A recipe for Basler Leckerli inspired by our time in Basel, Switzerland! These fragrant, chewy cookies are packed with warming spices, citrus, and almonds.
Earlier this year, we spent two wonderful weeks in Switzerland! I will be sharing our experiences in a series of blog posts. Today, I am covering our day trip to Basel with a recipe for Basler Leckerli.
Check out the rest of our time in Switzerland:
- Chäschüechli (Swiss Cheese Tartlets) and Luzern, Switzerland
- Brönnti Creme and Bern, Switzerland
- Gipfeli (Swiss Crescent-Shaped Pastries) and Bernese Oberland, Switzerland
Basel
Basel is located in northwestern Switzerland along the Rhine River and is the third largest city in the country (behind Zürich and Geneva). It is in a unique location, sharing a border with both France and Germany.
The city is home to around 40 museums along with a beautifully preserved Altstadt (Old Town), the port of Basel, a blend of historic and modern architecture, shopping, bakeries, food halls, restaurants, art galleries, theaters, seasonal festivals, and more.
The official language in this part of Switzerland is German with Swiss German (Baseldeutsch/Baseldytsch/Baseldütsch) as the predominant spoken language.
I got around using somewhat passable Standard German and a few basic Swiss German phrases. We also heard a lot of English and French.
Getting to Basel
We traveled to Basel from our base in Bern and the distance was perfect for a day trip. There are multiple nonstop trains between the two cities with about 1 hour travel time.
It also takes around 1 hour to arrive from Zürich via train and almost 3 hours from Geneva. The city is fairly easy to reach from the Alsace region of France and Baden-Württemberg in Germany.
If traveling from elsewhere in Europe, Basel is accessible via EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg. The airport is actually located across the border in France, but operated by both countries with separated French and Swiss entrances/exits.
I highly recommend downloading the SBB Mobile app (available in English). I used it throughout our trip to plan routes and find the platforms/trains ahead of time.
Basel Dreiländereck
We started our morning in Basel with a leisurely walk to Dreiländereck, a monument representing the point where the borders of Germany, Switzerland, and France meet.
The exact tripoint is a few feet northwest in the middle of the Rhine River. From the photo above, you can see France across the river on the left and Germany on the right.
From Bahnhof Basel SBB, we took the tram to Kleinhüningen stop and walked around the port 1.2 kilometers (3/4 mile) to the monument.
There is minimal shade, so this is definitely best done earlier or later during hot days.
Markthalle Basel
For lunch, we stopped by Markthalle (Market Hall) across the street from the train station at Steinentorberg 20.
Originally opened in 1929, this food hall has expansive indoor and outdoor seating with dozens of vendors featuring a variety of international options.
We ordered the following:
- Latte Macchiato from Finkmüller- coffee shop with espresso, lemonade, homemade cakes, and fresh pizza.
- Riesling Sylvaner (weiss), KLUS 177, 2022, Bio, Demeter from HausBAR.
- Vareniki (Ukrainian half moon-shaped potato dumplings) from Kozak Buvette- Ukrainian stand with soups, salads, dumplings, and other specialties.
- Pappardelle Bolognese from Si Chef- daily homemade pasta.
- Ramen from Bowl Maker Society- DIY ramen options.
- Oreo and Pink Lemonade Gelato from Eisuru Gelato- handmade gelato with Japanese flavors.
Basler Papiermühle
After lunch, we took the tram to St. Alban-Tor and walked to Basler Papiermühle (Basel Paper Mill) at St. Alban-Tal 37.
With 40 museums within Basel ranging from art to history and everything in between, we had such a difficult time narrowing down which one to visit during our day trip.
I left the decision up to the kids and they ultimately picked Basler Papiermühle (Schweizerisches Museum für Papier, Schrift und Druck/Swiss Museum for Paper, Writing, and Printing).
Housed in a medieval paper mill, this unique museum covers the history of all things paper making, printing, writing, book binding, and other paper-related craftsmanship with hands-on experiences across four floors.
The museum was such a memorable experience and a highlight of our travels.
The building was originally a grain mill belonging to the Dominican Cloister Klingental and was converted into a paper mill in 1453 by Anton Gallizian.
Many changes have occurred since with a restoration of the building and transformation into the museum beginning in 1980.
