21 Mexican Christmas Recipes to Make This Year - Isabel Eats (2024)

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Looking to spice up your holiday menu? These Mexican Christmas recipes are perfect for celebrating Las Posadas, Navidad and Noche Buena!

21 Mexican Christmas Recipes to Make This Year - Isabel Eats (1)

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Mexican Christmas Foods

Christmas in my house has always been about two things – food and family.

Like in many Mexican households, Christmas Eve (Noche Buena) is almost a bigger deal than actual Christmas day! On Christmas Eve, my whole family gets together to sing songs to celebrateLas Posadas, we open presents at midnight and most importantly, we eat a lot of food!

From the moment we wake up until around 6pm, my family is in the kitchen making goodies like tamales, empanadas, pozole, buñuelos, ponche, and so much more!

Here are some of my favorite Mexican Christmas recipes to celebrate the big day.

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Mexican Pork Tamales

An easy Mexican pork tamales recipe filled with tender pieces of pork simmered in a delicious red chile sauce all wrapped in a soft masa dough.

I grew up eating tamales every year forChristmas, New Years and other special occasions. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions to make your own authentic Mexican tamales right at home!

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Pozole Rojo

This Pozole Rojo (Red Posole) is a comforting and hearty Mexican soup/stew filled with shredded pork and hominy in a warm red chile broth.

Pozole rojo is served year-round, but is often eaten at celebrations such as birthdays, Christmas, New Years, and other holidays.

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Chicken Tamales

These tamales are stuffed with tender pieces of chicken in a flavorful chile verde sauce made from tomatillos and a blend of green chiles.

This recipe shares everything you need to know to make them perfectly on the first try!

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Chicken Pozole Verde

Pozole Verde is a comforting Mexican stew filled with shredded chicken and hominy in a delicious green chile broth made from tomatillos, jalapeños, and cilantro.

It’s easy to make, hearty, and ready in only one hour!

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Atole

Atole (pronounced ah-toh-leh) is a traditional Mexican drink that’s thickened with masa harina and sweetened with piloncillo, cinnamon, and vanilla.

It’s often enjoyed in chilly weather because it’s thick and creamy enough to warm you up on those cold nights.

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Sweet Tamales

Sweet Tamales made with two types of raisins and sweetened with cinnamon and sugar.

These are easy to make and a sweet treat that pairs perfectly with a cup of atole or ponche.

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Champurrado

Champurrado is a type of atole that’s made with Mexican chocolate.

This chocolate-based atole is prepared with milk, Mexican chocolate, and cinnamon, and is sweetened with a little piloncillo and vanilla extract.

Every sip is creamy, thick, and satisfying and will warm you up from the inside out!

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Ponche

Mexican Ponche is a warm and comforting Christmas punch made with apples, pears, oranges and guavas, and spiced with cinnamon, cloves, tamarind and hibiscus.

It’s perfect for kids because they love to eat the warm pieces of fruit, but it’s also great for adults who often drink it with a splash of rum or brandy.

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Buñuelos

Often served during the Christmas and New Years holidays, Mexican Buñuelos are delicious fried dough discs dusted with cinnamon sugar.

They’re crispy, crunchy, and a staple during the holidays.

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Tamales de Rajas

Tamales de Rajas are traditional Mexican tamales filled with slices of roasted poblano peppers and cheese.

These tamales are naturally vegetarian and gluten free.

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Marranitos

Marranitos (Mexican Gingerbread Pigs)are a Mexican pan dulce, or sweet bread, flavored with molasses and commonly found in Mexican bakeries.

They’re great served with a cup of milk, coffee, or champurrado!

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Cranberry Margarita

Filled with holiday cheer, this Cranberry Margarita is the perfect Christmas and New Years drink!

Made with only 4 simple ingredients – cranberry juice, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice – it’s easy to make and comes together in only 5 minutes.

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Arroz con Leche

Arroz con Leche, or Mexican rice pudding, will forever remind me of my family. It’s a comforting, simple, and easy dessert made from a few ingredients including long-grain white rice, sugar, milk, and cinnamon sticks.

It can be served hot or cold, and is perfect cozy treat for the holidays!

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Rompope (Mexican Eggnog)

Rompope (pronounced “rrohm-poh-peh”) is really close to the traditional eggnog recipe. The main differences are that it’s made with only the egg yolks and adds slivered almonds for a hint of nuttiness.

It’s a delicious holiday drink that can be served warm or cold, and with or without alcohol.

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Camote Enmielado

Camote Enmielado, or Mexican Candied Sweet Potatoes, is one of my favorite warm and comforting desserts to make when the weather starts to get cold!

Melt-in-your-mouth sweet potatoes are simmered on the stove in a syrup made from piloncillo, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves. It just doesn’t get any better than that!

