Szaloncukor - Hungarian Christmas Candy

What Is Szaloncukor?

Szaloncukor is one of Hungary’s most distinctive Christmas traditions: individually wrapped chocolates and fondant sweets hung from the Christmas tree throughout the festive season.

The name literally means “parlour candy”, referring to the 19th-century custom of placing the Christmas tree in the family parlour or salon. Each sweet is wrapped in decorative paper or foil, traditionally twisted or fringed at the ends, making szaloncukor both a festive decoration and a treat to be enjoyed throughout Christmas.

Classic fillings include fruit jelly, marzipan, fondant and coconut, while modern versions range from sour cherry and pistachio to more indulgent chocolate and nut-based centres.

A Hungarian Christmas Tradition

By the late 19th century, hanging wrapped sweets on the Christmas tree had become an established part of Hungarian Christmas celebrations. Families would decorate the tree with colourful szaloncukor, often discovering by the end of the festivities that the chocolates had mysteriously disappeared while the empty wrappers remained hanging from the branches.

The tradition has endured for generations and remains one of the foods most closely associated with Christmas in Hungary.

Explore more festive favourites in our Hungarian Christmas food collection.

Made by Historic Hungarian Chocolatier Stühmer

For our current szaloncukor collection, we have chosen Stühmer, one of the most historic names in Hungarian chocolate and confectionery.

The Stühmer story began in 1868, when Hamburg-born master confectioner Frigyes Stühmer established his business in Hungary and went on to play an important role in developing the country’s modern chocolate industry.

By the first half of the 20th century, Stühmer had become one of Hungary’s best-known confectionery names, with dozens of shops and a reputation not only for its chocolates but also for distinctive packaging and design.

A Christmas Tradition in Our Own Family

Stühmer szaloncukor has a personal connection with Best of Hungary founder Monika Gyenes.

Monika's mother hung Stühmer szaloncukor on the family Christmas tree when Monika was a child. The tradition was later passed on to the next generation.

Traditional Favourites & Modern Flavours

We choose our szaloncukor range to offer a balance between nostalgic Hungarian favourites and more contemporary flavours.

• Zselés szaloncukor, with its fruit jelly centre, is a true retro classic and remains one of the most recognisable and enduring Hungarian Christmas flavours.
• Sour cherry marzipan combines the fruitiness of sour cherry with the rich almond character of marzipan.
• Pistachio brings a more modern, indulgent flavour to the traditional format.
• We select additional varieties each Christmas so the collection offers something for different tastes, from familiar classics to more adventurous flavours.

Szaloncukor is consistently one of our most popular festive ranges, with many customers returning each year for flavours they remember from childhood and discovering new favourites.

How to Use Szaloncukor at Christmas

• Hang the individually wrapped sweets from your Christmas tree in the traditional Hungarian way.
• Arrange them in a decorative bowl for guests to enjoy throughout the festive season.
• Add them to Christmas hampers and gift boxes for Hungarian friends and family.
• Keep a few aside before decorating the tree, as they tend to disappear quickly.

Szaloncukor & the Wider European Christmas Tradition

Szaloncukor forms part of a wider 19th-century European tradition of wrapping sweets decoratively for Christmas. Its distinctive twisted wrapper resembles the bonbons that later helped inspire the British Christmas cracker.

Buy Szaloncukor Online in the UK

Whether you are continuing a Hungarian family tradition, decorating your Christmas tree or looking for a nostalgic gift, explore our seasonal selection of Stühmer szaloncukor and bring one of Hungary’s most distinctive Christmas customs into your home.