Festive Flavors: 7 Easy Christmas Recipes to Brighten Your 2024

Last Updated on October 13, 2024 by Daniele Lima

Rock the Christmas dinner menu, pleasing the most demanding palates ( Christmas recipes )

  Without a shadow of a doubt, Christmas is an incomparable time of year, full of special traditions, warm family gatherings, and delicious food that make this moment something unique for many people.

  The kitchen becomes a factory of personalized flavors and charms, where Christmas recipes shine, transforming it into a magical place!  

  In this article, we will delve into the fascinating world of Christmas recipes and explore the essence of this long-awaited holiday. These wonders range from irresistible main dishes to stunning desserts, which fill the eyes and please the palate.

  This comprehensive guide will provide you with culinary inspiration to make your Christmas memorable. So get ready to grab your apron, and embark on a gastronomic journey, which will provide you with several praise from those who have the privilege of tasting these dishes. So, take advantage of each option and get to work!

1 –  Easy Christmas Cookies

1.1 – Christmas Ginger and Cinnamon Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of powdered ginger
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 this
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

• 1 -In a medium bowl, mix the wheat flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda and salt. Reserve.
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• 2 -In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until you get a light and fluffy mixture.
• 3 – Add the egg, honey, and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix well.
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• 4 – Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture and stir until the dough is homogeneous. The dough should be firm but pliable.
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• 5 – Divide the dough into two parts and form two discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
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• 6 – Preheat the oven to 180°C and line the baking trays with baking paper.
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• 7 – After the cooling time, roll out one of the dough discs on a floured surface until it is about 0.5 cm thick.
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• 8 – Use cookie cutters with Christmas shapes to cut the cookies. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 cm of space between them.
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• 9 – Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
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• 10 – Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool.
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• 11 – Decorate the cookies with royal icing, sprinkles, or whatever you prefer. Let the frosting dry completely before storing or serving.

2 – How to decorate Christmas cookies

  To give an exclusive touch, transforming your cookies into true works of art, here are some valuable tips.

1 – Cut and Shape:

 Use Christmas-themed cookie cutters such as trees, stars, reindeer, bells, and snowmen to create varied shapes.

To add a unique touch, cut cookies into less traditional shapes, like moons, large snowflakes, or even Christmas story-inspired shapes like the Star of Bethlehem.

2 – Royal Icing:

  Prepare a consistent royal icing to decorate. For a unique touch, divide it into several bowls and add food coloring in shades of green, red, gold, and silver.

Use piping bags with different-sized tips to create fine lines, precise details, and varied textures in your cookies.

3 – Creative Details:

In addition to traditional decorations like buttons, eyes, and balls, add unique elements like mini edible beads, food glitter, or edible gold foil.

Experiment with painting techniques with powdered dye and a pastry brush to create more intricate, sophisticated details.

4 – Assembly:

 If desired, create Christmas tree-shaped cookies by layering them with royal icing as “glue.”

5 – Creative Packaging:

Finally, place your decorated cookies in unique gift boxes, wrap them in cellophane, and tie them with festive ribbons for a special finishing touch.

3 – Christmas plum cake

Ingredients for the dough:

• 2 cups pitted dried plums
• 1 cup of hot water
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups of wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup raisins

To the roof:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions:

• 1 – Preheat the oven to 180 °C and grease a cake pan with butter and flour.
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• 2 – In a small bowl, place the dried plums and pour hot water over them. Leave the plums to soak in hot water for about 15 minutes, or until they are soft. Then, drain the water and chop the plums into small pieces.
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• 3 – In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
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• 4 – In another bowl, mix the wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.
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• 5 – Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, alternating with the chopped plums. Start and end with the flour mixture. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.
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• 6 – Add the walnuts and raisins to the dough and mix gently.
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• 7 – Pour the dough into the prepared pan and level the surface.
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• 8 – Bake in the preheated oven for around 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
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• 9 – While the cake is baking, prepare the topping. Mix the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl until creamy topping.
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• 10 – After removing the cake from the oven, let it cool for a few minutes in the pan and then remove it. Cover the cake with lemon frosting while it is still warm.
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• 11 – Let the cake cool completely before serving.

4 – Christmas roasted chicken 

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken (approximately 2 kg)
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lemon
• 1 large onion, cut into rings
• 2 carrots, cut into slices
• 2 celery stalks, cut into pieces
• 2 potatoes, cut into large pieces
• 1 cup chicken broth

Instructions:

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• 1 – Preheat the oven to 180°C.
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• 2 – Wash and dry the chicken with a paper towel. Be sure to remove any offal that may be inside the chicken.
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• 3 – In a bowl, mix the melted butter, olive oil, chopped garlic, rosemary and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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• 4 – Rub the butter and seasoning mixture over the entire surface of the chicken. Make sure to cover the skin and meat well.
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• 5 – Cut the lemon in half and place one half inside the chicken cavity.
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• 6 – In a large roasting pan, place the onion, carrot, celery, and potatoes. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
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• 7 – Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan.
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• 8 – Pour the chicken broth around the chicken.
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• 9 – Cover the baking tray with aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 1 hour.
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• 10 – Remove the aluminum foil and continue baking for another 30 to 45 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and cooked inside. To make sure the chicken is cooked, insert a cooking thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, and the internal temperature should reach at least 75°C.
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• 11 – Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for about 15 minutes before slicing.
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• 12 – While the chicken is resting, you can make a sauce with the pan juices, if desired. Simply remove excess fat, heat the juices, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
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• 13 – Serve the sliced ​​chicken with the roasted vegetables and sauce, if desired.

