Features
5 festive recipes to get ahead for Christmas
by Elizabeth Young
published on 16 October 2015, last updated on 23 September 2025
Here at The Happy Foodie, we’re of the belief that it’s never too early to start planning for the ultimate Christmas, especially when certain festive treats need time to mature in order to be at their best. Here are five things we’re making now in preparation for the most food-centric day of the year.
Nigella Lawson’s Traditional Christmas Cake
A good, rich Christmas cake needs to be made quite some time in advance. With pecan nuts, ground almonds and a generous glug of bourbon, Nigella Lawson’s traditional Christmas cake from the Nigella Christmas cookbook is one of our favourite recipes.
Christmas Pudding
This Christmas pudding recipe from The Great British Bake Off: Winter Kitchen cookbook is rich, dark and packed full of boozy fruits. Make yours at least a month in advance, then let it mature in a cool, dark place until Christmas Day. Don’t forget to make a wish as you stir the pudding mixture.
Mincemeat
Take your mince pies to the next level this Christmas, with homemade mincemeat. It’s a preserve that needs to be made well in advance in order to reach peak flavour by Christmas time. In this recipe from Beryl Wood’s Let’s Preserve It , she offers six different variations to choose from.
Apple and Sultana Chutney
Everyone needs a good recipe for a Christmas chutney to eat with cheese. This apple and sultana chutney certainly doesn’t disappoint. Robust and tangy, with a mellow hint of mustard seeds and juicy plump sultanas, it is best eaten after maturing for a few weeks in a cool, dark place.
Claudia Roden’s Quince Purée
An essential component in any cheeseboard, quince purée will also make a flavoursome addition to your Boxing Day sandwiches. This recipe from Claudia Roden is perfect in its simplicity.
View all
Recipe Collections
Recipes you’ll love from Nadiya’s Quick Comforts
We all love a good serving (or two, or three…) of homemade comfort food, but many recipes for hearty, flavour-packed dishes can take time and effort. Here to change that…
Recipe Collections
Recipes you’ll love from The Greatest Traybake Cookbook Ever by John Gregory-Smith
Minimum fuss, maximum flavour. These are the principles that make savoury traybakes the perfect solution for dinner at the end of a long day, feeding a hungry crowd, and even…
Recipe Collections
10 bakes and desserts to make this winter
There are days where we want speed and convenience with the food we make, with recipes that require minimal prep and cooking time. But there are other days where cooking…
Get our latest recipes, features, book news and ebook deals straight to your inbox every week
