Vintage Christmas Dinner Dishes: 16 Forgotten Recipes Grandma Served That Deserve a Comeback

Vintage Christmas dinner dishes had a kind of ceremony we rarely see anymore. Grandma pulled out the good china, polished the silver and set down platters that took two hands to carry: a crown roast with paper frills, a shimmering cranberry mold, a lobster dish for the grown ups and a dessert that made the kids gasp. Somewhere along the way, many of these recipes slipped off the table, replaced by quicker shortcuts and the same roast every year. This collection brings the vintage Christmas dinner dishes back, with simple modern steps so they work in today’s kitchen. You will find mains, starters, sides, breads and desserts, and every one of them tastes like a holiday from the 1950s and 1960s. Pick a few, mix them with your family favorites and watch the table light up..

Vintage Christmas Dinner Dishes Start With a Crown Roast of Pork

No centerpiece said “special occasion” like a crown roast of pork. The butcher tied two racks of ribs into a circle, Grandma filled the middle with herb stuffing, and the whole thing came to the table with a hush. It looks hard, yet it is one of the easiest vintage Christmas dinner dishes to roast, because the shape cooks evenly and the stuffing bastes itself. The history of the holiday meal is a story of these big shared roasts, as the history of Christmas dinner shows..

You will need: 1 crown roast of pork (about 10 to 12 ribs, tied by the butcher), 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, 4 garlic cloves (minced), 6 cups prepared herb bread stuffing, crab apples or small red apples for garnish.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Rub the roast with oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic, and wrap the bone tips in foil. 2. Set it on a rack in a roasting pan and roast 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 325°F. 3. Roast about 1 1/2 hours, spoon the stuffing into the center for the last 45 minutes, and cook until the pork reaches 145°F. 4. Rest 20 minutes, remove the foil, add the apples and carve between the ribs.

Pineapple Glazed Ham Loaf From the Church Cookbook

Ham loaf was the clever answer when a whole ham was too much for the budget. Ground ham and pork are mixed with crackers and milk, shaped into a loaf and baked under a shiny brown sugar and pineapple glaze. Every church and community cookbook from the 1950s seems to have a version, and it slices beautifully for a crowd. Leftovers make wonderful sandwiches the next day. If you have never tasted it, think of the best meatloaf you know, crossed with a holiday ham. It is one of the thriftiest vintage Christmas dinner dishes you can make.

You will need: 1 pound ground cooked ham, 1 pound ground pork, 1 cup crushed saltine crackers, 2 eggs, 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon mustard, 1/4 cup pineapple juice, 1 can pineapple rings (drained), maraschino cherries.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Mix the ham, pork, crackers, eggs, milk and pepper with your hands until just combined. 2. Shape into a loaf in a greased baking dish. 3. Stir together the brown sugar, mustard and pineapple juice, pour half over the loaf and top with pineapple rings and cherries. 4. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes, basting with the rest of the glaze halfway, until it reaches 160°F. Rest 10 minutes and slice.

Shrimp Cocktail in a Glass, the Way Every Fancy Dinner Began

In the 1950s and 1960s, a holiday dinner that started with shrimp cocktail meant someone had really gone all out. Chilled shrimp hung over the rim of a stemmed glass, with a spoonful of zippy red sauce in the middle and a wedge of lemon on the side. It is still one of the easiest vintage Christmas dinner dishes to make ahead, and it disappears faster than anything on the table. Poach the shrimp yourself with lemon and bay leaf for the sweetest flavor.

You will need: 2 pounds large shrimp (peeled and deveined, tails on), 1 lemon (halved), 2 bay leaves, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, a few dashes hot sauce, lemon wedges and lettuce to serve.

How to make it: 1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the lemon halves, bay leaves and salt. 2. Add the shrimp, turn off the heat and let them sit 3 to 4 minutes until pink. 3. Drain and plunge into ice water, then chill. 4. Stir the ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire and hot sauce together. Spoon sauce into small glasses, hang the shrimp around the rims and add lemon wedges.

Vintage Christmas Dinner Dishes Once Starred a Roast Goose

Before turkey took over, roast goose was the Christmas bird in many homes, especially in families with German, Scandinavian or English roots. The skin roasts up deep golden and crisp, the meat is rich and dark, and the fat that collects in the pan makes the best roast potatoes you will ever taste. Grandma served it with sweet and sour red cabbage to cut the richness. It is one of the vintage Christmas dinner dishes most worth reviving for a smaller crowd of six to eight.