5 – Cranberry Christmas cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• Orange zest (optional)

Roof:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons of orange juice
• Fresh cranberries to decorate
• Confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling

Instructions:

• 1 – Preheat the oven to 180 °C and grease a 22 cm cake pan with butter and flour.
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• 2 – In a medium bowl, mix the wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Reserve.
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• 3 – In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until you get a light and fluffy mixture. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
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• 4 – Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Then add the Greek yogurt and mix again. Finally, add the rest of the flour mixture and mix until the dough is homogeneous.
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• 5 – Gently fold the fresh cranberries and chopped walnuts into the batter. Add orange zest, if desired.
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• 6 – Pour the dough into the prepared pan and level the surface. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
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• 7 -While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and orange juice until thick but pourable.
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• 8 – Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then, unmold the cake and place it on a serving plate. Drizzle the frosting over the cake while it is still warm.
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• 9 -Decorate the cake with fresh cranberries and sprinkle icing sugar on top.
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• 10 – Serve Christmas cake with cranberries as a delicious and festive dessert for your Christmas celebrations.

6 – Christmas cake decorations

Christmas Tree Cake: Decorate a rectangular cake with green icing and use edible decorations like chocolate balls, star sprinkles, and icing strings to turn it into a light-emitting Christmas tree.

Snowman Cake: Create an edible snowman using a layered cake covered in white icing. Use cookies or pretzel pieces for the hands and chocolate buttons or mini candies for the eyes and mouth.

Snow Globe Cake: Cover a round cake with white frosting and top it with a sugar dome to create a snow globe effect. Create a mini Christmas scene by placing marzipan dolls or edible toys inside the dome. Crochet Cake: Use icing or sugar paste to decorate the cake with a crochet pattern. Create a mesh pattern using the texture tool. Add small embellishments, like snowflake sugar buttons or little reindeer.

Christmas Lights Cake: Decorate the cake with dark icing and cut small holes in the icing to look like Christmas lights. Add small chocolate balls or colorful sprinkles for shine. Cross-Stitch Cake: Create a Christmas pattern on a cake using colored icing and cross-stitch techniques. Add small sugar-paste figures such as reindeer, Christmas trees, or snowmen to complete the design.

Sugar Lace Cake: Decorate the cake with edible sugar lace, which can be purchased ready-made or made at home. This lace adds an elegant touch to cake decor.

Chocolate Bark Cake: Use chocolate bars or tree-shaped chocolate sticks to decorate the cake. You can place them around or on top of the cake to create the look of a winter forest.

Bolo Fondant Mosaic: Create small pieces of fondant colorful and cut them into festive shapes like stars, bells, and gifts. Arrange these pieces of fondant over the cake to create a festive mosaic.

Mirrored ice cake: Cover your cake with mirror icing to create a shiny, reflective mirror effect. Add some bright, colorful Christmas decorations on top for a stunning look.

7 – Slow roasted turkey 

Ingredients:

• 1 suitably sized turkey (approximately 5-6 kg)
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper to taste
• 2 large onions, cut into quarters
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into large pieces
• 4 celery stalks, cut into large pieces
• 4 whole garlic cloves
• 1 lemon, cut in half
• Fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage)
• 1 cup chicken broth or water

For the Herb Marinade:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• 1 – Prepare the herb marinade by mixing the olive oil, rosemary, sage, thyme, chopped garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl. Reserve.
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• 2 – Preheat the oven to 160°C.
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• 3 – Wash and dry the turkey well inside and out. Season the turkey with salt and pepper, both inside and outside.
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• 4 – Place the turkey in a large roasting pan and rub the herb marinade over its entire surface, both outside and under the skin. Make sure to spread it evenly.
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• 5 – Fill the inside of the turkey with onions, carrots, celery, garlic cloves, and half the lemon.
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• 6 – Place the rest of the lemon and some fresh herbs inside the turkey cavity.
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• 7 – Pour chicken broth or water into the roasting pan around the turkey to create a moist environment.
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• 8 – Cover the baking tray with aluminum foil.
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• 9 – Bake the turkey covered for 2 hours.
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• 10 – After 2 hours, remove the foil and continue roasting for another 2 to 2.5 hours, basting the turkey with the pan juices every 30 minutes.
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• 12 – The turkey will be ready when the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 75-80°C. Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature.
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• 13 – Remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing.

Conclusion:

    Finally, there is no shortage of delicious options to make your Christmas dinner creative and delicious, pleasing all types of palates. You can make these same recipes, using variations of other ingredients. We know that the main seasonings are the love and care with which they will be prepared.

 As we share delicious recipes this Christmas, let us remember that the magic of the holidays does not only lie in the menu we prepare but also in the noble feelings and the union we share with our loved ones.

  May our greatest desire be that all food awakens gratitude and love, warming our hearts as much as the oven that bakes our festive meals. Merry Christmas everyone!

Christmas Recipes – FAQ:

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