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America’s Oldest Continuously Running Bakery: Two Centuries and Endless Cookies
- Madison
- 20 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Imagine biting into a cookie that’s been perfected over more than two centuries. Sound like a dream? At Winkler Bakery in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, it’s reality. Founded in 1799 by the Moravian church and later taken over by Swiss-born baker Christian Winkler in 1807, this bakery holds the title of America’s oldest continually operating bakery—and yes, some ovens are still wood-fired.
Step inside, and it’s like walking back in time. Nestled on the grounds of Old Salem Museums and Gardens, the bakery sits in a historic district dating back to 1766. The area is famous for Moravian cookies—super-thin, spiced treats with scalloped edges that are as iconic as they are addictive. These cookies trace their roots to the German lebkuchen, and their clever slim shape means bakers can churn out dozens per batch, fast.
Originally, these treats were a holiday luxury. The classic recipe called for cloves, ginger, and molasses—spices that were pricey back then. Sometimes, bakers would even let the dough rest over winter so the flavors could deepen, turning simple cookies into something magical.
Visitors wandering through Winkler Bakery will spot bakers in traditional garb, handing out samples of sugar cake, rosemary bread, and the ever-popular Moravian cookies. A cookie wall shows off all the flavors, while the gift shop offers boxed treats for those who want a little history to-go. Can’t make the trip? No problem—Moravian lemon cookies, sugar cookies, ginger cakes, and even Lovefeast bun mix can be ordered online, so your morning coffee can taste like a slice of 200-year-old tradition.