Christmas Dinner in Denmark

What Do Danes Eat for Christmas?

Danish Christmas dinners are a rich blend of tradition, warmth, and hearty flavors. Although my mom was from Denmark, we celebrated Christmas on the 25th. Someday, I would like to celebrate like the Danes do.

Families gather to celebrate with feasts that showcase the country’s love for simple yet satisfying dishes. Every meal starts with a sense of anticipation, as tables are filled with an array of festive offerings that reflect Denmark’s deep-rooted holiday customs.

At the heart of the meal is a roasted centerpiece, often a duck or pork roast with crispy crackling seasoned to perfection. These main dishes are served with sides like caramelized potatoes, pickled red cabbage, and gravy, which bring comforting flavors to every bite.

For many, the highlight comes at dessert—a velvety rice pudding called salamander topped with cherry sauce and hiding an almond treasure that turns dessert into a game.

Christmas dinner in Denmark is more than just food; it’s about togetherness and tradition. Candles glow warmly over the table, and glasses of gløgg—spiced mulled wine—are raised in cheerful toasts.

From the carefully prepared dishes to the joyful rituals, each moment celebrates the season with a uniquely Danish flair. Whether you’re experiencing it for the first time or reliving cherished memories, a Danish Christmas dinner is unforgettable.

The Celebration Starts on Christmas Eve

The main Christmas meal in Denmark is traditionally eaten on Christmas Eve, December 24th.

This evening marks the highlight of Danish Christmas celebrations, with families gathering around the dinner table after a day of preparation. Following the meal, Danes typically light candles on the Christmas tree, sing carols, and exchange gifts in a warm and festive atmosphere.

Classic Danish Christmas Dishes

Here are some of the featured main dishes for a traditional Danish Christmas dinner, along with their Danish translations:

1. Roast Duck – Stegt And
   • A classic Danish Christmas dish often served with crispy skin and accompanied by a rich gravy, red cabbage, and caramelized potatoes.
2. Roast Pork with Crackling – Stegt Flæsk med Sprød Svær
   • Another popular choice, this dish features pork with a crispy crackling, served with potatoes and gravy. It's often paired with pickled cabbage.
3. Stuffed Pork Belly – Fyldt Svinesteg
   • A festive option where the pork belly is stuffed with a mixture of herbs, onions, and sometimes prunes or apples, then slow-roasted to perfection.
4. Frikadeller (Danish Meatballs) – Frikadeller
   • These juicy, pan-fried meatballs are made from a mix of pork and beef, flavored with onions, and are often included in the Christmas meal alongside other dishes.
5. Pickled Herring – Sild
   • A traditional dish served cold, often as an appetizer or side dish. The herring is pickled and typically served with rye bread.

These dishes reflect Danish Christmas cuisine's hearty, comforting flavors, which centers on meats, potatoes, and rich sauces.

What Is Pork Crackling?

Pork crackling is the crispy, crunchy skin of a pig that has been roasted or fried. When cooked at high heat, the fat beneath the skin renders out, leaving the skin crisp and golden. To make crackling, you score the skin, season it, and then roast or bake it until it becomes crunchy and bubbly.

In Danish cuisine, pork crackling (or sprød svær) is a beloved part of dishes like roast pork (stegt flæsk) and stuffed pork belly (fyldt svinesteg), adding both texture and flavor to the meal. It often accompanies the pork roast, enhancing the overall eating experience with its savory, crispy goodness.

What Are the Most Traditional Side Dishes?

1. Caramelized Potatoes – Brune Kartofler
   • Small potatoes are boiled, then coated in a sweet caramel sauce and cooked until golden brown, creating a deliciously sweet and savory side dish.
2. Red Cabbage – Rødkål
   • A staple at Danish Christmas dinners, red cabbage is often pickled or braised with sugar, vinegar, and spices, adding a tangy sweetness.
3. Danish Rice Pudding – Risalamande
   • While typically served as a dessert, it often accompanies the Christmas meal. It's topped with warm cherry sauce and made from rice, milk, sugar, and almonds.
4. Roast Potatoes – Stegte Kartofler
   • These crispy, golden roast potatoes are a simple yet beloved side dish, often served alongside the main meat dishes.
5. Peas and Carrots – Erter og Gulerødder
   • A classic and simple side, often steamed and served with butter, complementing the richness of the roast meats.
6. Gravy – Brunsovs
   • A rich, savory gravy made from the drippings of the roast meats, commonly served to accompany pork, duck, or goose.