We spent most of our time seeing all the historic machines up close, making and stamping our own paper (wonderful souvenirs), and even creating colorful marbled paper.
The guides at each of the stations were incredibly helpful, patient, and spoke both German and English.
Check the website for official hours and special events before visiting. As a note, the museum, like many in the country, is closed on Mondays.
Entry is covered with the Swiss Travel Pass and Basel Card. We ended up spending around 3 hours here. Plan for at least 2 hours to see all the exhibits and participate in the workshops (which may also have varied hours).
We didn’t try it, but there is a restaurant and café onsite. The gift shop was just as unique as the museum with local stationery, other paper products, books, pens, and more.
St. Alban-Tor
While walking between Basler Papiermühle and the tram stop, we passed under St. Alban-Tor (Dalbedoor). This historic city gate dates back to the 1400s and marks part of the wall originally surrounding Basel.
The other two gates still standing are Spalentor and St. Johannes-Tor.
Läckerli Huus
We didn’t have much time left after Basler Papiermühle, but we were able to finish our day with a brief walk through Altstadt Grossbasel (Basel’s Old Town on the left side of the Rhein).
One of our stops in this area was Läckerli Huus at Gerbergasse 57! Läckerli Huus features Basler Läckerli/Leckerli in a variety of shapes and flavors, pralines, truffles, chocolate bars, and seasonal offerings.
Their Läckerli flavors range from original and chocolate-covered to pear, apple, and even low sugar. These were perfect for souvenirs since the cookies have a longer shelf life and aren’t as delicate when packing into suitcases.
Rathaus Basel
Situated on the Marktplatz, Rathaus Basel (Basel’s city hall) was originally built in 1514 (over 500 years old!). It is the seat of Basel’s cantonal parliament and government.
The striking red facade is especially notable along with the frescos in the inner courtyard.
Konditorei-Confiserie Gilgen
Before walking back to the train station, we stopped by Konditorei-Confiserie Gilgen for a couple of treats.
Konditorei-Confiserie Gilgen is located in the heart of Basel just a little southwest of the Rathaus at Spalenberg 6.
They feature a variety of sweet and savory pastries, cakes, tortes, chocolates, Basler-Leckerli, and more. I was immediately drawn to their beautiful Erdbeer-Tartlettes (strawberry tartlets). The kids loved their pretzels.
We only had a few short hours in Basel, but definitely could have spent at least a long weekend here to experience more of the museums and restaurants.
Other notable sites include Basler Münster, Tinguely Brunnen, Mittlere Brücke, Kunstmuseum Basel, Zoo Basel, Spielzeug Welten Museum Basel, Historisches Museum Basel, and Naturhistorisches Museum Basel.
Basler Leckerli
Basel is also home to quite the incredible regional cuisine with personal favorites such as Basler Brunsli (Swiss Chocolate Spice Cookies) and Schoggiweggli (Swiss Chocolate Buns). To pair with this post, I made the classic Basler Leckerli inspired by our stop at Läckerli Huus!
Translating to little treats, these Basler Leckerli have different spellings depending on the dialect (Läckerli, Leckerly, Läggerli) and origins dating back a few centuries. Jakob’s Basler Leckerly at St. Johanns-Vorstadt 47 is the current oldest company in Basel selling them and began operations in 1753.
The chewy cookies/Guetzli have a flavor reminiscent of gingerbread with warming spices and pieces of finely chopped almonds, candied orange peel, and candied lemon peel mixed throughout the dough.
After baking, they are covered with a very thin layer of a sweet glaze to create distinctive crackles across the top before cutting into individual rectangles or other shapes and cooling to room temperature.
The Leckerli are a perfect make-ahead option during the holiday season as the flavors are best with an overnight resting period and after sitting at room temperature for a couple of days after baking.
Forming the Basler Leckerli
After bringing together the dough, there are a couple of ways to shape it.
Since the dough is quite sticky and needs to be worked with while still warm (it will become more stiff and difficult to handle as it cools), it is easiest to do this by either rolling between two sheets of parchment or by pressing into an even layer using hands lightly moistened with water.
The resulting rectangle should be about 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) thick and 12 x 10 inches (30.5 x 25.5 centimeters) in size.
For best results, allow the sheet of dough to rest at room temperature for at least one hour and ideally overnight (12 hours).
