98 delicious christmas recipes from around the world
Diples are traditional Greek honey scrolls made from thinly rolled fried dough, drenched in a sweet honey syrup, and often topped with crushed walnuts and cinnamon. They are a popular treat during holidays like Christmas and are also served at weddings.
Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, these Colombian cheese fritters are a beloved Christmas essential. Made with salty costeño cheese and tapioca starch, they puff up beautifully when fried to a golden brown.
A rich and dense Venezuelan Christmas fruit cake, traditionally soaked in dark rum for an intensely moist and flavorful dessert. This cake benefits greatly from being made in advance.
Puto Bumbong is a traditional Filipino purple rice cake, especially popular during the Christmas season. Made from glutinous rice flour and often colored with ube (purple yam) extract or food coloring, it's steamed until soft and sticky. Traditionally cooked in bamboo tubes, modern versions often use foil or banana leaves. It's typically served warm, slathered with butter, and topped with grated coconut and muscovado sugar.
A hearty and flavorful soup traditionally served on Christmas Eve in Slovakia, made with sauerkraut, smoked meat, mushrooms, and prunes.
A traditional Norwegian delicacy, Rakfisk (fermented trout) is served with thin, soft lefse (potato flatbread), sour cream, red onion, and sometimes chopped chives or dill. This dish is often enjoyed during the Christmas season and is a true taste of Norwegian heritage.
A flavorful and aromatic pork dish marinated in a potent blend of garlic, thyme, and vinegar, then slow-cooked and pan-fried to crispy perfection. This dish is a staple during festive seasons, particularly Christmas, bringing families together.
A traditional Swiss spiced cookie bar from Basel, known for its chewy texture and rich flavor from honey, spices, and candied peel. Perfect for the holiday season or with coffee.
Cougnou, also known as 'Bread of Jesus' or 'Volaard', is a sweet, brioche-like bread traditionally baked in Belgium and Northern France for Christmas and Saint Nicholas Day. It's often shaped to resemble a swaddled infant or baby Jesus, and can be enriched with raisins, pearl sugar, or chocolate chips.
A quintessential Venezuelan Christmas bread, this sweet and savory roll features a soft dough generously filled with thinly sliced ham, briny olives, and sweet raisins, creating a beautiful spiral when sliced.
Æbleflæsk, translating to 'apple pork', is a traditional Danish dish that combines the savory crispness of pan-fried pork belly (or bacon) with the tender sweetness of cooked apples and onions. Often served on rye bread, it's a comforting and nostalgic dish, particularly popular during autumn and winter, and for Christmas lunches.
Mákos Guba is a traditional Hungarian Christmas dessert, but it's enjoyed year-round. It's a comforting bread pudding made with day-old bread rolls (kifli), milk, ground poppy seeds, and sugar. It can be served as is, or baked for a slightly firmer texture, often accompanied by vanilla custard or a dollop of jam.
Lutefisk, a traditional Norwegian dish made from dried whitefish treated with lye, is a polarizing but iconic part of Norwegian Christmas and winter cuisine. It's typically served with a variety of classic sides.
A quintessential British layered dessert, featuring cubes of sponge cake soaked in sherry, topped with fruit, rich custard, and whipped cream. A beloved centerpiece for celebrations, especially Christmas.
A beloved Colombian Christmas dessert, this creamy, cornstarch-based custard is infused with the warm flavors of panela and cinnamon. It's a smooth, sweet treat that sets to a delightful pudding-like consistency.
Crispy, thin Mexican fritters made from fried dough, generously coated in a warm, spiced piloncillo (unrefined whole cane sugar) syrup. A beloved Christmas tradition, these buñuelos are known for their delicate crunch and sweet, aromatic flavor.
A luxurious Portuguese delicacy, Santola Recheada features tender spider crab meat mixed with aromatic seasonings, stuffed back into its shell, and gratinated to a golden-brown perfection. Traditionally enjoyed during the Christmas season, this dish is a true celebration of fresh seafood.
Maksalaatikko is a comforting and traditional Finnish casserole, often enjoyed as a Christmas dish but popular year-round. It combines cooked rice with finely ground beef liver, sautéed onions, eggs, and seasonings, baked until golden and slightly firm. It's typically served with a side of tart lingonberry jam.
Traditional, thin, hard, and sweet honey cookies from Zurich, often embossed with intricate designs. They are spiced with ginger, anise, and coriander.
A traditional Venezuelan Christmas dessert featuring tender strips of green papaya simmered in a spiced syrup made from papelón (unrefined cane sugar). The papaya becomes translucent and sweet, with warm notes of cinnamon and cloves.
A traditional Venezuelan Christmas tamale, the Hallaca is a labor of love. It features a rich corn dough filled with a savory stew of beef, pork, and chicken, complemented by capers, raisins, and olives, all wrapped in fragrant banana leaves.
Pinnekjøtt is a traditional Norwegian dish made from cured and dried lamb or sheep ribs, typically steamed over birch twigs. It's a staple for Christmas celebrations in Western Norway.
Puerto Rican pasteles are a cherished Christmas tradition, resembling tamales. They feature a savory filling of seasoned pork encased in a flavorful dough made from green bananas and yautía, all meticulously wrapped in banana leaves.
A traditional Venezuelan sweet treat of green figs gently simmered in a spiced sugar syrup until tender and translucent. Perfect for holiday celebrations or served with cheese.
