For Homemade Holiday Sweets, Head to Fleckenstein's

When Fleckenstein's Bakery opened its doors on Nov. 11, 1977, it stood as the first retail business on La Grange Road between Frankfort and Orland Park, said owner Bob Fleckenstein. Now, 33 years later, La Grange is one of Mokena's busiest thoroughfares.

The family-run bakery, which moved one block north on La Grange in 1983, has continued to survive as one of Mokena's oldest businesses because of its industry involvement, innovative technology and quality products, according to Fleckenstein.

"We continue to survive because we produce only quality products," Fleckenstein said. He believes this is what has always driven customers to the bakery.

Two of the bakery's owners possess rare master baker certifications.Those certifications come in handy this time of year, especially if you can't find the time to bake the traditional holiday sweets you crave, the ones you enjoyed in your youth or that your family passed down for generations. Fleckenstein's Bakery can offer you the next best thing. Fleckenstein's provides specialty items during all major holidays, but Christmas takes the cake for the most extensive list.

The selection of holiday specialty items include a peppermint cheesecake with decorative candy canes on top, iced sugar cookie in the shapes of Christmas trees, snowflakes, angels, snowmen and Santa, and gingerbread girl and boy cookies. If you can't decide on one type of cookie, cookie trays are also available.

Signature cupcake flavors include gingerbread, peppermint, German chocolate, fudge, Oreo and lemon, along with a green and red swirled option. Other sweets popular during this time include red and green Christmas bread, German Stollen, fruitcake, yule logs, Potica nut rolls, kolaches and Houska bread. The most elaborate item available includes a standing tree centerpiece, made up of sugar cookies and decorated with ribbon and candy. Detailed descriptions of these items are available here.

An order form is available on the bakery's website. It allows you to check off what you need and the date and time you will pick up the order. An order picked up on Christmas Eve must be in by 4 p.m. on the Wednesday before. The bakery is opened from 5 a.m. to noon on Christmas Eve and then is closed from Dec. 25 to Jan. 3.

Fleckenstein said he opened his bakery in 1977 after living in Mokena for 15 years. Fleckenstein said he became as involved in the baking industry as he could, traveling to conventions and becoming a member of local and national associations. He eventually served as the president of the Chicago Area Retail Bakers Association and the regional director for the Retailers Bakery Association, and he is currently the treasurer of the Chicago Area Retail Bakers Association.

The bakery also kept up with modern times by replacing old equipment with the newest available technology, Fleckenstein said. While the family used to roll out all of the dough with rolling pins, now an electric sheeter rolls out the dough. Instead of washing all of the pans and utensils in a sink with warm water and chemicals, a machine now washes and sanitizes 36 pans at a time.

In 2001, Fleckenstein became the 114th certified master baker in the United States. Before a baker can take the test, he must have at least 15 years experience in the bakery business. "You complete a 200-question exam, and if you pass it, then you take the practical test," Fleckenstein said. "For two days, you bake and are judged. Only 10 to 15 percent of people pass."

In 2002, Fleckenstein's son Ray followed suit and also became a certified master baker. Fleckenstein said it's very rare for one bakery to have two Master Bakers, considering there are fewer than 300 master bakers in the country.

After all these years, Fleckenstein recognizes a lot of his customers as they come into the shop. "I see people getting wedding cakes for their children and their grandchildren who got wedding cakes for their own weddings," he said. "We're reaching a third generation."

Steven Magnani, a frequent customer, said he has lived in Mokena for five years and has gone to Fleckenstein's since he moved here. Magnani said he purchases a tray of butter cookies for parties and holidays. "It's the only bakery around that makes the little strawberry tarts," Magnani said.

All of Fleckenstein's pastries are made fresh daily, and what is left at the end of the day goes to the local food pantry or to the employees, Bob said.

Fleckenstein said he and his wife, Joan, liked the rural setting of Mokena when they first moved here, but now they like the business growth. Right now, he has no changes in mind and no plans to relocate.

"I have no intention of moving except for my final resting place," he said.