German Christmas Dinner: 14 Oma Classics, and the Christmas Eve Favorite Is Humble Sausages

A German Christmas dinner is not one meal but two, and the first one surprises almost everyone. On Christmas Eve, polls in Germany keep naming humble sausages with potato salad, or a pot of hearty stew, as the nation’s favorite supper, kept simple so families can head to church and open gifts. The big feast waits for Christmas Day, when a golden roast goose or duck arrives with red cabbage and soft dumplings. Here is the full German Christmas dinner table the Oma way, from that easy Christmas Eve plate to stollen, star cookies and a tall Black Forest cake. Pick a few, light the candles and give your family a taste of the old country this year..

Roast Goose, the Star of German Christmas Dinner

On Christmas Day, the Weihnachtsgans takes center stage. A golden goose is rubbed with salt and marjoram, stuffed with apples and onions, and roasted slowly until the skin turns crisp and glossy. For many families, a German Christmas dinner simply is not complete without it. Tip: prick the skin all over and pour off the fat as it renders; save it for the best roast potatoes you will ever make. Plan on a 10 to 12 pound bird for six to eight people; it outshines all our other Christmas dinner main dishes. Will goose be the bird on your table this year..

You will need: 1 goose (10 to 12 lb), 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 2 tsp dried marjoram, 3 tart apples quartered, 2 onions quartered, 2 cups chicken broth, 2 tbsp flour

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 325F. Pat goose dry, remove extra fat and prick the skin all over without piercing the meat. 2. Rub inside and out with salt, pepper and marjoram, then fill with apples and onions. 3. Roast breast side up on a rack about 3 hours, pouring off fat every 45 minutes. 4. Raise oven to 400F for the last 15 to 20 minutes to crisp the skin; the thigh should read 175F. 5. Rest 20 minutes. 6. Whisk flour into 2 tbsp drippings, add broth and simmer into gravy.

The Surprising German Christmas Dinner: Sausages With Potato Salad

Here is the twist most Americans never expect: the favorite German Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve is a plate of warm sausages with potato salad. Polls in Germany name it again and again, because it can be made ahead and leaves time for church, candles and gifts. In the south, the salad is dressed warm with broth, vinegar and onion; in the north, it is creamy. Tip: heat the sausages in water that only simmers so the skins stay intact. For more ideas, see our cozy German dinners for later in the week.

You will need: 8 German style wiener sausages, 2 lb waxy potatoes, 1 cup hot beef broth, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 small onion finely chopped, 1 tbsp mustard, 1/4 cup vegetable oil, 1 tsp sugar, salt, pepper, 2 tbsp chopped chives

How to make it: 1. Boil potatoes in their skins until tender, about 20 minutes, then peel and slice while warm. 2. Simmer broth with onion, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper for 2 minutes. 3. Pour over the warm potatoes, add mustard and oil and toss gently. 4. Let stand 30 minutes so the potatoes soak up the dressing, then add chives. 5. Heat sausages in barely simmering water 8 to 10 minutes. 6. Serve with extra mustard.

Roast Duck With Orange and Marjoram

Smaller families often choose a duck instead of a goose for their holiday feast, and it brings the same rich, crisp skin in about half the time. German cooks fill it with orange and onion, rub it with marjoram and baste it with its own juices. The pan drippings turn into a quick orange gravy that tastes like the holidays. Tip: dry the skin well and leave the duck uncovered in the fridge overnight for extra crunch. It is also a lovely pick for a Christmas dinner for two. Duck or goose, which would you choose?

You will need: 1 duck (about 5 lb), 2 oranges, 1 onion quartered, 1 tsp dried marjoram, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1 cup orange juice, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 tbsp cornstarch

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350F. Prick the duck skin all over and rub with salt, pepper and marjoram. 2. Fill with quartered oranges and onion. 3. Roast on a rack 2 to 2 1/2 hours, pouring off fat now and then, until the thigh reads 175F. 4. Raise heat to 425F for 10 minutes to crisp the skin. 5. Skim fat from the pan, add orange juice and broth and bring to a boil. 6. Thicken with cornstarch mixed in a little water.

