The Story Behind The Oldest Bakery In The US

Countless new bakeries have been popping up across the US in recent years. From pâtisseries serving mirror-glaze entremet cakes to inventive test kitchens crafting perfectly-proofed sourdough loaves, it seems like there's always a buzzy new spot attracting crowds of customers and social media influencers. Sometimes, however, all you want to do is get back to basics, and there's one bakery that's been dishing out classics longer than anywhere else in the country: Winkler Bakery in North Carolina.

Located in the historic town of Old Salem, Winkler Bakery has been in operation since 1807, making it the oldest continuously operating bakery in the United States. The building itself actually goes back even further. In 1799, it was built by the Moravian Church for a baker and his family to serve the surrounding community. Eight years later, it was bought by Christian Winkler, a baker originally from Switzerland. Winkler, his wife, and their six children all moved in, paving the way for a family-run business that would go on to make history.

Winkler's descendants ran the business, with many even living in the building, until 1926. Today, Winkler Bakery is owned by Old Salem Museum and Gardens, a local historical group that aims to preserve the history of the early South. The bakers dress in period costumes and everything is still baked in a wood-burning oven. 

The bakery is known for its cookies, particularly Moravian cookies, a descendant of German Lebkuchen often recognized as one of the thinnest cookies in the world. Another fan favorite is the bakery's recipe for gingerbread, which is still the same as it was in 1807. Some of the other original items still served include Moravian sugar cake, rosemary bread, and more. The real star, however, continues to be the cookies, and even though they're still baked in the traditional way, modern technology allows them to be sold online, meaning that anyone, anywhere in the country, can enjoy these delicious little pieces of history.