What to Eat for the Cold Moon

Wondering what to eat for the cold moon? I've got 100 awesome seasonal recipe ideas to keep you warm in December.

The December full moon is known as the cold moon, and based on what's happening outside my window today, that seems entirely accurate. This would have been a bleak and dark time for our ancient ancestors, yet they still managed to celebrate, even on the darkest day of the year with Yule festivities.

Food in December tends to be heavy, rich, and celebratory, so today, I'm bringing you recipes that will keep you feeling warm and cozy, no matter what's happening outside under the full moon.

Spiritual Meaning of the Cold Moon

The cold moon asks us to check in on our self-care habits. Are you giving yourself what you need to stay safe and warm in this harsh season. Use this full moon to pause and take stock of how you're treating the most important person in your life, you. Do you need to shift some habits? Give yourself some grace? Step up to the plate and make things happen? Do what you need to do to take really good care of yourself.

What's in season at the Cold Moon

Obviously, cozy and homey foods are in order. The list of what's in season is beginning to dwindle. Our ancient ancestors would have been making the most of root vegetables and nuts. They would be carefully working through the things they stored up during harvest season. And they may have been planning a Yule feast to celebrate the slow but inevitable return of the light.

Today, we can get whatever we want whenever we want, but if we want to take better care of the earth, we can endeavor to eat more seasonally and more locally. What's available will vary depending on where you live. Check what's available at your local farmer's market if it's even still on in the winter.

Here are a few ideas of what's likely to be available.

Turkey and other poultry is also in season in December.

Gemini foods

In 2024, the cold moon will fall in chatty and ever questioning Gemini. As an air sign, it tends to be associated with things that grow above ground or in trees, including nuts. Here are some Gemini corresponded foods to add more flavor to your cold moon menu.

• almonds
• chestnuts
• dill
• hazelnuts
• lavender
• lemongrass
• parsley
• peas
• sweet potatoes

Recipes for the Cold Moon

Okay, it's time to start cooking. I hope you find some recipe that will keep you warm and fuel you through the long nights.

Breakfast

Wake up to something hot and delicious. The sun probably won't be up for a while, so take time to make yourself something awesome.

• Nutella Oatmeal - Stir a bit of hazelnut wisdom into your morning oats.
• Chorizo & Potato Breakfast Burrito - A little spice makes a great start to the day.
• Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes - Sometimes you have to make your own sunshine.
• Sausage Egg & Cheese Biscuits with Apple Butter - An absolutely delicious combination of sweet and savoury.
• Spinach & Cheese Baked Eggs - The herby bread crumbs on the top are my favorite part.
• Herb Biscuits & Sausage Gravy - Nothing could be heartier, and the fresh parsley lightens up an otherwise heavy dish.
• Sweet Potato Pancakes - When a vegetable tastes like candy, you gotta make pancakes.
• Orange Pancakes - Honestly, the best way to describe these is sunny.
• Healthy Lemon Chia Seed Waffles - Made with whole wheat flour and honey, these lightened up waffles still taste totally indulgent.
• Spicy Mashed Potato Patties - An awesome way to use up leftover mash.
• Nutella Waffles - A simple variation on a breakfast classic.
• Christmas Pancakes - Flavored with orange and clove, these truly taste like Yule.

Soups & Sandwiches

I would happily eat soup and crusty bread for dinner every night in December. And a grilled cheese or hearty sandwich never hurt anything. Find your favorite spoon and dig in.

• Vegan Sweet Corn & Roasted Bell Pepper Soup - Based on a recipe called sunshine soup, this will brighten up the dark days.
• Ham & Potato Soup - What if you served it in a bread bowl?
• Apple Butter & Sharp Cheddar Grilled Cheese - Apple and cheddar were made for each other.
• Butternut Squash & Carrot Soup - With lots of winter spices, this soup is totally craveworthy.
• Chicken Corn Chowder - There's a lot going on in this pot. One bowl is a meal unto itself.
• Leek & Potato Soup - My husband's favorite. At least this week.
• Weeknight Chicken & Dumplings - The sage in these dumplings is what makes this dish.
• Mitraillette - My take on a Belgian street food that's ridiculously delicious.
• Chestnut Soup - A must for Yule.
• Creamy Parsnip Soup - I absolutely love this soup, and I can't believe how easy it is.
• Green Minestrone - A great way to get a ton of vegetables in your body.