You will need: 1 goose (10 to 12 pounds), 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 apple and 1 onion (quartered), a few sprigs of thyme, 1 head red cabbage (shredded), 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 apple (grated).

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Prick the goose skin all over without piercing the meat, season inside and out and stuff with apple, onion and thyme. 2. Roast on a rack about 3 hours, pouring off the fat every 45 minutes, until the thigh reaches 175°F. 3. Meanwhile, cook the cabbage in butter with vinegar, sugar and grated apple, covered, for 1 hour. 4. Rest the goose 20 minutes, carve and serve with the cabbage.

Vintage Christmas Dinner Dishes Needed a Cranberry Gelatin Mold

Long before cranberry sauce came straight from a can, the holiday table had a glowing red gelatin ring studded with cranberries, celery and walnuts. It was made the day before, unmolded with a little prayer and set out on Grandma’s cut glass plate. It belongs on any list of vintage Christmas dinner dishes, right beside the other forgotten Thanksgiving sides that deserve a comeback. The tart, sweet bite is still the perfect partner for rich roast meats.

You will need: 2 boxes (3 oz each) raspberry or cherry gelatin, 2 cups boiling water, 1 can (14 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce, 1 cup cold water, 1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple (drained), 1/2 cup chopped celery, 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, whipped cream to serve.

How to make it: 1. Dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, then stir in the cranberry sauce until melted. 2. Add the cold water and chill about 1 hour until thick but not set. 3. Fold in the pineapple, celery and walnuts, then pour into a lightly oiled 6 cup ring mold. 4. Chill at least 6 hours or overnight. Dip the mold in warm water for 10 seconds, turn it out onto a plate and serve with whipped cream.

Lobster Newburg for the Grown Ups’ Table

Lobster Newburg was the height of elegance in the 1950s, served in chafing dishes at holiday buffets or spooned over toast points on Christmas Eve. Tender lobster meat is warmed in a silky sauce of butter, cream and egg yolks, finished with a pinch of nutmeg and paprika. Traditional recipes used a splash of sherry; this family friendly version gets its brightness from lemon instead. It is rich, so small portions go a long way, and the sauce comes together in about ten minutes. Few vintage Christmas dinner dishes feel quite this luxurious.

You will need: 1 pound cooked lobster meat (chopped), 3 tablespoons butter, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 3 egg yolks, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, salt, a pinch of cayenne, toast points or puff pastry shells to serve.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and warm the lobster in it for 2 minutes. 2. Whisk the cream and egg yolks together in a bowl. 3. Pour the cream mixture over the lobster and stir constantly over low heat until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, about 5 minutes; do not let it boil. 4. Stir in lemon juice, nutmeg, paprika, salt and cayenne, and spoon over toast points.

Duck à l’Orange, the 1960s Dinner Party Classic

When French cooking swept American kitchens in the 1960s, duck à l’orange became the dish that proved a home cook could do anything. Crisp skinned duck is glazed with a glossy sauce of orange juice, zest and a touch of caramel, and it makes a striking change from the usual roast. Using duck breasts instead of a whole bird makes it quick enough for a small Christmas dinner. Serve it with wild rice and green beans, just like a supper club menu from 1965. It still ranks among the most impressive vintage Christmas dinner dishes.

You will need: 4 duck breasts, salt and pepper, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 1 cup fresh orange juice, zest of 1 orange, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water, 2 tablespoons cold butter, orange slices.

How to make it: 1. Score the duck skin, season and place skin side down in a cold skillet. Cook over medium heat 12 to 15 minutes until crisp, flip and cook 3 to 5 minutes more, then rest. 2. In a saucepan, cook the sugar until amber, then carefully add vinegar, orange juice, zest and broth. 3. Simmer 10 minutes, stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook until glossy. 4. Whisk in the butter, slice the duck and spoon the sauce over with orange slices.

Creamy Scalloped Potatoes, a Vintage Christmas Dinner Dishes Staple

Scalloped potatoes were the side dish that stretched a holiday roast to feed every cousin at the table. Thin slices of potato are layered with onion, butter and a simple cream sauce, then baked low and slow until the top turns bubbly and golden. Grandma made hers from scratch long before boxed versions arrived in the 1960s, and the difference is huge. A little sharp cheddar on top is optional but hard to resist. Assemble it the night before and bake while the meat rests. Ask anyone about vintage Christmas dinner dishes and this casserole comes up fast.

