We have shared a lot of holiday recipes over the years. They have been almost exclusively American dishes. But Christmas is celebrated all around the world! If you want to add an international flair to your celebration, you can! Mixing up your holiday table and trying new things can be fun. We love the old standards, but new options are fun!
We’re sharing great low-carb Christmas desserts from around the world to help you try new things. We all have our favorites, but learning about how Christmas is celebrated in other countries is wonderful!
In Australia, pavlova is a common Christmas dessert. That might seem crazy to us as it seems like a summer option. But it is summer over there as their seasons are opposite ours. If you live in the southern U.S., Christmas Day can often be warm. It’s forecasted to be in the 70s here in San Diego in the next few days. A pavlova could be a perfect fit if you want a cool option with lighter flavors! This recipe uses noncaloric sweeteners to make sure it’s low in carbs. A serving has 103 calories, three grams of carbs, one gram of fiber and nine grams of fat. Get the recipe.
Arroz con leche is a common and delicious Christmas dessert in Mexico. It’s creamy rice pudding with cinnamon. The problem is that the body reacts to white rice like pure white sugar. It can cause big blood sugar spikes. This version uses cauliflower rice and noncaloric sweeteners to cut out the carbs. But keeps the cinnamon and uses coconut cream to make it tasty and creamy. You will be thrilled you made it! A serving has 300 calories, nine grams of carbs and 31 grams of fat. Get the recipe.
In Germany, Christstollen is a traditional fruit bread enjoyed at Christmas. This low-carb version uses almond and coconut flour. But it keeps all of the spices the bread needs. It also has low-carb, homemade candied peel that avoids the sugar of storebought candied peel. This recipe also benefits from using rum extract for flavor, not real rum, so you don’t have to worry about kids eating it — there’s no alcohol! A serving has 217 calories, 10 grams of carbs, four grams of fiber and 17 grams of fat. Get the recipe.
If you have ever been interested in trying English Christmas pudding, or plum pudding, this is the recipe for you. The term plum pudding originates from “plum,” once used to describe any dried fruit; the dessert does not contain plums. Though it is traditionally steamed, this version is cooked in the microwave. That’s both faster and easier! This recipe also uses pumpkin spice, which is great for us in the U.S. as we don’t have the more traditional spice blend used to make it in the UK. We get a taste of the original, but it’s easier and has fewer carbs! A serving has 271 calories, 12.5 grams of carbs, 4.5 grams of fiber and 22 grams of fat. Get the recipe.
We hope you enjoy whatever delightful dessert you make for Christmas, be it one of these or a favorite from right here in the U.S.!
