Speaking about Iceland’s Christmas foods gets me excited! Luckily, I could spend my Christmas holiday in Iceland and the country during the Christmas season!
It’s pretty early in December, so it’s still pretty warm and summery outside (although not as warm as it has been on other trips to Iceland this year).
But inside, all the stores are decorated with gorgeous Christmas trees, and the Icelandic people are getting into the spirit of the season.
I was excited to explore Icelandic cuisine this time of year, so I wrote this list of Christmas foods to share my experience with others!
1. Ham, Smoked Lamb, and Ptarmigan
Everyone has their way of celebrating this time of year, but Iceland has some very special traditions regarding food.
You might find a few things on your plate during an Icelandic Christmas dinner.
These are typical Icelandic Christmas foods: smoked lamb, ptarmigan, bread, butter, and freshly made cranberry sauce.
The centerpiece is usually the ham accompanied by other meats and a variety of traditional dishes such as rúgbrauð (a hearty rye bread) with butter and freshly baked cookies like kleina (crispy walnut biscuits).
Many people will enjoy hot chocolate or coffee for dessert. If you’re feeling adventurous, some licorice will also be in order. And don’t forget about the drinks!
2. Leaf Bread
The second on this list of Iceland Christmas foods is Laufabrauð. This is a type of bread traditionally eaten during the Icelandic winter holiday, Yule (jól).
Laufabrauð is made from rye flour and water, with a little salt. The dough is then left out in the cold for two days to ferment, after which it is baked.
Further, Laufabrauð is traditionally served for breakfast on December 24th (the day before jól) and sometimes on December 25th.
One way that Icelanders enjoy laufabrauð is by cutting it into thin slices and frying them in butter or margarine (called brókarlaufabrauð or húsarlaufabrauð). This makes the bread crispy.
3. Fermented Skate
Fermented skate is one of the traditional Iceland Christmas foods for Christmas dinner. The dish was originally made for the poor but has now become a delicacy served on special occasions.
Fermented skate is typically served with boiled potatoes and a horseradish sauce. The dish should be eaten before it spoils, as the smell of rotting fermented skate can turn stomachs.
Skates acquire their taste and smell through processing methods: overnight soaking in water, salt, and vinegar, drying out in the sun, or smoking over a fire.
Skate’s texture is similar to that of calamari: soft and chewy while also being crispy around the edges when fried properly.
Fermented skate is not only an Icelandic tradition – it’s also a delicacy enjoyed worldwide!
4. Brennivín, aka “The Black Death.”
Brennivín (burning wine) is a schnapp made from distilled potato, caraway, and angelica root.
It has an alcohol content of 38% and is often drunk in the traditional pre-Christmas feast with pickled herring, smoked mutton, and rye bread.
Brennivín, one of Iceland’s Christmas foods, is so popular that it even has its holiday.
On the first Sunday after November 11th, Icelanders celebrate Ástrómadagurinn or The Brennivin Day.
In the past, brennivín was used in different ways for medicinal purposes, such as fighting seasickness. It was also used to disinfect wounds during both world wars.
5. Maltöl and Orange Soda
Maltöl is a type of beer that is drunk during the holidays. It is a dark, sweet, rich beer that goes well with the delicious Icelandic Christmas foods. In English, it is also called malt beer.
The malt flavor comes from roasted barley heated and mixed with water and yeast to ferment into alcohol.
Maltöl tastes best when it’s served cold or ice cold. Orange soda, called drykkjarvatn in Icelandic, sounds like something you would drink on a hot day.
But Icelanders know better than to drink this stuff on a hot day because it’s made with carbonated water, which makes it bubbly and fizzy!
6. Clementines
Clementines are a type of citrus fruit grown in the Mediterranean region. They are often eaten as desserts but also make excellent snacks.
As one of Iceland’s Christmas foods, Clementines can be enjoyed alone or with other treats such as chocolate and cake.
Further, Clementines are often peeled and eaten like oranges, but more creative ways exist to prepare them for this holiday season.
One popular way is to cut clementine rounds and dip them in chocolate or drizzle honey before adding coconut shavings.
Another tasty treat that can be served alongside clementines is a traditional gingerbread cake with whipped cream frosting.
7. Christmas Cookies
The Traditional Iceland Christmas Foods list is incomplete without a Jólabakelse cookie. It is shaped like a wreath and can be served with coffee.
The cookies are typically made with flour, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt.
Variations of the recipe include cardamom or cinnamon. Some people also use raisins as decoration in their cookies.
Many online recipes are available to make these delicious treats at home.
These Christmas sweets have been eaten in Iceland for centuries!
8. Marinated Herring
Marinated herring is a common food in Iceland during Christmas because it is traditional and festive.
The herring is marinated in vinegar, sugar, and spices such as cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper for a couple of hours before being eaten.
Traditionally, marinated herring is served with boiled potatoes and chopped onion on top of rye bread cut into rectangles or squares.
In some parts of Iceland, people eat pickled beets with marinated herrings instead of potatoes or onions on rye bread.
This can add a different flavor to the dish. All in all, Marinated Herring is not excluded from our list of the best Iceland Christmas foods!
9. Liquorice Tops
Liquorice tops, or lakkrís toppar in Iceland, are a traditional Christmas food. They are made by boiling sugar and water until they become a thick syrup.
The mixture is poured over a dough sheet stretched out on a cutting board and then cut into small pieces with a cookie cutter.
Liquorice tops are also prepared using rice cereal instead of dough. They are typically dark brown or black and are eaten as a holiday snack.
10. Rice Pudding
Lastly, Rice Pudding, a traditional dish served during the Christmas season, is included on this list of Icelandic Christmas foods.
It is often made with rice pudding, milk, sugar, salt, raisins, or other dried fruit.
The mixture is boiled for about 20 minutes until it becomes thick and creamy. Meanwhile, rice pudding can be served as a dessert or with whipped cream or ice cream.
It can also be baked in the oven together with apples and cinnamon.
Other common ingredients include oranges, vanilla extract, marmalade, or sultanas mixed into the rice pudding before serving.
This wraps up our list of awesome Iceland Christmas foods!
