Aachen. A lovely little city in North Rhine Westphalia, Germany with a unique location on the tri border point of Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium. A city full of history and beautiful architecture, known for its thermal springs and mineral rich waters.
Aachen may be small in size compared to some other German cities but historically speaking it was a city of status: medieval King Charlemagne made Aachen his base. His legacy- and his tomb- can be seen in the city today.
History, wellness and a prime location make Aachen a great city to visit at any time of year, but this beautiful German city goes all out for Christmas. The Aachen Christmas Market (Aachener Weihnachtsmarkt) is exactly what it would look like if Hallmark made a Christmas movie set in a Christmas market.
One delicious way to get to know about Aachen is to try a regional speciality: Aachener Printern. It’s a hard, spiced biscuit the story of which is woven into the history of Aachen. Oh, it’s also delicious.
Note that you might see biscuits in other parts of Germany sold as ‘printern’, but Aachener Printern has protected status. If it isn’t baked in Aachen then it’s not the real deal.
The story goes that Aachener Printern was inspired by Belgian neighbours bringing their ‘gebildbrot’ to the city in the 1500’s. The Belgian bake came in elaborate designs. Not to be outdone, The bakers guild of Aachen set out to create their own version that could be ‘printed’ using wooden moulds.
And so, the original Aachener Printern was born.
The bakers of the city were forced to adapt both ingredients and methods in the 1800s when the shenanigans of Napoleon meant supplies of sugar and honey dried up. Not to be defeated, the recipe was rehashed. Use of alternative ingredients like sugar beets resulteed in a coarser dough that didn’t respond as well to intricate moulds.
This coarser confection was easier to mass produce, travelled better and kept well. Today, the bakeries and factories of Aachen turn out about 4,500 tonnes of Printern dough a year.
It doesn’t end with biscuits; the tradition has expanded to include Printern ice cream, have been included in regional savoury dishes and even Printern flavoured gin. Now there’s a tasty festive alternative to traditional glühwein.
Printern and all the themed products are available year round, but the traditional spice-and -honey flavours really do lend themselves beautifully to the Christmas season.
To find some to sample for yourself, head to the old town. This won’t just be a purchase, it’s a whole experience. Think the smell of spices and baking in the air, shops windows traditionally decorated and piled high with goodies.
True Aachener Printern is notoriously hard. So much so, the joke goes that the bakers are in cahoots with local dentists. The trick to making the biscuit soft enough to eat is to either dunk it in your drink or store it in an airtight tin with half an apple.
Or buy some just for decorative purposes, it looks as good as it tastes.
Printern at Nobis, Aachen
Nobis is an Aachen institution, if you only have time to visit one cafe or city bakery, make it Nobis. A family run firm since the 1800’s, the cafe-bakery branch in the old town has coffee shop seating on the upper floors. The perfect place to take a break and sample some local loveliness with views across to the magnificent Aachen Cathedral.
Tip: Don’t panic if you think you’ve been overcharged for your hot drink at Nobis. The bakery has introduced a reusable cup deposit scheme. The cup costs nothing, you simply pay a €3 deposit which you claim back upon return. Lids are charged at a one time cost of €2 and are yours to keep and reuse.
Where to Stay in Aachen
We stayed at the Novotel Aachen City, a cosy and comfortable hotel within walking distance of the city centre. A clean, comfortable option offering a warm welcome and a great breakfast.
Please do drop a comment if I’ve inspired you to visit Aachen, or if you’ve been to this wonderful city before. I love to get feedback from readers, it genuinely makes my day.
If you liked this post you might also enjoy German Christmas Markets: The Ultimate Guide
Helen x
Stunning photos! I have never heard of Printern before, and now need to figure out where to find it on this side of the pond 🙂 Great post!
Thank you for your kind words, Angela. Six years in Germany and I’d never heard of it either. Always good to find something new though!
Those bakeries look so good! Now I really want to try Printern. I hadn’t heard of it before but it looks and sounds delicious 🙂
It is lovely, we are making it part of our Christmas tradition now! Thank you for taking the time to read and comment.