It’s December! And the end of the year begs for only one question…What’s cooking for the holiday season? Well, we have a few scrumptious Christmas recipes lined up for you.
As soon as the month of December starts it feels like someone hit play on Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You”. The season of gift-giving, Christmas movie marathons, cookies, decorations and much more is upon us.
It is that time of year again when being around your loved ones and good food is a must. Now going through tons of recipes to find the perfect ones is a huge hassle, but fret no more as these Christmas recipes will get the job done for you.
Below, find your favourite pick from a trove of ten Christmas recipes!
Citrus-Marinated Turkey Roasting
One of the most coveted and delicious Christmas recipes by Pullman Aerocity New Delhi will work the Christmas magic in your kitchens.
Ingredients
For Brined Turkey
- 1 gallon water
- 2 cups apple cider
- 2 cups kosher salt
- 2 cups sugar
- One 15-pound fresh turkey (giblets and neck reserved)
For the marinade
- 10 roasted garlic cloves
- 10 raw garlic cloves
- 1 3/4 cups canola oil
- 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoons dried oregano
- 3 chipotles in adobo
- 2 tablespoons annatto paste
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground all spice
Turkey
- 9 cups chicken or turkey stock or low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- Reserved turkey giblets and neck (liver discarded)
- 3 shallots, coarsely chopped
- 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
- 2 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
- 1 onion, coarsely chopped
- 10 roasted garlic cloves (see Note)
- 8 black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
- In a very large bowl, stir the water, apple cider, kosher salt and sugar until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Line a stock pot with a large, sturdy doubled plastic bag. Put the turkey in the bag, neck first. Pour in the brine and seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Brine the turkey in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Remove the turkey from the brine and discard the brine. Pat the turkey dry and transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. In a blender, combine the roasted garlic with the 10 raw garlic cloves, the vegetable oil, orange juice, cider vinegar, kosher salt, lime juice, oregano, chipotles, annatto paste, cumin and allspice. Puree until smooth. Slather the turkey inside and out with the marinade, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 325°. Lift the turkey out of the marinade and set on a rack in a roasting pan. Brush the breast with some of the marinade. Pour 1 1/2 cups of the stock into the bottom of the pan and cover the turkey very loosely with foil. Roast the turkey for 2 hours. Remove the foil and add another 1 1/2 cups of the stock to the pan. Continue roasting for about 2 1/2 hours longer, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh registers 175°.
- In a large saucepan, heat the canola oil. Add the giblets and neck and cook over moderate heat until browned. Transfer to a plate. Add the shallots, carrots, celery and onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Return the turkey parts to the saucepan. Stir in the roasted garlic brine and seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible. Brine the turkey in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and remove the rack from the pan. Pour the pan juices into a bowl and skim off the fat, reserving 2 tablespoons. Transfer the reserved fat to a saucepan. Add the butter and flour and cook over high heat, whisking constantly, until golden brown, 2 minutes. Add the enriched stock and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat until the gravy is reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes.
- Place the roasting pan over one burner on high heat. Add the strained, defatted pan drippings (there should be 1 cup) and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Strain the pan drippings into the gravy and season with salt and pepper; keep warm.
- Carve the turkey and transfer the slices to a platter. Serve with the gravy.
Parsley and coriander jumbo grilled prawns
This fresh and flavoursome recipe by CGH Earth Pondicherry will leave you and your guests wanting more and is one of the most classic Christmas recipes.
Ingredients
- Jumbo Prawns – 4 nos
For marination
- Parsley – 1 Bunch
- Coriander Leaves – 1Bunch
- Dry Red Chilli – 1 Nos
- Garlic – 5 Cloves
- Black Pepper – ½ Tsp
- Olive Oil – 2Tblsp
- Lemon Juice – Half No
- Salt – For Taste
Preparation
- Make a paste out of all the above ingredients and marinate the prawns and grill.
- Can be served with beet mash if desired.
Crispy Caramelized Brussels Sprouts
This deliciously crispy and rich recipe from Howard Johnson by Wyndham Kolkata Airport, by Chef Malay Rana brings his 26 years of culinary experience straight to your kitchens and on your list of Christmas recipes.
