Christmas is the best time to try traditional British food, especially if you love Christmas dinner and desserts! We’ve already covered Britain’s most popular Christmas dinners and desserts.
So today, we will go over the most popular British Christmas food register—including the ones you eat at other times of the year, too!
This is a must-try British Christmas list, comprising delicious foods to eat with your family and friends this holiday season. Let’s dive in!
1. Pigs in a Blanket Wreath
Many wonderful Christmas dishes are served on the 25th of December. But if you’re anything like me, one of your favorite parts of the day is coming up with a festive name for some delicious food.
So, I’ve done the hard work for you and compiled this must-try British Christmas food list!
I’m not sure what they serve in other countries, but we know how to prepare our British Christmas food correctly in England.
While I love all the classics, like mince pies and turkey, these dishes have quickly become my favorites. So, without further ado, here are my top festive favorites!
2. Christmas Bread Sauce
Christmas Bread Sauce is often a part of many traditional English dishes, but it is also served on its own, with just bread and butter.
The sauce is made from red wine, white wine vinegar, tomato puree, ketchup (depending on the dish’s sweetness), garlic paste, salt, and pepper.
Onion is optional for this British Christmas food. It’s perfect as an appetizer or condiment for cold meats like turkey.
Furthermore, the name of this dish comes from how it was traditionally served at Christmas time—that is, on top of dry bread that had been cut into bite-size pieces before being drenched in the sauce.
It’s typically served cold or at room temperature but can be warmed up if desired.
3. Perfect Roast Turkey
The perfect roast turkey is a staple at any festive holiday meal. This dish is the centerpiece of any get-together and the most popular British Christmas food on the menu.
The turkey is typically stuffed with bread, onion, and celery before roasting in a large oven to ensure it’s cooked all through while keeping it moist and flavorful.
Meanwhile, since many people attend this event, it is best to cook two or three turkeys. This way, enough food can be made for everyone without worrying about running out.
If you’re hosting a small gathering or need one bird for yourself and your family, you may only need to roast one turkey.
4. Traditional British Christmas Cake
The traditional British Christmas cake is one of the most popular desserts on the holiday table. It is traditionally made with a dark fruitcake mix, almonds, and candied peel.
It’s prepared by mixing all the dry ingredients, followed by the wet ingredients (sugar, eggs, milk), and finally, the mixed fruits (raisins or currants).
However, the mixture should be mixed until it has a consistency that can be shaped into a round cake tin lined with greased paper or baking parchment.
It is then baked for about an hour at 180°C/350°F to ensure it’s cooked. When it’s baked, you can dust it with sugar before serving.
Wondering what fantastic British Christmas food to serve guests without fear of disappointment? The traditional British Christmas cake has got you covered!
5. Christmas Pudding
In Britain, the tradition of Christmas pudding has been around since the Middle Ages.
The pudding is usually made from a mixture of dried fruits, flour, and spices baked in a cloth for several hours before being served with brandy butter.
It is often served on Christmas day as an alternative to a large breakfast and later accompanied by other desserts.
Moreover, the traditional recipe for Christmas pudding uses ingredients such as raisins, currants, oranges, apples (grated), and candied peel (grained).
Not only those, but also sugar (to taste), mixed spice powder, cinnamon sticks, ground almonds, and breadcrumbs.
Once all these ingredients are combined, they are wrapped in a clean cloth and boiled in water or milk until cooked through.
There you have one sumptuous British Christmas food you’d be delighted in!
6. Christmas Morning English Muffins
Speaking of delicious British Christmas food, Christmas Morning English Muffins are a must-try! They’re much like English muffins but served for breakfast on Christmas morning.
These are great ways to start the day and energize the family for gift opening.
The recipe is easy and can be done with kids around helping by adding ingredients or stirring the batter.
This recipe is perfect for those who don’t want to make a big fuss in the kitchen after preparing their food throughout the week.
Also, having an eggnog party before going out for last-minute shopping is a great excuse!
