Recipe Ideas for Yule at Home

Amidst the quiet, dark and cold weather, Yule is undeniably the most joyous and festive time of the year. It is a time for thanksgiving and looking back on the year that has come to pass.

While this year’s Yule may not be spent in large get-togethers, it can be spent in the comfort of your own home with easy home-baked goodness. 

Before we begin, take note that this article is simply a collection of ideas and recipes you can make for Yule.

Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake

Who doesn’t love a lemon olive oil pound cake for holidays? A lemon-infused pastry honors the sun, which is also a prominent symbol in the celebration of Yule.

During Winter Solstice, the Sun will begin to increase in strength once again until the summer solstice. Our ancestors used to honor the sun by staying up to watch the sunrise or light a solstice fire. 

A lemon olive oil cake is made with olive oil, flour, sugar, eggs, milk, baking powder, lemon zest , vanilla and cinnamon/nutmeg. Moist, delicious, and bright! 

Yule Log Cake

You may be familiar with logs as an important part of Yule celebrations. This comes from early humans’ practice of collecting log for firewood for the cold nights during winter solstice.

As time passed, logs are still honored as a sacred symbol for Yule, hence its common identification as “Yule Logs”. Today, logs are not simply collected for firewood but also incorporated in many yule activities — including baking.

There are a lot of ways to prepare a Yule log cake. The classic version is basically a chocolate sponge cake roll with frosted chocolate filling and frosted ganache.

Lemon Bars

Alternatively, you can make lemon bars if you’re not a “cake-person”. Or, if you have some extra lemons left from your olive oil cake, you can use it to make lemon bars and give it as gifts to your friends and loved ones. 

A lemon bar recipe usually calls for these main ingredients: lemon zest, squeezed lemon, eggs, confectioners sugar (for the frosted topping), flour and butter. 

Holiday Breakfast Wreath 

Another beautiful way to embody the spirit of the holidays is by baking a Holiday Wreath, which is braided bread topped with dried cherries, cranberries and nuts. You can also make a savory herb bread if you plan to serve the wreath for dinner.

What you want to retain here are the small bits of fruit, nuts, herbs or any natural ingredients that symbolizes the sun. If you’re feeling adventurous, you may even try topping your bread with edible flowers.

A holiday wreath on the table can easily set the festive mood of small get-togethers, making this a great idea to serve in Yule celebrations.

Squash Soup with Pita 

What’s a winter solstice celebration without soup? Bring warmth and bliss to the table with a serving of squash soup and pita bread. With it’s yellow and bright color, you’ll surely feel cozy and warm in no time. Plus, you can make it with 3 ingredients: squash, salt, and pepper! If you want to give a bit more flavor and contrast, you can add some fresh herbs and spices. 

What do you think about these recipes? Which one are you going to try? 

No matter what you’re going to cook for Yule or for any sabbat celebration, always remember to cook with intention. Remember, that’s what makes any feast magical. Enjoy!