Healthy holiday recipes that actually taste good can be hard to find. After all, so many of the flavors of the season rely on hormone-wrecking foods that boost inflammation and raise your blood sugar. And when you take those foods out of the equation to make a healthy holiday recipe, it can end up tasting less than jolly.
But never fear, I’m here with some of my favorite, physician-approved special occasion-worthy low carb recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other holiday you may celebrate this time of year.
And remember, don’t stress out too much about making keto holiday dishes. The best keto holiday recipes are the ones you make with family and friends — the ones that make memories…not the ones that are “perfect!”
Healthy Holiday Cooking Tips
Healthy holiday cooking doesn’t have to be boring or bland. And healthy holiday foods can give you that feeling of nostalgia without putting your hormones into a tailspin or completely destroying the progress you’ve worked so hard to make over the year.
You can always try out your favorite traditional recipes and make some changes so they’re more Keto-Green® friendly.
Some of my go-to Keto-Green® cooking substitutions include:
- Almond flour typically works really well as a substitute for other flours in low carb cookies and sweets.
- Swerve, monk fruit, allulose, erythritol, or stevia make great keto sugar substitutes. You can even use small amounts of molasses or bananas to naturally increase the sweetness in your desserts without raising the carb count significantly. These probably aren’t things you want to eat every day, but once in a while, they can be fun to cook with.
- Coconut milk replaces dairy milk quite nicely in many baked goods, if you are dairy-sensitive, like me.
- Coconut butter or coconut oil also does a fine job of replacing cow’s milk butter in many recipes.
The most important thing is to just have fun with it! What’s really meaningful is spending time with the ones you love in the kitchen.
You can also use some of the following easy, healthy holiday recipes and create your own new traditions.
Healthy Holiday Dessert Recipes: My Favorite Keto Holiday Treats
Let’s start off with some healthy holiday treat recipes! Because let’s face it, the one thing most of think about when we start dreaming about the holidays is baking and sweets. Just me?
Depending on where you are in your health journey, you may decide this is the year where you forgo the low carb Christmas treats and indulge in the real thing. And that’s just fine, too. Sometimes a small indulgence is worth it. You can always just start back on your Keto-Green® path the next day!
But if you’re currently in a more conservative phase of your diet, I’ve rounded up my favorite healthy holiday baking recipes to share with you here. I’ve been tinkering with keto holiday dessert recipes for years, and these are my favorites.
Low Carb Christmas Cookies Recipes
Look no further for healthy holiday treats than these spectacular healthy holiday cookie recipes. Low carb recipes for cookies that actually taste good might seem impossible to find, but trust me, these will leave you wanting more.
These cookies are a classic healthy holiday dessert. With a fantastic gingery bite and a nice snap to their texture, I think they are fabulous even without icing. But you can always get the kiddos in on the fun and let them decorate these.
Keto Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies
A list of low-carb Christmas dessert recipes wouldn’t be complete without these adorable raspberry thumbprint cookies. Topped with sugar-free preserves, they give your eyes something to feast on as well as your tastebuds. You’ll forget that they are dairy-free and gluten-free.
Classic Keto Shortbread Cookies
So simple, and so easy to customize, these shortbread cookies are the epitome of a cozy holiday treat. This is one of those holiday keto desserts you’ll make time and time again because they are just that good.
Low Carb Pumpkin Recipes
We all love our pumpkin pie when it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas, but I like to switch things up when it comes to my low carb pumpkin recipes. Here are a few of my favorite healthy holiday dessert recipes for Christmas that aren’t your typical pumpkin. Your family will surely love them too.
This recipe is seriously one of those low carb dessert recipes that’s even better than the original! Without a drop of dairy, this ice “cream” is a crowd-pleaser — especially if you just had pumpkin pie for turkey day and want to try something different.
My Famous Keep-You-Full Pumpkin Smoothie
I just love this smoothie during the holiday season. It’s one of my go-to keto friendly holiday recipes and it makes the ideal on-the-go meal when you’re shopping all day and don’t have time (or desire!) to cook. Just throw everything in the blender and go.
