Leslie Massey
Christmas in Austria is a time for hearty meals with lots of meat and cheese, warming drinks, and sweet treats. Traditional dishes vary from region to region and family to family, but there are some beloved foods that are synonymous with the festive season. From roast goose to Wiener Schnitzel, Christmas cookies to apple strudel, there is no shortage of delicious options to indulge in during the holidays.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main course | Wiener Schnitzel, roast duck, goose, wild boar, venison, trout, salmon, caviar, bratwurst, smoked sausages, pork roast, carp |
| Side dishes | Braised red cabbage, bread dumplings, boiled potatoes, cranberries, french fries, rice, sauerkraut, onion, mayonnaise salad, potatoes |
| Dessert | Apple strudel, chocolate fondue, Christmas cookies, Linzer Kekse, Kletzenbrot, Christstollen, baked apple, Christmas punch |
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Christmas Eve dinner
Christmas Eve is the main event in Austria, with a big feast in the evening after a light lunch. For lunch, it's common to eat bratwurst with boiled potatoes and onions. The bratwurst is usually made with only veal and is leaner than the usual pork-and-veal mix.
For the main feast, roast duck or goose is traditional, served with braised red cabbage and bread dumplings. The dumplings act like an extra-hearty stuffing to soak up the gravy. Pumpkin soup is also a popular starter, garnished with roasted pumpkin seeds and pumpkin seed oil.
For dessert, apple strudel is a famous Austrian choice, as is chocolate fondue with fruit. Baked apples are another delicious option: simply cut open an apple and replace the seeds with a mix of chocolate, hazelnuts, cinnamon, and cardamom, then bake in the oven for ten minutes.
In Carinthia, Christmas Eve dinner is smoked sausages with sauerkraut and bread. In Tyrol, it's sausage and pasta soup followed by a pork roast, while in the Pinzgau region, the main course is a sweet porridge made with milk and flour, served with honey. In Vorarlberg, the Christmas Eve dinner is bratwurst made from veal and a mayonnaise salad, and in Lower Austria, Vienna, and Burgenland, the traditional dish is carp or goose.
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Christmas Day roast
Christmas in Austria is a time for feasting on hearty dishes with lots of meat and cheese. For a traditional Austrian Christmas Day roast, there are several options to choose from.
One popular choice is roast goose, filled with apples, baked chestnuts, and cloves, and seasoned with salt, pepper, marjoram, and shallots. It is typically served with potatoes, red cabbage, or dumplings. Another classic option is Wiener Schnitzel, made with thin slices of veal, turkey, or pork coated in breadcrumbs and fried. This can be served with cranberries, potatoes, and salad, or with rice or french fries.
For those who prefer something different, wild boar or venison steaks prepared with a delicious sauce, red cabbage, and dumplings are also common. Alternatively, some people opt for a hearty pork roast, as is traditionally done in Tyrol.
In addition to the main course, Austrians also enjoy a variety of side dishes and desserts on Christmas Day. These include Christmas cookies, baked apples, and the famous Austrian dessert, apple strudel.
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Christmas markets
Austria's Christmas markets, set against the backdrop of the country's snowy Alps, are a key part of the country's festive season. Here, you can sample many traditional Austrian Christmas dishes and drinks.
One of the most popular Austrian Christmas traditions is baking Christmas cookies. In the four weeks leading up to Christmas, families gather in the kitchen to bake different types of cookies, often accompanied by Christmas music, storytelling, and some mulled wine. Linzer cookies, originating from Linz, are a popular variety—two shortcrust pastry cookies are "glued" together with either apricot or red currant jam.
At the markets, you'll find a smaller version of Raclette, called Raclette-bread. Vendors heat a huge loaf of cheese all day, and when someone orders bread, they scrape a blob of cheese from the loaf and spread it on the bread. This is usually served with onions, vegetables, and garlic.
Another popular Christmas market food is fondue. A small heated pot filled with soup, oil, or cheese (and sometimes even chocolate) is placed in the middle of the table, with long forks for dipping. Different types of meat, vegetables, and fruit are cut into small pieces and placed next to the pot.