Red Cabbage With Apples for German Christmas Dinner

Rotkohl is the bright purple side that makes every holiday table look festive. Shredded red cabbage is slowly braised with apples, onion, a little vinegar and warm spices like cloves and bay. The longer it cooks, the sweeter and silkier it becomes. Tip: make it a day or two early; it tastes even better reheated, which frees up your stove on the big day. A spoon of red currant jelly at the end gives it a soft shine. It is one of the best Christmas dinner side dishes to make ahead. Do you like it sweet or tangy?

You will need: 1 head red cabbage (about 2 lb) shredded, 2 tart apples peeled and sliced, 1 onion sliced, 2 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 cup apple juice, 1 bay leaf, 3 clove buds (the spice), 1 tbsp red currant jelly, 1 tsp salt

How to make it: 1. Melt butter in a large pot and soften the onion 5 minutes. 2. Add cabbage, apples, vinegar, sugar and salt and stir well. 3. Pour in apple juice and add bay leaf and cloves. 4. Cover and simmer gently 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring now and then. 5. Remove bay leaf and cloves. 6. Stir in the jelly and adjust salt and vinegar to taste.

Potato Dumplings for Your German Christmas Dinner

No gravy goes to waste when Kartoffelklosse are on the plate. These soft, round potato dumplings are made from riced cooked potatoes, egg and potato starch, then gently simmered until they float. Many families tuck a buttery toasted bread cube in the center. A Christmas Day table usually has a big bowl of them right beside the goose. Tip: cook the potatoes a day ahead and chill them; drier potatoes make dumplings that hold together. Finish with brown butter crumbs, then explore more country dumpling recipes. Ready to roll a batch?

You will need: 2 lb starchy potatoes, 1 egg, 1/2 cup potato starch, 1 tsp salt, pinch of nutmeg, 4 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

How to make it: 1. Boil potatoes in their skins until tender, then peel, rice and cool completely. 2. Mix in egg, potato starch, salt and nutmeg to form a soft dough. 3. With wet hands, shape 8 to 10 round dumplings. 4. Lower into a large pot of salted water kept just below a boil. 5. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, until they float and are cooked through. 6. Brown the butter in a skillet, toast the crumbs in it and spoon over the dumplings.

Beef Rouladen With Pickle and Bacon

Rouladen are thin slices of beef spread with mustard, rolled around bacon, onion and a pickle spear, then braised into deep, savory bundles. Cut one open and you see a pretty spiral that makes any table feel special. Many German American families serve them as their German Christmas dinner when a goose feels like too much. Tip: ask the butcher to slice top round about 1/4 inch thick to save time. Braise them a day ahead; they reheat wonderfully in their gravy. Pair with spaetzle or buttered noodles; they belong among the best vintage Christmas dinner dishes. Pickle in, or pickle out?

You will need: 6 thin slices beef top round (about 2 lb), 3 tbsp German style mustard, 6 slices bacon, 1 onion finely chopped, 3 dill pickles cut in spears, salt, pepper, 2 tbsp oil, 2 cups beef broth, 1 tbsp cornstarch

How to make it: 1. Season the beef, spread each slice with mustard and top with bacon, onion and a pickle spear. 2. Roll up tightly and secure with toothpicks or kitchen twine. 3. Brown the rolls on all sides in oil in a heavy pot. 4. Add broth, cover and simmer gently 1 1/2 hours until tender. 5. Remove rolls and thicken the sauce with cornstarch mixed in a little water. 6. Remove picks or twine and serve with the gravy.

Lentil Eintopf, a Cozy German Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve

Eintopf means one pot, and that is exactly the point on a busy Christmas Eve. Lentils, potatoes, carrots and celery simmer together into a thick, warming stew, often with slices of smoked sausage stirred in at the end. In German polls, a pot like this sits right beside sausages and potato salad as a favorite Christmas Eve supper. Tip: add a splash of vinegar just before serving to brighten the flavor. Make it the day before and simply reheat. Serve with dark rye bread, or try more old-fashioned bean soups. Who is ready for a bowl?

You will need: 1 1/2 cups brown lentils rinsed, 2 tbsp oil, 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 2 medium potatoes diced, 6 cups broth, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp dried marjoram, 1 tbsp vinegar, 8 oz smoked sausage sliced (optional), salt and pepper

How to make it: 1. Heat oil in a large pot and cook onion, carrots and celery 5 minutes. 2. Add lentils, potatoes, broth, bay leaf and marjoram. 3. Bring to a boil, then simmer 35 to 40 minutes until lentils are tender. 4. Stir in sausage and heat through. 5. Season with salt, pepper and vinegar. 6. Remove the bay leaf and serve hot.