These side dishes are commonly found alongside the main meat courses in Denmark's Christmas dinner, balancing out the hearty meats with sweetness, tartness, and comforting flavors.

Classic Drinks

At a Danish Christmas dinner, the drinks are as much a part of the celebration as the food. Here are some of the most popular beverages served during the festive meal:

1. Gløgg – Gløgg
   • This is a spiced mulled wine, often served warm. It’s made with red wine, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and sometimes citrus and is typically enjoyed with almonds and raisins floating inside. A shot of aquavit or brandy is sometimes added for an extra kick.
2. Aquavit – Akvavit
   • A traditional Scandinavian spirit flavored with herbs and spices, typically caraway or dill. Aquavit is often served chilled and is a popular drink during festive occasions, including Christmas dinner. It is usually sipped in small amounts, sometimes with a toast.
3. Beer – Øl
   • Denmark is known for its beer culture, and during Christmas, special holiday beers (known as juleøl) are brewed. These are typically darker, richer beers, often with spices or malty sweetness to complement the season's flavors.
4. Christmas Ale – Juleøl
   • A seasonal beer brewed specifically for the Christmas holidays. These more robust beers come in various styles, such as darker lagers, stouts, or even spiced versions.
5. Coffee – Kaffe
   • After the meal, it’s common to serve strong coffee, often accompanied by small treats like cookies or chocolate.

These drinks help create a warm and festive atmosphere, enhancing the meal's flavors and encouraging toasts and conversation among friends and family.

And of Course, Dessert

Danish Christmas dinners are followed by traditional desserts, often sweet, comforting, and designed to cap off the festive meal. Here are some classic Danish Christmas desserts:

1. Risalamande – Risalamande
   • This is the most iconic Danish Christmas dessert. It’s a creamy rice pudding made with rice, milk, sugar, and vanilla. Chopped almonds are mixed in, and it’s typically served with warm cherry sauce. One whole almond is hidden in the pudding and the person who finds it is awarded a small prize (traditionally a marzipan pig).
2. Danish Christmas Cookies – Julesmåkager
   • A variety of buttery, spiced cookies are baked during the holiday season. Popular varieties include gingerbread cookies (pebernødder) and sugar cookies in festive shapes, often decorated with icing or sprinkles.
3. Kransekage – Kransekage
   • A traditional Danish cake made from almond paste, sugar, and egg whites, often shaped into a tower of concentric rings. It’s a festive cake, usually served during celebrations like Christmas and New Year’s.
4. Plum Pudding – Julegrød
   • While less common than risalamande, some families might serve a warm, spiced rice porridge similar to the English Christmas pudding, often with dried fruits and nuts mixed in.
5. Marzipan Sweets – Marcipan
   • Marzipan is a beloved treat in Denmark, often shaped into small festive figures or bars and sometimes covered in chocolate. It’s a popular dessert or gift during the holidays.

These desserts, coffee, and perhaps a few festive drinks like gløgg or snaps bring the Danish Christmas dinner to a satisfying and joyful conclusion.

Five Fun Facts About a Danish Christmas

1. Christmas Starts on Advent – In Denmark, the Christmas season officially begins with the first Sunday of Advent, which falls four weeks before Christmas. Families often light a candle on their Advent wreath every Sunday, marking the countdown to Christmas Eve.
2. Christmas Eve is the Main Celebration – Unlike many countries that celebrate Christmas Day, Danes focus on Christmas Eve (juleaften) as the main celebration. Families gather for a festive dinner, exchange gifts, and enjoy traditions like singing carols and watching the Christmas tree light up.
3. The Danish "Christmas Calendar" Tradition – Throughout December, many Danish families use a special julekalender (Christmas calendar). These are often picture books or small boxes with windows to open each day, revealing a small gift or chocolate, helping build excitement leading up to Christmas.
4. A Special Christmas Drink – Gløgg – Similar to mulled wine, gløgg is a spiced, warm drink that is popular during the Christmas season. It’s made from red wine, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and citrus, and often includes almonds and raisins served in the drink.
5. The Yule Goat – The Yule Goat (julebuk) is an old Scandinavian tradition associated with Christmas. In Denmark, people sometimes dress up in goat costumes and go door-to-door, singing carols. The Yule Goat is also a symbol of the holiday season and can be seen in decorations and festive displays.