# Need help with Christmas dessert recipes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 2, 2018, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139 "2018-07-02T04:02:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2018, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/1 "2018-07-02T04:02:22Z")
I know, I know, it’s seems a little early for Christmas. But on the Sunday before American Thanksgiving this year I have been asked to help make a presentation on Christmas dessert recipes from around the world. I’ve done some Googling and there are tons of websites that address this idea. But with Dopers from around the world, instead of relying on what a magazine or blog says is authentic, I thought I’d also ask here what are real favorites, or are truly typical of a given countrie’s favorite Christmas dessert. I’ve already thought about sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies from the USA, along with (don’t laugh) fruitcake. Then there is stollen from Germany. I have a good recipe for that from a German lady who was the mother of a former boss. It doesn’t have to be just Christmas but part of the season. I’ve read about St. Lucia’s Day in Sweden, and recipes for December 6th, St. Nicholas Day. If Dopers from all over can tell me what goodies they think are most representative, or favorites, of their own cultures or country I’d sure appreciate it. I hope, in addition to making samples of a few of the recipes, to also print up a booklet to pass out at the presentation, with recipes and links. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2018, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/2 "2018-07-02T10:22:26Z")
Iced & decorated sugar cookies are the thing that if I don’t have on Christmas, it’s not really Christmas. Other than that: Pumpkin Pie A selection of other types of cookies besides sugar cookies; it’s VERY common around here to see big plates of sugar cookies, peppermint cookie balls, candy-cane shaped cookies, ginger or spice cookies, gingerbread men, etc etc. at Christmas Growing up, my family typically had a fruit-filled coffee cake to nibble on while opening presents on Christmas day, but I think that’s more of a family tradition than a standard American Christmas thing ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2018, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/3 "2018-07-02T11:11:25Z")
Traditionally, Scots don’t celebrate Christmas as much as Hogmanay, but one desert is crannachan - cream, honey, whisky, oats, and raspberries. Those who had access to ice houses could freeze raspberries. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2018, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/4 "2018-07-02T11:58:29Z")
My research in the past has revealed that traditional European recipes for Christmas tend to feature dried and candied fruit in cakey bread with icing on it. With many variations. My grandmother, a great baker of German-Swiss heritage, went all out for Christmas and made staggering amounts of cookies and special breads. The ones I remember are Schnitzbrot Sugared walnuts Iced decorated sugar cookies Stollen Pfefferneusse Fingerklatschen Springerle Linzer cookies “mexican wedding cakes” but there were at least five or six more she made dozens of every year, and only at Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2018, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/5 "2018-07-02T14:26:33Z")
Poppy seed/nut roll, which is the go-to dessert for every meal in every Slavic home, from Poland to Ukraine to Slovenia. You’ll see it all year but it’s a must-have for holidays. That and kolachke. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/6 "2018-07-03T10:05:18Z")
Thanks for all the comments so far. I know a couple of folks I’m going to ask. My cousin’s husband is of Danish extraction, I’m sure they have some good stuff. When the time gets closer I will let folks know about which recipes I choose. ---
**Author:** ![Tedhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Tedhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tedhead)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/7 "2018-07-03T10:15:23Z")
In Europe, every country has own tradition about Christmas, so the best option is to find some local website or ask people ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/8 "2018-07-03T10:48:30Z")
We’re in the Southern Hemisphere, so in addition to traditional stuff like Christmas Pud and trifle, we also do summer desserts like pavlova, ice cream cassata, summer pudding and the like. For a typical Christmas, we have: Traditional Xmas pudding with coins [Malva Pudding](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malva_pudding) with custard Cassata with same fruit mix as the Xmas pud Berry Pav Raspberry Jelly Fluff pudding ---
**Author:** ![carlb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carlb/32/5930_2.png) [@carlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlb)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/9 "2018-07-03T12:18:23Z")
I don’t know that they are traditionally a Christmas treat, but our Scottish neighbor used to bring over a tin of homemade [empire biscuits](https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/19263/empire-biscuits/) every Christmas Eve. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/10 "2018-07-03T12:44:04Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Poppy seed/nut roll, which is the go-to dessert for every meal in every Slavic home, from Poland to Ukraine to Slovenia. You’ll see it all year but it’s a must-have for holidays. That and kolachke. The [nut roll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nut_roll) page on Wikipedia lists a lot of variants. I was going to mention povitica, which appears to be a Serbian/Croatian version. ( **Baker** , there is even a povitica bakery in Kansas City, if you were interested in checking it out.) ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/11 "2018-07-03T18:53:00Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > The [nut roll](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nut_roll) page on Wikipedia lists a lot of variants. I was going to mention povitica, which appears to be a Serbian/Croatian version. ( **Baker** , there is even a povitica bakery in Kansas City, if you were interested in checking it out.) I’ll have to Google for that! > [@MrDibble](#): > > We’re in the Southern Hemisphere, so in addition to traditional stuff like Christmas Pud and trifle, we also do summer desserts like pavlova, ice cream cassata, summer pudding and the like. For a typical Christmas, we have: > Traditional Xmas pudding with coins > [Malva Pudding](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malva_pudding) with custard > Cassata with same fruit mix as the Xmas pud > Berry Pav > Raspberry Jelly Fluff pudding I was curious about Southern Hemisphere Christmas, what with it being at the height of the summer season! ---
