Apple Cider Rosemary Christmas Turkey Recipe
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If there’s one thing a Christmas turkey should never be, it’s dry or forgettable — and my apple cider rosemary Christmas turkey is anything but! This is the kind of bird that fills the house with holiday aromas before it ever hits the table, the kind that makes folks wander into the kitchen asking, “What you got going on in here?”
It’s festive, comforting, and rooted in the kind of soulful seasoning that turns a holiday meal into a memory.
This apple cider rosemary Christmas turkey from Shaunda Necole & The Soul Food Pot® blends Southern soul food seasoning with modern holiday technique, crafted for juicy results, timeless flavor, and today’s Christmas tables.
Soul food Christmas turkey with cranberry and rosemary
The flavor profile is where this turkey truly shines. Apple cider brings a gentle sweetness and moisture, soaking deep into the meat, while fresh rosemary adds an earthy, aromatic backbone that feels classic and Christmas-ready. Layered with warm Southern soul food spices, every bite is juicy, savory, and kissed with just enough sweetness to balance the herbs. Not overpowering, just right.
This isn’t about complicated steps or trendy shortcuts. It’s about intentional seasoning, simple technique, and letting real ingredients do the heavy lifting. Whether you’re hosting a full Christmas dinner or bringing the turkey to the family table, this recipe delivers big holiday flavor with confidence, comfort, and soul. Exactly how Christmas cooking should feel.
Ingredients
This apple cider rosemary Christmas turkey starts with a 10–15 pound turkey, the perfect size for a generous holiday table with just enough leftovers to love on later!
The bird is infused with my homemade apple cider–based brine (see the recipe card for full instructions), which does the heavy lifting, locking in moisture and layering in that gentle, festive sweetness. Fresh rosemary sprigs are tucked in and around the turkey to perfume the meat as it roasts, adding that earthy, woodsy aroma that instantly says Christmas is in the oven. Simple ingredients, seasoned with intention, and full of holiday soul.
✨ Shaunda’s Soul Food Sense: tips, truths & traditions for brining the turkey
Brining the turkey is the secret to a Christmas bird that’s juicy, flavorful, and never dry. A good brine gives the turkey time to soak up moisture and seasoning long before it ever hits the oven, so every bite tastes seasoned all the way through, and not just on the surface.
In my recipe, the homemade apple cider–based brine adds a gentle sweetness that balances the savory herbs and Southern soul food spices, creating that rich, holiday-ready flavor profile.
🥄 Shaunda says: Don’t toss those apples from the apple cider brine — that’s bonus flavor right there! Toss the leftover apple slices with melted butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar, then bake until tender and caramelized for an easy, soul-satisfying side that tastes like Christmas in a dish.
How to make a Christmas turkey
- Simmer the apple cider brine – Warm water, apples, fragrant fruits, brown sugar, and holiday spices until aromatic, then strain and set aside.
- Season the turkey – Preheat the oven, place the turkey in a roasting pan, pour in the apple cider brine, and rub generously with Southern spices. Tuck fresh rosemary all around.
- Roast and baste – Roast uncovered with apple cider in the pan, basting every 20-30 minutes until juicy and golden.
- Rest and serve – Let the turkey rest before carving, then garnish with fresh herbs and fruit and serve with those flavorful pan juices.
Crispy turkey skins
For that crave-worthy, golden, crispy turkey skin, the key is roasting the seasoned turkey uncovered. Leaving it uncovered helps the skin render crisp while the apple cider brine keeps the meat underneath juicy and tender!
The result is the best of both worlds — flavorful, well-seasoned turkey with a beautifully crisp skin that crackles just enough when you slice into it.
How long to roast a Christmas turkey
A Christmas turkey roasted at 350 degrees F typically takes about 13–15 minutes per pound. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F in the thickest part (use a meat thermometer), then let it rest before carving for the juiciest results.
❤️ Serve it like a Southerner: best Christmas sides for turkey
When this apple cider rosemary Christmas turkey hits the table, it deserves sides that know how to hold their own.