7. Christmas Yorkshire Pudding
Christmas Yorkshire Pudding is a traditional holiday food in the UK. The dish starts with eggs, self-raising flour, and milk mixed and then baked in a roasting pan.
After baking, the pudding is sliced and served with gravy or other sauces. Traditionally, the pudding is served with either beef or chicken gravy, but some people also like to serve it with cranberry sauce or applesauce.
Further, this British Christmas food has its origins in Yorkshire, England. This is where it was originally called Yorkshire shortcake, which was made from pastry rather than batter.
It didn’t take long for them to change the recipe when they realized that batter pudding was much easier and less time-consuming.
8. Braised Red Cabbage
Braised red cabbage is a traditional dish eaten during the festive season.
The earliest recipe dates back to 18th-century Germany, but it didn’t become popular until the 1980s.
This British Christmas food is usually served with roasted ham and boiled or mashed potatoes. It’s also a great accompaniment to cold cuts.
9. Traditional English Trifle
We are still on the British Christmas food register, and Trifle isn’t missing. Trifle is a traditional English dessert typically layered with sponge cake, whipped cream, and fresh fruit. The name derives from the fact that it was originally made in a bowl or trifle bowl.
Trifle is usually served at Christmas time as it’s a festive sweet dish that can be enjoyed at any time of the day. There are many variations of trifles, but they all have one thing in common: they’re delicious!
10. Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Homemade cranberry sauce is a great recipe to learn during the holiday season. Cranberries are grown in parts of North America and Europe, but they are native to North America.
Homemade cranberry sauce, a very tasty British Christmas food, is usually made by cooking cranberries in water.
Sugar, whole cloves, and cinnamon sticks are cooked with them until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Many people strain the sauce before canning or freezing it for later enjoyment.
11. Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brussels sprouts are a traditional British Christmas food that is an excellent side dish for any dinner.
Here are the ingredients and steps needed to make them:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut off any damaged outer leaves from the Brussels sprouts, and trim the ends off of each sprout.
- Rinse and dry them off with a towel, or let them air dry after washing them in cold water.
- Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to a bowl or small plate. Then, pour the oil over the washed sprouts.
- Toss is to coat evenly before placing it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easier cleanup after cooking.
12. Mince Pies
Mince pies are a much-loved part of the Christmas tradition in the UK. These delicious sweet pies are made with a pastry crust filled with chopped meat, dried fruit, and spices.
The name also refers to any pie filled with meat, such as turkey, beef, or pork.
Additionally, Mince pies date back to medieval times and were originally eaten to use leftover meat from the previous year’s celebrations.
In addition, they had medicinal purposes as they were packed full of sugar and spices, which helped ward off colds during the winter months.
While mince pie is traditionally eaten around this time of year as British Christmas food, not everyone loves it!
13. British Roast Potatoes
The classic roast potato is a quintessential part of the traditional British Christmas dinner. It is often served as a side dish alongside roasted vegetables, but you can also serve it as your main dish by adding gravy.
The potatoes are boiled in salted water until tender and then tossed in oil, salt, and pepper. Afterward, they are put into the oven for about an hour.
To achieve crispy skin, cook the potatoes at 350°F for 20 minutes before finishing them at 450°F.
While they’re cooking, you can make some extras to use as leftovers on Boxing Day or to enjoy with a hearty soup if you’re sick. You never know what you miss until you taste this British Christmas food.
14. Velvety Potato Leek Soup
Potato leek soup is also one of the quintessential dishes for a traditional British Christmas dinner. It originated in Ireland and became popular in England in the late 19th century. The soup includes leeks, potatoes, butter, water, and milk.
Surging, the vegetables are slowly cooked with butter until tender and then pureed with liquid (usually stock or milk) to form a creamy soup.
This British Christmas food, the Velvety Potato leek soup, can be served hot or cold. However, it is usually served warmly as part of a complete meal on special occasions such as Christmas.
It is also often eaten on Boxing Day (December 26), which marks the end of the holiday season in Britain. It celebrates the final day off work before resuming normal activities.
15. Roast Parsnips
Roast parsnips aren’t left out of the British Christmas food roll. Parsnips are a popular vegetable in England and Wales, especially at Christmastime.