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Mexican Hot Chocolate

This Mexican Hot Chocolate made with 100% unsweetened cocoa powder, cinnamon and a hint of chili will warm you up from the inside out.

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Flan

An easy flan recipe made with only 5 simple ingredients! This creamy custard dessert is topped with rich caramel and is very popular in Mexico, Spain and Latin America. It’s a showstopper dessert that is sure to impress friends and family. Perfect for the holidays!

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Empanadas

This family recipe features a savory meat filling and a fluffy, irresistible dough that’s lightly fried and covered in sugar. They’re the best empanadas you’ll ever eat!

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Tres leches cake

Tres Leches Cake is a classic Mexican dessert soaked in a mixture of three milks and topped with whipped cream and strawberries. Moist, creamy, and delicious, tres leches cake is perfect for any Christmas celebration!

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Calabaza en Tacha

Calabaza en Tacha, or Mexican candied pumpkin, is a traditional Mexican dessert made from pumpkin, piloncillo, cinnamon, cloves, and orange zest. This sweet and comforting dish features tender pumpkin served in a thick and luscious syrup ideal for enjoying during the colder Christmas season.

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Cranberry Salsa

Tired of the same holiday menu? Spice it up this year with cranberry salsa! It combines the tartness of cranberries with the fresh, spicy, and savory ingredients typically found in traditional salsas. It’s the ultimate combination of sweet, spice, and tang with a hint of citrus.

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Feliz Navidad, friends!

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Leave a Reply

  1. Leslie

    THANK-YOU!!

    Reply

  2. Boo Scruff

    Andale ! Love-love-love that all these wide variety of Mexican Specialty recipes are in one pin, so delicious. This is now my go to, now this is news I can use. Thanks so much *****5-star rating.

    Reply

  3. Yolanda Alonzo

    So excited to get this recipes of my gente. I will be doing a lot of cooking this year.

    Reply

  4. Denny Dillavou

    A very Merry Christmas and Happy New year to you and your family, Isabel. Thank you for all the wonderful recipes and technics. May the Lord bless you and you family always… Denny

    Reply

  5. Ayejae Josef

    Can’t wait to add to my mexican cookbook

    Reply

  6. Yazmin Hernandez

    All this food looks amazing i personally would give it a 10/10 thank you Isabel, It gives me a lot of ideas to make my family dinner!!!

    Reply

  7. Arlena Jurado

    I find the study material extremely instructive.

    Reply

  8. Sally Ybarra Svenpladsen

    OMG, finally! Thank you for bringing back all of my memories in a flood. My mother (Isabel}, my tias and my Abuelita Celerina (nickname Sally) made all of these great dishes. They always got together to make Tamales and Menudo.

    Your recipes are perfect!

    Reply

    1. Ana @ Isabel Eats

      Thank you so much Sally!

      Reply

  9. Mary Mercado

    I love your page do you have a cookbook with all your yummy recipes I have made several recipes they are all delicious thanks bunches for your recipes

    Reply

    1. Ana @ Isabel Eats

      Hi Mary! We are currently working on publishing a cookbook, so look our for that Spring 2023! For now, you can sign up for our email newsletter and get our free e-book.

      Reply

      1. Letty

        I love these easy to make bring back childhood memories recipes! Thank you so much!!!

        Reply

  10. madilyn

    it is so nice to see what they eat for christmas

    Reply

  11. Gloria

    Not sure my family would like hominy. Can I purée them a bit so they can’t tell it’s hominy?

    Reply

    1. Ana @ Isabel Eats

      Hi Gloria! I’m worried if you puree the hominy, it would affect the overall consistency. I would suggest maybe trying a different recipe if you cannot use hominy. There are lots of great recipes on our site for you to choose from!

      Reply

      1. Tricia

        I would just replace it with corn. I do that with a lot of recipes that calls for hominy. I’m not a huge fan of it myself. As with any recipe, tweet it to your own liking!

        Reply

  12. Cenie E. Simmers

    What should I serve with the steak Fajitas.

    Reply

    1. Morgan @ Isabel Eats

      Hi! You can serve steak fajitas with Mexican rice, salsa, and refried beans!

      Reply

  13. Isabella

    good ideas

    Reply

  14. Angel R Medina

    My son is learning so much Spanish he is nine

    Reply

  15. Shawn

    I cook alot of Mexican food, but you have given me a few new things to try, and they look so delicious, and they seem easy enough for me, lol I’m a simple person so simple and easy recipe’s are the best for me. Thank you

    Reply

    1. Frances

      Made the bunuelos. My mom did not make them often but our neighbor always gave us some.

      Reply

  16. Diana

    So many memories of making some of these recipes growing up. There are a couple I have not made and am excited to try them this year! Thank you for taking me down memory lane and for your delicious recipes.

