The Europe you’ll discover in the winter months is something special – a land of Christmas markets, cozy pubs, and holiday traditions to spare. It makes sense, then, that one of the most comforting and enjoyable features of European culture is the food that emerges when the weather gets cold. From deep-fried bread to hot wine, here are the tastiest traditional foods you’ll find as you explore Europe in the winter.
Lángos
Germany, Hungary
A tasty treat perfect for cold weather, Lángos originates from Romania and Hungary and is made by deep-frying flatbread. Mmm, deep fried bread… Can anything be more comforting than that? Lángos is normally served topped with garlic sauce, apple sauce, or a heap of cheese and bacon.
Potato Pancakes
Northern & Eastern Europe
Commonly known as Reibekuchen, Latka, or Kartoffelpuffer, potato pancakes are a holiday staple across much of Europe. They are normally made with shredded potato, flour, and egg deep-fried to crispy perfection. You can get them with a variety of toppings and sauces. Like hash browns but better, you won’t be able to stop ordering these tasty treats.
Mulled Wine
Germany, France, Spain, Czech Republic, UK
Known as glühwein in German, vin chaud in French, and svařák in Czech, mulled wine will have you addicted from the first warm, flavorful, comforting sip. You may think hot wine is a strange concept, but when your toes are freezing off as you wander around Prague or Berlin, give it a try – you’ll warm right up. Plus, mulled wine basically tastes like Christmas in a cup.
Poffertjes
The Netherlands
My personal all-time favorite Dutch snack (and that’s saying something), poffertjes are tiny, fresh-off-the-griddle pancakes no bigger than a dollar coin. They come smothered in any toppings you’d like; popular options are nutella, caramel, chocolate, powdered sugar, and jam. Sweet, comforting and practically melting in your mouth, every poffertje is a little bite of heaven.
Raclette
Germany, France, Switzerland
Piping-hot melted cheese, scraped fresh off a molten block and slathered on top of bread or potatoes… Honestly, what more could you want in the winter? You can often find Raclette in the traditional Christmas markets Europe is famous for. Forget grilled cheese – Raclette is one of the most delectable comfort foods you’ll ever try. It’ll be tough not to wolf one down every day (though we won’t judge if you do, we’ve been there.)
Roasted Chestnuts
Everywhere!
Chestnuts roasted on an open fire… is there anything more Christmassy than that? Known as heiße maroni in Germany, marrons chauds in France, and castañas in Spain, you can find roasted chestnuts in the winter months purely by following their sweet, smokey scent to one of the hundreds of stalls selling them in nearly every European city. They’re the perfect snack to pick up as you explore – they’re toasty, delicious, and actually fill you up.
Chimney Cake
Germany, France, Switzerland, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Czechia, Poland, and Italy
Known occasionally as Kürtőskalács (in Hungarian), Baumstriezel (in German), or Trdelník (in Czech), Chimney Cake is made from dough wrapped around a metal rod and slowly roasted, then removed from the rod and coated in cinnamon and sugar. It’s no surprise that you can find this delicacy all over Europe – it truly is that good.
Irish Coffee
Ireland (though you can probably order it anywhere!)
You probably already know what Irish Coffee is, but let’s recap. Take a freshly brewed cup of joe and add whiskey, cream and brown sugar, plus a dollop of whipped cream if you’re feeling frisky. An Irish Coffee is the perfect treat for a chilly winter day when you need a quick boost of energy. Some even say Irish Coffees are the secret to the lively spirit and fun attitude of the Irish.
Churros & Chocolate
Spain
Churros are made from sweet dough fried to crispy, melt-in-your-mouth perfection, dusted with cinnamon and sugar, and served with a side of thick, piping-hot chocolate. Delicious any time of year, Spain’s signature sweet treat feels extra satisfying when the weather is cold. You can find them all over Spain and in a variety of different forms – I’ll never forget trying chocolate-filled churros in Seville – but you really can’t beat the classic.
