Here Are the Calories in Your Favorite Christmas Dishes

Unfortunately, this calorie count for sugar cookies doesn’t include those slathered in icing, which are empirically the best kind. Take it easy on Santa when you leave this treat by the fireplace on Christmas Eve. 

Despite the healthy-sounding “fruit” in the name, a serving of fruit cake contains roughly the same amount of calories as white cake, sans frosting. However, you have to actually eat it, instead of just letting it sit on the shelf gathering dust until you can pawn it off on someone else. 

Portion control is the key to not gaining 60 pounds by the time Christmas dinner is over. While the number of calories in ham—even the kind that’s spiral-cut and soaked in sugar—isn’t terrible, keep in mind that a normal serving of meat is roughly the size of a deck of cards.

Who doesn’t hope Grandma will bring a bucket of fudge to Christmas? While 70 calories doesn’t sound that bad, remember that an ounce is roughly a one-inch by one-inch square. And chances are, the better the fudge, the higher the calories. 

If you’ve got chestnuts roasting on an open fire, you really should consider them as an alternative to less-healthy Christmas desserts. Although nuts tend to be heralded as a great snack for their filling proteins, if you aren’t that into chestnuts, you could probably skip this tradition and go for an equally festive apple. 

Roasted duck is arguably one of the lower-calorie options for a main course. Which is great, because then you can focus your concern on your side dishes, holiday beverages, or an extra serving of fruit cake.

This warm, cider-y drink is a favorite among carolers, assuming those still exist. It dates back to ancient England, when everyone went around to their orchards, singing and chanting to the trees to promote a good harvest in the fall. And it’s not bad calorie-wise either!

Whether in cake or man form, watch your gingerbread intake. It's a very dense treat, and a large serving can really pack a caloric punch. 

It shouldn’t be much of a surprise that eggnog takes the metaphorical cake for Christmas calories, considering its creamy consistency and potential for containing liquor. If you’re counting calories, you’d be better off opting for a little eggnog-flavored creamer in your morning coffee to get into the spirit of things. 

Never mind the calorie count, what even is figgy pudding? Glad you asked. It’s a delicious, fig-based confection that’s traditionally ring-shaped and sometimes served with a little whipped cream or icing. Texture-wise, it can range from a light pudding to a bundt cake. And of course, certain recipes will have more calories than others.