Roasted parsnips are often served as a side dish with ham or turkey but are also tasty.
To prepare the parsnips, peel them and cut them into sticks about 1 inch thick. Then, put the parsnips in an ovenproof dish and drizzle with olive oil. Next, season with salt and pepper and roast for 30 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.
16. Old English Fruitcake
Fruitcake is a traditional English dessert that dates back to the 1800s. It’s often a dense, heavy cake made of fruit and nuts with bits of candied fruit, served at tea time or as a dessert.
Fruitcakes are usually soaked in rum or brandy, which lends to their moist texture.
Furthermore, the ingredients in British Christmas food vary depending on what is available locally and the baker’s preferences.
Some common ingredients include dried apricots, dates, raisins, figs, currants, cherries, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, and pecans.
You’ll need plenty of creams to soak up all that alcohol from soaking the cake overnight!
17. Cauliflower Cheese
Cauliflower cheese is a traditional dish on many UK dinner tables during the festive period.
It’s a hearty, creamy, and cheesy side dish perfect for comfort food during winter months.
Meanwhile, it contains cauliflower, onion, and butter. It is then topped with cheese sauce and baked until golden and crispy on top.
This British Christmas food can be served alongside other vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, or spinach, to make it a more substantial meal.
18. Christmas Tea Shortbread
Christmas Tea Shortbread is a traditional biscuit typically served with tea or coffee. The dough is made from flour, butter, sugar, and milk, blended until it resembles breadcrumbs.
The batter is then divided into two halves and flavored with either peppermint extract or almond essence before being rolled out to form rounds.
One half of the mixture is then rolled out thicker than the other half and cut out into rounds with a fluted pastry cutter or glass.
Afterward, they are baked in an oven at 180°C for around 10 minutes or until golden brown. Once cooled, the biscuits are sandwiched together by brushing melted butter onto one side of one of the biscuits.
I also sandwich it together with another biscuit, which has had one corner dipped in caster sugar.
19. Turkey Gravy
Turkey Gravy is traditionally served as a side dish to roast turkey, but it’s also great with rice, noodles, or toast! It’s rich and delicious, so you don’t need much.
To prepare this British Christmas food:
1. Heat some oil in a pan
2. Add the onions, celery, and carrots
3. Fry for 3 minutes until softened.
4. Add water to deglaze the pan.
20. Yule Log
Yule log is a sumptuous British Christmas food. Baked as a large cake and served log-shaped, it is usually flavored with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. The filling inside can be anything from chocolate to marzipan.
But traditionally, it’s made of frangipane (almond paste) blended with sugar and eggs. The dark outer crust is made with cocoa powder and melted butter.
And then, it’s decorated with white icing and more decorations, such as candied fruit or sprinkles.
21. Devils On Horseback
Devils on horseback is a dish of bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with walnuts and brandy. The dates are typically soaked in port or red wine before being wrapped in bacon. They can also be cooked under the grill or fried in a pan.
Additionally, the walnuts provide a sweet and crunchy texture to the dish, while the brandy gives it its distinctive flavor.
Traditionally, they are served as an appetizer and fantastic as part of a pre-dinner cheese board. Most importantly, these aren’t left out of the British Christmas food list!
22. Chocolate Orange Pots
Chocolate Orange Pots (a.k.a. chocolate oranges) are a quintessential part of the UK’s traditional Christmas dinner, and they’re also perfect for stocking fillers!
The recipe is simple: Take an orange and carve it in half. Then, fill it with chocolate and hollow it out to form a cup or bowl shape.
Next, fill the inside with chocolate orange segments or mandarin peel pieces, then replace the top of the orange to seal it back up again.
Insert toothpicks or cocktail sticks through the base of the orange so they stick out both ends to stop them from rolling off your plate! Aren’t you willing to give this British Christmas food a chance?
23. Brandy Sauce
Brandy sauce is a very popular and traditional British Christmas food. It is made by combining butter, sugar, brandy, and cornflour.
