At Evapo, we know the power of flavour and this festive season, we expanded our exploration to Christmas culinary delights, analysing Google search volumes for 38 popular recipes and drinks. By averaging the data per 100,000 people, we’ve uncovered regional differences across eight key UK cities.
Nationwide trends: top 20 Christmas recipes
The top recipes by total search volume last December reveal the enduring love for Christmas classics and a growing interest in drinks and desserts. Here's the list:
- 1. Yorkshire pudding recipe – 450,000 searches
- 2. Red cabbage recipe – 368,000 searches
- 3. Gingerbread recipe – 246,000 searches
- 4. Mulled wine recipe – 201,000 searches
- 5. Cauliflower cheese recipe – 135,000 searches
- 6. Christmas cocktails recipe – 135,000 searches
- 7. Cranberry sauce recipe – 135,000 searches
- 8. Bread sauce recipe – 110,000 searches
- 9. Eggnog recipe – 110,000 searches
- 10. Pavlova recipe – 90,500 searches
- 11. Royal icing recipe – 90,500 searches
- 12. Trifle recipe – 90,500 searches
- 13. Yule log recipe – 90,500 searches
- 14. Christmas cake recipe – 74,000 searches
- 15. Gammon recipe – 74,000 searches
- 16. Roast potatoes recipe – 74,000 searches
- 17. Stuffing recipe – 74,000 searches
- 18. Nut roast recipe – 60,500 searches
- 19. Mince pies recipe – 49,500 searches
- 20. Brandy butter recipe – 40,500 searches
Analysis
- Yorkshire puddings top the list, solidifying their status as a Christmas staple, despite some debates about their necessity on a festive plate.
- Red cabbage and cauliflower cheese highlight the nation’s love for versatile and comforting sides.
- Sweet options like gingerbread, pavlova, and yule log maintain their popularity, reflecting a preference for nostalgic holiday treats.
- Turkey recipes rank surprisingly low at 25, suggesting this dish is so ingrained in tradition that most people don’t feel the need to look up recipes.
Regional festive favourites
We analysed search volumes for 38 festive recipes and drinks in December 2023, focusing on Google search data. Search volumes were adjusted per 100,000 residents across major cities to reveal which cities had the highest share of searches for popular festive recipes. Let’s delve in…
London: drinks and desserts
Londoners lead in Christmas cocktail recipes, with 202 searches on average. Mulled wine and mulled cider are close contenders, reflecting the city’s love for festive drinks. Londoners also had the highest searches for gravy and sprout recipes.
Birmingham: the sweet tooth capital
Birmingham shows a strong preference for cauliflower cheese with 210 searches on average, alongside Christmas biscuits and marzipan recipes, highlighting its sweet and indulgent side.
Manchester: comfort food central
Manchester loves its potatoes, scoring top of the leader board for roast potatoes at 130 searches on average along with mashed potatoes at 70 searches on average. They also scored high on gravy and pigs in blankets emphasising a love for traditional, hearty dishes and proof that you can never have enough variety for potato based dishes.
Liverpool: tradition with a twist
Liverpool balances tradition and modernity, leading in searches for cheese board ideas at 78 searches on average and festive drinks like snowball cocktails. Its love for eggnog and christmas pudding highlights its penchant for rich, comforting flavours.
Leeds: alternative and traditional
Leeds excels in alternative mains such as nut roasts, mushroom wellingtons and goose recipes, showcasing its taste for alternative mains. The city also scores high for roast potatoes and the traditional Christmas cake at 111 searches on average pairing their love for alternative mains and traditional staples.
Newcastle: morning celebrations
Newcastle starts the festive day with a Bucks Fizz toast. The northern city also scored high in comparison to other cities for their love of cranberry sauce which yielded 160 searches in December on average. The city also embraces sweet classics like marzipan.
Peterborough: dessert heaven
Peterborough proved to be the most enthusiastic in the kitchen at Christmas and came out on top for most of the recipes on our list. They reign supreme as the top city for desserts, leading in yule logs, mince pies and trifle. A standout dessert was gingerbread with a huge 403 searches on average last December.
Bournemouth: biscuit capital
Bournemouth takes the crown as the nation's top spot for festive biscuit recipes at 42 searches on average, showcasing its reputation as a hub for creative and skilled bakers. The city's love for all things sweet doesn’t stop there, Bournemouth also ranks highly for searches on royal icing and yule log recipes, cementing its status as a haven for festive treats and dessert artistry.
UK’s festive food map
The UK’s festive food map showcases the nation's culinary differences, while staples like Yorkshire puddings and mulled wine dominate nationwide, regional quirks add flavour to the story. Whether it’s Peterborough’s dessert fixation or Manchester’s love for comfort food, the nation’s festive tables are as diverse as its cities.
