In Austria, what is the traditional Christmas fruit bread called?

In Austria, the traditional Christmas fruit bread is called Kletzenbrot.

Kletzenbrot is especially associated with Tyrol and the Advent season. Its name refers to Kletzen, the Austrian German term for dried pears, which are a characteristic ingredient. The loaf may also contain raisins, currants, apples, figs, prunes and walnuts, with spices such as cinnamon, cloves, anise and nutmeg adding its festive aroma.

Historically, drying fruit provided a way to preserve a seasonal harvest through winter. In Kletzenbrot, that concentrated fruit is combined with flour and spices to create a dark, richly flavored loaf. Recipes vary by household and region: some use rye or whole-wheat flour, while others surround the fruit mixture with a separate bread dough or coat it in dough.

Kletzenbrot is sometimes translated as Tyrolean dried-fruit bread, which helps distinguish it from better-known Christmas breads elsewhere in Europe. Stollen is German and typically has a buttery, yeast-raised dough, while panettone is the tall, airy Milanese bread. Kletzenbrot’s defining clue is the prominent use of dried pears and mixed dried fruit.