15 Traditional Christmas Foods Across Canada
From coast-to-coast, Canada proves to be a mix of cuisines and traditions from all over the world.
While our Christmas tables are heavily inspired by the U.S. and the U.K., the patchwork quilt of recipes includes lots of truly Canadian gems.
Here are 15 long standing holiday dishes to celebrate a festive, fun Christmas with a Canadian twist.
Butter Tarts
There's no greater joy in life than biting into a butter tart — a true Canadian Christmas treat. Whether you prefer raisins, nuts, a combination, or plain, no holiday season in Canada should be without one of these gooey bites.
Get the recipe for Anna Olson's Pecan Butter Tarts
Tourtière is a classic French-Canadian meat pie that is often made with pork and potato, as it was back in its conception (some say the 1600s). The double-crust pastry is usually made with lard instead of butter, for a stick-to-your-ribs Christmas meal.
Created in Nanaimo, British Columbia, this triple-decker Canadian Christmas dessert has gained attention the world over for its delectable flavour and good looks. Creamy, chewy, chocolaty perfection!
Popular in Europe, Bûche de Noël is also a staple on holiday tables across Canada, especially in Québec. It’s a sweet sponge cake frosted to resemble a yule log, and tastes as magical as it looks.
The bumper crop of Prince Edward Island, potatoes are a Canadian Christmas must-have. The best potatoes for mashing are russets or Yukon Gold, created at the University of Guelph.
Grown in plenty throughout Canada, fresh Brussels sprouts are the seasonal green of choice on the Canadian Christmas table. Some farmers' markets now carry fresh Brussels sprouts attached to the stalk, acting as an edible conversation starter at your holiday party.
Canadian Christmases are known for being chilly, which is why warm, spiked beverages infused with citrus and spice are so popular. This version combines tea, whisky, rum and citrus for an easy-sipping way to relax over the holiday season.
Some of Canada’s best seafood can be found on the west coast, making salmon a local alternative to turkey on Christmas dinner tables across British Columbia. A slice is sure to warm up bellies with its fresh flavour.
Few foods symbolize Christmas in Canada as perfectly as brilliant, jewel-toned cranberries. Grown both in B.C. and the Atlantic provinces where the climate is just right for their production, they're a tart and tangy way to add a bit of festive flare to any holiday meal.
The large Eastern European population of Canada’s prairie provinces offer a variety of delicious, comfort food dishes that deserve a place on your holiday table. Perogies can be made savoury or sweet with the season’s bounty of fresh produce — and don’t forget the sour cream!
Ontario apples are now gone from the trees, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy their just-picked flavour. In the winter, many apple farmers will pull the fruit out of storage and turn it into cider. Warmed with spices, it’s a Christmastime sipper that both adults and kids will love to cozy up with next to the fireplace.
As a member of the British commonwealth, Canada’s Christmas cuisine is heavily influenced by the United Kingdom’s traditional dishes, like shortbread. On a cookie tray, these beauties scream Canadian Christmas! in a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth kind of way.
Wild turkeys run rampant in many parts of Canada and can be hunted during specific seasons. Many hunters will save the meat for Christmas, making it a more robust alternative to conventionally raised birds. Wild turkey tends to be drier, so keep an eye on them when roasting.
Eggnog is widely consumed in Canada around Christmastime. It’s a thick, pale yellow beverage that can be enjoyed spiked or virgin, with a hint of nutmeg giving it its trademark flavour. Though you can buy prepared eggnog, homemade will always taste the freshest.
A layered affair with a British backbone, Canadians have inherited trifle as part of the Christmas dinner landscape. Canadian twists using local, seasonal fruits instead of cooked jam, make this dessert taste like home.