**Author:** ![Tarataratara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Tarataratara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tarataratara)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/12 "2018-07-03T19:50:20Z")
Japan - sponge cake with whipped cream and strawberries. > **[Why the Japanese Eat Cake For Christmas](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/why-japanese-eat-cake-christmas-180961556/)** > > A tradition beginning in war and ending in cake ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/13 "2018-07-03T20:05:39Z")
Pie, pie and more pie. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/14 "2018-07-03T21:24:37Z")
In my family’s culture, it’s all about the cookies. But I can’t single out any particular kind of cookie: The tradition is basically that everyone makes a few kinds of cookies, and everyone gives each other cookies, and then anyone entertaining guests puts out a tray with samples of all of the cookies, both the ones they made themselves and the ones given to them by friends, neighbors, and relatives. Thus, for instance, a cookie tray at Gramma’s house would always include kolachke, not because anyone in our family made them, but because Gramma had friends who did. And it’d also include rice krispie treats, and peanut butter buckeyes, and [del]ginger[/del]molasses snaps, and cutout cookies (with and without icing and/or colored sugar crystals), and those things with Hershey’s kisses in the middle, and jam thumbprints, and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2018, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/15 "2018-07-03T22:22:08Z")
> [@Tarataratara](#): > > Japan - sponge cake with whipped cream and strawberries. > > [https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/why-japanese-eat-cake-christmas-180961556/](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/why-japanese-eat-cake-christmas-180961556/) Thank you for an Asian example! The article was great! ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/16 "2018-07-04T02:21:38Z")
> [@Tarataratara](#): > > Japan - sponge cake with whipped cream and strawberries. Served right after the KFC chicken. ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/17 "2018-07-04T03:10:48Z")
I used to be the baker at a health food [store](https://www.deansnaturalfoodmarket.com) in New Jersey. One of my favorite desserts I made there was [Risalamande](https://www.daringgourmet.com/risalamande-danish-almond-rice-pudding-with-cherry-sauce/), a.k.a. Danish Almond Rice Pudding with Cherry Sauce. It takes a little extra effort to make, but that effort is worth it! I won’t reprint the recipes here, but there are links in my post. Here is the general sequence of how to make the dish: 1. Make the [Cherry Sauce](http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/cherry-sauce-15525#activity-feed) and chill overnight. 2. Make the rice pudding base. Chill to room temperature. 3. Toast some slivered almonds. Bring to room temp. 4. When the pudding base is at room temperature, fold in the whipped cream and the almonds. 5. Chill in the refrigerator until ready. Add cherry sauce and serve. ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/18 "2018-07-04T03:14:09Z")
Oh, I also veganized the recipe by using almond milk and vegan whipped topping - it actually exists and is so delicious! I made most of my recipes vegan to accommodate our client base. But I have since made the dish with cow milk and traditional whipped topping; it is good either way. ---
**Author:** ![Karen\_Lingel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karen_lingel/32/18649_2.png) [@Karen\_Lingel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Karen_Lingel)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/19 "2018-07-04T06:41:01Z")
My French grandfather always had a St. Honore cake for New Years. It’s a little like a flatish croquembouche. (Croquembouche would work for Christmas, also buche de noel.) ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2018, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139/20 "2018-07-04T07:16:59Z")
French - Buche de Noel > **[Yule log (cake)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule_log_(cake))** > > A Yule log or bûche de Noël (French pronunciation: ​\[byʃ də nɔɛl\]) is a traditional Christmas cake, often served as a dessert near Christmas, especially in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Vietnam, and Quebec, Canada. > Variants are also served in the United States, United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Portugal, and Spain. > Made of sponge cake, to resemble a miniature actual Yule log, it is a form of sweet roulade. > The cake emerged in the 19th century, probably in France, before spreading to ot... Italian - Panettone > **[Panettone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panettone)** > > Panettone (/ˌpænɪˈtoʊni/, Italian: \[panetˈtoːne\]; Milanese: panetton \[paneˈtũː\]) is an Italian type of sweet bread, and fruitcake, originally from Milan, usually prepared and enjoyed for Christmas and New Year in Western, Southern, and Southeastern Europe as well as in South America, Eritrea, Australia, the United States and Canada. > It has a cupola shape, which extends from a cylindrical base and is usually about 12–15 cm (4.7–5.9 in) high for a panettone weighing 1 kg (2.2 lb). Other bases may ... [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-help-with-christmas-dessert-recipes/817139.md?page=2)