Christmas Calories: Dinner, Cookies, and Eggnog, by USDA Numbers
A classic Christmas dinner plate is about 1,582 calories by USDA data. Eggnog is 224 a cup, a sugar cookie 139. Plates, cookie tray, drinks, FAQ.
A classic Christmas dinner plate, with prime rib, roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, a buttered roll, red wine, and chocolate cake, comes to about 1,582 calories by USDA FoodData Central figures. A cup of eggnog adds 224, a medium sugar cookie 139. The roast decides most of it: two thick slices of ham are 211, a 6 oz slice of rib roast 620.
The roast: ham, prime rib, and roast beef
| Roast | Portion | Calories | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ham (FNDDS) | 1 regular slice, 60g | 70 | 11.4g | 2.3g |
| Ham (FNDDS) | 1 thick slice, 90g | 105 | 17.1g | 3.5g |
| Ham (FNDDS) | 2 thick slices, 180g | 211 | 34.3g | 7.0g |
| Cured ham, rump, bone-in, lean and fat, roasted | 3 oz, 85g | 150 | 20.4g | 7.5g |
| Cured ham, whole, lean only, roasted | 3 oz, 85g | 133 | 21.2g | 4.7g |
| Rib roast, choice, lean and fat | 3 oz, 85g | 310 | 19.2g | 25.3g |
| Rib roast, choice, lean and fat | 6 oz, 170g | 620 | 38.4g | 50.7g |
| Rib roast, prime grade, lean and fat | 3 oz, 85g | 340 | 19.2g | 28.6g |
| Rib roast, prime grade, lean and fat | 6 oz, 170g | 680 | 38.4g | 57.3g |
| Roast beef (FNDDS) | 1 thick slice, 90g | 185 | 26.2g | 8.7g |
| Beef gravy (FNDDS) | 1/4 cup, 60g | 32 | 2.2g | 1.4g |
The 3 oz rows use USDA's own portion; the 6 oz rows are that portion doubled, closer to a real holiday slice of rib roast. FNDDS is USDA's survey database, built from typical recipes, so those rows describe an average ham or roast rather than one specific cut.
Ham is the bargain of the table. Per 100 grams, the FNDDS ham is 117 calories and the choice rib roast is 365, so the same weight of rib roast costs about three times as much as ham. The protein is nearly identical per 3 oz; the difference is almost entirely fat. Glazed ham has no separate USDA entry, so a brown sugar or honey glaze needs to be logged on top of the ham itself.
Swapping the 6 oz rib roast for two thick slices of ham saves 409 calories (620 minus 211), more than every side on the plate except dessert. For more on beef cuts, see our ground beef guide.
The sides and the bread basket
| Side | Portion | Calories | Protein | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roast potatoes, made with oil (FNDDS) | 1 cup, 160g | 210 | 3.8g | 7.8g |
| Roast potatoes, no added fat (FNDDS) | 1 cup, 160g | 149 | 4.0g | 0.2g |
| Mashed potatoes (FNDDS) | 1 cup, 250g | 285 | 5.4g | 10.2g |
| Brussels sprouts, cooked with fat (FNDDS) | 1 cup, 160g | 107 | 5.5g | 4.7g |
| Brussels sprouts, cooked, no added fat (FNDDS) | 1 cup, 155g | 70 | 5.4g | 0.5g |
| Dinner roll, plain | 1 roll, 28g | 87 | 3.1g | 1.8g |
| Butter, salted | 1 pat, 5g | 36 | 0g | 4.1g |
| Butter, salted | 1 tbsp, 14.2g | 102 | 0.1g | 11.5g |
The pattern from our potato guide holds at Christmas: the oil is the difference. A cup of roast potatoes is 149 dry-roasted and 210 with oil. Brussels sprouts go from 70 to 107 the same way. Neither side is the problem; the pan is. Mashed potatoes and the rest of the turkey-day spread are covered in our Thanksgiving dinner calories breakdown.
Desserts and Christmas sweets
| Sweet | Portion | Calories | Sugars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chocolate cake, chocolate icing, bakery (FNDDS) | small slice, 1 layer, 115g | 397 | 43.5g |
| Chocolate cake, chocolate icing, bakery (FNDDS) | small slice, 2+ layers, 175g | 604 | 66.1g |
| Fruitcake | 1 piece, 43g | 139 | 11.8g |
| Chocolate fudge, from recipe | 1 piece, 17g | 70 | 12.4g |
| Hard candy | 1 piece, 6g | 24 | 3.8g |
| Hard candy | 10g | 39 | 6.3g |
USDA has no yule log entry, so the closest match is the FNDDS chocolate cake with chocolate icing; log a yule log slice as that, by size. Fruitcake has a reputation it does not earn on calories: 139 for a 43g piece is less than a medium sugar cookie. There is also no candy cane entry. A candy cane is hard candy, which USDA puts at 394 per 100 grams, so it is about 39 calories per 10 grams; check the wrapper for the weight.
