Twelve Days of Christmas Themed Recipes (2024)

The Twelve Days of Christmas is an English Christmas carol, published in 1780. Thought to be of French origin, it features a series of increasingly grand gifts given on each of the twelve days of Christmas, starting on Christmas Day and ending on January 5. The Twelve Days of Christmas Themed Recipes each borrow from some aspect of the specific day, with a bit of poetic license for some!

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The Twelve Days of Christmas was first published without any music. It wasn’t until 1909 that the familiar tune was added in an arrangement by English composer Frederic Austin. In that arrangement, each verse is built on top of the previous verses.

Day 1. Partridge in a Pear Tree: Pear Tart with Goat Cheese, Rosemary & Honey – Home and Plate

Goat cheese, rosemary and honey are the stars on this pear tart. This simple fall dessert is delicious and can be on your table in 30 minutes.

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Day 2. Two Turtle Doves: Chocolate Turtle Cake with Caramel Pecans and Chocolate Ganache– Wyldflour

This chocolate turtle cake has two layers of moist, fudgey chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream, caramel sauce, and chopped pecans in the middle. Then the turtle cake is covered with a thin layer of chocolate buttercream and scraped for a naked effect. Finally, a thick layer of rich chocolate ganacheand sprinkles of extra pecans. Chocolate Overload. Chocolate Decadence. Caramel Pecan Turtle Goodness. There is no perfect name that embodies all the flavors of this chocolate turtle cake.

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Day 3. Three French Hens: Cornish Game Hens with Cranberry Stuffing – Grits and Pinecones

Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Cranberry Stuffing is a delicious, elegant, and inexpensive main course for your Christmas dinner or a special dinner party!

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Day 4. Four Calling Birds: Chicken au Champagne – Cooking with Curls

Calling all Birds with this Chicken au Champagne. The flavors are absolutely amazing. I am not a Champagne lover, I actually can’t stand the taste of it.However, when combined with chicken, and tarragon,il est magnifique!

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Day 5. Five Golden Rings: Baked Apple Cider Donuts – Veggie Inspired

Baked Apple Cider Donuts – Golden Rings of soft, fluffy, moist baked donuts with all the flavors of fall. Dairy free, egg free, and oil free!! Trust me, you are going to love these!

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Day 6. Six Geese a Laying: Easy Potato Salad with Eggs – Melanie Cooks

This easy potato salad with eggs is the best potato salad recipe ever! Once you try this amazing recipe, you’ll never have potato salad any other way! Secret ingredient is revealed below!

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Day 7. Seven Swans a Swimming: Lemon Cream Cheese Bundt Cake – Pudge Factor

Brighten your holiday season with this rich and moist Lemon Cream Cheese Bundt Cake made with Swans Down cake flour. It feels like springtime, and tastes amazing under a layer of lemon glaze.

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Day 8. Eight Maids a Milking: Frozen S’Mores Hot Chocolate – A Turtle’s Life for Me

Homemade hot chocolate with frothy milk has to be one of the most decadent beverages out there, but this recipe for frozen s’mores hot chocolate just kicked it up several notches!

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Day 9. Nine Ladies Dancing: No Bake Black Forest Tiramisu – Food Meanderings

I love tiramisu with ladyfingers and black forest anything so I created this easyno bake dessert. Quick and delicious, it is a combination of tiramisu and my family’s favourite black forest trifle.

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Day 10. Ten Lords a Leaping: Rosemary French 75 – Nomageddon

You’ll definitely want a Rosemary French 75 with the bubbles leaping out of the glass? The classic champagne co*cktail made with London Dry Gin, Brut Champagne, and Rosemary Simple Syrup.

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Day 11. Eleven Pipers Piping: Meringues with Marmalade and Cream – Little Sunny Kitchen

Sweet piped meringues filled with fresh clotted cream, orange marmalade and dark chocolate…

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Day 12: Twelve Drummers Drumming: Sweet Cherry Chicken Lollipops – Rum Smoked – BBQ Bastard

Chicken lollipops (a.k.a. drumsticks) are trending in the BBQ scene for a while now. They look incredible and the technique used for these “Sweet cherry chicken lollipops” is leading to a juicy tasteful and well balanced result.

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Are you drooling yet? Isn’t this an amazing array of Twelve Days of Christmas Themed Recipes?

Leave me a comment and let me know which one of these recipes is your favorite or which one you plan to try first. Even better,leave me a link to your favorite Christmas recipe!

I hope you have a wonderful Holiday season!

