27 Coronation Recipes Even King Charles Would Approve Of
God save the king (and all these recipes).
This Coronation Day, we say God save the king (and all of these recipes to your recipe box). We've rounded up all the best British recipes fit for a king this upcoming Coronation Day (including his signature vodka martini and quiche), so you can eat like a king yourself. Once you try these 27 Coronation Day recipes, you just might find yourself wanting to host afternoon tea more afternoons than not!
Okay, so we know British food can get a bad rap, but we've got more than a few examples of just how good it can be (ahem, beer-battered fish & chips and sausage rolls). Our recipes for coronation chicken and scotch eggs are both sure to become your favorites even after King Charles ascends the throne too. A good Sunday-roast style spread is never a bad idea, either. We highly suggest pairing a beautiful roast chicken or beef Wellington with plenty of Yorkshire puddings for the full experience.
You're likely familiar with just how royally good British desserts are. Where would we be without the sweets that came out of Great British Bake Off? We don't like to imagine it, so instead we opt for baking up some of our top British desserts that go incredibly well with a pot of tea, like a bakewell tart, a Victoria-style sponge cake, and versatile scones.
Don't forget all the lovely cocktails Great Britain has giving us, either. Be sure to toast the new king with a frozen Pimm's cup or any of these fun martinis (King Charles's fave) this Coronation Day!
Coronation Chicken
Although it originated in the United Kingdom during Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation, coronation chicken is much like the chicken salad we all know and love here across the pond. It has all the makings of a classic dish—juicy pieces of chicken, a well-seasoned mayonnaise-based sauce, celery, scallions, and lemon juice for bright, fresh flavor. This dish would be delicious served with crackers for scooping or piled onto a buttered and toasted brioche bun, but we like to serve it on fresh and crisp Bibb lettuce leaves.
Get the Coronation Chicken recipe.
Sausage Rolls
If you like pigs in a blanket, you’ll fall hard for sausage rolls. Featuring juicy pork filling wrapped in flaky golden brown pastry, these savory snacks are sure to become your favorite part of your Coronation spread.
Get the Sausage Rolls recipe.
Lemon Blueberry Puff Pastry Tart
With a lemon-cream cheese base, jammy blueberries, a crunchy crumble, and a flaky puff pastry base, this tart is absolutely perfect. Serve it for afternoon tea, then keep it in your pocket for your next brunch too.
Versatile Scones
The most important thing about a scone? How buttery and flaky they are! These certainly pass the test and they come out tall and proud with plenty of layers and perfectly buttery. This base recipe works well with any extra add-ins and can even go sweet or savory. We include a few of our favorite variations, but don't let the fun stop here. Go wild with some of your favorite fruit, chocolate chips, or favorite cheeses!
Get the Versatile Scones recipe.
Frozen Pimm's Cup
You don’t have to be in the seats at Wimbledon or a polo match to sip on a Pimm’s Cup–especially when you turn into a slushie. The less-proper icy version blends up citrus, cucumber, and a bunch of fresh ginger for some legit zing.
Get the Frozen Pimm's Cup recipe.
Easy Sponge Cake
If you’re looking for a simple celebration cake, one that’s perfect for everything from birthdays to holidays, look no further than this light and fluffy sponge cake. Having it in your recipe arsenal will have you ready for anything: You can cube it a trifle, crumble it over ice cream, or—our favorite—stack it with whipped cream and berries. The best part? You can have this entire cake ready in just about an hour.
Get the Easy Sponge Cake recipe.
Beef Wellington
If you've decided to make Beef Wellington for your dinner party or holiday dinner, your entire crew is in for a treat. While this dish may seem daunting, we've broken it down step-by-step so you can serve up this holiday centerpiece with all of the flavor and none of the stress. If you're looking for a stunning dish to make your guests think you're a pro in the kitchen (and after making this, you practically will be!), you can't go wrong with this traditional dish. Have vegetarian guests? Whip up our adorable mini beet Wellingtons to please everyone on your table.
Get the Beef Wellington recipe.
Scotch Eggs
We didn’t think a jammy egg could get any better—until we tried Scotch eggs. Featuring a layer of sausage wrapped around a boiled egg, battered, and deep-fried, this popular British snack is our new favorite thing to eat for breakfast, lunch, mid-afternoon snack... and any meal in between.
Get the Scotch Eggs recipe.