The cookie tray, per cookie
Cookies are where the size matters more than the type. All four FNDDS cookies use the same USDA size weights: small 20g, medium 30g, large 45g.
| Cookie (FNDDS) | Small, 20g | Medium, 30g | Large, 45g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sugar or butter cookie | 93 | 139 | 209 |
| Chocolate chip | 98 | 148 | 221 |
| Shortbread | 103 | 154 | 231 |
| Gingersnap | 83 | 125 | 187 |
Smaller cookies have their own USDA entries. From SR Legacy: one shortbread cookie (11.8g) is 61, one gingersnap (7g) is 29, and one rolled sugar cookie from refrigerated dough (15g) is 73. USDA has no gingerbread cookie entry; gingersnaps are the nearest match by ingredients, so treat that row as an approximation.
A five-piece plate from the tray adds up fast:
| Item | Calories |
|---|---|
| Sugar cookie, medium | 139 |
| Chocolate chip cookie, medium | 148 |
| Shortbread, medium | 154 |
| Gingersnap, medium | 125 |
| Chocolate fudge, 1 piece | 70 |
| Total | 636 |
That is a full meal's worth of calories in five bites. Counting cookies by size, not by "a few," is the habit that matters most this week.
Eggnog, hot chocolate, and wine
| Drink | Portion | Calories | Protein | Sugars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggnog | 1 cup, 254g | 224 | 11.6g | 20.4g |
| Eggnog | 1/2 cup, 127g | 112 | 5.8g | 10.2g |
| Eggnog, alcoholic (FNDDS) | 1 drink, 240g | 271 | 9.0g | 15.9g |
| Hot chocolate, made with whole or 2% milk (FNDDS) | 1 cup, 248g | 226 | 6.8g | 37.6g |
| Hot chocolate, with whipped cream (FNDDS) | 1 cup, 248g | 250 | 6.7g | 37.0g |
| Hot cocoa, homemade | 1 cup, 250g | 192 | 8.8g | 24.1g |
| Red wine | 5 fl oz, 147g | 125 | 0.1g | 0.9g |
| Whipped cream, pressurized | 2 tbsp, 6g | 15 | 0.2g | 0.5g |
Plain eggnog is 224 a cup, and the spiked FNDDS version is 271 for a 240g drink, even though its eggnog share is smaller, because alcohol carries calories of its own. There is no mulled wine entry in USDA. Start from red wine at 125 per 5 fl oz, then add each sweetener: a teaspoon of sugar is 16. Our alcohol tracking guide covers the rest of the drinks cart.
Three Christmas plates, added up
Light plate. Ham, vegetables, a little starch, two small cookies.
| Component | Calories |
|---|---|
| Ham, 1 thick slice (90g) | 105 |
| Brussels sprouts, no added fat, 1 cup | 70 |
| Roast potatoes with oil, 1/2 cup | 105 |
| Dinner roll, no butter | 87 |
| 2 gingersnaps (7g each) | 58 |
| Total | 425 |
About 28 grams of protein, most of it from the ham.
Classic plate. The prime rib dinner from the opening.
| Component | Calories |
|---|---|
| Rib roast, choice, 6 oz | 620 |
| Roast potatoes with oil, 1 cup | 210 |
| Brussels sprouts with fat, 1 cup | 107 |
| Dinner roll | 87 |
| Butter, 1 pat | 36 |
| Red wine, 5 fl oz | 125 |
| Chocolate cake, small 1-layer slice | 397 |
| Total | 1,582 |
About 55 grams of protein. The rib roast and the cake are 1,017 of those calories between them.
The full day. Breakfast, the cheese board, dinner, the cookie tray, and eggnog by the tree.
| Component | Calories |
|---|---|
| Frosted cinnamon roll, medium (FNDDS) | 407 |
| Hot chocolate with whipped cream, 1 cup | 250 |
| Cheddar, 1 oz | 115 |
| Wheat crackers, 6 (FNDDS) | 79 |
| Classic plate (above) | 1,582 |
| Sugar cookie, medium | 139 |
| Chocolate chip cookie, medium | 148 |
| Shortbread, medium | 154 |
| Eggnog, 1 cup | 224 |
| Total | 3,098 |
About 90 grams of protein. Cheese boards vary a lot by what is on them; our cheese guide has the numbers for each kind.