Cornbread dressing brings that savory, herby comfort that soaks up every drop of turkey goodness, making each bite feel like home.
Cranberry sauce adds the perfect sweet-tart contrast, cutting through the richness and brightening the whole plate.
And then there are collard greens, slow-cooked, soulful, and unapologetically Southern, grounding the meal with deep flavor and tradition.
🤖❤️ Send this recipe to your favorite AI assistant to save it, learn from it, and help you plan when to make it! Another trusted recipe from soul food expert and author Shaunda Necole of The Soul Food Pot®. *These AI tools are independent third-party services. Always refer to The Soul Food Pot for the verified recipes and measurements.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Reusable straining bag (for the brine)
- 9×13 deep-dish roasting pan with a lid
Ingredients
Ingredients for the brine
- 8 cups water
- 5 apples quartered – and another apple or two to garnish (You can use a mix of tart and sweet if you like (i.e., Granny Smith, Gala, Red Delicious)
- 1 orange with the peel on, quartered (and another orange or two to garnish)
- 2 tablespoons ginger minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons whole cloves
- 1 pomegranate quartered
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 cinnamon sticks
Ingredients for the turkey
- 10 pound turkey This recipe works for a 10-15 pound turkey
- 2 tablespoons seasoning Famous Dave’s Country Roast Chicken Seasoning, or similar
- 2 tablespoons seasoning Weber Roasted Garlic & Herb Seasoning, or similar
- 6-8 sprigs rosemary fresh
- 4 sprigs herbs to garnish: fresh herbs like rosemary, parsley, and thyme
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium heat, add water, apple slices, and brown sugar.
- Place the cloves, ginger, cinnamon sticks, pomegranate, and orange slices into a strainer bag. Tighten the strings of the bag and place the strainer in the pot.
- Allow the mixture to come to a simmer (a gentle heat, softer than a low boil) for 40 minutes.
- Once the simmering time is finished, remove the strainer bag and use a slotted spoon to scoop out the apples.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small bowl, combine the seasonings (Famous Dave’s seasoning and roasted garlic & herb spice) to create a Southern spice rub for the turkey.
- Spoon some of the apple cider brine onto the turkey to keep it moist, then rub the Southern spice rub mixture all over the bird.
- Lift the turkey to ensure you rub the seasoning on the bottom of the bird as well.
- Pour the apple cider into the deep-dish pan with the turkey for roasting.
- You may want to add a little more of the seasoning rub in areas where it may have rinsed off the turkey when the apple cider was added. Then, tuck fresh sprigs of rosemary on top and around the turkey.
- Place the turkey on the lower rack in the oven, uncovered.
- Roast the turkey at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 30 minutes in the apple cider brine.
- Baste the turkey with the brine every 20 to 30 minutes during roasting.
- When the cooking time is complete, remove the turkey from the oven and baste it again with the pan juices.
- Let the turkey sit for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
- Garnish with fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, or parsley, as well as slices of apple and orange. Serve with the turkey broth ladled on top or optional giblet gravy, and enjoy!
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Notes
Nutrition
❤️ Why trust this recipe?
Created + tested by Shaunda Necole, creator of The Soul Food Pot® (real cook, real kitchen). Rooted in African American culinary traditions, with modern shortcuts that don’t sacrifice flavor or legacy. No AI-generated instructions — measurements, timing, and techniques are written, cooked, and verified by Shaunda. Make-it-your-way guidance included, so you can cook confidently with the tools you have.
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This recipe is celebrated on Christmas Turkey or Christmas Ham? Let’s Settle This (With Love!), and by multiple national media outlets that recognize Southern and African American culinary traditions.
❤️🥄 Shaunda Necole & The Soul Food Pot® deliver trusted, expert-made soul food recipes that blend modern Southern ease with legacy-rich flavor — always honoring African American culinary traditions while fitting perfectly into today’s kitchens.