After baking until set and golden around the edges, the Leckerli sheet is immediately covered with a hot glaze in a thin layer. It is then ready to cut into the desired shapes while still warm.
Traditionally, Basler Leckerli are cut into small rectangles or squares more or less 2.3 x 1.5 inches (6 x 4 centimeters) in size.
For more even sides, trim the edges before cutting into the individual pieces. I generally don’t bother since I like to use those for taste testing at home.
I cut a few others into a thinner stick shape about 2 1/2 x 3/4 inches (6.3 x 2 centimeters) in length.
Inspired by the Läckerli Herzen I picked up at Läckerli Huus, I also cut a few into hearts using a small sharp metal heart cutter. Take care if using a metal cutter since the dough is still hot. The metal cutter will also heat quickly.
The exact number of cookies will vary based on how you cut the dough.
After cutting and cooling to room temperature, I dipped a few of the Basler Leckerli into melted chocolate and covered with sprinkles for a fun variation.
A Few Basler Leckerli Tips
I made the Basler Leckerli using whole, unpeeled raw almonds. Some recipes use almonds while others use hazelnuts or a combination of the two. I often prefer the flavor of hazelnuts, but went with almonds in this recipe as they are more readily available in the United States.
I pulsed the almonds and citrus peel until finely chopped in the food processor. The mixture should not be ground. There should still be pieces of the almonds and candied citrus peel to add some texture. You can also chop the ingredients by hand.
The trick to making these Guetzli is the exact timing when preparing the dough.
The glaze and the dough must still both be hot to easily spread and get that notable pattern over the top. Heat the glaze towards the end of the baking time during the last couple of minutes.
The glaze can be made with either lemon juice or Kirschwasser, then mixed into the powdered sugar until thickened over medium low heat.
Kirschwasser (Kirsch) is a clear, colorless brandy made from distilling morello cherries. If avoiding alcohol or unable to locate, swap for fresh orange juice in the dough.
After cooling to room temperature, store the Basler Leckerli in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.
Basler Leckerli Recipe
Adapted from Hof-Chuchli: Lieblingsrezepte von Schweizer Bäuerinnen und Bauern
Basler Leckerli
Ingredients
Dough:
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup (100 grams) whole raw almonds
- 1/3 cup (50 grams) candied orange peel
- 1/3 cup (50 grams) candied lemon peel
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) Kirschwasser or fresh orange juice
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 3/4 cup (250 grams) honey
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- Pinch ground cloves
Glaze:
- 3/4 cup (100 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) fresh lemon juice or Kirschwasser
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) water
Instructions
To make the dough:
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a large food processor fitted with a steel blade, pulse the almonds, candied orange peel, and candied lemon peel until finely chopped but not completely ground. Stir in the 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) Kirschwasser and lemon zest.
- Add the chopped almond mixture to the flour mixture, stirring well to combine.
- In a small saucepan, place the honey, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves over medium low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Once the sugar and spices have dissolved into the honey and the mixture is starting to bubble around the edges, remove from heat.
- Pour the honey while still hot into the bowl with the flour and stir immediately to create a thick and sticky dough with no streaks of flour remaining.
- Transfer the dough to a piece of parchment cut to the size of a large baking sheet.
- Either cover with another piece of parchment and roll with a rolling pin or use hands lightly moistened with water to press the dough into an even rectangle about 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) thick and 12 x 10 inch (30.5 x 25.5 centimeter) in size.
- Transfer the parchment to a large rimmed baking sheet and allow the dough to rest at room temperature for at least one hour and ideally up to overnight (12 hours).
- Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C).
- Bake the sheet of rested dough until puffed and starting to turn golden around the edges, 12-15 minutes.
During the last couple of minutes of baking, make the glaze:
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice or Kirschwasser, and water over medium low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has thickened slightly.
- While still hot, pour the glaze over the still hot cooked sheet of dough.
- Use a rubber spatula to immediately spread the glaze across the dough completely to the edges in a thin layer.
- Cut the Basler Leckerli (if desired trim the edges first for more even shapes) while still warm into individual 2.3 x 1.5 inch (6 x 4 centimeter) rectangles or other desired shapes.
- Transfer the cut pieces to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled to room temperature, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks. These cookies are actually best after resting for about a day or two.
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