Updated 31 October 2026.
Short answer: At a German Christmas market, order a mug of Glühwein (hot mulled wine) or Kinderpunsch (the alcohol-free version for kids), and pair it with a bratwurst in a roll, roasted almonds and a piece of Lebkuchen (soft gingerbread). Drinks come in a real mug with a deposit called Pfand, often around €5 in Munich, which you get back when you return the mug.
Honestly, the food is half the reason we go. 😋 The smell of roasting almonds and grilled sausages hits you before you even see the lights. Here’s what to order, what it’s called, and how paying works, so your first visit feels easy.
How does the Pfand (mug deposit) work?
Hot drinks at German Christmas markets come in ceramic mugs, not paper cups. When you buy a drink, you pay the price of the drink plus a deposit (Pfand) for the mug.
- How much? Each stall sets its own deposit. On Munich’s Marienplatz, most stalls charged €5 per mug in 2025.
- Getting it back: return the mug to the stall where you bought it (or one with the same mug design), and you’ll get the deposit back in cash. In Munich, each stall has its own mug design.
- Keeping the mug: many people keep it as a souvenir and simply don’t collect the deposit. In Munich this is tolerated, and in Nuremberg it’s even welcome, because the mugs change every year and people collect them.
- Refills: keep your mug for a second round at the same stall, and you won’t pay the deposit twice.
Christmas market drinks: what to order
| Drink | What it is |
|---|---|
| Glühwein | Hot red wine with cinnamon, cloves, orange and sugar. The classic. |
| Weißer Glühwein | The same idea with white wine, a bit lighter. |
| Glühwein mit Schuss | Glühwein “with a shot”, usually rum or amaretto. |
| Heidelbeerglühwein | Hot blueberry wine, sweet and fruity. |
| Feuerzangenbowle | Mulled wine with a rum-soaked sugar cone set on fire above the pot. A show and a drink in one. |
| Eierpunsch | Warm, creamy eggnog-style punch, often topped with whipped cream. |
| Kinderpunsch | Hot fruit punch without alcohol, for kids and anyone who’s driving. |
| Heiße Schokolade | Hot chocolate, often with cream or a shot for the grown-ups. |
Kinderpunsch is a big favorite in our family, and it’s served in the same pretty mugs, so the kids feel just as fancy as the grown-ups.
What does Glühwein cost in 2026?
Prices for the 2026 season aren’t published yet, but the 2025 numbers give a good idea. A price comparison by Coupons.de put the average for a mug of red Glühwein in Germany at €4.54 in 2025. Munich is pricier: most markets charged €5 to €6, and up to €7.50 at some stalls on Marienplatz. Add the deposit on top for your first mug.
Christmas market food: the classics
- Bratwurst im Brötchen: a grilled sausage in a crusty roll, with mustard. The default market lunch everywhere.
- Gebrannte Mandeln: almonds roasted in sugar and cinnamon, sold warm in paper cones. You’ll smell them first.
- Lebkuchen: soft, spiced gingerbread, sometimes glazed or chocolate-covered. The big hearts with icing are more for hanging up than for eating.
- Maroni: hot roasted chestnuts.
- Reibekuchen or Kartoffelpuffer: crispy potato pancakes, served with apple sauce, especially in the Rhineland.
- Champignons: pan-fried mushrooms with garlic sauce.
- Flammkuchen: a thin, crispy flatbread with crème fraîche, onions and bacon, popular in the southwest.
- Schupfnudeln: pan-fried potato noodles with sauerkraut, a hearty Swabian dish.
- Kiachl and Schmalznudeln: fried dough, a Bavarian favorite, sweet with powdered sugar or with sauerkraut.
- Stollen: rich Christmas fruit bread dusted with powdered sugar.
Regional specialties worth looking for
- Nuremberg: Drei im Weggla, three small Nuremberg bratwursts in a roll, and Nuremberg Lebkuchen. Our Nuremberg Christmas market guide has more.
- Dresden: Dresdner Stollen. The Striezelmarkt even holds a Stollen Festival, on Saturday 5 December 2026.
- Aachen: Aachener Printen, a crunchy, spiced gingerbread. See the Aachen Christmas market.
- Lübeck: marzipan, the city’s famous sweet. See the Lübeck Christmas market.
- Bavaria: Kiachl, roast pork sandwiches and Bavarian Lebkuchen. Our Munich Christmas markets guide has more on each Munich market.
- Medieval markets: Stockbrot (bread dough baked on a stick over the fire) and honey wine (Met). Here’s our list of medieval Christmas markets.
Paying at a German Christmas market
- Bring cash. More stalls take cards every year, but not all of them, especially small food stalls and village markets. Coins and small notes make things quick.
- The deposit comes back in cash, so you’ll end up with coins anyway.
- Toilets at markets often cost a small fee, so keep some change for that too.
- Entry is free at most markets. A few special ones charge admission, like the Thurn und Taxis palace market in Regensburg or the Ravenna Gorge market in the Black Forest.
A few etiquette tips
- Stand-up tables are for sharing. It’s normal to join strangers at a high table. A friendly “Ist hier noch frei?” (is this spot free?) works every time.
- Prost! When you toast, look people in the eye. It’s a German thing.
- Glühwein is stronger than it tastes. It’s warm and sweet, so pace yourself, especially if you’re going on to another market.
Ready to taste your way around? Our Christmas market calendar has every market’s dates and hours, and here’s when each market opens in 2026.
Guten Appetit (enjoy your meal)! Pfiat di, Brian
FAQ
What is Pfand at a German Christmas market?
Pfand is a deposit you pay on the mug your drink comes in. Each stall sets its own amount; on Munich’s Marienplatz most stalls charged €5 in 2025. Return the mug to the stall and you get the deposit back in cash, or keep the mug as a souvenir.
Can you keep the Christmas market mug?
Yes, most people who keep the mug simply don’t collect their deposit. In Munich this is tolerated, and in Nuremberg it’s even welcome, because the mugs change every year.
How much is Glühwein at German Christmas markets?
In 2025 the average price of a mug of red Glühwein in Germany was €4.54, according to a Coupons.de price comparison. In Munich most markets charged €5 to €6, plus the mug deposit.
What is Kinderpunsch?
Kinderpunsch is a hot, alcohol-free fruit punch with Christmas spices. It’s sold at every German Christmas market for kids and anyone who doesn’t want alcohol.
Do German Christmas markets take cards?
Many stalls take cards now, but not all, especially small food stalls and village markets. Bring some cash and coins, also because the mug deposit is returned in cash.
Sources
Checked on 31 October 2026:
- t-online München: Can you keep the Christkindlmarkt mug? (deposit, Munich and Nuremberg)
- Scrivo: Munich Christmas markets 2025 price check (Glühwein prices, Coupons.de Glühwein index 2025)
- tz.de: Glühwein prices in Munich 2025
- Dresden Striezelmarkt (Stollen Festival date)
- Thurn und Taxis: Romantic Christmas market (tickets)
- Hochschwarzwald: Christmas market in the Ravenna Gorge (tickets)
Top photo: Kora27, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.