Läckerli tasting: The best doesn’t come from Basel
Keystone / Gaetan Bally
Läckerli are part of Switzerland’s culinary heritage. There are many good recipes but only one winner.
Eight different Läckerli were put to the test, ranging from products by large retailers to those from local producers. The tasting, organised by the Swiss public television, SRF’s programme Kassensturz, took place in Basel, the birthplace of the traditional honey biscuit. In the seminar rooms of the historic Hotel Krafft, a panel of four experts assessed the samples blind.
The jury judges the eight different läckerli blind/anonymised according to these criteria:
– Aroma / Flavour
– Appearance
– Fragrance
– Consistency
The jury is made up of these experts in the field:
Gabi Meier: Third-generation Basel baker and Switzerland’s first bread sommelier.
Gwenda Bösch: Current Swiss champion baker-confectioner. Top Rank Swiss Skills 2025
Jorma Signer: Head of Confectionery at the Bernese bakery company Reinhard
Sanjay Singh: Läckerlimanufaktur Spalentor, Basel
“Läckerli have an incredible bouquet of flavours,” says sensory expert and test leader Patrick Zbinden. “They are an exciting biscuit with a long history.” Although the jurors did not know which products they were tasting, they knew exactly what defines a high-quality Läckerli.
“A good Läckerli combines honey, almonds, gingerbread spices and candied orange or lemon peel into a harmonious whole,” explains Gwenda Bösch, the current Swiss master baker and confectioner.
Test winner from canton St Gallen
According to the jury, the best Läckerli came from Migros. Since 2016, these biscuits have no longer been produced at Migros’ bakery in Birsfelden, near Basel, but in Gossau, canton St Gallen.
“It has a very fine acidity, with a clear lemon note. Overall, it’s a very refined Läckerli,” says Basel Läckerli baker Sanjay Singh about the test winner, which scored 5.2 out of six. The same product is also sold under Denner’s own label. According to Denner’s media office, the recipe is identical.
Second place went to the Läckerli from Stadtbasler Confiserie Brändli, with a score of 5.0.
Well-known brands in the middle
The jury awarded 4.7 points to the Läckerli from Läckerli Huus, a well-known brand that, according to industry experts, also produces biscuits for bakeries and private labels of major retailers.
Läckerli from Aldi (4.7 points) and Coop (4.6 points) achieved similar results, placing them close to the branded product “Basler Läckerli Original” from Läckerli Huus.
Weakest flavours at the bottom
The Läckerli from Jakob’s Basler Leckerly failed to convince the jury. The main criticism was that they were “too sweet, with too few flavours of candied fruit and spices”.
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In response to the poor result, Jakob’s Basler Leckerly said it had deliberately followed a historical recipe with a high honey content. The company also pointed out that personal taste plays a significant role in such assessments.
With cheese or champagne
Gabi Meier, Switzerland’s first bread sommelier, notes considerable differences between the various Läckerli. She recommends that consumers try different versions for themselves.
“It’s also a matter of preference whether you enjoy strong citrus notes or prefer spicier flavours with cardamom and cinnamon,” she says.
Preferences also differ when it comes to pairing Läckerli. They can be enjoyed with champagne, served alongside an orange salad, or even used as a “bread substitute” with fondue.
The test results in detailExternal link
The Läckerli from Jakob’s Basler Leckerly were not to the taste of the jury. Jakob’s Basler Leckerly writes about the poor result with a score of 3.4.
“As with many traditional luxury foods – such as wine – the environment, mood and personal preferences play a significant role in the judgement. Jakob’s Basler Leckerly is deliberately based on historical Basler Läckerli recipes.
We use only natural raw materials and in particular a high proportion of bee honey, whose characteristic flavour is particularly appreciated by our customers. Irrespective of individual reviews, our company and our products are enjoying very strong growth in popularity.”
Translated from German using AI/amva
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