Herbal Aachener Printen Confectionery

Aachen Herb Printe Confection in bite-sized pieces

The herb Printe confectionery from the Klein Printe bakery are classic Aachen herb Printen, broken into small bites. Boldly spiced, crisp and hard, and completely without chocolate—this is how the original form of the Printe tastes, just as it has belonged to the Advent season for generations.

Herb Printe Confection is the little sister of the classic Aachen herb Printen from the Klein Printe bakery. Instead of long bars, bite-sized pieces go into the bag, each with the dark spice of cinnamon, anise, clove, and coriander. Hard Printen, just as they are at home in Aachen—for coffee, for tea, for snacking in between.

Boldly spiced and crisp and hard

When you bite into a herb Printe, it crunches first, then comes the spice: cinnamon and clove leading the way, followed by anise and coriander. Herb Printen are the tart, original form of the Printe, based entirely on the spices—no chocolate coating to mask the aromas, just dough and spice.

The Printe dough is made entirely without fat. This is exactly what makes these hard Printen so long-lasting and characteristically crisp. Spicy, crunchy, and hearty, the pieces rest on the tongue until they slowly melt away. Authentic Aachen hard Printen are, after all, hard—if you prefer them softer, place a piece of apple in the tin for a few days, and the moisture will do the rest.

Three types of sugar and two days of patience

Genuine Aachen Printen contain no yeast or baking powder. The leavening is provided by potash and soda, which give the dough its typical bite. They are sweetened with three sugars at once—sugar syrup, rock candy sugar, and brown beet sugar—which together create the dark, malty caramel of the Printe. In addition to cinnamon and clove, the classic Printe spices often include cardamom, fennel, and coriander.

When honey became scarce around 1800 during the Continental System, Aachen bakers switched to sugar syrup; since then, the Printen have been this hard and spicy. A recipe that developed from necessity into a specialty.

Before being baked, the dough rests for two full days so that the spices can permeate it. The bakery guards the exact ratio of the Printe spices like a family secret, just as Andreas Klein inherited it from his great-grandfather. Aachen Printen have carried the EU PGI seal since 1997: only seven municipalities around Aachen are allowed to bake genuine Printen, and Klein has been a member of the protective association since 1993.

Baked at Klein in Aachen since 1912

In 1912, Peter Klein founded his bakery on Franzstraße in Aachen, right by the Marschiertor gate. Today, his great-grandson Andreas Klein runs the business in the fourth generation—a small Printe bakery that crafts its Printen by hand and even shows how they are made in its own Printe museum.

For over 100 years, the recipe has remained in the family, handed down from generation to generation. The 200g bag of herb Printe confectionery is the perfect introduction to this tradition: the pure, spicy Printe without any frills, in pieces that are easy to share. Kept dry and well-sealed, these hard Printen will last for many weeks, accompanying you throughout the entire Advent season.

If you are looking for the classic bar shape, opt for the herb-cut Printen, and the entire assortment of the Klein Printe bakery ranges all the way to chocolate-coated soft Printen. In Aachen, a plate of Printen is as much a part of afternoon coffee as the town hall is to the marketplace.