Petit Fours
Featuring confetti cake layered with raspberry jam and buttercream and covered in a shiny white glaze, these stunning mini cakes will delight anyone who attends your Coronation Day festivities.
Get the Petit Fours recipe.
Classic Roast Chicken
Intimidated by a whole chicken? Don't be! It's surprisingly easy to make, and there's nothing better than roast chicken leftovers. Great on salads, in sandwiches, and in these killer cheesy baked tacos for a post-coronation dinner.
Get the Classic Roast Chicken recipe.
Yorkshire Pudding
No—these aren't actually puddings. Confusing, we know, but for these English bakes, the word "pudding" has a very different meaning than it does stateside. This traditional side dish often accompanies a large beef roast, but they're versatile depending on what you're serving them with, and when.
Get the Yorkshire Pudding recipe.
Classic Vodka Martini
Just three simple ingredients in this classic cocktail (and allegedly King Charles's drink of choice!). Quality vodka and vermouth are key here—since they make up the drink, the cheap stuff just won't do. (You can save that for our peanut butter cup martini 😂)
Get the Classic Vodka Martini recipe.
Bakewell Tart
A Bakewell tart is a classic British tart made of frangipane and raspberry jam, with a crust that's like a cross between a pie crust and shortbread. We love the classic sliced almonds and light dusting of confectioners' sugar, but a confectioners' sugar icing with a feathered pink and white design is also common.
Get the Bakewell Tart recipe.
Fish Pie
America does have a couple of staple savory pies (chicken pot pie and shepherd's pie to name a few). And though their food can sometimes get an unjustly bad rap, the Brits really know how to make a flaky, comforting fish pie filled with all your favorite veg and protein.
Get the Fish Pie recipe.
Best Quiche
Quiche is a favorite in the canon of classic dishes, and our Delish version is no exception. Soft, creamy filling studded with ham, chives, and Gruyère rests inside a crunchy, buttery pie crust to create the breakfast of your dreams.
Get the Best Quiche recipe.
Rhubarb Crisp
The trick to picking the best rhubarb for your crisp? Knowing that hot pink does not equal a better tasting stalk of rhubarb. (But it's a lot prettier.) You'll want to look for firm, crisp stalks, nothing limp or speckled with a lot of blemishes. If you can't find fresh, use frozen!
Get the Rhubarb Crisp recipe.
Beer-Battered Fish
There's nothing super crazy about this recipe, but when you do it right, it's absolutely perfect and you'll wonder why you don't have fish and chips at home more often. Cod is awesome, but other fishes that work great are other substantial, flakey white fishes like haddock, pike, and pollock. And since you have already heated up some oil, throw in a batch of fries to complete the meal. To make them closer to the authentic British-style chip, just cut them a little bit thicker and shorter. No need to be perfect, the irregular shape and size is truer to what you might find in a chip shop.
Get the Beer-Battered Fish recipe.
Cherry Bakewell Cookies
These cookies were inspired by a Bakewell tart, which is a classic British dessert and a variant of Bakewell pudding. It’s defined by a crumbly shortcrust pastry, a layer of sweet jam, and plenty of velvety almond frangipane, then usually topped with sliced almonds and sometimes powdered sugar or icing, and was a natural candidate for cookie-fication. These cookies have a light yet chewy almond-flavored base and are stuffed with tart cherry jam to mimic the flavor combination in a Bakewell tart. Decorated with sliced almonds and icing, these are the epitome of style AND substance.
Get the Cherry Bakewell Cookies recipe.
Vegan Mushroom Pot Pie
When we set out to develop this vegan pot pie, we knew we'd be leaning heavily on mushrooms: the magical fungi that brings loads of umami flavor—AKA the perfect stand-in for meat. This one is decidedly mushroom-y and a perfectly cozy vegan take that's filled with creamy, flavorful gravy, sweet and tender veggies, and topped with a shatteringly flaky crust.
Get the Vegan Mushroom Pot Pie recipe.
Rhubarb Cake
Rhubarb is strikingly beautiful, and this cake shows it off well. The stalks bake right into the cake, becoming soft and jammy, and surrounded by a crunchy sugary crust. It’s quick and simple—more like a snacking cake—meaning you can eat it with your hands if you so desire.
Get the Rhubarb Cake recipe.
Mackenzie Filson is a food writer and contributing digital food producer at Delish. Her favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate-pine and if wine was an astrological sign she'd be a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. She's never met a bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos she didn't eat in one sitting.