Over 50 Must-Try Homemade Christmas Recipes

Posted | Updated Food & Drink Recipes

Looking for classic Christmas recipes or fresh festive twists to wow your holiday table? These merry and mouth-watering recipes are perfect for celebrating the season with family and friends in December.

Christmas is one of the most cherished holidays of the year, a time for sparkle, togetherness, and traditions passed down through generations. Whether you’re gathering for a festive dinner, exchanging gifts, or enjoying seasonal snacks, the flavours of Christmas evoke warmth, nostalgia, and joy.

Traditional Thanksgiving menus are centred around a roast turkey.
Traditional Christmas menus are centred around a roast turkey.

Christmas Recipes Your Family Will Love

The holiday has roots over 1,600 years old, evolving from early Christian celebrations of Jesus’ birth and blending with winter solstice customs and regional traditions. Today, Christmas is celebrated worldwide, from European holiday markets to cozy North American family feasts. At its heart, it’s all about sharing joy, generosity, and delicious food.

Christmas cuisine is a sensory journey through December’s festive bounty. Many of the dishes served at Christmas in Canada and the US are also beloved Thanksgiving recipes. They’re so comforting they get repurposed on both holidays: roast turkey, mashed potatoes doused in gravy, spiced stuffing and zesty cranberry sauce.

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Signature Christmas dishes combine warmth, indulgence, and nostalgia, inspired by centuries of European recipes and local specialties.

Our favourite Christmas recipes are easy to make at home and feature seasonal flavours like cinnamon, nutmeg, cranberry, and roasted hazelnuts, perfect for hearty mains, comforting side sides, decadent desserts, and sparkling holiday cocktails!

Transform this classic Italian Campari drink into a Christmas cocktail.
Transform this classic Italian Campari drink into a Christmas cocktail.

Christmas Negroni

These German pastries are filled with raisins and frangipane, the perfect Christmas breakfast bun for coffee.
These German pastries are filled with raisins and frangipane, the perfect Christmas breakfast bun for coffee.

Rosinenschnecken German Raisin Frangipane Spiral Buns

These Danish chocolate covered marshmallow cookies look like snow-covered Christmas trees.
These Danish chocolate covered marshmallow cookies look like snow-covered Christmas trees.

Flodeboller Danish Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies

Include these German nutty chocolate cookies in your holiday sweet swap.
Include these German nutty chocolate cookies in your holiday sweet swap.

Nussecken German Nut Corners

A foamy spiced Sherry cocktail garnished with pistachio is the perfect holiday cocktail.
A foamy spiced Sherry cocktail garnished with pistachio is the perfect holiday cocktail.

Holiday Spiced Cream Sherry Flip

Serve Spiced Pear Compote with pancakes, waffles or French Toast for Christmas breakfast.
Serve Spiced Pear Compote with pancakes, waffles or French Toast for Christmas breakfast.

Spiced Pear Compote 

These festive muffins feature cranberries and white chocolate chips.
These festive muffins feature cranberries and white chocolate chips.

Christmas Cranberry and White Chocolate Muffins

Serve this classic whiskey cocktail at a holiday party with rosemary and cranberry.
Serve this classic whiskey cocktail at a holiday party with rosemary and cranberry.

Christmas Old Fashioned

These holiday tartlets feature festive frangipane and eye-catching figs.
These holiday tartlets feature festive frangipane and eye-catching figs.

Festive Fresh Fig Frangipane Pistachio Tartlets

We love serving these bacon and brussels as a Christmas side dish.
We love serving these bacon and brussels as a Christmas side dish.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Crunchy and chewy oatmeal cranberry cookies make for the perfect holiday baking project.
Crunchy and chewy oatmeal cranberry cookies make for the perfect holiday baking project.

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies

This warming nutmeg topped White Russian is prepared with Amarula.
This warming nutmeg topped White Russian is prepared with Amarula.

White Russian Amarula Cocktail

Classic Dutch cookies are filled with almond and topped with green and red cherries.
Classic Dutch cookies are filled with almond and topped with green and red cherries.

