Traditional Moravian Cookies

Settled by Moravians more than 250 years ago, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, serves up a culinary trail series celebrating the destination’s deep Moravian food roots. The culinary series is a trio of virtual trails (meaning you can start, stay or stop wherever you please), each serving up a healthy portion of intriguing history; delectable, tried-and-true recipes; and favorite places to sample and savor distinct and delicious Moravian dishes and delights. The first of the series introduced the whisper-thin Moravian cookies. Soon after, the city embarked on a savory stroll that’s all-things Moravian chicken pie (no, not “pot pie”), then finally debuted the Moravian sugar cake—a wildly popular treat for the winter holidays. 

With more than a million pounds baked here each year, Winston-Salem easily and proudly retains the title as the epicenter of the Moravian Cookie. This simple, but ever so sophisticated cookie, is a worldwide wonder for its incredibly rich—some even say intense—flavors and yet is so incredibly thin. Some bakers have even called it the “world’s thinnest cookie!” At traditional sites such as Winkler Bakery in Old Salem Museums & Gardens, Dewey’s Bakery, and Mrs. Hanes’ Moravian Cookies, visitors can always savor these wonderful, wafer-thin cookies, each baked with rich ingredients and centuries-old traditions.