Delicious, easy recipes by Jay Wadams

Welcome to
Days of Jay

I'm Jay, cookbook author and food photographer.

Days of Jay is my website, where I share easy, delicious recipes for home cooking.

My recipes are packed with photos and useful tips and tricks to help you as you cook. They are all inspired by healthy, seasonal ingredients and my travels across the globe, especially in Germany, Italy, Cyprus, and Australasia.

Welcome to
Days of Jay

I'm Jay, cookbook author and food photographer. Days of Jay is my website, where I share easy, delicious recipes for home cooking.

My recipes are packed with photos and useful tips and tricks to help you as you cook. They are all inspired by healthy, seasonal ingredients and my travels across the globe, especially in Germany, Italy, Cyprus, and Australasia.

I am so excited to have you here, so let’s dive in and get cooking!


It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!


Well, the countdown is until the year’s end, and Christmas is just around the corner. Check out some of my most popular Christmas and festive recipes below!

Homemade Irish Cream couldn’t be easier to make, tastes streets ahead of the commercial stuff, can be adjusted precisely to suit your sweet tooth and makes an excellent gift for friends – if you are prepared to share it!

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German Cinnamon Star Cookies zimtsterne.

The ultimate German Christmas cookie, Zimtsterne or Cinnamon Star Cookies are deliciously chewy morsels, topped with a crisp layer of snowy white meringue.

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Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies

With perfect spirals of chocolate and vanilla, my melt-in-the-mouth Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies are as good to look at as they are to eat. Made from crumbly, buttery shortbread they make a perfect and beautiful Christmas gift, though they are delicious any time of year!

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German Nut Corners Nussecken Title Card.

Nussecken or Nut Corners are a famous German Christmas time treat made from a buttery shortbread base, topped with apricot jam and a layer of caramelized hazelnut. After baking, they are sliced into triangles, and the corners are dipped in delicious dark chocolate. Let me tell you, they are completely irresistible!

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Almond and Cranberry Nougat recipe title card.

Sweet and delicious, it is easier than you think to make homemade nougat. This recipe has no glucose or corn syrup and can be made with ordinary household ingredients. Perfect for Christmas gifts!

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Cinnamon Star Bread Title Card showing star bread from two angles. Text overly 'Sweet Cinnamon Star Bread'.

One of my favourite Christmas bakes is Cinnamon Star Bread. With the delicious flavour of cinnamon rolls, this sweet bread recipe makes a beautiful loaf to feed a crowd. It is also actually much simpler than it looks, relying on clever cutting and twisting of the layers of dough to achieve the beautiful design.

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German style Gingerbread hearts

My easy recipe for making traditional Oktoberfest Lebkuchenherzen or Gingerbread Hearts at home. Hang these brightly decorated hearts around the neck of your sweetheart (or eat and enjoy!)

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My Mulled Wine Cheesecake is full of Christmas’s rich spices and flavours. A deep-red, almost black mulled wine jelly on top of a creamy citrussy filling with a deliciously spicy base. This fabulous no-bake cheesecake is Christmas heaven!

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Classic British Christmas Cake recipe title card.

Even though I grew up on the other side of the world in New Zealand, it wouldn’t be Christmas Day without a Classic British Christmas Cake. This dense and sweet cake, packed with dried fruit, spices and plenty of brandy is an absolute must for the festive season and is something I look forward to…

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Quarkbällchen German Donut Holes title card.

Super light and fluffy on the inside and crisp and sugary on the outside, my German-style Donut holes or Quarkbällchen recipe is so easy it’s like kitchen magic. Made without yeast, they are ready in minutes. Perfect for parties or sharing with friends (or just eating all to yourself!)

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The Latest Recipes From My Kitchen

Discover my latest and greatest recipes below, or use the search function to find exactly what you’re looking for.


Homemade Bavarian Pretzels Title Card.

Bavarian Pretzels (with and without Lye)

There’s nothing quite like a traditional Bavarian pretzel with a golden-brown, salt-studded crust and a chewy, perfect texture. My recipe for homemade pretzels with step-by-step instructions and photos is simple to make at home.
German style Gingerbread hearts

Gingerbread Hearts ‘Lebkuchenherzen’

My easy recipe for making traditional Oktoberfest Lebkuchenherzen or Gingerbread Hearts at home. Hang these brightly decorated hearts around the neck of your sweetheart (or eat and enjoy!)
Oktoberfest Roast Chicken

Oktoberfest Roast Chicken

Oktoberfest Roast Chicken is a Bavarian classic recipe. The secret to tender, fall off the bone meat is to roast the chicken extra low and slow, or poach then roast. I’ve given two fool proof methods below.
Chicken and Chickpea Pilaf

Chicken and Chickpea Pilaf

Turkish Chicken & Chickpea Pilaf or Tavuklu Nohutlu Pilav, made from shredded barbecue chicken with rice and chickpeas is always filling and delicious. Especially when loaded up with juicy chicken and topped with spicy pickled peppers.

Mushroom Ragu with Creamy Polenta

Mushrooms with Creamy Polenta is autumn on a plate. This famous North Italian speciality is so warm and comforting, and so easy to make. I like to use a mixture of mushrooms for texture and flavour.

Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

Pure comfort food, Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto or ‘Risotto alla Zucca’ is a classic of the Italian kitchen. The combination of creamy risotto rice with sweet roasted pumpkin and fragrant sage is a match made in foodie heaven.
Apricot Puff Pastry Braid.

Apricot Puff Pastry Braid

Whenever I need a sweet or dessert in a hurry, I always make a Puff Pastry Braid. The combination of flaky puff pastry, juicy apricots and sweetened cream cheese is always a winner, and only takes minutes to prepare.
Farmhouse Apple Cake Title Card.

Farmhouse Apple Cake

Crumbly, buttery, nutty streusel tops this moist and tender apple cake. This rustic farm-style cake is made with no special equipment, just a couple of bowls and a whisk.

Recipes By Meal Type


light-bites
Main Event
Sweet Things
cocktail hour

Marillenknödel – Austrian Apricot Dumplings
Wurstsalat (German Sausage Salad)
Easy Cherry Tomato Tart
Zwetschgendatschi (Bavarian Plum Tart)
Homemade Chocolate Popsicles

Looking for Dinner Inspiration?


Below are some of my most popular dinner recipes. Quick and easy with simple ingredients and big flavours.

Baked Teriyaki Glazed Salmon Title Card.
Melt in your mouth pork, topped with a vibrant green sauce, Salsa Verde Pork Tenderloin is so incredibly tasty it is worth making two as the first is guaranteed to disappear in a flash!
German Sauerbraten recipe card.
Fresh Home Made Pasta
Roasted Feta Stuffed Mushrooms
Pork stroganoff title card.

My FAvourite German Cake Recipes

While people often associate Germany with pretzels and beer, it’s really all about coffee and cake!

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Easy German Cake Recipes