Christmas Recipe - Reading Comprehension for ESL Learners + (Free Worksheet)

This Christmas Recipe Reading Comprehension activity helps ESL learners improve vocabulary and reading skills through three easy festive recipes: hot chocolate, gingerbread cookies, and a Christmas cinnamon latte.

Students read the simple graded texts, learn useful cooking words, and complete vocabulary and sequencing exercises.

It’s a fun holiday-themed worksheet for Pre-Intermediate learners and above, ideal for classes, self-study, or seasonal revision.

Today, we’ll explore three easy Christmas recipes written in ESL-friendly language. Each recipe includes key vocabulary, step-by-step instructions, and a short comprehension task to help you practise reading, cooking verbs, and sequencing.

And yes — there’s a free printable PDF you can download below!

👩🏻‍🏫Teacher Note: This post is ideal for warm-ups, homework, December lessons, or self-study. Recipes are graded at Pre-Intermediate level.

Learn English with three cosy Christmas recipes: Hot Chocolate, Gingerbread Cookies & a Cinnamon Latte.

☕ 1. Hot Chocolate (ESL-Graded Recipe)

Vocabulary to Learn

• Heat = make something warm

• Mix =put things together

• Pour = move liquid into a cup

• Stir = move a spoon in circles

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk

• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• Marshmallows (optional)

🧑‍🎄Instructions

1. Heat the milk in a small pot.

2. Add the cocoa powder and sugar.

3. Stir the mixture until it is smooth.

4. Pour it into a mug and add marshmallows.

   
   

Quick Questions

1. What do you heat first? ___________________

2. What do you add after the cocoa powder?  ___________________

3. What is the last step?  ___________________

👩🏻‍🏫Teacher Note:

This is a great section to review sequencing adverbs: first, next, then, finally.

🍪 2. Gingerbread Cookies (ESL-Graded Recipe)

Vocabulary to Learn

• Bake = cook in an oven

• Roll out = make dough flat

• Cut = make shapes

• Cool = let something become less hot

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour

• 1 tablespoon ginger

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1 egg

• 2 tablespoons sugar

🧑‍🎄 Instructions

1. Mix the flour, ginger, butter, egg, and sugar in a bowl.

2. Roll out the dough.

3. Cut the dough into cookie shapes.

4. Bake the cookies and let them cool.

   
   

Quick Questions

1. What do you mix first?  ___________________

2. When do you roll out the dough?  ___________________

3. What do you do after baking?  ___________________

👩🏻‍🏫Teacher Note:

Great for practising cooking verbs + past tense transformation (“First you mix…” → “First she mixed…”).

🎄 3. Christmas Cinnamon Latte (ESL-Graded Recipe)

Vocabulary to Learn

• Brew = make coffee

• Sprinkle = drop small pieces on top

• Foam =light, bubbly milk

• Sweeten = make it sweet

Ingredients

• 1 cup coffee

• ½ cup warm milk

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• Whipped cream (optional)

🧑‍🎄 Instructions

1. Brew a cup of strong coffee.

2. Warm the milk and mix in the cinnamon.

3. Pour the milk into the coffee.

4. Add sugar, sprinkle cinnamon on top, and enjoy.

   
   

Quick Questions

1. What do you brew first?  ___________________

2. What do you mix with the milk?  ___________________

3. What do you sprinkle on top?  ___________________

👩🏻‍🏫Teacher Note:

Use this section to review imperatives and simple present.

🔄 Sequencing Challenge (All Recipes)

Put the steps in the correct order:

A. Hot Chocolate

a. Add cocoa powder

b. Pour into a mug

c. Heat the milk

d. Stir until smooth

B. Gingerbread Cookies

a. Bake the cookies

b. Mix the ingredients

c. Roll out the dough

d. Cut the cookie shapes

C. Cinnamon Latte

a. Warm the milk

b. Brew the coffee

c. Add sugar + sprinkle cinnamon

d. Pour milk into coffee

👩🏻‍🏫Teacher Note: Great end-of-lesson task; can also be turned into a printable or used for pair work.

📥 Download the Free PDF Worksheet

Get the A4 printable with vocabulary, recipes, and exercises here:

👉 (coming soon)

If you enjoyed learning English through simple lifestyle topics like recipes, café drinks, and cosy routines, don’t forget to check out:

• Christmas story lessons

• Festive vocabulary lists

• Recipe-themed ESL videos

🔗Check out the links below ⬇️

👉 Share this post with your friends.

👉 Download the free worksheet for extra practice.

👉 Join the mailing list to get new ESL stories every week.

Bring the magic of English learning into your classroom this Christmas—one cosy story at a time. 🎄

🔔 Practice More:Want to improve your listening and speaking skills?

🎥 Check out our YouTube Channel Playlist:

🔗 English for Festivals and Holidays

🔗 ESL Listening Practice With Engaging Stories

🔗 Quick and Easy Vocabulary

📚Prefer to Read?

• Morning Routines Around the World: An ESL Listening Podcast + Worksheet

• A Day At the Café Story - Learn Essential Phrases + Vocabulary List

• The Apartment Search - Listening Practice With Housing Vocabulary