it’s a thin batter made from eggs, flour, and milk poured onto a hot round griddle. The crepe is as thin as a piece of paper, then topped with savory toppings like cheese and ham or sweet fillings, like Nutella and fruit.
We got a crépe in France because it’s where they originate, but honestly, I didn’t feel it was superior to anywhere else we also tried it.
Flammkuchen
Flammkuchen is often seen as a German food, and it’s super popular at the German Christmas markets. But it’s actually a dish that originated in the Alsace region of France. Flammkuchen (pronounced flem-koo-han) is a very thin flour-based dough made into a super huge oval and baked in a fire pit. It’s topped with cheese, normally Muenster, a cheese that also comes from the Alsace region, ham, and onions. I really enjoyed this dish and loved the crisp crust.
Belgian Christmas Market Foods to Try
Belgian Christmas markets may be newer, but their iconic dishes like frites and waffles have become some of the most popular Christmas market foods. Like crépes, expect to see these Belgian specialties at virtually every Christmas market in Europe. I’ll also share a few items to try, specific to Belgian markets that we didn’t see elsewhere.
Pomme Frites
A lot of people don’t realize that Belgium is the creator of the French Fries. True Belgian frites require two rounds of frying, one in beef tallow, the other in a vegetable oil. Frying them twice gives you a soft inside and a crisp exterior with just the right crunch. The tallow also adds an umami flavor to the fry and depth you just don’t get with vegetable oil alone. Most frites are served with a mayonnaise-based topping, which can be jazzed up with other flavors like garlic, truffle, or chipotle, to name a few.
Moules
Moules (pronounced mool) are mussels. Moules frites (mussels and fries) are the most common pairing in Belgium, but we found several stalls selling Moules solo, cooked in oil, paprika, peppers, and onions. They were so flavorful and had plenty of juice to sop up with a side of bread.
Waffles (Liège or Brussels style)
Waffles are one of Belgium’s claims to fame. As the proud creators of the waffle, this is the most common dish at Belgian Christmas markets. There are two options to choose from: a Brussels waffle, which is light, fluffy, and not overly sweet, or a Liége waffle (my favorite).
The Liège waffle adds dark sugar chunks into a thicker dough and cooks it on a griddle. It’s much sweeter and has a nice, crunchy, caramelized bite to it. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to try a Liège waffle because they are incredible!
Christmas Market Foods to Try in Switzerland
Switzerland doesn’t have a ton of traditional Christmas market foods, but the few it does have on offer deliver big flavor, and personally were some of my top food experiences from my trip!
Fondue
Fondue is iconic Switzerland. This heavenly blend of Swiss cheeses creates ooey-gooey goodness perfect for dipping breads, vegetables, and meats into. While you may not think of fondue as a traditional Christmas market dish, many Christmas markets in Switzerland have temporary fondue chalets built where you can reserve a table and have a festive fondue experience!
We didn’t know about this beforehand, so we missed out on Christmas market fondue. But if you’re going to Switzerland on your Christmas market trip, add this to your list of must-try Christmas market foods.
Raclette
Raclette is another one of the Christmas market foods you’ll see everywhere. It was sold at every market we visited, but it’s traditionally a Swiss dish. Raclette is a type of Swiss cheese that’s heated up with a flame or lantern, then scraped onto a pile of baked potatoes topped with onions and paprika. What’s not to love?
Be careful, though! It’s piping hot, and I burnt my mouth diving into this cheesy goodness.
Flammlachs (Smoked Salmon)
Flammlachs, meaning scorched salmon, is fire-roasted salmon cooked over an open fire pit. This is very popular at German Christmas markets, and honestly, Christmas markets everywhere, but it’s a traditional Nordic dish that you can find in countries like Switzerland. This is the one dish I didn’t personally try, but there was always a line!
Öpfelchüechli
The best dessert we had on our European Christmas market trip was, without a doubt, öpfelchüechli. Öpfelchüechli is thinly sliced apples that are deep fried, then topped with a heavenly sweet sauce and cinnamon. It tasted like an apple pie on steroids.
We tried them two different ways. One is pictured above, thinly sliced apples fried, and the other was more like a fritter with a heavier batter. My mom and I both thought the sliced apple version was the best! It melts in your mouth and explodes with apple and cinnamon flavors.
Christmas Market Drinks to Try
The perfect pairing for Christmas market foods is the festive drinks you’ll find at the markets. Most of the popular drinks (like the food) have roots in Germany. Below are some of the most common alcoholic drinks you’ll find at the European Christmas markets.
Glühwein (vin chaud or mulled wine)
Glühwein (pronounced gloo-vine) is warm mulled wine. Called vin chaud (veen-shawd) in France, you’ll find glühwein on every corner of the Christmas markets, no matter where you’re visiting. Most take a cheap red wine and slowly cook with cinnamon, fruits, and other spices. Larger Christmas markets will serve vin chaud in a glass or ceramic mug, pay a deposit for it. If desired, you can forfeit the deposit, though, and take the mug home as a souvenir.
Some glühweins are better than others, but you honestly can’t go wrong with any of them! Just be warned, they are literally lava when they’re served, and I burnt my mouth several times because I’m impatient.
Feuerzangenbowle (Mulled wine with rum + sugar)
Feuerzangenbowle (pronounced fire-zag-en-bowla) is a Christmas German drink that is super popular amongst locals. I think its name intimidates a lot of foreigners because it’s so long and hard to pronounce, but you have to try this!
They top traditional mulled wine with a heavy pour of rum, then light a small stick with a raw sugar cube on fire, letting the sugar and rum cook and melt into the wine. It adds a subtle sweetness to it and is just such a fun drink.
Eierpunsch (German eggnog)
Even though I love the showmanship of Feuerzangenbowle, my favorite Christmas market beverage was eierpunsch. Eierpunsch is Germany’s take on eggnog. It’s made from eggs, sugar, white wine, vanilla, cinnamon, and sometimes other liquors like amaretto or rum. It was blended smoothly, not overly sweet, rich, creamy, and so damn good!
Apfelwein (warm apple cider)
Apfelwein is a special drink from Frankfurt, Germany. This bitter cider is made from apples, with an effervescent feel to it. However, at the Christmas markets, they warm the Apfelwein, adding lemon to it, reminiscent of a tea. I preferred traditional Apfelwein over the warm one at the market, but if you want something lighter and fresher than the other drinks mentioned here, this is a great option.
Heisse Schoggi (hot chocolate)
Heisse Schoggi is hot chocolate. Most commonly found in Switzerland (a chocolate mecca), you won’t find any powdered mixes here. They take a huge chunk of dark chocolate on a stick and put it in a piping hot mug of milk. The chocolate quickly melts into the milk, making the richest, tastiest hot chocolate you’ve ever had. You can make this alcoholic if desired, but it’s traditionally non-alcoholic.
Curious about what to wear on your Christmas market trip to Europe? We share our packing list and outfit ideas to keep you warm, cute, and cozy at the markets here. You can also shop some of our favorite items below.
shop warm clothing for Christmas markets
Now that you know what Christmas market foods to try on your upcoming trip, make sure to check out our other guides for Europe’s magical holiday markets. We share more of our guides below.
