[2] This measure provides protection to the integrity of the dish, mandating that genuine Maultaschen are only produced in Swabia, a historical region that was incorporated into the modern German states of Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria.

[3] In Swabia, Maultaschen are the traditional dish associated with the Lenten commemoration of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

Among the anecdotal stories regarding the origin of the dish, one claims that Maultaschen were created by the Cistercian monks of Maulbronn Abbey for that purpose.

"[citation needed] If this were its origins, the name could be a comparison between a swollen cheek after being slapped with the shape and appearance of the dish.

Some German descendants in Southwest Wisconsin (USA) make a dessert of the same name, due to its visual similarities to the sliced dinner version.