Dips & Appetizers

Tis the season for celebrating with friends and family. Put out something awesome for everyone to snack on.

• Whipped Ricotta - This cloud of cheese is the perfect canvas for a bit of kitchen witchery.
• Mexican Spinach Dip - A hot dip that your friends will find irresistable.
• Spicy Cheese Fries - I say appetizer, but I really just want a whole tray all to myself.
• Creamy Garlic Spinach Dip - Heavy on the garlic, friends.
• Brie & Cranberry Tartlets - These super simple bites look fancy but are super easy to make.
• Sweet Potato Chickpea Dip - A vegan dip with gorgeous color.
• Pumpkin Hazelnut Crostini - Totally seasonal toast.
• Cranberry Cocktail Sausages - Bake sausages in sticky, spicy cranberry and chili sauce and come out with something awesome.
• Cranberry Brie with Macadamia Nuts & Caramel - The most gorgeous 5 minute appetizer I've ever seen.
• Sweet Potato Nachos - Everyone will want to crowd around and get in on this action.
• Bacon Parmesan Cheese Ball - For a bit of party nostalgia.

Dinner

The main event needs to have a lot of variety to counter the Christmas sameness, in my opinion. You can only eat so much turkey and stuffing. Here are some ideas for the other 30 days of the month.

• Chicken & Goat Cheese Pasta - You can make an actual mountain of this with total ease.
• Cranberry Turkey Meatloaf - This has been my holiday main for the past 10 years. No regrets.
• Lemon Garlic Pasta - Something fresh and light for when you're feeling overwhelmed with heavy winter treats.
• Pork & Apple Hot Pot - A gorgeously tender all day cooking situation.
• Cornish Pasties - Hearty enough for a miner.
• Chicken & Potato Bake - Super simple flavors of garlic, rosemary, and lemon all cooked together in one dish.
• Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells - This takes a bit of work but is super impressive and so warming.
• South Indian Vegetable Curry - Get all your five a day in one plate.
• Gammon Steak with Pineapple Salsa - A tropical twist on a Yule boar.
• Easy Cheesy Stuffed Peppers - Bring some color to the table.
• Vegetarian Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie - Seriously comforting.
• Turkey Scallopini - A super quick dish with bright lemony flavor.

Side dishes

It's no secret that often the side dishes are more delicious than the main protein. Sometimes sides is all I want. Do what makes you happy.

• Cajun Sweet Potatoes - This takes a while in the oven but requires almost no work from you.
• Italian Roasted Potatoes - Tap into the energy of rosemary with this simple side.
• Maple Glazed Carrots - When you want your vegetables to taste like candy.
• Garlic Herb Bread - Garlic bread is a love language, and I want to speak it every day.
• Lemon Rice - The perfect accompaniment to any Mediterranean dishes.
• Homemade Cranberry Sauce - You'll never want to eat cranberry sauce from a can again once you see how fun this is to make.
• Grilled Potato Foil Packets with Lemon Dill Creme Fraiche - Cooked slowly in the oven and packed with flavor.
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Spiced Maple Butter - My absolute favorite way to serve sweet potatoes.
• Peas with Pancetta & Cream - Make peas into something rich and indulgent.
• Parmesan Fried Gnocchi - The world's easiet side dish is so ridiculously delicious.
• Sweet Potato Gratin - We're baking sweet potatoes in cream and cheese. What could go wrong?
• Mashed Potatoes - Simply a requirement at my house. I wouldn't serve a festive meal without them.

Breads

Bread baking is a great way to stay warm in the winter, and there's no better smell than a freshly baked loaf.

• Garlic & Herb Focaccia Bread - Full of amazing flavor with a whole head of roasted garlic.
• Potato Rolls - These are so light and fluffy, they're almost like pillows.
• Smoked Cheddar & Sage Biscuits - Sage is a quintessential winter flavor.
• Rosemary Potato Rolls - My favorite rolls for special holiday meals.
• Potato Bread - A loaf so soft you could sleep on it.
• Sweet Potato Rolls - I absolutely love the color and the hint of sweetness in these rolls.
• Cheddar & Dill Popovers - Bring a little bit of crunch and a lot of flavor to your side bread.