Sauerbraten, a Slow German Christmas Dinner Roast

Sauerbraten is the roast for families who like to plan ahead. Beef is soaked for several days in a spiced vinegar marinade with onion, bay, cloves and juniper, then braised for hours until tender. The gravy gets its famous sweet and sour flavor from crushed gingersnaps and a handful of raisins. As a holiday centerpiece, it feeds a crowd and slices beautifully. Tip: keep the meat in the fridge while it marinates and turn it once a day. Serve with buttered spaetzle, like a Sunday pot roast with a German accent. Would you start it three days early?

You will need: 3 to 4 lb beef rump roast, 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 cups water, 1 onion sliced, 1 carrot sliced, 2 bay leaves, 4 clove buds (the spice), 5 juniper berries, 10 peppercorns, 1 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp salt, 2 tbsp oil, 1/2 cup crushed gingersnaps, 1/3 cup raisins

How to make it: 1. Boil vinegar, water, onion, carrot, spices, sugar and salt, then cool completely. 2. Pour over the beef in a glass dish, cover and refrigerate 3 to 5 days, turning daily. 3. Remove beef, pat dry and brown in oil in a heavy pot. 4. Strain in the marinade, cover and simmer gently about 3 hours until tender. 5. Remove meat and stir gingersnaps and raisins into the liquid until thick. 6. Slice the roast and spoon gravy over it.

Almond Butter Trout for Christmas Eve

In many Catholic regions of Germany, Christmas Eve was once a fasting day, so fish came to the table instead of meat. Carp was the classic choice, and some families still tuck one shiny scale into a wallet for good luck in the new year. Today trout is easier to find and just as lovely, baked with butter, lemon and toasted almonds. Tip: fish is done when it flakes easily and reaches 145F. Serve with boiled parsley potatoes; Italian American families keep a similar custom with the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Would fish suit your Christmas Eve?

You will need: 2 cleaned trout (or 4 fillets), salt, pepper, 2 tbsp flour, 4 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup sliced almonds, 1 lemon, 2 tbsp chopped parsley

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 400F and butter a baking dish. 2. Season the fish inside and out and dust lightly with flour. 3. Lay in the dish, dot with 2 tbsp butter and add lemon slices. 4. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until the fish flakes and reads 145F. 5. Meanwhile, brown the remaining butter with the almonds until golden. 6. Spoon almond butter over the fish and scatter with parsley.

Black Forest Cake to Crown a German Christmas Dinner

Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte is the grand finale of a German Christmas dinner for many families on Christmas Day. Light chocolate sponge layers are stacked with tart cherries and clouds of whipped cream, then covered in chocolate shavings and topped with cherries. Our version brushes the layers with cherry juice for a family friendly cake every age can enjoy. Tip: chill the bowl and beaters so the cream whips tall and holds its shape. Keep the cake refrigerated until serving. Find more cherry and chocolate ideas in our Black Forest desserts. Could you resist a second slice?

You will need: 6 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 cup melted butter; filling: 24 oz jar sour cherries in juice, 2 tbsp cornstarch, 2 tbsp sugar, 3 cups heavy cream, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, dark chocolate shavings

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350F and line two 9-inch pans. 2. Beat eggs and sugar 8 minutes until thick, fold in flour and cocoa, then the butter; bake 20 to 25 minutes and cool. 3. Drain cherries, saving the juice; cook 1 cup juice with cornstarch and sugar until thick, then stir in cherries and cool. 4. Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla. 5. Split the cakes, brush layers with leftover juice and stack with cherries and cream. 6. Cover with cream and chocolate shavings and chill.

Bratapfel, Baked Apples With Vanilla Sauce

When the house smells of cinnamon and warm apples, it must be Advent. Bratapfel are apples cored and filled with chopped almonds, raisins, butter and brown sugar, then baked until soft enough to eat with a spoon. German children sing about them in old Christmas songs, and they are a simple, light end to a heavy holiday meal. Tip: choose firm baking apples that hold their shape. Pour warm vanilla sauce around each one; it belongs with the best old-fashioned apple desserts. Who gets the biggest apple?

