Canadian Christmas & Réveillon Recipes: Holiday Classics to Make Ahead

Christmas food in Canada changes a lot by region. In Québec, families gather for the réveillon, a late meal after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. In English Canada, holiday baking (squares, tarts, cookies) fills tins for weeks before the 25th. This guide covers both.

The Québec réveillon table

• [Tourtière](/recipes/tourtiere): the centrepiece. Bake a few in November and freeze them unbaked.
• [Habitant split pea soup](/recipes/habitant-split-pea-soup) to start.
• [Fèves au lard](/recipes/feves-au-lard) on the side.
• [Pouding chômeur](/recipes/pouding-chomeur) and [tarte au sucre](/recipes/tarte-au-sucre) for dessert.

Holiday baking tin

These all keep well and freeze for gifting:

• [Nanaimo bars](/recipes/nanaimo-bars): freeze for up to 3 months, cut while cold.
• [Butter tarts](/recipes/butter-tarts): freeze baked; thaw at room temperature.
• [Date squares](/recipes/date-squares): hold up in a tin for about a week.
• [Chocolate chip cookies](/recipes/chocolate-chip-cookies) for the kids.

Christmas morning

• [Peameal bacon](/recipes/peameal-bacon-sandwich) sliced and pan-fried with eggs.
• [Make-ahead breakfast burritos](/recipes/hearty-make-ahead-breakfast-burritos) if you'd rather not cook.

Planning tips

• Freeze tourtières and squares in early December.
• Thaw tourtière in the fridge overnight, then bake from cold for about an hour.
• Keep one dessert simple so the oven is free on the day.

See all [Québec recipes](/quebec) or our [desserts](/desserts).