My 10 Favorite French Christmas Recipes to Savor at Home

Photo: Jill Heyer

Some of you have asked for easy French Christmas recipes to make at home. So here are a few of my favorites that I love to make and enjoy during the winter season—whether for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or New Year’s Eve. One recipe especially close to my heart is my mother’s rissoles, passed down from my grandmother, Léonce Chenal—who inspired the name of this blog—and even further back from my great-grandmother. My mother kindly shared this cherished recipe with me, allowing me to bring it to you here. Rissoles are small puff pastry turnovers filled with pear or apple compote, a specialty from my native region, Haute-Savoie.

Naturally, I’ve left out dishes like homemade foie gras, escargots, and oysters, which I know can seem a bit unappealing at first glance. But if you ever have the chance to try them in France during the holidays, I highly recommend it! Personally, I love escargots with parsley butter and oysters with a touch of shallot vinegar :).

For each recipe, I’ve translated the instructions into English and converted the ingredients to U.S. measurements. I’ve also included links to the original sources (in French) if you’d like more details. These recipes are truly delicious and easy to make at home. You could even copy them into a beautiful cookbook like this one from Zara Home or onto recipe cards in a recipe box (which I’m planning to buy myself—it’s just lovely!).

You can easily create a traditional French Christmas menu with these recipes! Choose one or two appetizers, a main dish—typically a capon stuffed with chestnuts—and a signature dessert like the classic bûche de Noël. For a festive touch, add foie gras or smoked salmon canapés as an aperitif, along with gingerbread, rissoles, or chocolates (like mendiants or orangettes) to enjoy with coffee after the meal. Voilà! A quintessentially French Christmas feast ;). I hope these recipes satisfy your holiday cravings, and if you enjoyed this post, please let me know in the comments—it’s always a pleasure to hear from you!

Table of Contents

Appetizers & Starters

Foie Gras Crème Brûlée Gingerbread & Walnuts

Scallop and Salmon Terrine

Cantal Cheese Gougères

Gratinated Scallops

The Main Course

Capon Stuffed with Chestnuts and Mushrooms

Desserts

My Grandmother Léonce Chenal’s Rissoles

Chocolate Hazelnut Yule Log

Christmas Chocolate Savarin

Pear and Chocolate Yule Log

Gingerbread Men (Alsatian Mannele)

Appetizers & Starters

1. Foie Gras Crème Brûlée Gingerbread & Walnuts

100g (about 3.5 oz) foie gras, semi-cooked
3 egg yolks
1 cup (25 cl) heavy cream
A generous pinch of 4-spice blend (cinnamon, ginger, clove, and nutmeg)
3 slices gingerbread
1 tablespoon brown sugar
20g (about 3/4 oz) walnut halves
Salt and white pepper

Preheat the oven to 250°F (120°C). Dice the foie gras and place it in a mixing bowl. Add the egg yolks, heavy cream, 4-spice blend, salt, and white pepper. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and pour it evenly into six ramekins. Bake for 17 minutes. Once cooked, allow to cool, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Preheat the oven’s broiler and place the rack at the top level. Blend the gingerbread, brown sugar, and walnuts until you have a coarse crumb mixture. Sprinkle this mixture over the chilled custard. Broil for 1-2 minutes until golden. Find the original recipe and details here.

2. Scallop and Salmon Terrine

400g (about 14 oz) peeled pink shrimp
1 1/4 cups (30 cl) heavy cream
150g (about 5.3 oz) scallops
2 egg whites
400g (about 14 oz) fresh salmon
6 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs (dill, tarragon, fennel, sorrel, bay leaf, or thyme)

Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Dice half of the salmon, and roughly chop the scallops and shrimp. In a food processor, pulse the other half of the salmon with the egg whites, salt, and pepper until combined. Transfer the blended salmon mixture to a large bowl. Add the cream, diced fish, and herbs and mix gently. Pour the mixture into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Place the pan in a water bath and bake for 40 minutes at 320°F. Once baked, refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Find the original recipe and details here.