This pumpkin pie comes together like magic. And with no crust to hassle with, it’s a quick and easy healthy holiday recipe you’ll find yourself turning to every year. It’s so simple, yet so tasty and ideal for sharing with those who may not have dietary restrictions…they’ll never know the difference!
Healthy Holiday Side Dishes
No matter what you make for your traditional holiday dinner, the sides are where it’s at when it comes to keeping things Keto-Green® and satisfying. You have so many amazing low carb recipes for vegetables to choose from, but here are some of my favorite keto holiday side dishes.
This tops the list of my favorite healthy holiday green bean recipes. Maybe you’re familiar with the classic green bean casserole made with the condensed soup from a can and the fried onions on top. This is a major upgrade from that highly inflammatory recipe — and it tastes phenomenal.
Don’t let the simplicity of this recipe fool you, this is one of my favorite healthy holiday vegetable dishes. You know I couldn’t make a list of low carb holiday side dishes without including one of the best low carb recipes for cauliflower, hands down. This might be my all-time favorite healthy holiday recipe.
This is one of the most delicious and nutritious low carb Christmas sides. This is the kind of healthy vegan holiday recipe that makes even the biggest carnivores happy. Just try to stop the family from going back for seconds.
Healthy Holiday Dinner Recipes
When it comes to low carb Christmas dinner recipes, the main course is the easy part. Of course, you could do turkey again. But here are a couple of options if you want to try something a little different this year.
To me, this is one of the all-time best keto recipes for Christmas dinner. Salmon is such a nutritional powerhouse because it’s full of anti-inflammatory Omega 3s. And when you cook it like this, it feeds a crowd easily and makes for a nice presentation.
This recipe is at the top of my list of favorite low carb Christmas meals. I love how easily it comes together, the traditional flavors, and the way it feeds everyone so simply. No fussing or basting here. Just pop it in the oven and in less than hour, dinner is served!
Healthy Holiday Drink Recipes
Think you can’t enjoy some fun holiday beverages while trying to stay in ketosis? Think again. These keto holiday drink recipes will tempt your taste buds and put you in a holiday spirit.
If you want to taste the definition of cozy, start a fire in the fireplace and sip on this “mulled” wine. It’s my favorite indulgence this time of year.
Not all keto-friendly drinks have to contain alcohol, right? This simple, nutrition-packed shake is full of the flavors of the season without all the sugar that usually gets paired with said flavors. I like to sip on this for breakfast or have it as a power snack when I have a lot of shopping to do and errands to run this time of year. Plus, it’s the perfect festive color!
Low Carb Christmas Breakfast
Don’t worry, I didn’t forget to include healthy holiday breakfast recipes on this list of my favorite healthy holiday recipes. Because finding that perfect breakfast to enjoy on Christmas morning after opening presents is one of the best parts of the big day, right?
A special day calls for a special breakfast, and this is one of the best low carb Christmas brunch recipes I’ve ever had. You’ll want to make this again and again. The best part is, it can bake while you’re preoccupied around the tree and then everyone can enjoy a nice warm slice.
When it comes to a keto breakfast, eggs are simply the best. But this recipe makes it easy to make eggs for a crowd and get in a ton of veggies at the same time, too.
All Of The Best Healthy Holiday Recipes
I hope I’ve proved to you that keto holiday meals do not have to be boring, bland, or lacking in traditional flavors. With just a little bit of flexibility, you can enjoy all the fun of the season’s eatings without the added inflammation and blood sugar spike.
Plus, you won’t have to start off the new year way behind on your health goals if you substitute even a few of your high-sugar, gluten-filled holiday foods with some keto holiday recipes.
Once you’ve indulged in a few good healthy holiday recipes from this list, let’s get together for a reset in the new year. I’m hosting a totally FREE challenge starting January 8th to help you get back on track and find your hormone sweet spot. No crazy cleanses, just real, whole foods, expert guidance, and lots of good friends.
Click here to save your place!
Let’s drop those post-holiday cravings and get refreshed together.