You will need: 4 firm baking apples, 1/4 cup chopped almonds, 2 tbsp raisins, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp butter softened, 1/2 tsp cinnamon; vanilla sauce: 1 1/2 cups milk, 3 egg yolks, 3 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp vanilla

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 350F. Core the apples, leaving the bottoms intact. 2. Mix almonds, raisins, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon. 3. Fill the apples and set them in a buttered dish with 1/4 cup water. 4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until tender. 5. For the sauce, whisk hot milk into yolks and sugar and stir over low heat until it thickens and reaches 170F. 6. Stir in vanilla and serve warm with the apples.

Stollen to Finish a German Christmas Dinner

Stollen is the Christmas bread every German bakery fills its windows with in December. A buttery yeast dough is packed with raisins, candied citrus peel and almonds, sometimes with a rope of marzipan inside, then folded into its classic shape and covered in powdered sugar. After a German Christmas dinner, a thin slice with coffee is pure comfort. Tip: soak the raisins in orange juice and wrap the baked loaf tightly; it gets better after a week. It sits proudly among our old-fashioned Christmas breads. Will you bake one this year?

You will need: 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, zest of 1 lemon, 1/2 tsp cardamom, 3/4 cup warm milk, 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg, 1 cup raisins soaked in orange juice and drained, 1/2 cup candied citrus peel, 1/2 cup slivered almonds, 7 oz marzipan (optional), 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 cup powdered sugar

How to make it: 1. Mix flour, yeast, sugar, salt, zest and cardamom, add milk, butter and egg and knead 8 minutes. 2. Knead in raisins, peel and almonds, cover and let rise 1 1/2 hours. 3. Pat into an oval, lay a log of marzipan down the middle and fold over. 4. Rise 45 minutes, then bake at 350F for 40 to 45 minutes. 5. Brush the hot loaf with melted butter. 6. Coat heavily with powdered sugar and cool before wrapping.

Bethmannchen, Frankfurt Marzipan Almond Cookies

These little cookies from Frankfurt look like tiny treasures: soft marzipan balls hugged by three almond halves and baked until the tops are golden. They are a Christmas specialty sold in bakeries all through December, and they take only a handful of ingredients. Tip: use almond paste with a high almond content and keep the balls about the size of a large marble so they bake evenly. They make sweet gifts packed in small tins beside other German desserts and Austrian bakes. Would they make it into your cookie box?

You will need: 7 oz almond paste or marzipan, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 cup almond flour, 1 egg white, 1 tsp rose water (optional), about 1/2 cup blanched almond halves, 1 egg yolk, 1 tbsp milk

How to make it: 1. Heat oven to 300F and line a baking sheet with parchment. 2. Knead almond paste, powdered sugar, almond flour, egg white and rose water into a smooth dough. 3. Roll into 3/4 inch balls. 4. Press three almond halves upright around each ball. 5. Brush with egg yolk beaten with milk. 6. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until lightly golden; cool on the sheet.

Zimtsterne, Cinnamon Star Cookies

Zimtsterne are the snowy white stars of the German cookie plate. They are made of ground almonds, cinnamon and meringue, with no flour at all, so they come out chewy inside with a crisp glossy top. The dough is rolled out, cut into stars and painted with meringue before a short, gentle bake. Tip: dip your cutter in water between cuts to keep the edges sharp. They keep for weeks in a tin and sit happily beside showstopper Christmas cookies. Have you ever cut stars this pretty?

You will need: 3 egg whites, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar plus more for rolling, 3 cups finely ground almonds, 1 tsp cinnamon, zest of 1/2 lemon

How to make it: 1. Beat egg whites until stiff, then gradually beat in powdered sugar until glossy. 2. Set aside 1/2 cup of the meringue for the tops. 3. Fold almonds, cinnamon and zest into the rest to make a stiff dough; chill 30 minutes. 4. Roll 1/3 inch thick between parchment dusted with powdered sugar and cut stars. 5. Spread a thin layer of reserved meringue on each and let dry 30 minutes. 6. Bake at 300F for 10 to 12 minutes, until set but still white.