    Reply

  17. ANABEL GUTIERREZ

    Love it

    Reply

  18. Mary

    These are a wonderful collection!!!

    Reply

21 Mexican Christmas Recipes to Make This Year - Isabel Eats (2024)

FAQs

What special foods do Mexicans eat on Christmas? ›

Mexican Christmas food spans enchiladas, pozole, tamales, and plenty of desserts. These are our favorite recipes for flavorful versions of those dishes from Mexican chefs, along with a few festive drinks. Start a tamale making tradition, warm up with pozole this winter, and enjoy enchiladas everyone will love.

What is Christmas in Mexico called? ›

The Mexican celebration of Christmas is called las posadas and begins on December 16. The ninth evening of las posadas is Buena Noche, Christmas Eve. The children lead a procession to the church and place a figure of the Christ Child in the nacimiento or nativity scene there. Then everyone attends midnight mass.

How is Christmas in Mexico unique? ›

There are candlelit processions, elaborate nativity scenes, Spanish Christmas carols, dancing and fireworks. While traditions like Christmas trees and Santa Claus have found a place in Mexican festivities, the holiday celebrations are firmly rooted in Spanish and indigenous culture.

What do Mexicans eat Christmas Eve? ›

Ensalada de Noche Buena

This salad usually contains lettuce and beets, but other ingredients vary according to location and the chef's preference and may include apple, carrot, orange, pineapple, jicama, pecans or peanuts, and pomegranate seeds as a garnish. Mexican Christmas Salad is served at Christmas Eve dinner.

What is Mexican Santa called? ›

Pancho Claus is a Mexican version of Santa Claus popular in parts of the United States, particularly Texas. Pancho Claus is sometimes referred to as a "Tex-Mex" version of Santa.

What are three fun facts about Christmas in Mexico? ›

The Nochebuena (poinsettia) is native to Mexico and is widely used as a decoration during Christmas time. On Christmas Eve, there is a mass and feast. On January 6, the arrival of the Three Wise Men is celebrated with Candlemas and the presentation of images of Jesus as a child at churches.

Does Santa Claus exist in Mexico? ›

But what about Santa Claus?! Well, he does 'exist' (so to speak) in Mexican Christmas celebrations, although he stops by Mexico on the evening of December 23rd and early hours of December 24th to leave presents.

What are 2 facts about Christmas in Mexico? ›

On Christmas Eve churches parade floats through the plaza (these don't have radishes on them!) and on Christmas Day there are fireworks and Christmas meals. People in Mexico also celebrate 'los santos inocentes' or 'Day of the Innocent Saints' on December 28th and it's very like April Fools Day in the UK and USA.

What are 5 interesting facts about Christmas in Mexico? ›

  • Las Posadas. This is a traditional procession that takes place in Mexico during the nine days leading up to Christmas. ...
  • The Nacimiento. This is a nativity scene that is set up in many Mexican homes during Christmas. ...
  • Piñatas. ...
  • Tamales. ...
  • Rosca de Reyes. ...
  • La Nochebuena. ...
  • Farolitos. ...
  • Pastorelas.
Dec 7, 2023

What do Mexicans drink on Independence Day? ›

The Bandera. The Bandera is a festive drink full of Mexican spirit that features the vibrant colors of the Mexican flag, making it very appropriate for Independence Day!

What food is on the Mexican flag? ›

Chiles en nogada

Boasting the three colours of the Mexican flag, chiles en nogada is one of Mexico's most patriotic dishes. Poblano chillies filled with picadillo (a mixture of chopped meat, fruits and spices) represent the green on the flag, the walnut-based cream sauce is the white and pomegranate seeds are the red.

What are typical Christmas foods drinks and desserts in Mexico? ›

20 traditional Mexican Christmas food and drinks
  • Pozole rojo. Pozole rojo (or red pozole) is a comforting stew made with pork, hominy corn, and red chiles. ...
  • Pozole verde. ...
  • Bacalao novideño. ...
  • Tamales. ...
  • Pavo navideño. ...
  • Carne asada. ...
  • Birria consome. ...
  • Pierna de puerco adobada.
Dec 10, 2021

What food is eaten on Christmas? ›

Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also used. Pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are staples for dessert.

What foods do they eat on Las Posadas? ›

Traditional Posada foods include: tamales, pozole, buñuelos, atole, ponche and café de olla. Whether you're hosting a Posada, Christmas Eve dinner, or just want to make tamales at home, our easy to follow Red Pork Tamales recipe will help you make, share, and enjoy this traditional dish with friends & family.

Do Mexicans eat turkey at Christmas? ›

Turkey. Like the United States and Canada, turkey can still be found on the Christmas menus in Mexico. It is often roasted or may be used instead of chicken in a Christmas mole (mole is a traditional thick sauce usually made from cocoa, seeds and nuts, amongst other ingredients).

References

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