The mixture is boiled over medium heat until it becomes thick. Brandy sauce can be served as an accompaniment to desserts like trifles or mince pies.
Furthermore, a more unusual sauce is used in a cold apple pie recipe. In this version, the apples are cooked with sugar and water before being mixed with ground almonds and poured into the pie crusts.
They are then topped with slices of a hard-boiled egg before pouring the brandy sauce.
Other fruits, such as pears or plums, can also be used instead of apples for different variations of this British Christmas food.
24. Creamy pussy Horseradish Sauce
Creamy horseradish sauce is a popular side dish for roasted beef in the UK. It’s traditionally served with Yorkshire pudding and roast potatoes, but it can also be used as a condiment for ham or turkey.
In addition, Creamy horseradish sauce is made from grated horseradish root, flour, fresh cream, and butter.
Combining thickened cream with sharp horseradish creates a rich sauce that goes well with meat and vegetables. This British Christmas food will make you desire it more and more.
25. Christmas Salad
This salad is a true holiday treat. It’s a beautiful, colorful combination of fresh vegetables, perfect for potlucks and holiday gatherings.
Serve with a dressing on the side, such as this honey mustard vinaigrette recipe, to give it more flavor.
Ingredients for this British Christmas food include:
- Iceberg lettuce, chopped
- Shredded red cabbage
- Shredded green cabbage
- Radishes, thinly sliced
- Carrots, grated
- Celery stalks, finely diced
- Green onions (white parts only), thinly sliced
- Fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar (or any other light-flavored vinegar)
26. Cumberland Sauce
Cumberland Sauce is a condiment for game, such as venison, wild boar, and hare. It is made from port wine, currants, ginger, orange peel, and spices. The chef at the Duke of Cumberland’s residence created the sauce in 1837.
Today, this British Christmas food is typically served with game meats. For this reason, it is still found on many British menus around Christmas time.
This delicious sauce is on its own, but you can also use it to prepare your favorite side dishes!
For example, roast potatoes or carrots take the great flavor from a generous drizzle of Cumberland Sauce just before serving them up. Other dishes that pair well with this classic ingredient include ham loaf or gammon steaks.
27. Wassail
Next up on this list of British Christmas food is the Wassail. This hot drink is made with cider, honey, and roasted apples. It’s usually served warm or hot and is typically offered as an alternative to mulled wine.
Specifically, the drink originated in England and was traditionally served during the celebrations on Twelfth Night (January 5th).
Wassail is also associated with Christmas Eve because it is one of the traditional drinks served during the Yule log ceremony.
28. Roast Goose
Roast goose is a staple of the holiday season in Britain, often served with bread sauce, Brussels sprouts, and red cabbage.
This delectable British Christmas food is an adaptation of the traditional French roast duckling dish.
This was more common in England before it became popular with the poor and was replaced by chicken as a cheaper alternative.
Furthermore, the tradition may have come from the medieval European tradition of eating stuffed geese during the winter holidays.
However, since geese were only available for purchase during certain times of the year, roasting ducks instead might have resulted from this.
29. English Sausage Rolls
Baked goods are always a favorite during the holiday season, but what if you could also indulge in savory treats?
This is where English sausage rolls come into play! Originating in 19th century England, these tasty snacks are typically made from a puff pastry casing with spicy pork meat and herbs stuffed inside.
Often, they’re served warm and can be found at most grocery stores around the holidays. However, there’s nothing like trying them fresh out of the oven for that perfect balance of crispy and gooey.
If you’ve never tried them, I highly recommend them this holiday season! As we are about to close the British Christmas food list, we decided the amazing English sausage rolls shouldn’t be missing there!
50. Mulled Wine
Mulled wine is a traditional winter drink in the UK. It’s a great way to warm up on cold evenings and feel festive. Mulled wine is traditionally spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, orange peel, and other spices.
You can buy mulled wine in supermarkets or make your own by adding red wine to boiling water, sugar, and spices.
You could add orange or ginger root slices for an extra warming effect. Finally, we are done with the British Christmas food register!