You will need: 3 pounds russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (peeled and thinly sliced), 1 small onion (thinly sliced), 4 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons flour, 2 1/2 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar (optional), chopped parsley.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and butter a 2 1/2 quart baking dish. 2. Melt the butter, whisk in the flour, then slowly add milk and cream and cook until slightly thick; season with salt and pepper. 3. Layer the potatoes and onion in the dish, pouring sauce over each layer. 4. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour, uncover, add the cheese and bake 30 to 40 minutes more until tender and golden. Rest 15 minutes and add parsley.

Sweet Potato Casserole Under a Blanket of Marshmallows

Kids counted down to the moment this casserole came out of the oven with its puffy, toasted marshmallow lid. Mashed sweet potatoes are whipped with butter, brown sugar and a little orange juice, then baked until the top turns golden. It began appearing in recipe booklets in the early 1900s and has been a holiday regular ever since. Some families swear by a pecan streusel instead, but the marshmallow version is pure nostalgia on a spoon. Sweet, bright and cozy, it rounds out any spread of vintage Christmas dinner dishes.

You will need: 4 pounds sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup butter (melted), 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup orange juice, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 3 cups mini marshmallows.

How to make it: 1. Boil or bake the sweet potatoes until very soft, then peel and mash. 2. Heat the oven to 350°F. Beat the potatoes with butter, sugar, orange juice, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and salt until smooth. 3. Spread in a buttered 9×13 dish and bake 25 minutes. 4. Cover with marshmallows and bake 10 minutes more until puffed and golden.

Steakhouse Creamed Spinach With Crispy Bacon

Creamed spinach was the elegant green side of 1950s steakhouses and supper clubs, and many families brought it home for the holidays. Tender spinach is folded into a silky sauce of butter, cream and a little Parmesan, seasoned with a whisper of nutmeg, then crowned with crisp bacon. It is the side that even spinach skeptics finish, and it pairs perfectly with a roast, a goose or a crown of pork. Frozen chopped spinach works beautifully here, so it comes together in about fifteen minutes. It is one of the vintage Christmas dinner dishes that steakhouses never let go.

You will need: 2 packages (10 oz each) frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry), 6 slices bacon (chopped), 1 small onion (finely chopped), 2 garlic cloves (minced), 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 1/4 cups milk, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Cook the bacon until crisp, lift it out and pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. 2. Add the butter, onion and garlic and cook 3 minutes, then stir in the flour. 3. Slowly whisk in the milk and cream and simmer until thick, about 4 minutes. 4. Stir in the spinach, Parmesan, nutmeg, salt and pepper, heat through, then spoon into a warm dish and top with the bacon.

Parker House Style Dinner Rolls Brushed With Butter

No holiday table was complete without a basket of warm rolls under a cloth napkin. Parker House rolls, folded so they pull apart into buttery halves, came from a Boston hotel in the 1800s and became a Christmas dinner staple across the country. The dough is soft and slightly sweet, and brushing the tops with melted butter as they leave the oven is the secret Grandma never skipped. Bake them in the morning and warm them while the roast rests. Warm bread is the quiet hero of vintage Christmas dinner dishes.

You will need: 1 cup warm milk, 1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, 6 tablespoons softened butter plus more for brushing, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, flaky salt.

How to make it: 1. Mix the milk, yeast, sugar, egg, butter and salt, then add flour and knead 6 to 8 minutes until smooth. 2. Let rise 1 hour until doubled. 3. Roll the dough 1/2 inch thick, cut 3 inch circles, brush with butter and fold each in half. Place close together in a buttered pan and let rise 30 minutes. 4. Bake at 375°F for 15 to 18 minutes, brush with more butter and sprinkle with flaky salt.

Yorkshire Pudding Puffed Tall in the Pan

In families with British roots, the roast beef was never the star; the Yorkshire puddings were. A simple batter of eggs, milk and flour is poured into smoking hot fat and puffs up into crisp, golden cups with tender middles. They are perfect for catching gravy, and the kids always fought over the tallest one. A muffin tin makes individual puddings, and the batter can be mixed hours ahead. The only rule: do not open the oven door while they bake. It is one of the cheapest vintage Christmas dinner dishes to bring back.

You will need: 4 large eggs, 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup beef drippings or vegetable oil.

How to make it: 1. Whisk the eggs, milk, flour and salt into a smooth batter and let it rest at least 30 minutes. 2. Heat the oven to 450°F, add 1 teaspoon drippings or oil to each cup of a 12 cup muffin tin and heat the tin in the oven 10 minutes. 3. Quickly pour the batter into the hot cups, filling them halfway. 4. Bake 18 to 20 minutes without opening the door until tall and deep golden. Serve right away.