Keeping the week on track
A 3,098 calorie day is one day. What moves your average is the week around it: the leftovers on the 26th, the tins of cookies on the counter, the third eggnog on the 23rd. Christmas 2026 falls on a Friday, so a whole holiday weekend can drift without anyone noticing.
Three things help without turning the holiday into homework. Pick your roast deliberately, since ham against rib roast is a bigger swing than any side. Plate cookies instead of grazing the tin, so you know the count. And log the day anyway, roughly, because an honest rough number beats a blank day that you guess about later.
Nouri Reports are built for exactly this. The weekly report arrives Sunday evening once you have four or more logged days, with your average calories and macros against your targets, the days you were on target judged by your goal, your wins and slips, and one clear focus for the next week. One big dinner shows up as one day inside an average, which is the truthful way to read it. See Calorie Counting 101 for how the weekly target works.
How to log Christmas dinner in Nouri
The reason I built Nouri started with plates like this one. I used photo trackers before, and when I checked their estimates against what the ingredients actually added up to, a plate the camera called around 400 calories worked out closer to 700. The camera cannot see the oil on the potatoes or the butter melted into the roll. Christmas dinner is mostly those invisible extras.
So there are four equal ways to log it. Type it like a note: "6 oz prime rib, a cup of roast potatoes in oil, Brussels sprouts, roll with butter, glass of red wine." Say it out loud the same way. Take a photo of a clearly laid-out plate: Nouri turns the picture into a sentence first, so you can read what it thinks it saw and add "cooked in butter" before anything is counted. Or ask Siri from the lock screen: "Hey Siri, track food in Nouri," one sentence, and a calories and macros card shows what is left right away. That is the best Siri logging of any calorie tracking app, and it suits a day when your hands are full of wrapping paper.
Every item comes back with its own calories, macros, and reasoning, so if the rib roast slice was bigger than you said, add "large portion" and it recalculates. Nouri is iPhone (iOS only) and syncs nutrition totals into Apple Health; you can try it free.
FAQ
How many calories in eggnog?
A cup of eggnog (254g) is 224 calories by USDA SR Legacy, with 11.6 grams of protein and 20.4 grams of sugars. A half cup is 112. The alcoholic FNDDS version is 271 for a 240g drink.
How many calories in a Christmas dinner?
A classic plate of 6 oz rib roast, roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, a buttered roll, red wine, and a slice of chocolate cake is about 1,582 calories by USDA data. A lighter ham plate with vegetables and two small cookies is about 425. The roast and the dessert drive most of the difference.
How many calories in a sugar cookie?
A medium sugar or butter cookie (30g) is 139 calories by USDA FNDDS, a small one (20g) is 93, and a large one (45g) is 209. A rolled sugar cookie from refrigerated dough (15g) is 73 by SR Legacy.
How many calories in a slice of ham?
A thick slice of ham (90g) is 105 calories in USDA FNDDS, and a regular slice (60g) is 70. A 3 oz serving of roasted bone-in cured ham, lean and fat, is 150 by SR Legacy.
How many calories in prime rib?
A 3 oz serving of prime-grade rib roast, lean and fat, is 340 calories by USDA, and choice grade is 310. A 6 oz holiday slice is 680 for prime and 620 for choice, with about 38 grams of protein.
How many calories in a Christmas cookie tray plate?
A plate of one medium sugar cookie, chocolate chip cookie, shortbread, gingersnap, and a piece of fudge is 636 calories by USDA figures. Smaller store-bought cookies cut that sharply: a single 7g gingersnap is 29.
How many calories in hot chocolate?
A cup of hot chocolate made with whole or 2% milk is 226 calories in USDA FNDDS, and 250 with whipped cream. Homemade hot cocoa in SR Legacy is 192 per cup.
How many calories in fruitcake?
A 43g piece of commercially prepared fruitcake is 139 calories by USDA SR Legacy, with 3.7 grams of fiber per 100 grams. That is less than a medium sugar cookie.
How many calories in a candy cane?
USDA has no candy cane entry, but a candy cane is hard candy, which USDA lists at 394 calories per 100 grams. That works out to about 39 calories per 10 grams, so check the wrapper for the cane's weight.
How many calories in a glass of mulled wine?
