Christmas Turkey Recipes
A golden roast turkey is the heart of a Christmas feast. It fills the kitchen with cosy aromas and sets the stage for a meal to remember. Whether you’re a seasoned holiday host or cooking your first bird, these Christmas turkey recipes bring a mix of tradition, creativity, and irresistible taste to your table.
From herb-stuffed and spatchcocked to glazed with maple, honey, or citrus, each recipe offers its own take on this holiday classic. Here you will find tender roasts brushed with sweet and savoury glazes. Also aromatic herbs tucked under crisp skin, and rich butter bastes that make every bite juicy and full of flavour. For something a little different, try a rolled turkey or one paired with bacon and sage butter for an extra festive touch.
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These recipes prove that the perfect turkey doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right blend of care and seasonal taste, you’ll have a centrepiece that delights your guests and fills your table with Christmas cheer.
Essential Tools to Roast the Perfect Christmas Turkey
Cooking a show-stopping Christmas turkey is much easier with the right tools by your side. These kitchen essentials help you prepare, roast, and serve your bird perfectly so it comes out tender, juicy, and beautifully golden every time.
- Roasting Pan with Rack: Keeps the turkey elevated for even cooking and allows fat to drain away for crisp skin.
- Meat Thermometer: Ensures your turkey reaches the right temperature for a safe and juicy result.
- Basting Brush: Helps you brush the bird with butter or glaze throughout roasting to add flavour and shine.
- Carving Knife Set: Makes slicing neat and effortless so you can serve elegant portions with ease.
- Turkey Lifter Forks: Designed to lift and move your turkey safely from the pan to the serving platter.
- Gravy Separator: Separates fat from pan juices to make smooth and flavourful gravy for serving.
Christmas Turkey Recipes
These Christmas turkey recipes bring golden skin, rich flavor and plenty of festive flair. Whether you prefer it roasted, smoked or wrapped in crispy bacon, each recipe promises a centerpiece that’s tender, juicy and unforgettable.
Herb-Stuffed Roasted Spatchcock Turkey
A whole turkey is butterflied for even cooking and stuffed under the skin with a fresh herb and ghee mixture to keep the breast moist and flavorful, resulting in juicy meat and crispy skin.
Spatchcock Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey Recipe
This butterflied turkey roasts in half the time and is glazed with a thick cranberry–orange sauce flavored with soy sauce, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg, giving a sweet-tart and slightly savory finish.
Juicy Spatchcock Turkey
Removing the backbone allows the turkey to lay flat, ensuring even cooking, crisp skin and ultra-juicy meat while also freeing up oven space; the pan drippings make excellent gravy.
Christmas brown sugar & spice-glazed turkey
A spice mix of star anise, cloves, nutmeg, ginger and black pepper seasons the bird, while a baste of brown sugar, maple syrup, butter and cider vinegar brushed on during roasting creates a sweet, spiced glaze.
Maple & Sage Bacon-Wrapped Turkey
The bird is slathered in sage-flecked butter, glazed with maple syrup and then shingled with salty bacon strips; it roasts up tender and juicy with sweet-savory notes from sage, bacon and maple.
Turkey Roulade with Cranberry Hazelnut Stuffing
Boneless turkey breasts are filled with a cranberry, hazelnut and sage stuffing, rolled into roulades and brushed with a spiced-cider glaze for a sweet-savory twist and glossy finish.
Herb & Garlic Roasted Turkey
A whole bird is coated in herb and garlic butter and roasted at high heat to achieve golden skin, then finished at a lower temperature for tender meat; simple enough for beginners yet impressive enough for celebrations.
Holiday Turkey with Honey Orange Glaze
The turkey is seasoned with sage, salt and thyme then glazed with butter, orange juice, orange marmalade, honey and orange segments, creating a sweet, succulent bird that’s basted throughout roasting.
Orange Roasted Turkey — Zestful Kitchen
A citrusy turkey brined in orange juice concentrate and roasted partly breast-side down for even cooking; it’s finished with a glaze of orange marmalade, orange juice, Dijon mustard, garlic and rosemary for bright, herbaceous flavor.
Maple Butter Spatchcock Turkey
A spatchcocked turkey is dry-brined and roasted with a maple butter glaze, cooking in under two hours; it delivers tender, evenly cooked meat with crispy skin and a sweet-savory maple finish.