The 20 best easy Christmas baking recipes | Christmas food and drink

The 20 best easy Christmas baking recipes | Christmas food and drink

Easy. Christmas. Baking. Three of my favourite words. Three of my favourite things. Twenty perfect recipes. Nigel and Nigella! Maple walnut biscuits from Jeremy Lee. A breakfast loaf from Honey & Co, marmalade popovers from Margaret Costa. Advent treats: flammkuchen from Anja Dunk and Yotam’s Swiss chocolate cookies. There are savouries: cheese and quince shortbread from Olia Hercules, sage and onion twists from Benjamina Ebuehi, stilton scones from Claire Thomson. There’s sweet: chocolate plum pudding and candy cane cookies. Truly, simply delicious. Merry Christmas from OFM.

Chocolate gives this Christmas pudding its intense flavour

The 20 best easy Christmas baking recipes | Christmas food and drink
Saffron custard and panettone pudding. Photograph: Matt Russell

An Italian twist on bread and butter pudding

Marmalade popovers.
Marmalade popovers. Photograph: Kate Whitaker/The Observer

A festive treat for breakfast, best eaten piping hot

Flammkuchen.
Flammkuchen. Photograph: Anja Dunk

This is a sublimely simple German version of a pizza

Mincemeat rolls.
Mincemeat rolls. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin/The Observer

A filo pastry take on the classic mince pie

Sage and onion twists.
Sage and onion twists. Photograph: Kate Whitaker/The Observer

A tasty variation on the traditional breadstick, perfect for a party

Honey bombs recipe by Trine Hahnemann

Honey bombs.
Honey bombs. Photograph: Columbus Leth

A Scandinavian classic treat to eat with hot tea

Cranberry and orange buttermilk loaf.
Cranberry and orange buttermilk loaf. Photograph: Kate Whitaker/The Observer

The cranberries make this simple cake into a festive treat

Apple and calvados cake.
Apple and calvados cake. Photograph: Kate Whitaker/The Observer

The brandy lifts this bake to a thing of appley wonder

Christmas cheese and quince shortbread.
Christmas cheese and quince shortbread. Photograph: Joe Woodhouse

A great little canape to go with a lovely glass of festive fizz

Gingerbread pears.
Gingerbread pears. Photograph: David Loftus

Three kinds of ginger go into this festive pudding

Hazelnut chocolate brownies.
Hazelnut chocolate brownies. Photograph: Kate Whitaker/The Observer

These brownies get their nuttiness from hazelnuts instead of walnuts

Sticky toffee pudding.
Sticky toffee pudding. Photograph: Kate Whitaker/The Observer

Intense and treacly, Christmas comfort food at its best

Maple walnut biscuits.
Maple walnut biscuits. Photograph: Kate Whitaker/The Observer

Simple to make and just as good with ice-cream for dessert as with a cup of tea

Brunsli chocolate cookies.
Brunsli chocolate cookies. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin/The Observer

These spicy Swiss treats can be baked a little ahead of the holiday itself

Candy cane chocolate chip cookies.
Candy cane chocolate chip cookies. Photograph: Kate Whitaker/The Observer

This biscuit is inspired by American peppermint stick ice-cream

Medjool date, honey and macadamia breakfast loaf.
Medjool date, honey and macadamia breakfast loaf. Photograph: Patricia Niven

Start the day with this really Christmassy treat

Masala chai pecan bundt.
Masala chai pecan bundt. Photograph: Kate Whitaker/The Observer

A welcome spicy addition to a festive tea table

Chocolate, dulce de leche, cantucci.
Chocolate, dulce de leche, cantucci. Photograph: Jonathan Lovekin

Little pots of chocolate-caramel deliciousness, perfect for Christmas

Stilton and fig wholemeal scones.
Stilton and fig wholemeal scones. Photograph: Kate Whitaker/The Observer

The cheese and fruit give this humble scone a place at any Christmas table