A Complete German Christmas Dinner Menu

Bart Kulas

Updated on May 11, 2024

Chef John's Roast Christmas Goose

top-down view of a beautifully bronzed roast goose on a decorative platter with kale and miniature apples — Chef John

This roast goose recipe features a simple wine reduction sauce. This incredibly simple recipe starts with a pre-cooked smoked goose. Once you've thawed the bird, roasting it could not be easier. The subtle smokiness of roast goose pairs perfectly with the red wine, balsamic vinegar, and blackberry notes.

02 of 07

Chef John's Beef Rouladen

If you prefer the beef-and-potatoes approach to merrymaking, this classic beef Rouladen might be more your style. "For something that looks and tastes as impressive as this beef rouladen, it's actually one of the simplest stuffed meat recipes I know," says Chef John. "You can pretty much use any cheap cut of beef; I used round steak, but rump, chuck, flap meat, and other similar cuts will work work."

03 of 07

Chef John's Braised Red Cabbage

Add a pop of color to the holiday plate with red cabbage braised in wine and simple seasonings, including a pinch of caraway seeds. The salty, sour, and sweet flavors go great with the beef or roast goose. It also benefits from being super easy. "There are so many ways to tweak this recipe," says Chef John. "Raisins, currants, shallots, onions, leeks, apples, and pears are just a few things that rock in this recipe."

04 of 07

German Spaetzle Dumplings

These traditional German dumplings are made with flour. You'll boil them in water or broth and then pan fry them in butter. "You can also mince a few pieces of bacon in a pan, and heat the cooked spaetzle in the bacon drippings — only omit the butter, if preparing recipe with bacon," says MARBALET.

05 of 07

German Potato Dumplings (Kartoffelkloesse)

These soft, comforting dumplings are filled with a small surprise center of fresh croutons and finished with a drizzle of browned butter. "For best results, roast, don't boil, the potatoes so they're nice and dry," says Chef John. Top these dumplings with bacon and/or sautéed onions and mushroom sauce.

06 of 07

German Stollen

Popular all over Germany during the Christmas season, stollen is filled with dried fruit, candied citrus and orange peel, and almonds. "A very traditional stollen that I make every Christmas," says Marianne. "This stollen is loaded with "

07 of 07

Traditional Springerle

Springerle cookies are a centuries-old, anise-flavored German Christmas cookie made using decorative, carved wooden molds or rolling pins. "We have made these very traditional German cookies every year since I was a child," says PREGOCOOK. "My mother remembers her grandmother making them with this recipe that has been in our family for generations."

More German Christmas Cookie Recipes:

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