Herbal Cut Aachener Printen

Herb-spice Sliced Printen from Aachen, tart and crunchy

The herb-spice Sliced Printen from the Klein Printen bakery are classic hard Aachen Printen in sliced form. Tartly spiced, with a shiny glaze, and a satisfying crunch – they are the most traditional Printen in the assortment, made entirely without chocolate and with no fat in the dough.

The herb-spice Sliced Printen are the sliced original form of the Aachen Printe from the Klein Printen bakery. Firm bars are baked from the spiced dough and cut into bite-sized pieces – hence the name. Cinnamon, anise, clove, and coriander give them the dark spice for which genuine herb Printen have been known for centuries.

Tart spice with a shiny coating

Herb Printen represent the tart side of Aachen’s baking artistry. No chocolate coating, no nut slivers – just the spiced dough and a paper-thin, shiny coating made of potato starch that gives the Printen their sheen. When you bite into one, the Printe yields only after a brief resistance.

Each slice tastes spicy, bold, and hearty, with a long finish of clove and cinnamon. The hard Printe is intentionally baked firm; it is not meant to melt away, but to be chewed slowly. Original Aachen hard Printen remain crunchy as long as they are kept dry, and gradually soften if stored in a humid environment – so the choice is yours.

A pastry with Aachen’s geographical protection

The name "Printe" comes from the act of pressing: in the past, dough was pressed into carved wooden molds that left behind images and patterns. Out of this old Aachen baking tradition, the herb-spice Sliced Printen are the simplest, most honest form – no coating, no filling, just dough, spice, and time. A piece lasts a long time in the mouth; you chew it almost like a firm caramel while the spices gradually bloom.

Aachen Printen have been a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) since 1997 – they may only bear this name if produced in Aachen and six neighboring municipalities. In addition to Aachen, these are Würselen, Baesweiler, Eschweiler, Alsdorf, Stolberg, and Roetgen; anyone who wants to bake genuine Printen must be located in this corner of the city region.

The dough is traditionally leavened with potash and baking soda instead of yeast, and sweetened with sugar syrup, rock candy, and brown sugar. The mixture needs two days to rest before it goes into an oven heated to around 200 degrees Celsius. The herb-spice Sliced Printen are the most classic variety in the Klein bakery’s assortment – the Printe for those who like it puristic.

Handcrafted on Franzstraße since 1912

The Klein family has been baking on Franzstraße in Aachen since 1912, when Peter Klein founded the business. Today, it is in its fourth generation under master baker Andreas Klein. According to the bakery, Klein is the only dedicated Printen bakery in the city – a business that has been making nothing but Printen for over 100 years. If you stroll through Aachen, you will find their shops on Franzstraße, Ursulinerstraße, and Krämerstraße.

Each Printe is made by hand, and the recipe remains a family secret. The 200g pack of herb-spice Sliced Printen will last for many afternoons, and anyone who gives them as a gift is passing on a piece of Aachen history – for many families, herb Printen are as much a staple of the Advent season as the Christmas tree.

In Aachen, they are served with a pot of strong black tea just as often as with coffee. You can find the same spice in a milder, bite-sized format in our herb Printen confectionary; the entire Klein Printen assortment leads from here to the soft, chocolate-covered varieties.