Your Christmas feast

Christmas Donuts by Donal Skehan

If you’d like some eye candy with your Christmas candy, this blog is a Santa-sent blessing. The 28-year-old food writer, who’s authored six cookbooks and made several television appearances (including one as a judge on Junior Masterchef UK), is your go-to guy for home-style recipes. If step-by-step recipes muddle with your head, sample his video tutorials for Jamie Oliver’s YouTube channel, FoodTube, which are always served with a delicious Irish accent. Our pick? Skehan’s gooey Christmas donuts.

Mini Chicken Pot Pies by My Name is Yeh

Molly Yeh agreed to marry a fifth-generation farmer, gave up New York City for life on a North Dakota farm, and with easy access to fresh, organic ingredients, ended up starting a food blog that makes rural life look terribly desirable. Those looking for an easy-to-make crowd-pleaser for a Christmas party, this ‘humble pie’ — with an Xmas-y green, white and red filling — is your winner. 

Christmas-y Vanilla Cupcakes by The Desserted Girl

If meticulous preheating and hours of careful whipping make you shudder in your mittens, this blog can help. Gayatri Shrikhande’s (mostly chocolate) recipes are modified — sometimes simplified — versions of desserts she loves. And they’re all aced after hours (she’s a copywriter by day). We love these vanilla cupcakes because, well, there’s no other time to justify green frosting.  

Pomegranate Cranberry Rum Punch with Candied Rosemary by Vegetarian Ventures

Shelly West’s vegetarian-only blog is a great place to hang around, even if you don’t plan on stepping into the kitchen. She photographs her dishes like art (and possibly has access to an exclusive Instagram filter), posts fun anecdotes from her holiday adventures and finds new updates for her favourite beverage (chocolate chai, anyone?). For the festive season, though, we suggest you stick to this refreshing, fruity cocktail for a very merry Christmas. 

Mean Santa Sauce by Lady Pups 

Candy, cakes and chocolate are the three biggest reasons to love Christmas, but even the most resolute sweet tooth finds itself scavenging for a change of taste. Enter Mean Santa Sauce. Just how formidable is this chilli fusion? Well, blogger Mandy Lee calls her recipes “inner songs from a pissed cook”, so we can guarantee you’ll be rushing back to the plum cakes pretty quick.