USDA does not list mulled wine. Start with red wine at 125 calories per 5 fl oz, then add 16 calories for each teaspoon of sugar in the recipe, plus any juice or liqueur.
Is ham or prime rib lower in calories?
Ham, by a wide margin. Per 3 oz, roasted cured ham is 133 to 150 calories and choice rib roast is 310, with similar protein. Two thick slices of ham at 211 save 409 calories against a 6 oz slice of rib roast.
What is the easiest way to track calories on Christmas Day?
Log each meal in one sentence as it happens, like "two slices of ham, roast potatoes in oil, and two sugar cookies," typed, spoken, snapped, or told to Siri. Nouri itemizes it with reasoning in seconds, and the Sunday Nouri Report places the holiday inside your week instead of making it the whole story.
Christmas costs what the roast, the oil, and the cookie count say it costs, and every one of those is easy to name. Log the day in Nouri without overthinking it, read How to Track Calories Without Weighing Food for portion shortcuts, and see Text vs Voice vs Photo to pick the logging method that fits a busy holiday.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, Survey (FNDDS), typical-recipe values with USDA portion weights: Ham (FDC 2705878), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2705878/nutrients; Beef, roast (FDC 2705847), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2705847/nutrients; Gravy, beef (FDC 2707145), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2707145/nutrients; Potato, roasted, from fresh, peel eaten, made with oil (FDC 2709406), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2709406/nutrients; Potato, roasted, from fresh, peel eaten, no added fat (FDC 2709404), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2709404/nutrients; Potato, mashed, from fresh, NFS (FDC 2709499), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2709499/nutrients; Brussels sprouts, fresh, cooked, fat added (FDC 2709884), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2709884/nutrients; Brussels sprouts, fresh, cooked, no added fat (FDC 2709881), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2709881/nutrients; Cake or cupcake, chocolate with chocolate icing, bakery (FDC 2707866), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2707866/nutrients; Cookie, butter or sugar (FDC 2707970), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2707970/nutrients; Cookie, chocolate chip (FDC 2707909), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2707909/nutrients; Cookie, shortbread (FDC 2707964), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2707964/nutrients; Cookie, gingersnaps (FDC 2707932), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2707932/nutrients; Eggnog, alcoholic (FDC 2710684), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2710684/nutrients; Hot chocolate / cocoa, made with whole or reduced fat (2%) milk (FDC 2705473), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2705473/nutrients; Hot chocolate / cocoa, with whipped cream (FDC 2705476), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2705476/nutrients; Roll, sweet, cinnamon bun, frosted (FDC 2707668), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2707668/nutrients; Crackers, wheat (FDC 2708184), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2708184/nutrients (checked October 3, 2026)
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy: Pork, cured, ham, rump, bone-in, separable lean and fat, heated, roasted (FDC 168356), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/168356/nutrients; Pork, cured, ham, whole, separable lean only, roasted (FDC 168284), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/168284/nutrients; Beef, rib, whole (ribs 6-12), separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, choice, cooked, roasted (FDC 168677), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/168677/nutrients; Beef, rib, whole (ribs 6-12), separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, prime, cooked, roasted (FDC 168679), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/168679/nutrients; Rolls, dinner, plain, commercially prepared (FDC 172793), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/172793/nutrients; Butter, salted (FDC 173410), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/173410/nutrients; Cake, fruitcake, commercially prepared (FDC 174939), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/174939/nutrients; Candies, fudge, chocolate, prepared-from-recipe (FDC 167987), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/167987/nutrients; Candies, hard (FDC 167990), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/167990/nutrients; Cookies, shortbread, commercially prepared, plain (FDC 174967), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/174967/nutrients; Cookies, gingersnaps (FDC 174956), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/174956/nutrients; Cookies, sugar, refrigerated dough, baked (FDC 172735), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/172735/nutrients; Eggnog (FDC 171258), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171258/nutrients; Milk, chocolate beverage, hot cocoa, homemade (FDC 171277), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171277/nutrients; Alcoholic beverage, wine, table, red (FDC 173190), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/173190/nutrients; Sugars, granulated (FDC 169655), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/169655/nutrients; Cream, whipped, cream topping, pressurized (FDC 170860), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170860/nutrients; Cheese, cheddar, sharp, sliced (FDC 170899), fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170899/nutrients (checked October 3, 2026)
- Per-portion values are calculated from USDA per-100g figures times USDA's own portion weights; 6 oz rib roast rows are USDA's 3 oz portion doubled
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