Basler Leckerli Manufactory in Basel

About Us

In the heart of Basel, where tradition, craftsmanship and passion have come together since 1753.

Tradition in good hands

Charlotte Kuster-Gun

Chairwoman of the Board of Directors

Some companies are born from a business idea. Others grow over generations to become a piece of home. Since 1753, Jakob's Basler Leckerly has stood for genuine Basel craftsmanship. Generations of bakers have contributed to transforming a traditional recipe into a piece of Basel identity. Preserving and carefully developing this heritage is far more than a corporate task for us; it is a privilege.

Since 2017, Charlotte and Andreas Kuster have continued to run the traditional manufactory as an independent Basel family business.

Andreas Kuster

Managing Director

However, the connection goes way back: Already as a child, Andreas, together with his father and brother, baked Basler Läckerli in his family's old town house in Basel, following an old family recipe. What began as a family tradition then, many years later became a passion and a responsibility to lead one of Switzerland's oldest still existing companies into the future.

Andreas combines international leadership experience with a deep connection to Basel. Charlotte worked as an interpreter for Swiss Radio and Television and in marketing for an international company. With the takeover of Jakob's Basler Leckerly, she consciously decided to give up her own translation agency in order to build up the family business together with Andreas and to combine family and entrepreneurship.

Astrid Geigy

Sales & Production Manager

Since 2023, Astrid Geigy has complemented the management team. With her high quality standards, technical expertise, and passion for craftsmanship perfection, she is now responsible for production and sales.

We are united by the conviction that true quality takes time, craftsmanship thrives on experience, and tradition must be created anew every day. Together with our team of around thirty, we work daily to ensure that Jakob's Basler Leckerly is known far beyond Basel for authentic craftsmanship, uncompromising quality, and living Basel tradition.

Almost three centuries later, our Basler Läckerli are still made in the heart of Basel's old town, where their history once began.

Basel Honey-Spice Biscuit Fun Facts

Basler Läckerli or Basler Leckerly - which spelling is correct?

Historically, "Leckerly" with a 'y' is the original spelling. Before 1800, terms such as Lebküchlein, Leckerlein, and Leckerli were used inconsistently. From around 1820, the spelling Leckerly with a 'y' increasingly gained acceptance in Basel – roughly at the same time as the renaming of Baiern to Bayern, which King Ludwig I ordered in 1825. The spellings commonly used today, Läggerli and Läckerli, only emerged in the 20th century. "Basler Läckerli" is now the general term for the traditional Basel honey confectionery. "Jakob's Basler Leckerly" is our registered trademark and deliberately uses the historical spelling with a 'y'.

Why are some Basler Läckerli hard and others soft?

High-quality Basler Läckerli are characterized by a pleasant, soft bite. The roasting and the recipe are crucial for this. Basler Läckerli are not traditionally baked, but briefly roasted at a very high temperature. If they remain in the oven just a little too long, they become hard. Equally important is the proportion of honey: honey keeps Basler Läckerli moist, while a high sugar content makes them harden more quickly. That's why Jakob's Basler Leckerly consists of around 40% honey – for the typical soft bite and intense honey flavour.

Are thick or thin Basler Läckerli better?

It's a matter of taste. However, we are convinced that the thicker a Basler Läckerli, the higher the enjoyment. Thickly rolled Basler Läckerli only remain pleasantly soft if the recipe and roasting are perfectly coordinated. That's precisely why Jakob's Basler Leckerly are a little thicker – for a particularly soft bite and an intense honey flavour.

Where does the name Basler Läckerli come from?

The origin of the name "Basler Läckerli" has not yet been definitively clarified. However, historians assume that the name is derived from the word "lecker" in the sense of "tasty". The pastry name "Basler Leckerli" first appears as the title of a recipe in Anna Magdalena Falkeysena's cookbook from 1741. From there, the name Basler Läckerli spread and was adopted by numerous Basel bourgeois families into their private recipe books.