To warm up, you can try the famous Christmas punch, a hot alcoholic beverage made with tea, sugar, red wine, cinnamon, and a strong liquor, sometimes with added apples, oranges, or berries.
For those with a sweet tooth, there are baked apples—apples filled with a mixture of chocolate, hazelnuts, cinnamon, and cardamom, and baked in the oven for 10 minutes.
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Traditional drinks
When it comes to traditional Austrian Christmas drinks, the Austrian Christmas punch is a must-try. This hot alcoholic beverage combines tea, sugar, red wine, cinnamon, and a strong liquor of your choice. Some recipes also include apples, oranges, or berries. It is typically served at Christmas markets and pop-up stalls across Austria during winter, offering the perfect way to warm yourself up.
In addition to the classic Christmas punch, there are several other festive drinks to enjoy during the Austrian Christmas season. Glühwein, a spiced mulled wine, is a popular choice, with mocktail versions also available. The Christmas markets also offer a variety of other drinks, including hot chocolate and coffee, which can be paired with delicious Austrian Christmas cookies and biscuits.
Speaking of cookies, baking is an integral part of the Austrian Christmas tradition. Families spend the four weeks leading up to Christmas day in the kitchen, baking various types of cookies. Vanillekipferl, crescent-shaped vanilla biscuits, are a classic choice, along with cinnamon stars, rum balls, florentines, and gingerbread. These cookies are not only enjoyed at home but are also given as gifts to loved ones during the holiday season.
In terms of non-alcoholic beverages, Almdudler, a soft drink flavoured with alpine herbs, is considered the national beverage of Austria. For wine enthusiasts, a trip to eastern Austria, the country's wine region, is a must. This region is known for producing exquisite Riesling and Veltliner wines. Lastly, for beer lovers, Austria offers a variety of brews from local breweries, including popular names like Stiegl, Ottakringer, Egger Bier, and Zillertal Bier.
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Desserts
When it comes to dessert, Austrians have a variety of sweet treats to choose from during the Christmas season.
One of the most famous Austrian desserts served during the Christmas holidays is apple strudel. Plum pie and apple strudel are commonly prepared by farmers in late summer and autumn. Another popular dessert is baked apples. Austrians make these by cutting open apples and replacing the seeds with a mix of chocolate, hazelnuts, cinnamon, and cardamom, then baking them in the oven for 10 minutes.
Christmas cookies are also a must-have during the holidays. Families spend the four weeks leading up to Christmas day in the kitchen, baking different types of cookies. The entire family usually participates in these cookie-baking sessions, which are often accompanied by Christmas music, storytelling, and some mulled wine. Linzer cookies are a traditional variety, made with two shortcrust pastry cookies glued together with either apricot or red currant jam.
In Carinthia, the locals love to have "Reindling", a sweet Bundt cake with honey and cinnamon, and "Kletzenbrot", a pastry with a filling of dried fruit. In the Pinzgau region (Salzburg), the dessert is often "Bachlkoch", a sweet porridge made with milk and flour, served with honey.
Chocolate fondue is another beloved Christmas dessert in Austria. An assortment of fruit is cut up and presented on a platter, and everyone gets to cover their favourite fruit in some dark, white, or milk chocolate.
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Frequently asked questions
A traditional Austrian Christmas dinner typically consists of roast goose, duck, or carp, served with braised red cabbage and bread dumplings. For dessert, Austrians indulge in apple strudel, Christmas cookies, and hot wine.
Austrians also enjoy Wiener Schnitzel, venison, wild boar, raclette, fondue, and charcuterie boards with cured meats, cheeses, fruits, and vegetables.
Austrians bake Christmas cookies, Kletzenbrot (a pastry with dried fruit filling), and Linzer Kekse (shortbread cookies with jam). They also enjoy hot alcoholic drinks like Christmas punch and mulled wine.
Christmas Eve is the main day for celebration in Austria. Families gather for a big feast, and gifts are exchanged.
