Somewhere in Michigan, a bakery crew works through the night so the shelves are full by morning. Their reward? Strudel built from a family recipe and pretzels you can actually learn to twist yourself.
The apple strudel traces back to one beloved family matriarch whose recipes still guide the ovens today. Her fruit-packed Christmas bread now sells all year long. I like that nobody felt the need to save a good thing for December.
The bakery sits below a famous restaurant, down among cobblestone paths and storybook shops. You can grab coffee, pull up a seat, and work through a pastry case that keeps going. Butterhorns, eclairs, cheesy breads, and small-batch jams all compete for attention.
So how many treats is too many? I believe we’re about to find out together.
The Best Treats In This Castle Are Hiding Downstairs
Most castles hide treasure in a vault. The Bavarian Inn Castle Shop Bakery keeps its riches in a pastry case instead.
You’ll find it on the lower level of the Bavarian Inn Restaurant, inside an area called the Castle Shops. Winding cobblestone paths connect a cluster of specialty stores with a playful, fairytale feel.
That setting matters more than you might expect. Wandering past storybook storefronts makes the trip to the bakery feel like a small adventure rather than an errand.
The bakery itself focuses on homemade goods made from scratch every day. Nothing gets added preservatives, which explains why the crew bakes overnight to keep things fresh.
Fresh pretzels and strudel lead the lineup, but they have plenty of company. Breads, pies, tortes, turnovers, and rolls all fill out the shelves.
My advice is simple. Walk the whole lower level first so you know exactly what you’re working with.
A loop around the Castle Shops also gives you time to make a plan. Trust me, you’ll want one once that pastry case comes into view.
Consider this level the dessert floor of a very large and very German building. Upstairs feeds you dinner, and downstairs makes sure you leave happy.
The Bakery Is Below The Restaurant
The Bavarian Inn Castle Shop Bakery is at 713 South Main Street in Frankenmuth, Michigan, in the lower level of the Bavarian Inn Restaurant. Follow Main Street into the town’s central Bavarian-style district.
The restaurant building is the landmark to find; the bakery is not an independent shop farther down the block. Look for directions to the Castle Shops once you reach the property.
Enter the Bavarian Inn Restaurant complex and head downstairs to the Castle Shops level for the bakery counter.
Yes, You Can Twist Your Own Pretzel Here
Pretzel shapes look simple until you try one at home and end up with a dough pretzel that resembles a shoelace accident. Thankfully, help is available.
The Bavarian Inn offers a Pretzel Rolling experience by reservation. Guests learn proper pretzel-rolling techniques, then bake their creations.
The best part comes at the end. You get to enjoy your own warm, soft pretzel, which tastes extra good when you made the twist yourself.
This activity works well for families looking for something hands-on. It also makes a fun rainy-day plan when Michigan weather refuses to cooperate.
Since reservations are required, plan ahead before your trip. Popular travel weekends can fill up, so booking early is the safer move.
I love how this turns a snack into a skill. You leave with a full stomach and a new party trick for your next family gathering.
Kids especially get a kick out of shaping dough with their hands. It’s messy in the best way, and nobody grades your first attempt.
Think of it as a tiny cooking class with a delicious final exam. Passing simply means eating what you made, which seems like a fair deal.
Apple Or Cherry? The Strudel Debate Starts Now
European influenced, Bavarian Inn perfected. That’s how the bakery describes its strudel, and it’s a bold little slogan.
The Bavarian Inn Castle Shop Bakery offers two versions, apple and cherry. Each one starts with a generous amount of homemade filling loaded into puff pastry.
From there, the strudel bakes until golden brown. Then each flavor gets its own finishing touch.
Apple strudel receives a dusting of powdered sugar. Cherry strudel gets a drizzle of icing instead, which makes it a bit showier.
The apple strudel connects to Dorothy Zehnder, a cornerstone of the Bavarian Inn story. Her recipes have shaped this kitchen for generations.
So which one should you pick? If you can’t decide, the easy answer is both.
Apple fans tend to enjoy that classic, cozy flavor. Cherry lovers get a brighter, sweeter option with that pretty icing on top.
Strudel also makes a thoughtful gift to bring home. It’s a taste of German tradition baked right here in Michigan.
My tip is to grab coffee and eat at least one slice on the spot. Saving all of it for later requires willpower that few people truly have.
Roll Up Your Sleeves For Strudel And Sweet Pretzel Sticks
Eating strudel is wonderful. Building one with your own hands is a whole different level of bragging rights.
The Bavarian Inn offers a Strudel Making activity by reservation. Guests create their own individual apple or cherry strudel.
That means you get to pick your side of the great fruit debate. You also get a personal pastry that nobody else can claim.
Another sweet activity involves chocolate-covered pretzel sticks. Guests decorate them with toppings like toffee bits, raisins, nuts, and M&Ms.
This one feels tailor-made for younger bakers. There’s no dough to wrestle, just chocolate and a pile of fun toppings.