Ingredients
- 500 gms Brussels sprouts
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 50 gms bacon (optional)
Preparation
- Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 180c. Meanwhile, trim the bottoms from the sprouts if they appear dry or yellowed, and peel away the loose outer leaves. Cut each Brussels sprout in half through the stem.
- Place the Brussels sprouts on a rimmed baking sheet. Add the oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat again. Arrange them cut-side down.
- Roast, stirring halfway through, until the leaves are dark brown and crisp and the undersides of the sprouts are browned, 25 to 30 minutes total. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and honey and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
It’s safe to say that the show-stoppers of every Christmas meal are desserts. So here are a few recipes that will leave you wanting more
Rudolph Reda Vanilla cupcake
The cupcakes are one of the most fun Christmas recipes from Blue Bop Cafe by chef Sunil Singh will make your kitchen smell like a bakery.
Ingredients
- Refined Flour – 30 gm
- Yoghurt-10 gm
- Baking Powder- 0.5 gm
- Castor Sugar- 15 gm
- Oil – 5 ml
- Vanilla Essence- 0.5 ml
- Butter Cream 10 gm
- White Chocolate- 20gm
- Red Gel Colour- 1 gm
- Snow balls – 1 gm
Preparation
- Mix together refined flour, baking powder, yoghurt, castor sugar, oil, and vanilla essence in cake mixer on medium speed for 5 minutes till all the ingredients are well mixed to form a smooth batter.
- Pre heat the oven to 150’C.
- Grease the cupcake mould and pour the mixture evenly in it.
- Bake the cupcake for 15 minutes.
- Mix together butter cream, white chocolate & red gel colour and pour in pipping bag.
- Once the cupcake are done remove from oven and let it cool for 30 minutes.
- Once cupcake are cooled design with rudolph red using the mixture in piping bag.
- Garnish with snow balls.
Gingerbread Cookies
Chef Alpa Pereira from Toujours brings this classic yet delicious cookie to be bookmarked for your Christmas recipes list.
Ingredients
- Butter – 200g
- Light Brown Sugar – 200g
- Caster Sugar – 60g
- Gingerbread Spice – 10g (ginger powder, cinnamon powder, allspice, cloves and nutmeg)
- Eggs – 50g (about 1 egg)
- Milk – 15ml
- All purpose flour – 400g
- Baking Powder – 6g
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius
- In a large bowl, soften the butter, add both the sugars and gingerbread spice and cream together.
- Add the egg and milk and combine completely.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder, mix till just combined. Do not overmix.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured table top and roll it out till it is 3mm thick.
- Use your cookie cutters to cut shapes into the dough.
- Bake the cookies at 180 degrees celsius for 7-8 mins
Warm Christmas Cake
Ingredients for the cake
- 3/4 cups (175g) unsalted butter, chopped
- 1 packed cup (210g) light brown sugar
- 2 + 2/3 cups (400g) mixed dried fruit
- 1 cup (200g) glacé cherries roughly chopped
- 100g dried cranberries
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- 1 lemon zest
- 1/2 cup (85g) ground almonds
- 3 large eggs
- 200g) plain/all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground all spice
Ingredients for the Rum sauce
- 1/2 tsp roux
- 75-80ml milk
- 1 1/2 tbsp Castor sugar
- 1 tbsp dark rum
- 1 Thyme stick
Method
- Cream butter and sugar together till it’s light and fluffy
- Mix the flour, baking powder and spices together
- Add eggs in the butter sugar batter and mix well and add vanilla essence.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients together.
- Add all the nuts & dried fruits in the cake batter and fold it well.
- Line a baking tin and add the mixture in the tin.
- Bake it at 180C for 15-20 minutes.
For the sauce
- Mix 10gm butter with 10gm flour.
- Add milk and whisk well
- Add the sugar and thyme and let it thicken
- Strain after the sauce is made and serve warm.
Garnish: Fresh thyme along with rum sauce.