3. Cantal Cheese Gougères

150g (about 5.3 oz)
Cantal cheese, semi-aged
4 eggs, plus 1 additional egg for egg wash
1 cup (25 cl) milk
1 cup (150g) flour
1/2 cup (120g) butter
Nutmeg
Fine salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 340°F (170°C). In a saucepan, add the milk, butter (cut into pieces), a pinch of salt, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Heat until the butter is melted. While the milk and butter heat up, crack the 4 eggs into a food processor and blend until smooth. Once the butter has melted, add the flour to the saucepan all at once. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth, cohesive dough. Continue stirring over low heat for about a minute to dry out the dough slightly. Transfer the dough to the food processor and blend until smooth. Add a dash of black pepper and grate in half of the Cantal cheese. Blend briefly to combine, then transfer the mixture into a piping bag or pastry press. Pipe small mounds of dough onto a greased baking sheet, spacing them about 3/4 inch (2 cm) apart. Brush the tops with the beaten egg, place a small square of Cantal cheese on top of each, and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Find the original recipe and details here.

4. Gratinated Scallops

8 scallops in their shells
3 leeks, white parts only
2 tablespoons (30g) butter
1 shallot
1 small garlic clove
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley
1 cup (140g) coarse breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon olive oil
Fine salt, fleur de sel, and freshly ground black pepper

Open the scallop shells and trim the scallops, leaving them attached to the shell. Rinse briefly under cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. Thinly slice the leeks and shallot. In a skillet, sauté them in butter over low heat for about 20 minutes until softened. Season with salt and pepper. In a food processor, combine the breadcrumbs, parsley leaves, garlic, olive oil, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Pulse until well mixed. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Sprinkle a few grains of fleur de sel and a twist of black pepper on each scallop. Arrange the leek mixture around the scallops in their shells, then cover with the breadcrumb mixture. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden and crispy. Find the original recipe and details here.

The Main Course

5. Capon Stuffed with Chestnuts and Mushrooms

1 capon
14 oz (400g) canned or jarred chestnuts
14 oz (400g) multigrain bread
2 shallots
9 oz (250g) white mushrooms
3 1/2 tbsp (50g) butter
1 small bunch cilantro
Freshly ground black pepper

Ask your butcher to debone the capon, leaving the legs and wings intact so it holds its shape once stuffed. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). In a large pot, sauté the chopped shallots and sliced mushrooms in butter until golden. Season with salt and pepper, then add the chestnuts, roughly chopped bread, and chopped cilantro. Stir well and let cool. Place the stuffing in the center of the capon, fold the sides over, and put the capon in a large bowl to help hold its shape. Using a large needle and kitchen twine, sew the skin closed to seal in the stuffing. Place the capon in a roasting pan and bake for 1 hour. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C) and cook for an additional 2 hours. Add water to the pan as needed, and baste the capon frequently to keep it moist. Find the original recipe and details here.

Desserts

6. My Grandmother Léonce Chenal’s Rissoles

6 Reinette apples
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 vanilla bean
1/3 cup (50g) raisins
9 oz (250g) all-butter puff pastry
1 egg yolk for brushing

Peel, core, and dice the apples. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. In a saucepan, combine the apples, brown sugar, vanilla seeds, and the vanilla pod. Cook over low heat for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and lightly caramelized. Add the raisins in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove the vanilla pod and let the compote cool. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle. Place small spoonfuls of compote about 2 inches from one edge of the pastry, leaving 1-inch gaps between each. Lightly moisten the edges of the pastry with water. Fold the pastry over the compote to cover. Press down around each mound with your fingers to seal. Use a fluted pastry cutter or ravioli wheel to cut out individual rissoles. Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush each rissole with the beaten egg yolk. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden brown.