Families can mix and match these activities with the Pretzel Rolling experience. A full afternoon of baking could keep everyone busy and happy.
Check availability before you travel, since reservations matter here. Showing up hopeful without booking might lead to a little disappointment.
I can’t imagine a better birthday outing for a kid who loves the kitchen. It’s creative, tasty, and blessedly free of dishes at home.
Bring a bag or box for your creations. Some treats might survive the trip home, though I wouldn’t promise much.
A Christmas Bread That Refuses To Wait For December
Stollen used to be a holiday-only treat in Germany. The Bavarian Inn decided that rule was optional.
This traditional German bread is a signature product here. It’s historically eaten at Christmas, yet the bakery offers it year-round.
The recipe belongs to Dorothy Zehnder, and her original version is still used today. That’s a lot of history wrapped into one loaf.
Inside, you’ll find dried candied fruit like pineapple, red and green cherries, and raisins. Cashew nuts, spices, and citrus zest round out the mix.
The Bavarian Inn Castle Shop Bakery sells stollen in two sizes. You can choose it with icing or without.
Dorothy Zehnder co-founded the Bavarian Inn with her husband, William Tiny Zehnder. Her influence on the restaurant has stretched across many decades.
A smaller loaf works nicely if you’re new to stollen. The larger size makes sense for gifting or feeding a crowd.
Honestly, a slice of fruit-packed bread in July feels a little rebellious. I’m fully in favor of that kind of rebellion.
Stollen also holds up well for travel. That makes it a smart pick for anyone driving home across Michigan.
Good Luck Choosing Just One Bread Or Pastry
Butterhorns alone could justify the trip. These are made with buttery homemade dough, brown sugar, pecans, and almond flavoring.
Each one is hand-rolled, iced, and topped with more pecans. You can buy them individually, in 6-packs, or in a raspberry cream cheese version.
Savory fans have options too. Cheese Crusty Bread bakes in a hot steaming oven with mozzarella and parmesan.
Cheese and Onion Cobblestone Bread brings cheddar and onion into a rich homemade loaf. A Jalapeno Cheddar version adds a little kick.
Backofenbrot and Farmer’s Rye Bread lean into classic German baking. They’re great choices for sandwich lovers.
Cinnamon Crunch Bread is a pull-apart loaf with cinnamon, sugar, and icing. It comes with or without raisins, so everyone stays happy.
The case keeps going with German tortes, pies, and custard-filled eclairs dipped in chocolate ganache. Pie choices include apple, cherry, lemon meringue, banana cream, and apple kuchen.
There are also three kinds of brownies, carrot cake, turnovers, muffins, cinnamon rolls, and caramel pecan rolls. My strategy? Pick one sweet, one savory, and one wild card.
Small-Batch Jams And Snacks For The Family Dog
Rhubarb gets a lot of love on these shelves. The bakery’s homemade jams are made in small batches with simple ingredients.
Regular flavors include Strawberry Rhubarb, Cherry Rhubarb, Blackberry Rhubarb, and Blueberry Rhubarb. Peach joins the lineup for anyone who prefers a softer fruit.
Seasonal flavors rotate through as well. Look for names like Strawberry Lemonade, Summer Berry, Spiced Peach, Winterberry, Raspberry Jalapeno, and Autumn Peach.
Raspberry Jalapeno sounds like a dare. Paired with one of those cheesy breads, though, it could become your new favorite combo.
Now for the four-legged crowd. The Bavarian Inn Castle Shop Bakery also makes pretzel treats for dogs.
They come in beef, chicken, or bacon cheddar flavors. Your pup deserves a souvenir too, right?
These little extras make easy gifts for neighbors, pet sitters, or coworkers. A jar of jam travels well and fits in a bag.
Kitchen accessories and gourmet food items are sold here too. That makes it easy to round out a gift basket without leaving the building.
Just don’t mix up the bags on the drive home. Nobody wants a bacon cheddar surprise on their morning toast.
Show Up At 9 A.M. And Plan Your Perfect Bakery Stop
Early birds get the butterhorns. The bakery opens at 9 a.m. year-round, before the rest of the Castle Shops begin at 10 a.m.
You’ll find it at the Bavarian Inn Restaurant, 713 South Main Street, Frankenmuth, Michigan 48734. Head to the lower level and follow the cobblestone paths.
Seating is available if you want to linger. Coffee, hot chocolate, and other drinks make that pastry break feel complete.
Prefer to eat elsewhere? Take-out works, and a Curbside To Go service makes pickup even easier.
The bakery also offers take-out Bavarian Inn favorites like Frankenmuth chicken and German specialties. Sides include noodle soup, mashed potatoes, and sandwiches.
The building has deep roots in this town. It began as the Union House Hotel in 1888, founded by Theodore Fischer.
The Zehnder family bought it in 1950, then remodeled it with Bavarian architecture and renamed it in 1959. A 1975 expansion added bakery production areas to the kitchen.
That’s well over a century of feeding hungry guests in Michigan. Grab a pretzel, pick a strudel, and become part of the story.