Gevulde Speculaas Dutch Cherry Almond Spice Cookies

A chocolate cake for Toblerone lovers.
A chocolate cake for Toblerone lovers.

Double Decker Toblerone Cake

Popular Swedish chocolate cookies are topped with pearl sugar, which looks like snow.
Popular Swedish chocolate cookies are topped with pearl sugar, which looks like snow.

Chokladsnittar Swedish Chocolate Slices

We love serving this hazelnut and clementine roll cake as a Christmas dessert.
We love serving this hazelnut and clementine roll cake as a Christmas dessert.

Budapestrulle Budapest Roll Cake

Serve this Southern Pimento Cheese dip as a Christmas party appetizer.
Serve this Southern Pimento Cheese dip as a Christmas party appetizer.

Southern Spicy Jalapeno Pimento Cheese Dip

This chocolate cake is the perfect holiday dessert for Ferrero Rocher lovers.
This chocolate cake is the perfect holiday dessert for Ferrero Rocher lovers.

Chocolate Hazelnut Ferrero Rocher Cake

These Toblerone Shortbread are delicious dunked in coffee or tea.
These Toblerone Shortbread are delicious dunked in coffee or tea.

Toblerone Shortbread

This easy Baked Cabbage and Cheese casserole is a decadent side dish.
This easy Baked Cabbage and Cheese casserole is a decadent side dish.

Baked Cabbage with Cheese Casserole

We love baking these Danish poppy seed pastries for Christmas brunch.
We love baking these Danish poppy seed pastries for Christmas brunch.

Tebirkes Danish Poppy Seed Pastry

Enjoy an Espresso Martini with salted caramel.
Enjoy an Espresso Martini with salted caramel.

Salted Caramel Espresso Martini 

Transform a classic Moscow Mule into a festive holiday drink.
Transform a classic Moscow Mule into a festive holiday drink.

Christmas Moscow Mule

This Tiramisu uses traditional lady finger cookies and Dutch Speculaas.
This Tiramisu uses traditional lady finger cookies and Dutch Speculaas.

Speculaas Tiramisu

These Caramel Cuts are a popular holiday cookie in Sweden.
These Caramel Cuts are a popular holiday cookie in Sweden.

Kolasnittar Swedish Caramel Cuts

The perfect holiday breakfast cocktail? Christmosas!
The perfect holiday breakfast cocktail? Christmosas!

“Christmosas” Christmas Mimosa Cocktail

This decadent Italian custard flan is prepared with chocolate and amaretti.
This decadent Italian custard flan is prepared with chocolate and amaretti.

Bonet alla Piemontese “Bunet” Chocolate Amaretti Custard Flan

My family's favourite holiday snack mix is Nuts & Bolts, which pair nicely with a festive Pumpkin Spice Ale.
My family’s favourite holiday snack mix is Nuts & Bolts, which pair nicely with a festive Pumpkin Spice Ale.

Nuts and Bolts

Blend roasted pumpkin and sweet potato into a perfectly creamy Christmas soup.
Blend roasted pumpkin and sweet potato into a perfectly creamy Christmas soup.

Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Soup

Individual oven baked sweet potatoes are fun to spruce up as a side with roast turkey.
Individual oven baked sweet potatoes are fun to spruce up as a side with roast turkey.

Oven Baked Sweet Potato

Combine bell peppers with sweet potato for a sweet soup.
Combine bell peppers with sweet potato for a sweet soup.

Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup

Make Christmas easy by using your air fryer to quickly roast crispy butternut squash chunks.
Make Christmas easy by using your air fryer to quickly roast crispy butternut squash chunks.

Air Fryer Butternut Squash

The Air Fryer also roasts sweet potato in a flash!
The Air Fryer also roasts sweet potato in a flash!

Air Fryer Sweet Potato

These sweet potato muffins are perfect for Christmas brunch, topped with crunchy pecan and candied ginger.
These sweet potato muffins are perfect for Christmas brunch, topped with crunchy pecan and candied ginger.