7. Chocolate Hazelnut Yule Log

225g (about 8 oz) milk chocolate
Homemade chocolate-hazelnut spread
3 whole eggs + 2 egg yolks
1 cup (220g) granulated sugar
2/3 cup (85g) all-purpose flour
6 egg whites
50g (about 1.8 oz) hazelnuts
2 tablespoons (2.5 cl) sunflower oil
1 teaspoon (5g) unsalted butter

Grease a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Finely chop and melt the chocolate in a double boiler for the glaze. Soften the chocolate spread in a separate double boiler. In a large bowl, beat the whole eggs, egg yolks, and 135g (2/3 cup) of sugar until thick and ribbon-like. Fold in the flour. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining sugar (85g) until stiff peaks form. Gently combine both mixtures. Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C). Roughly chop the hazelnuts and toast them in the oven for a few minutes. Pour the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, spreading it into a rectangle. Bake for 5 minutes. Remove the sponge cake, let it sit for 1 minute, then flip it onto a damp kitchen towel to keep it moist. Trim the edges to form a clean rectangle, spread the warmed chocolate spread, and gently roll the cake. Mix the toasted hazelnuts and sunflower oil into the melted chocolate glaze. Pour over the rolled cake and chill for up to 30 minutes. Find the original recipe and details here.

8. Christmas Chocolate Savarin

For the dough:

100g (3.5 oz) dark chocolate
4 eggs
3 1/2 tbsp (50g) butter, plus extra for greasing
1/3 cup (50g) flour
1/3 cup (50g) cornstarch
1 packet baking powder
2/3 cup (130g) sugar

For the glaze:

1 3/4 cups (200g) powdered sugar
1 egg white
Juice of half a lemon
Cranberries (or other red berries of your choice)
Small sprigs of pine (for decoration)

Break the chocolate into pieces and melt it in a double boiler. Remove from heat, add the butter, and stir until smooth. Separate three of the eggs, keeping the whites in a separate bowl. Add the whole egg and the three yolks, one at a time, to the chocolate mixture, mixing well after each addition. Sift in the flour and baking powder, then add the cornstarch and mix until smooth. Beat the egg whites until stiff, adding the sugar gradually. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in batches, gently lifting the mixture to keep the whites fluffy. Grease a bundt pan and pour in the batter. Bake in a preheated oven at 325°F (165°C) for 35-40 minutes. While the cake cools, mix the powdered sugar and egg white, then add the lemon juice. Once the cake is fully cooled, pour the glaze over the top. Let it set, then add cranberries and small pine sprigs for decoration. Find the original recipe and details here.

9. Pear and Chocolate Yule Log

300g (10.5 oz) dark chocolate
2 tbsp (30g) sugar
300g (10.5 oz) canned pears in syrup drained and diced
300g (10.5 oz) mascarpone
2 cups (50 cl) heavy cream
2 gelatin sheets

Soak the gelatin in cold water to rehydrate. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Whip 1 2/3 cups (40 cl) of heavy cream until firm, then gently fold in the melted chocolate. Pour this mixture into a loaf pan lined with plastic wrap, filling it about one-third full. Heat the remaining 1/3 cup (10 cl) of cream, then remove from heat and add the gelatin, stirring until dissolved. In a separate bowl, whip the mascarpone with the sugar until smooth. Fold in the warm cream mixture and diced pears, then pour into the loaf pan. Top with the remaining chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. Find the original recipe and details here.

10. Gingerbread Men (Alsatian Mannele)

For the dough:

200g (1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
50g (1/3 cup) chestnut flour
250g (3/4 cup) forest or chestnut honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For flavoring:

1 egg yolk
Zest of half an orange
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon gingerbread spice mix
2 tablespoons milk

For the glaze:

1 egg white
200g (1 3/4 cups) powdered sugar

In a mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the warmed honey, flours, and cinnamon until smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature overnight. Cut the dough into pieces and place in the mixer bowl. Add the orange zest, baking powder, baking soda, and egg yolk. Mix gently until combined, then rewrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C). On a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8 inch (3 mm) thickness. Use cookie cutters to shape the dough into gingerbread figures, placing them on a greased nonstick baking sheet. Brush lightly with milk and bake for 7–10 minutes. Mix the egg white and powdered sugar until smooth. Once the cookies are cool, brush or pipe the glaze on top. Add chocolate chips or sprinkles if desired. Find the original recipe and details here.