Solvang bakeries & aebleskiver

Bakeries at a glance

The Solvang Bakery

438 Alisal Road. Daily 8am–6pm. Gingerbread houses; since 1981

Olsen's Danish Village Bakery

1529 Mission Drive · 805.688.6314. 7am–6pm weekdays, 7am–7pm weekends. Kringle, kransekage, Danish pastries

Mortensen's Danish Bakery

1588 Mission Drive. Mon–Thu 9am–5pm, Fri–Sat 9am–6pm, Sun 9am–5pm. Bear claws, owl-eye cookies, butter cookies

Danish Mill Bakery

1682 Copenhagen Drive · 805.688.5805. Daily 8am–6pm. Danish owned; butter cookies by the bucket

Birkholm's Bakery & Cafe

460 Alisal Road · 805-688-8188. From 7am; closed Tuesdays. Family owned, with a cafe

Aebleskiver

Solvang Restaurant, 1672 Copenhagen Drive: "Home of Arne's Aebleskiver", 3 for $5.30

Where can you get aebleskiver in Solvang?

Solvang Restaurant, at 1672 Copenhagen Drive, calls itself the home of Arne's Aebleskiver and says it is "famous for its Danish Æbleskiver", the round Danish pancakes. Three come with powdered sugar and raspberry jam for $5.30 on its menu, or $9.20 with ice cream, and it opens at 7am daily. It also sells aebleskiver mix, pans and turning tools in its online store, so you can make them at home. Our Solvang Restaurant guide has the rest of the menu. During Danish Days, the festival also runs an aebleskiver breakfast.

What is The Solvang Bakery known for?

Gingerbread. Founder Susan Halme opened it in 1981 on her father's pie recipes and her Finnish mother-in-law's cardamom bread, and it's best known for custom gingerbread houses. It says business took off in 2007 after Kelly Ripa featured them on her show. It's on Alisal Road, open daily 8am to 6pm, and it also sells gluten-free treats.

Olsen's Danish Village Bakery in Solvang: what to get

Olsen's is the stop for Danish kringle and kransekage, the almond ring cake it sells in 10, 12 and 16-ring sizes online. It's at 1529 Mission Drive, open 7am to 6pm on weekdays and 7am to 7pm at weekends; call 805.688.6314 with questions. The range also covers Copenhagen kisses, cinnamon crisps and Danish sesame rolls.

What should you get at Mortensen's?

At Mortensen's, order the bear claws, buttery pastry with layers of almond paste, and owl-eye cookies, almond paste thumbprints filled with raspberry and apricot jam. It also sells tins of all-butter shortbread cookies. It's at 1588 Mission Drive, a block from Olsen's, open 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday and Sunday, and to 6pm on Friday and Saturday. Its FAQ warns the posted hours can change slightly.

Is Danish Mill Bakery worth it?

Yes, for the royal pedigree and the butter cookies. The Petersen family started Danish Mill Bakery in Copenhagen in 1940, where founder Arvid Petersen supplied baked goods to King Christian X. Its pastry chef today, Henrik Gram, baked for Queen Margrethe II before moving to the US, and the bakery says every owner since 1960 has been born in Denmark. Take home the bucket of butter cookies, five dozen for $24.95, or a Danish Viking bread mix. It's at 1682 Copenhagen Drive, open daily 8am to 6pm, two doors from Solvang Restaurant.

What about Birkholm's?

Birkholm's Bakery & Cafe is the family-owned bakery on Alisal Road, a short walk from the windmill and The Solvang Bakery, and the one with a cafe for sitting down. It ships, too; call 805-688-8188. In person, it opens at 7am (closing 5pm Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 5:30pm Sunday, 6pm Friday and Saturday), and it is closed Tuesdays.

Don’t miss

• Solvang Restaurant sells aebleskiver pans and mix, so you can take the habit home. source
• Olsen's sells kransekage almond ring cakes in 10, 12 and 16-ring sizes. source

You might also like

• Hans Christian Andersen Museum · about 0.2 miles, walkable. Fairy tales upstairs, a block from the bakeries. Tip: Open daily 10am to 5pm. Official site · source
• Mission Santa Inés · about 0.4 miles, walkable. Walk off the pastry at the 1804 mission. Tip: Self-guided tours 9am–4:30pm, $9 adults. Official site · source
• Elverhøj Museum · about 0.4 miles, walkable. The Danish story behind the pastries. Tip: Adults $5; Thu–Mon 11am–5pm. Official site · source

Drive times are without traffic.

Nearby: eat, taste, stay

• Breakfast in Solvang: Sit-down Danish pancakes and more
• Coffee in the valley: Something to go with the kringle
• Solvang & valley museums: Hans Christian Andersen is upstairs on Mission Drive
• Danish Days: The aebleskiver breakfast in September

Quick answers

Where can I get aebleskiver in Solvang?

Solvang Restaurant, 1672 Copenhagen Drive, home of Arne's Aebleskiver. It also sells aebleskiver mix and pans.

What is the best bakery in Solvang?

It depends what you want: Olsen's for kringle and kransekage, Mortensen's for bear claws and owl-eye cookies, and The Solvang Bakery for gingerbread houses.

What are The Solvang Bakery hours?

Daily, 8am to 6pm, per its site.

Is Danish Mill Bakery in Solvang still open?

Yes. It is at 1682 Copenhagen Drive, open daily 8am to 6pm, and still Danish owned.

Is Birkholm's Bakery open on Tuesday?

No. Birkholm's is closed Tuesdays. Other days it opens at 7am.

What is kransekage?

A Danish almond ring cake built from stacked rings. Olsen's sells 10, 12 and 16-ring versions.

What is Solvang known for food-wise?

Danish pastries such as kringle, plus aebleskiver, round Danish pancakes.