Sweet Potato Muffins

Perfect crunchy homemade sweet potato fries by following our fool-proof recipe.
Perfect crunchy homemade sweet potato fries by following our fool-proof recipe.

Sweet Potato Fries

If you're looking to serve a healthy green salad at Christmas this recipe with kale, beets and pumpkin seeds is delicious!
If you’re looking to serve a healthy green salad at Christmas this recipe with kale, beets and pumpkin seeds is delicious!

Roasted Pumpkin Feta Salad with Beetroot and Pine Nuts

Pumpkin Spice Muffins paired with a hot mug of coffee is the perfect breakfast for Christmas.
Pumpkin Spice Muffins paired with a hot mug of coffee is the perfect breakfast for Christmas.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

If you're making a Christmas feast for just 2 or 3 people a small Cornish Hen roasted in an air fryer beats a big turkey.
If you’re making a Christmas feast for just 2 or 3 people a small Cornish Hen roasted in an air fryer beats a big turkey.

Air Fryer Cornish Hen

Transform your favourite savoury pie into a Christmas Quiche filled with pumpkin and feta.
Transform your favourite savoury pie into a Christmas Quiche filled with pumpkin and feta.

Roasted Pumpkin and Feta Quiche

This easy Christmas Sandwich recipe is the perfect way to use up leftovers the following day for lunch.
This easy Christmas Sandwich recipe is the perfect way to use up leftovers the following day for lunch.

Thanksgiving Turkey Cranberry Sandwich

Red cabbage braised in cranberries is a mouth-watering Christmas side dish.
Red cabbage braised in cranberries is a mouth-watering Christmas side dish.

Red Cabbage with Cranberries

We love serving Carrot Cake Scones for a holiday dessert.
We love serving Carrot Cake Scones for a holiday dessert.

Cream Cheese Glazed Carrot Cake Scones

Leeks in creamy sauce is a crowd-pleasing side dish for cheese lovers.
Leeks in creamy sauce is a crowd-pleasing side dish for cheese lovers.

Leeks in Cheese Sauce

Transform classic holiday mashed potatoes into crunchy fritters.
Transform classic holiday mashed potatoes into crunchy fritters.

Mashed Potato Fritters

Blend sweet pears and flavourful parsnips into a creamy Winter soup.
Blend sweet pears and flavourful parsnips into a creamy Winter soup.

Creamy Parsnip and Pear Soup

This Cajun rice dressing is the perfect stuffing for those who are gluten free at Christmas.
This Cajun rice dressing is the perfect stuffing for those who are gluten free at Christmas.

Dirty Cajun Rice Dressing

This festive cheesecake is prepared with Dutch Speculaas cookies.
This festive cheesecake is prepared with Dutch Speculaas cookies.

Baked Speculaas Cheesecake

These cannelloni are traditional made at Christmas in Spain.
These cannelloni are traditional made at Christmas in Spain.

Spanish Christmas Canelons

A creamy Christmas cocktail for Toblerone lovers.
A creamy Christmas cocktail for Toblerone lovers.

Christmas Toblerone Cocktail

Almond and pearl sugar topped almond shortbread from Sweden.
Almond and pearl sugar topped almond shortbread from Sweden.

Finska Pinnar Almond Shortbread Cookies

The perfect vegan Christmas cocktail is Eggnog made with aquafaba.
The perfect vegan Christmas cocktail is Eggnog made with aquafaba.

Vegan Eggnog

Andrew Dobson

Andrew John Virtue Dobson is the Toronto-based Publisher and Editor-in-Chief at Dobbernationloves. Andrew studied food & travel trends at the University of Guelph's School of Hospitality & Tourism Management. With over 17 years of journalism experience, Andrew is recognized as a global expert on luxury hotels, restaurant food culture and recipe development. Andrew has been a keynote speaker at travel conferences around the world and interviewed as an expert by publications like the Toronto Star, MoneySense and Toronto Life.

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