Rocky road Brownies
One of the most wholesome Christmas recipes, these brownies from The Sassy Spoon by chef Rachel Goenka will make you forget all the other brownies.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113g) butter, melted then cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- ½ cup (64g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Melt butter and set aside to cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, beat two eggs with the vanilla.
- Add sugar, cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder and gently stir.
- Pour the melted butter into the brownie mixture and mix until the butter is fully incorporated.
- Spread batter in a prepared 8-inch square pan.
- Bake 18-22 minutes.
- Remove from oven and add chocolate chips, marshmallows, and walnuts
- Bake until the chocolate is shiny and marshmallows puffed.
Gianduja Mousse
This mousse from Eve in Mumbai by Chef Sanket More takes minimal ingredients and packs a lot of deliciousness to be on top of your Christmas recipes list.
Ingredients
- Amul cream – 1 ltr
- Castor sugar – 120 gms
- Liquid glucose – 60 gms
- 70/30 Calleeaut chocolate – 350 gms
- Milk chocolate – 150 gms
- Dark chocolate – 250 gms
- Hazelnut paste – 100 gms
- Whipping cream – 100 gms
Preparation
- Boil Amul cream, liquid glucose, and castor sugar in a saucepan till it comes to a boil
- In a separate bowl take all three chocolates and hazelnut paste and pour the boiling mixture over it
- Mix with a spatula till all the ingredients are combined together
- Whipp the whipped cream till form soft peaks and fold in the chocolate mixture
- Set it in a refrigerator for two hours
- Make quennels using a spoon and place on a chilled plate
- Garnish with roasted hazelnut and berry compote
These next two Christmas recipes by Pastry Chef Victor Choudhury at the Oberoi Bengaluru will make your Christmas and pallet even more merry.
Pecan nut crumble cookie
Ingredients
- Butter – 135g
- Castor sugar – 45g
- Vanilla essence – 5 ml
- All purpose flour – 150g
- Pecan powder – 150 g
- Eggs – 15 g
- Nutmeg powder – 3g
- Milk chocolate – 100g
- Toasted pecans – 30 g
Preparation
- Cream the softened butter along with the sugar using an electric whisk till its pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla essence to it and mix again.
- Sieve the all-purpose flour, pecan powder, and nutmeg powder into the mixture and mix it using a spatula.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours and roll it out at 0.8cm while using some flour for dusting.
- Cut the cookie using a round cutter or any other desired shape.
- Transfer the cut cookies to a tray with baking paper and bake it in a preheated oven at 180C for 12-13 minutes once cooled after baking dip the top part of the cookie in some melted milk chocolate and sprinkle some toasted and chopped pecan nuts on it for decoration.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container.
Chocolate and hazelnut wreath
Ingredients
- All purpose flour – 250g
- Butter – 15g
- Milk powder – 5g
- Water – 130g
- Sugar – 12g
- Salt – 1g
- Fresh yeast – 8g
- Nutella – 120g
- Milk chocolate – 300g
- Toasted hazelnuts (crushed) – 50g
Preparation
- Mix the flour, milk powder, water, sugar, salt and yeast in a bowl and make a soft dough out of it.
- Add butter to the dough and mix till incorporated.
- Grease a bundt mould with butter and sugar.
- Roll out the above dough in a flat rectangle and spread Nutella on it and sprinkle some toasted hazelnuts.
- Roll the dough in a log and put it in the bundt mould.
- Cover this with a wet cloth and proof it till the dough rises to 3/4th of the container.
- Put the bread for baking now in a preheated oven @200C for 15 minutes or till golden brown on top.
- Brush the bread with melted butter immediately after baking.
- Remove the bread from the mould and cool it on a cooling rack.
- Once the bread is cooled, dip it into the melted milk chocolate and give a thin layer of milk chocolate coating, sprinkle some toasted hazelnut.
- Keep the bread in a cool place until the chocolate sets completely.
Which of these Christmas recipes are you trying next?
Read more:
7 Home bakers in India whisking vegan and gluten-free desserts this Christmas