The best Christmas turkey recipes for 2024
When it comes to Christmas turkey recipes the Good Housekeeping cookery team has been testing and developing recipes including traditional roast turkeys, turkey crowns and turkey rolls for years.
Whether you're looking for an easy rolled turkey recipe, a turkey crown or a turkey recipe with a twist - here are some of our favourites.
For an easy turkey recipe (and budget friendly too) we recommend our jewel stuffed turkey breast. It is stuffed with apple and pork sausage meat and comes with a nutmeg spiced bread sauce.
For another easy turkey recipe this easy glazed turkey crown is great if you have never cooked a turkey before. It’s also easy to carve as it has no bones and takes less time to cook too.
And yet another easy recipe (who said it had to be difficult?) is this turkey breast roll with mincemeat stuffing. Rolling the turkey breast is much easier than you think.
For a real showstopper we recommend our thyme glazed turkey – glazed with marmalade, mustard and sherry and served with onion porcini gravy and all the side dishes you would expect such as our recipe for classic roast potatoes.
If you need to know about turkey cooking times follow our expert guide which also tackles working out what size of turkey you need, defrosting a turkey and how to make sure it’s cooked properly
Spice-Rubbed Turkey
Spiced with paprika, garlic, bay and peppercorns, this beautiful bird is the winning dish on the table this year.
Recipe: Spice-Rubbed Turkey
Citrus-salt and Thyme Brined Turkey
Salting (or dry-brining) your turkey makes for wonderful juicy meat. If you’re short on time, start from step 4 and instead season the clementine butter generously with salt
Recipe: Citrus-salt and Thyme Brined Turkey
Sage and Apple Turkey with Cider Gravy
A winning flavour combination, sage and apple perfectly complement delicate turkey meat. Adding stock (or use cider, if you prefer) to the roasting tin helps keep the meat extra juicy.
Recipe: Sage and Apple Turkey with Cider Gravy
Dry-Brined Turkey
Brining, or marinating in a salt rub, adds tonnes of moistness to any roast, and seasons beautifully. Don’t let the long cooking time worry you, most of that is the gravy which can be done weeks or even months ahead.
Recipe: Dry-Brined Turkey
Thyme and Sherry-Glazed Turkey
For this year's main event, we have glazed our turkey with sherry, marmalade and mustard and rubbed it in clementine juice, thyme and butter.
Recipe: Thyme and Sherry-Glazed Turkey
Herby Turkey Crown
Turkey crowns are simple to roast and carve, and delicious to eat.
Recipe: Herby Turkey Crown
Maple and Clementine Turkey with Sherry Gravy
This turkey is infused with tangy citrus and sweet maple syrup. If you prefer to stuff your bird under the skin, use either of the stuffing recipes below, but remember to weigh it after stuffing to calculate your cooking time.
Recipe: Maple and Clementine Turkey with Sherry Gravy
Butter-Basted Turkey Crown
A simple seasoned butter is all this turkey crown needs to make a spectacular centrepiece for your feast.
Recipe: Butter-Basted Turkey Crown
Jewel Stuffed Turkey Breast
Our super simple, flavour packed stuffing is made with pork and apple sausagemeat and bread sauce for gentle nutmeg spice and to prevent it the meat juicy and moist whilst roasting.
Recipe: Jewel Stuffed Turkey Breast
Glazed turkey crown
A clever choice if you've never roasted a turkey before. No bones, easy to carve, and it takes less time to cook.
Recipe: Glazed turkey crown
Maple and mustard glazed turkey crown
Our sweet and savoury turkey crown is easy to prepare and simple to carve.
Recipe: Maple and mustard glazed turkey crown
Cider Roast Turkey with Gravy
Our easiest ever centrepiece turkey, sure to wow your guests. Swap the cider for apple juice and stock, if you like.
Recipe: Cider Roast Turkey with Gravy
Stuffed Turkey Roll
Impressive and simple to carve, this turkey roll is packed with sweet apples and spicy chorizo
Recipe: Stuffed Turkey Roll
Rolled turkey roast
Cook potatoes under the turkey to save time and oven space.
Recipe: Rolled turkey roast
Brined and buttered roast turkey with classic gravy
Brining is all the rage at the moment, and guarantees juicy, seasoned meat once roasted.
Recipe: Brined and buttered roast turkey with classic gravy
Turkey breast roll with mincemeat stuffing
A great easy recipe for serving turkey at your Christmas table. Rolling the turkey is simpler than you think.
Recipe: Turkey breast roll with mincemeat stuffing
Honey-glazed turkey with gravy
The ultimate Christmas turkey recipe, with a simple and delicious honey and mustard glaze.
Recipe: Honey-glazed turkey with gravy
Easy turkey and stuffing parcel
An easy-to-carve turkey roast, which can be fully prepared the day before and just needs putting in the oven on the day.
Recipe: Easy turkey and stuffing parcel
Roast turkey with sausage, apple and cranberry stuffing
This turkey recipe will be the best you have ever tasted with the succulent stuffing.
Recipe: Roast turkey with sausage, apple and cranberry stuffing
Citrus and Herb Butter-roast Turkey
A spectacular roast turkey recipe perfect for Christmas Day
Recipe: Citrus and Herb Butter-roast Turkey
Traditional roast turkey
Treat Christmas guests to this delicious roast turkey recipe
Recipe: Traditional Roast Turkey
Orange and bay roast turkey
Treat Christmas guests with this delicious turkey recipe
Recipe: Orange and bay roast turkey
Butter-roasted turkey
A 10lb bird will easily feed 10 people for this Christmas turkey recipe, leaving enough for lots of lovely turkey leftovers.
Recipe: Butter-roasted turkey
Sage and Orange Roast Turkey
Do spend as much as you can on a good free-range or organic bird – you'll really be able to notice the difference in the final taste and texture.
Recipe: Sage and Orange Roast Turkey
Roast turkey with pink peppercorns, sage, lemon and thyme
This turkey recipe is full of flavour and will be the show-stopper of your Christmas day.
Recipe: Roast turkey with pink peppercorns, sage, lemon and thyme
Turkey breast with sage stuffing
This turkey recipe makes a neat joint, stuffed with sausage meat and wrapped in bacon, and the rich juices produce a delicious gravy.
Recipe: Turkey breast with sage stuffing
Bacon-Roasted Turkey
Give your Christmas turkey a twist this year by adding some bacon
Recipe: Bacon-Roasted Turkey
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