There’s no better way to get into the Christmas spirit than to re-create your favourite festive movie recipes at home.
Wren Kitchens has put together some delicious recipes for the most in-demand food and drink to make, as seen in your favourite festive films.
Wren gathered data on which recipes people are looking to make at home and sourced the ingredients and how to make each, crafted into a simple recipe card.
The research also included the ultimate Christmas movie to watch while enjoying these festive treats, as Wren additionally gathered watcher movie scores for every Christmas movie to see which ranks highest of all time[1]
We found:
6,490 people a month seek recipe inspiration from Christmas movies online
Searches for Christmas movie recipes rise +43% in December
Our recipes include Harry Potter Butterbeer as an honourable inclusion, as the films always feature Christmas significantly and search demand for Harry Potter recipes at Christmas increases exponentially
Searches for Polar Express hot chocolate are up 182% over the past 3 months
Searches for Elf spaghetti rose 133% in 3 months
Searches for making the roast beef from The Grinch have doubled in the past 3 months
Klaus is the top ranked Christmas movie of all time with an average review score of 92 out of 100
The Below Shows the Top 5 Most Searched-for Festive Recipes and How to Make Each:
Harry Potter: Butterbeer
Whilst we know Harry Potter isn’t technically a Christmas movie, we’re giving it an honourable mention because Christmas always features in the movies… plus, it’s always on TV over the festive period too!
We’re starting off with an easy recipe, with just four ingredients needed. Who needs to visit The Three Broomsticks, when you can curl up on a cold day with a glass of your very own homemade butterbeer[2]
Ingredients (serves two people)
1 cup (230ml) of cream soda
½ cup (115ml) of butterscotch syrup
½ tbsp of butter
Heavy cream (for foam)
Method
Take your butter out of the fridge and leave for 30 minutes to soften
Pour your butterscotch syrup into a bowl, adding in the softened butter, and mix together
Pour in your cream soda, and stir
In a separate bowl, whip your heavy cream until it forms stiff peaks, being careful not to overwhip
Pour your mixture into two mugs, and top with a dollop of whipped cream
Enjoy whilst watching your favourite Harry Potter movie!
Completely kid-friendly, if you want to make an adults-only version, then simply add in a shot of vanilla vodka or butterscotch schnapps… it’s guaranteed to warm you right up!
Polar Express: Hot chocolate
Super sumptuous and decadent, nothing says Christmas quite like a steaming mug of hot cocoa. For an extra festive spin, why not recreate the Polar Express’ hot chocolate[3] version? With searches for it rising by 182% over the last three months, we reckon it’s definitely worth a try.
Ingredients (serves 10 people)
6 cups (1,420ml) of milk
1 can (410ml) of condensed milk
1 ½ cups (350ml) of chocolate chips
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1/8 tsp of salt
Method
Combine your milk, condensed milk, chocolate, vanilla extract, and salt into a pan
Turn the heat on low and stir constantly until the chocolate is melted
Pour into 10 cups and decorate how you want: think whipped cream, marshmallows, sprinkles… whatever you want!
Elf Spaghetti[4]
OK, so this recipe might not be for the faint-hearted, but if you’re not going to make it at Christmastime, then when are you?! With a 133% increase in searches in three months, this indulgent dish sees sweet meeting savoury, and is something the kids are sure to enjoy decorating.
Ingredients (serves eight people)
450g spaghetti
2tbsp unsalted butter
1tbsp salt
80g maple syrup
For toppings:
Maple syrup
Marshmallows
M&Ms
Sprinkles
Chocolate syrup
Method
Fill a pan with water, add your salt and bring it to the boil
Add your spaghetti and cook it until al dente – this should take you about 10 minutes
Drain your pasta, and toss it in butter until it’s fully coated
Drizzle your pasta with maple syrup until it’s fully coated
Decorate with all of your favourite toppings
Home Alone: Pizza pot pie
Remember that huuuuge pizza order the McAllister’s made in the first Home Alone movie? Now you can recreate your own Chicago-style pizza[5] pie at home with the family!
Ingredients (serves six people)
450g pizza dough (store bought will save you time!)
Sliced mozzarella cheese
Sliced provolone cheese
Grated parmesan cheese
1 cup (230ml) of marina sauce
6 ramekins (for serving)
Garlic butter:
3tpsn salted butter
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp Italian herbs
Toppings
Mushrooms, pepperoni, ham, salami… whatever you want!
Method
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius, and spray your ramekins with a non-stick spray
Combine the mozzarella, provolone, and parmesan together, and line the bottom and sides of your ramekins with the cheese mixture
Add in a layer of your chosen toppings
Add in a layer of marinara sauce, making sure that your ramekin is only three-quarters full
Cut your dough into six circular pieces that are slightly bigger than the top of your ramekins, and place them tightly over the top, making sure they’re pinched at the slides
Place your pizza pot pies on a baking tray, brush them with garlic butter, and cook for 15-20 minutes
The Grinch: Roast beast[6]
A speciality of Whoville, enjoy this succulent roast beef on a cold winter’s evening as you gather round the table as a family. Cooked to perfection, you’ll be begging for seconds.
Ingredients (serves eight people)
1 x joint of beef
1 x bottle of stout beer
1 x can of diced tomatoes
¼ cup (32g) of light brown sugar
3tbsp of butter
3tbsp of olive oil
1tbsp of sweet paprika
2tspn of black pepper
2tsp of sea salt
2 x heads of garlic, halved
2 x bay leaves
4 x sprigs of fresh thyme
2 x sprigs of fresh rosemary
Method
Preheat your oven to 190 degrees Celsius
Combine your paprika, brown sugar, salt, and olive oil in a small bowl
Pat your joint of beef until it’s dry, and place it into a shallow baking tin, before generously coating the sides of it with your spice mix
Marinate your joint in the fridge for one hour, making sure it’s not covered
Place your marinated joint in a pot and leave it on a high heat, leaving it until the sides are browned
Add in your garlic, butter, herbs, and bay leaves, waiting for the butter to melt
Add in your broth, beer, and tomatoes, and bring it to the boil
Cover the pot and put it in the oven. Braise the beef until it’s very tender – this can take up to two hours
Remove your roast beef from the pan, and leave it to rest for 15 minutes
Strain the pan juices and return to the pan, boiling it until it’s reduced by half
Slice your roast beef and serve with the remainder of the pan sauce
