At 4 p.m., the sun has already set for the day, and the Copenhagen sky is darkening to an inky blue. I pull my wool hat down and scarf tighter as I walk along the Østerbro waterfront, the wind continuing to whip around me. It’s the winter solstice, the darkest and shortest day of the year. Yet improbably, the Danes transform this bitterly cold season into one seemingly out of a fairy tale.
Christmas markets illuminate the capital city, impeccably blending a festive atmosphere with the storied Scandinavian essence of hygge—coziness, contentment, and mindful living. Street stands are shelved with steaming mugs of gløgg (mulled wine) as residents bike past along the glimmering canals. And as I pause and peer into shop windows, I catch an aromatic whiff that lures me along its scent trail.
I end up at the doorstep of a nearby bakery—Juno the Bakery (as I later would learn, one of the most prominent players in the Copenhagen pastry scene). But I’m lost in the moment, enveloped by a warm, buttery gust of air as I watch the pastry chefs delicately create works of culinary art. With eyes bigger than my stomach, I follow their guidance, first sampling Juno’s signature cardamom bun.
The counter at Juno the Bakery.
Photo: Carinne Geil Botta
I take my first bite and let the flavors wash over me: buttery, crispy caramel, and fragrant black cardamom, wrapped up in a warm and pillowy yeasted dough. It’s hygge personified, and a slice of accessible decadence—an oxymoron that is fit for few luxuries in life. Yet while it’s extraordinary to me, it’s a regular treat for locals. Thus, my quest began to understand why so many of the world’s greatest pastries can be found here in Copenhagen.
To uncover answers, I journeyed back to the start, first visiting the oldest bakery in the city: Sankt Peders. Having opened its doors in 1652, this historic building has become a Copenhagen fixture, tucked away in the Latin Quarter amongst pastel-hued shops and cobblestone squares. Yet the traditional Danish baking techniques that formed its very foundation have undergone centuries of immense transformation.
Outside Sankt Peders.
Photo: Carinne Geil Botta