As the festive spirit of Christmas 2025 envelops India, the aroma of butter, spices, and chocolate begins to waft from kitchens. This season presents the ideal opportunity to pause, embrace the warmth of the oven, and create memorable treats. For those seeking a holiday menu that marries nostalgia with indulgence, or recipes perfect for gifting, entertaining, or cozy family moments, we have curated three delightful options. This collection blends timeless festive flavours with contemporary touches, catering to all preferences with both egg-based and eggless variations.
A Trio of Festive Delights for Every Table
The curated lineup is designed to capture the essence of Christmas joy. It moves from spiced cookies with a creamy twist to a simple no-bake confection and culminates in a stunning savoury centrepiece. Each recipe, crafted by Romi Micka, Chef - Pastry and Bakery at IICA, balances celebratory flair with comforting familiarity, ensuring there's something special for every home cook and guest this holiday season.
Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies: A Reinvented Classic
The iconic gingerbread cookie receives a luxurious upgrade. These Gingerbread Cheesecake Cookies infuse warm spices—ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom—into a soft, buttery dough, which is then sandwiched with a luscious, spiced cream cheese filling. They are excellent for cookie exchanges, dessert platters, or as elegant homemade gifts when wrapped in festive parchment.
The method involves creaming 80.5 gm unsalted butter and 62.5 gm sugar, then incorporating 10 gm egg yolk, 25 gm whole egg, and 15 gm molasses. The dry ingredients—175 gm refined flour, 3 tsp ginger powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cardamom powder, ½ tsp salt, and 1 tsp nutmeg—are folded in gently. After chilling, the dough is rolled, cut into circles, and half the circles get a smaller cut-out to create a "window." Baked at 180°C for 8–10 minutes, the cooled cookies are assembled with a piped filling of 70.5 gm cream cheese (seasoned with spices) and garnished with 10 gm sliced pistachios.
Peppermint Chocolate Fudge: Effortless Eggless Indulgence
For a quick yet impressive treat, the Peppermint Chocolate Fudge is a perfect eggless choice. It combines rich dark chocolate with condensed milk and a hint of peppermint, requiring minimal effort. The festive touch comes from a topping of crushed peppermint candy, adding a refreshing crunch to the smooth fudge.
The process is straightforward: 200 gm dark chocolate is melted over a double boiler. Then, 138 gm condensed milk and ½ tsp peppermint flavouring are stirred in until the mixture thickens. It's poured into a prepared pan, flattened, and topped with 10 gm crushed peppermint candy. After setting in the fridge for an hour, it's cut into pieces, ready to delight last-minute guests or become a cherished edible gift.
Christmas Tree Bread: A Show-Stopping Savoury Centrepiece
Truly designed to be the star of the festive table, the Christmas Tree Bread is an eggless, visually stunning creation. A soft, buttery dough is layered with homemade basil pesto, 20 gm mozzarella, and 20 gm dried cranberries, then shaped and baked into a golden, shareable tree.
The journey begins with making pesto by blending 40 gm basil leaves, 10 gm cashews or pine nuts, 15 gm olive oil, 4 garlic cloves, 30 gm parmesan cheese, and salt & pepper. For the dough, 5 gm fresh yeast is activated in 50 ml lukewarm milk with 7.5 gm sugar. This is mixed with 100 gm flour, ¼ tsp gluten, ¼ tsp bread improver, and 2 gm salt, then kneaded with 7.5 gm butter. After fermentation, the dough is rolled, layered with 30 gm pesto, cheese, and cranberries, shaped into a tree, and allowed to rise again. A wash of 10 gm milk and a sprinkle of 5 gm sesame seeds precede baking at 180°C for 15–20 minutes until golden brown. It is best served hot, perfect for tearing and sharing.
Creating Meaningful Holiday Memories
These three recipes encapsulate the heart of festive cooking in India, transforming familiar flavours into something extraordinary through thoughtful details. Whether baking for loved ones, hosting a gathering, or simply savouring the quiet joy of holiday cooking, this menu offers versatility and warmth. From spiced cookies and no-bake fudge to an impressive savoury bake, each dish is an invitation to slow down, celebrate the season, and create lasting memories. After all, during Christmas, some of the most meaningful gifts are those crafted with love in the kitchen.