Mincemeat Pie, the Christmas Classic Grandma Swore By

Mincemeat pie is one of those holiday desserts that divides the table, but those who love it really love it. Old recipes used beef and suet; most modern versions are all fruit, with apples, raisins, currants, citrus peel and warm spices simmered into a dark, jammy filling. Under a lattice crust it looks like a stained glass window. A slice with a spoon of whipped cream or a wedge of sharp cheddar is how many grandmothers served it on Christmas afternoon. No list of vintage Christmas dinner dishes feels complete without it.

You will need: 2 unbaked 9 inch pie crusts, 2 apples (peeled and chopped), 1 cup raisins, 1 cup currants, 1/2 cup chopped candied citrus peel, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup apple cider, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon each nutmeg and cloves, zest and juice of 1 orange, 3 tablespoons butter, 1 egg (beaten).

How to make it: 1. Simmer the apples, dried fruit, peel, sugar, cider, spices, orange and butter for 20 minutes until thick, then cool. 2. Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a pie plate with one crust and fill with the mincemeat. 3. Cut the second crust into strips, weave a lattice on top, crimp and brush with egg. 4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until golden and bubbling. Cool before slicing.

Baked Alaska Topped Vintage Christmas Dinner Dishes With a Gasp

Ice cream inside a hot oven? That was the magic trick that made Baked Alaska the most talked about dessert of the 1950s and 1960s. A layer of cake is topped with a dome of ice cream, sealed under fluffy meringue and baked just long enough to brown the peaks while the inside stays frozen. Bring it to the table whole and slice with a hot knife. Peppermint ice cream turns it into a Christmas version everyone will remember.

You will need: 1 round layer of sponge or pound cake (8 inch), 1 1/2 quarts ice cream (peppermint, vanilla or strawberry), 4 egg whites, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Line a bowl slightly smaller than the cake with plastic wrap, pack in softened ice cream and freeze until very firm, at least 4 hours. 2. Set the cake on a baking sheet and unmold the ice cream dome on top; freeze again. 3. Heat the oven to 475°F. Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar to soft peaks, then add sugar gradually and beat to stiff peaks with the vanilla. 4. Cover the ice cream and cake completely with meringue, swirl into peaks and bake 3 to 5 minutes until golden. Serve at once.

Buttered Rum Cake, the Alcohol Free Version

Every 1970s holiday party had a golden Bundt cake soaked in a warm buttery syrup, and the recipe card was passed from neighbor to neighbor. This alcohol free version keeps all the cozy flavor by using rum extract in the cake and the glaze, so the whole family can have a slice. The syrup soaks deep into the crumb, making the cake moist for days. It is a perfect make ahead dessert, because it actually tastes better the day after baking. Bake it the day before and enjoy one of the easiest vintage Christmas dinner dishes on the list.

You will need: 1 box yellow cake mix (or 3 cups homemade batter), 1 small box instant vanilla pudding mix, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup milk, 2 teaspoons rum extract, 1 cup chopped pecans. Glaze: 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, 2 teaspoons rum extract.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 325°F, grease a Bundt pan and sprinkle the pecans in the bottom. 2. Beat the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, oil, milk and rum extract for 2 minutes and pour over the nuts. 3. Bake 50 to 60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 4. Boil the butter, sugar and water for 3 minutes, stir in the extract, poke holes in the warm cake and spoon the glaze over slowly. Cool 30 minutes, then turn out.

Old Fashioned Fruitcake That Actually Gets Eaten

Fruitcake has been the butt of holiday jokes for decades, but a good homemade one is nothing like the dense brick from the store. Grandma’s version was packed with plump raisins, dates, cherries and nuts held together with a buttery, spiced batter, and it was baked weeks ahead and wrapped tight. Many vintage recipes, like the Scottish Dundee cake, top it with neat circles of whole almonds. Slice it thin and serve it with coffee after dinner to finish the feast in true old fashioned style.

You will need: 1 cup butter (softened), 1 cup brown sugar, 4 eggs, 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 cup raisins, 1 cup chopped dates, 1 cup candied cherries, 1 cup chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 300°F and line an 8 inch round pan with parchment. 2. Cream the butter and sugar, beat in the eggs, then mix in flour, baking powder, spices, salt and orange juice. 3. Fold in the fruit and walnuts, spread in the pan and arrange the almonds in circles on top. 4. Bake 1 3/4 to 2 hours until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely, wrap tightly and let it rest a few days before slicing.