Desserts

Whenever someone invites me to their home, I always ask if I can bring dessert. Any of these would be awesome for a winter gathering or to celebrate the cold moon with your coven.

• Lavender Cake - Call on that Gemini energy with this gorgeous loaf cake.
• 5 Minute Microwave Lemon Cake - For dessert emergencies.
• Citrus Bundt Cake - Citrus saves the day in winter, and this cake is absolutely lovely.
• Almond Pastry Puff - Similar to a galette des rois, this is sweet and crunchy and so hard to stop eating.
• Nutella Cheesecake Parfaits - An easy no-bake dessert that you can let the kids help with.
• Hawaiian Bread Pudding - An absolutely delicious way to use up stale bread.
• Passion Fruit Tartlets - These are so simple and so beautiful. They'd definitely be impressive at a dinner party.
• Sweet Potato Bread Pudding - I can't think of a more wintery dessert.
• Lemon Meringue Fool - The perfect dessert for people who can't bake.
• Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake - Tastes like a Terry's Chocolate Orange in cake form.
• Chocolate Amaretto Tart - This is totally indulgent and totally awesome.
• Passion Fruit Victoria Sponge - A classic cake with a tropical twist.

Sweet Treats

When the outside world is bleak and harsh, a little sweetness goes a long way. Shivering burns a lot of calories, so you might as well.

• Apple Butter - A great way to preserve apples that are a bit past their prime for straight up snacking.
• Satsuma & Dark Chocolate Brioche - Like panettone for people who don't like dried fruit.
• Nutella No-Bake Cookies - Santa would be crazy to say no to these.
• White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies - There's something about the oats in these cookies that makes them impossible to stop thinking about.
• Pink Lemonade Fudge - Winter needs more pink.
• Almond Flour Cookies - A sweet and tasty way to use up leftover egg whites.
• Passion Fruit Curd - Keep the flavor of this tart tropica fruit going with this smooth and creamy topping.
• Chocolate Orange Scones - Bring me a cup of tea and a scone in the afternoon and the day's a winner.
• Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies - These are made with powdered hot apple cider mix, and they're super flavorful.
• White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Nut Cookies - A Christmas cookie classic.
• Nutella Fairy Toast - For chocolate emergencies.

Drinks

Your days will definitely be merry and bright if you fix yourself one of these cocktails. Whether you're celebrating with your love or throwing a party for all your friends, I'm sure you'll find a drink you love.

• Lemongrass Gin Cocktail - Calling in Gemini energy, this drink has a distinctly Thai flavor.
• Poinsettia Champagne Cocktail - I almost always serve this at the holidays.
• Blackcurrant & Lemon Cocktail - Fruity and bright with a beautiful color.
• Brazilian Sunrise Cocktail - The sun may is rising late in December, so you'll be able to check the color accuracy.
• Pomegranate Martini - A potent and sophisticated cocktail with a gorgeous color.
• Passion Fruit Green Tea - Trick your brain into thinking that summer is coming soon.
• Orange & Amaretto Cider - This feels deeply wintery to me.
• Cucumber Lemon & Mint Infused Water - To help you stay hydrated after all the festivities.
• Carrot Ginger Orange Mimosa - For those of you who like to party at breakfast.
• Apple Margarita - A margarit always feels like a party, so bring it into the winter with apple.
• Nutty Nutella Boozy Milkshake - Okay, I know it's cold outside, but this milkshake with Frangelico and Amartto is worth getting under a blanket for.
• Spiced Sparkling Cider Cocktail - This is one of the fancier drinks on my site, so I can't think of a better time to make it.

Celebrate the Cold Moon

I hope you celebrate the cold moon with feast and friends. Check in with yourself and make sure you're giving yourself what you need. And for goodness sake, don't forget to eat.

If you give any of these recipes a try, please let me know in the comments. Blessed full moon, witches.