You Liked ‘Em By The Thousands: A Round-Up of the Internet’s Most Popular Holiday Recipes

by Chef Wards

The holiday season, more than any other time of the year, is defined by food. From gingerbread to hot cider, prime rib to hot chocolate, your dinner tables are going to be a veritable cornucopia of bounty this season, no doubt. 

But we were curious. 

Which ones do you love the most? Which ones practically scream “holiday spirit” for you? 

After all, with thousands of recipes out there to choose from, you can make about 1000 different types of gingerbread. And don’t even get us started on fruitcake. 

But which recipes are actually worth the effort? We were curious, so we took to the internet to find out. We gathered the most popular holiday recipes from Google’s search results. We used data like how many pins they got, how many positive reviews, and even how many people visited that specific recipe page per month (some receive almost 100k views EVERY month). 

These are the crowd-pleasers, the festivity makers, the family favorites you eat every year. In short, these are the most popular holiday recipes on the Internet. 

So without further ado, here’s our guide to the recipes you should be trying out this holiday season. Add them to your menu. They pair perfectly with a cup of kindness and good cheer. 

The Internet’s Most Popular Holiday Recipes

Apple Cider

Cup of apple cider next to apples and cinnamon.

There is nothing that smacks of holiday cheer (and comfort food) more than a piping hot cup of apple cider on a cold winter’s day. And with almost 25k monthly views to one particular post on Delish, it seems you all agree — homemade apple cider is the way to go. This is especially true if it comes with an apple-picking outing. Make a day of it at a local farmer like Austin’s own Boggy Creek Farm or Austin Orchards

Gingerbread Cookies

Holiday gingerbread cookies

Ginger was once one of those gourmet ingredients only available to the aristocracy. Nowadays, anyone can get their hands on it, and it’s a good thing because a batch of Christmas cookies is nothing without this spicy addition to the classic holiday sweet. And with almost 100k monthly views, you’ll ADORE this recipe for gingerbread cookies courtesy of Sally’s Baking Addiction. Notice her use of brown sugar instead of white sugar? Absolutely sublime. 

Roasted Chestnuts

holiday chesnuts

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire… Jack Frost nipping at your nose…

Okay, you know the song, but have you ever actually tried roasted chestnuts? They are a unique flavor that’s simply a must for the holiday season. But they can be a bit intimidating if you have never worked with them before. This recipe from The Spruce Eats makes them approachable. 

Christmas Ham

A Christmas ham or “Yule ham” might not be considered a classic holiday dish as much in the United States as it is in Europe, but we think it should be. And this brown sugar-based glazed version (accented with a dash of dijon mustard) from Cafe Delites is about as good a way to roast a ham as any we’ve seen. And with thousands of visits and plenty of good reviews to spare, it seems you agree. 

Fruitcake

It’s quite a feat to declare one’s own dish the best of anything, but it might be an especially precarious move to call your fruitcake the best in the world. Fruitcake, after all, is one of those very polarizing desserts. It is rarely allowed to take center stage. 

But that’s only the case when you haven’t had the real thing, and this fruitcake recipe from A Beautiful Plate is the real thing. Passed down by the author’s British grandmother and perfected by the generations, it is moist, fruity, and full of flavor. Don’t believe us? Read one of the hundreds of raving reviews. 

Wassail

“To wassail” refers to the old English custom of going house to house singing carols. But it also means to toast to somebody’s good health, and we can’t think of a better way to do so than with the drink that is synonymous with the deed. This wassail recipe from Yummy Healthy Easy is all three things: it is yummy, healthy, and easy. 

Beef Wellington

Beef wellington

Beef Wellington is a classic British dish made famous by the Savoy Hotel in London. It features tender beef wrapped in flakier puff pastry and is a gorgeous addition to any holiday table. In The Austin Artisan’s version, I use thin slices of prosciutto as a topping, giving the dish a rich, savory finish. It is one of the most popular recipes on our website! 

Christmas Pudding

If you haven’t had a flaming Christmas pudding, you’re in for a fiery treat. This delicious cake is the tradition you never knew you were missing.  Creating the fire isn’t as scary as it looks, either. Simply heat a few tablespoons of brandy in a pan and pour it gently over the finished pudding. Then you set it ablaze. Talk about lighting up your holidays! 

Pigs in a Blanket

You might not believe it at first, but Pigs in a Blanket are one of the most popular holiday recipes you can find out there. An unexpected choice of holiday favorites? Sure. But we love them too. And for this recipe, we go straight to the crescent capital of the world — Pillsbury themselves

The holidays are a wonderful time of celebration, gratitude, and great food. And with these most popular holiday recipes, your dinner menu is sure to be a hit!

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