Twelve Days of Christmas Themed Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What do you eat on each of the 12 days of Christmas? ›

12 Days of Christmas Recipes
  • Day 1: A Partridge in a Pear Tree. These Baked Pears are EASY and delicious with 4 simple ingredients. ...
  • Day 2: Two Turtle Doves. ...
  • Day 3: Three French Hens. ...
  • Day 4: Four Calling Birds. ...
  • Day 5: Five Golden Rings. ...
  • Day 6: Six Geese a Laying. ...
  • Day 7: Seven Swans a Swimming. ...
  • Day 8: Eight Maids a Milking.
Dec 25, 2020

How do you celebrate 12 days of Christmas at work? ›

For the 12 days of Christmas at work, consider a different festive activity each day. This can include themed dress-up days, a Secret Santa gift exchange, a holiday trivia quiz, crafting sessions, caroling, a charity drive, and culminate in a big holiday party or luncheon on the final day.

What is the 10th day of Christmas gift? ›

7 Swans A-swimming = The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. 8 Maids A-milking = The Eight Beatitudes. 9 Ladies Dancing = The Nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit. 10 Lords A-leaping = The Ten Commandments.

What to do on each of the 12 days of Christmas? ›

The 12 Days of Christmas Activities
  1. On the first day of Christmas: Decorate the House. ...
  2. On the second day of Christmas: Have a Movie Marathon. ...
  3. On the third day of Christmas: Have a Gingerbread House Contest. ...
  4. On the fourth day of Christmas: Make Sugar Cookies. ...
  5. On the fifth day of Christmas: Have a Lights Tour.

What should be eaten on the 12 days of Christmas for good luck? ›

of Christmas it brings good luck for the year ahead.

What day should you start 12 days of Christmas? ›

That's right: December 25 marks the official start of the 12 days of Christmas, the Christian tradition that shares its name with a relentlessly stick-in-your-head Christmas carol.

Why is the 12 days of Christmas only 12 days? ›

The "12 Days of Christmas" in the carol reference the 12 days following Christmas, also known as Twelvetide in Christianity. The period begins with the birth of Christ on December 25th and ends with the coming of the Three Wise Men on January 6th, also known as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day.

How do you do the 12 days of Christmas Secret Santa? ›

Here's how it works: You choose a family to surprise and every day for the 12 days leading up to Christmas you leave a little treat on their doorstep along with part of a poem, ring their doorbell, and run away

How many items are in 12 Days of Christmas? ›

Your true love has given you a whopping number of 364 gifts over the 12 Days of Christmas. That's almost one gift a day for a whole year! It's only one gift short (2 during a leap year), but with that many gifts, including 42 geese a-swimming, 36 ladies dancing and 12 drummers drumming, who's counting?

What is the 7th gift in the 12 days of Christmas? ›

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying, Five gold rings, Four calling birds, Three French hens, Two turtle doves, And a partridge in a pear tree.

What gift is the 7th day of Christmas? ›

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me seven swans a swimming six geese a laying five gold rings four calling birds three french hens two turtle doves and a partridge in a pear tree.

What is a traditional Christmas dinner menu? ›

Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also used. Pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are staples for dessert.

Can you pre-cook vegetables for Christmas Day? ›

Then you don't have to worry about them separately. Don't forget that most of the veg can be prepared the day before. Peel and trim your carrots and parsnips (keep them submerged in water overnight), peel onions and, to really save you time, don't just peel your potatoes the day before but you can parboil them, too.

What does each country eat on Christmas Day? ›

Let us know if there's are any others that you think are worth a mention!
  • Christmas Eve Apples – China. ...
  • KFC Christmas Dinner – Japan. ...
  • Selyodka Pod Shuboy – Russia. ...
  • Christmas Pudding – England. ...
  • Smalahove – Norway. ...
  • Mattak and Kiviak – Greenland. ...
  • Mopane Worms – Southern Africa. ...
  • Feast of the Seven Fishes – Italy/America.
Jan 15, 2020

What is the sum of 12 days of Christmas? ›

Your true love has given you a whopping number of 364 gifts over the 12 Days of Christmas. That's almost one gift a day for a whole year! It's only one gift short (2 during a leap year), but with that many gifts, including 42 geese a-swimming, 36 ladies dancing and 12 drummers drumming, who's counting?

What is the tradition of 12 days after Christmas? ›

Twelfth Night (also known as Epiphany Eve depending upon the tradition) is a Christian festival on the last night of the Twelve Days of Christmas, marking the coming of the Epiphany.

Why do we eat 12 on Christmas Eve? ›

A twelve-dish Christmas Eve supper is traditionally prepared to commemorate Jesus' twelve disciples in Central, Northern and Eastern European cultures, especially those that were formerly part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and neighbouring countries.

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