This is your ultimate round up of easy but out-of-this-world Christmas recipes! There’s a little something for everyone here – starters, main dishes, side dishes and of course, desserts.
Plan your Christmas menu with ease with every delicious, free printable recipe you could ask for.
Save this one and pin it for later – it’s the best Christmas recipe guide around, featuring 50+ incredible recipes!
One of the things I’ve learned in my years of entertaining is that planning ahead is my best method to beat the stress. This goes for everything – invitations, decorating, and certainly the meal planning and prep.
However, it can be overwhelming to get started. There are so many delicious recipes and ideas out there to choose from! That’s where this easy, organized guide comes in.
Today I’m sharing my favorite recipes for the holidays, broken into categories that make it easy to follow and understand. You’ll see a link to each one, featuring a free printable recipe card.
If you prefer to simply browse around and find your own version of a perfect Christmas meal plan, hop on over to the Christmas category!
Christmas Menu Ideas
Christmas looks different for everyone. You can serve a beautiful brunch, host a festive informal gathering with walking tacos or chili, or treat your guests to a fabulous formal dinner party.
With that in mind, these menu ideas reflect some of the most popular recipes I’ve created over the years! You’ll find fabulous appetizers and delicious desserts, and everything in between.
First, here are a few of my best tips, serving suggestions, and answers to your frequently asked questions.
Tips
- Choose 1-3 items from each category for a well rounded meal. You’ll want an appetizer (or five haha), a main dish, salad, bread, drinks and dessert.
- Plan ahead! Get organized a week or so in advance, if possible. This allows you to get your groceries ordered or take an efficient shopping trip!
- Prep early. Do all your chopping, mixing and creating in the 48 hours prior to your event. The more you accomplish ahead of time, the better you’ll feel on the day of your party!
- Arrange serving platters and glassware ahead, too. I like to think ahead about which dishes, bowls and platters I’ll need for serving and get them lined up on our island or table.
- Of course, same goes for the bar area! Don’t skip this complete guide to Christmas Cocktails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Traditionally, Christmas dinner looks much like your Thanksgiving meal! That means turkey with stuffing, potatoes, veggie sides, and more. However, many families get creative and choose other types of poultry, or even beef and pork dishes like roasts and tenderloin.
Turkey is the most popular entrée, but you can choose from a wide array of other proteins if you’d like. Almost as popular are items like ham, prime rib, tenderloin, chicken, roast beef or pork.
Serving Suggestions
Here are my favorite serving platters, utensils, baking dishes and glassware. Whether you serve an informal buffet on your kitchen countertops, or a more elaborate seated dinner, you can make it feel oh-so-special for guests with some beautiful serving suggestions.
The Best Christmas Recipes
Appetizers
Reindeer Bacon Cheddar Cheeseball
This Bacon Ranch Cheddar Cheeseball is so cute and festive for the holidays! Shaped into a charming reindeer, this Christmas cheese ball will be the hit of your parties this year – a bacon cheese ball has never looked so cute!
Roasted Shrimp Cocktail
A classic appetizer for the holidays, don’t skip this one. Roasting your shrimp takes it to a whole new level – and it’s so easy to do!
Serve with this homemade cocktail sauce for even more YUM factor!
Stuffed Mushrooms
These bacon and cream cheese Stuffed Mushrooms are an easy crowd pleasing appetizer made with just a few simple ingredients. This stuffed mushroom recipe is perfect for parties and perfectly poppable! You can’t stop at just one!
Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon
These bacon wrapped dates are stuffed with decadent cream cheese… it’s the ultimate combination of sweet and savory flavors. Textural, creamy and oh-so-delicious, you’re going to love this incredible appetizer!
Pomegranate Ornament Christmas Cheese Ball
Why buy a boring store bought Holiday Cheese Ball when it’s so easy to make your own? This Pomegranate Cheeseball recipe is a savory Christmas Cheese Ball with a vibrant taste of sweet and sour pomegranate seeds.
Make it in the simple shape of an ornament and you’ll have an appetizer that everyone will love!
Santa’s Hat Cranberry Cheese Ball
Make it festive this holiday season with a delicious Cranberry Cheese Ball shaped like Santa’s hat!
Charcuterie Jars
Jarcuterie is the cutest spin on the ever-popular charcuterie boards that are forever loved by families and party-goers across the world! Instead of a board or platter, charcuterie elements are served in individual containers or jars.
Cheese Ball Bites
Mini cheese ball bites are the ultimate easy appetizer to serve at parties! They are filling, savory and delicious… not to mention so easy to customize.
Brie Wreath Christmas Appetizer
How to make a beautiful and festive Christmas Appetizer – a Brie Wreath! Baked Brie is always a crowd pleasing sharing plate during the holidays and like most of my easy recipes, just takes a few ingredients to make!
Irresistible Veggie Dip Recipe
The best veggie dip recipe that will have everyone begging for the recipe! This vegetable dip makes a large batch perfect for get-togethers! Get the secret that makes it stand above the rest!
Pesto Cheeseball Wreath
This Pesto Cheeseball wreath makes the most festive holiday Pesto Appetizer. Cream cheese, basil and cherry tomatoes create a Pesto Cheese flavor explosion! Easy to make with just five ingredients, this gorgeous wreath will be the star of your Christmas party.
Cranberry Salsa
This sweet and spicy cranberry salsa is an incredible way to spice up your holidays! When you blend the tart juicy bite of fresh cranberries with fiery jalapeños, magic happens.
This Christmas salsa is the ultimate addition to your holiday appetizer spread!
Christmas Salads
Easy Christmas Salad Recipe
A fun and festive Christmas Salad that looks as good as it tastes. This Christmas wreath salad is always memorable and is quick and easy to make! Perfect to serve as a holiday appetizer or as a side dish.
Handheld Endive Salad
This easy endive appetizer is everything you crave for entertaining! It’s healthy, gorgeous, and simply bursting with fresh flavor. Bonus? Endive lettuce is naturally so easy to hold… your guests will keep coming back for more!
Amazing Italian Salad with Italian Dressing
A simple Italian Salad recipe, St. Louis style. Mix up this delicious, memorable salad with fresh and flavorful Italian Dressing in less than 10 minutes!
Easy Pear Salad Recipe with Walnuts
An easy Pear Salad Recipe with candied walnuts and gorgonzola is all you need to compliment the Fall season! It’s the perfect dish for a light lunch, dinner or holiday meal.
Roasted Beet Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
This roasted beet salad is not only gorgeous to serve, it’s more delicious with each and every bite! Loaded with incredibly tender roasted root veggies, it’s a restaurant level salad you’re going to absolutely crave!
Christmas Entrées
Honey Glazed Ham
This Honey Glazed Ham will be the sweet and savory star of your dining table for Christmas and beyond!
It’s made with just five ingredients and 10 minutes hands on time, making it perfect for even a weeknight dinner!
Grilled Beef Tenderloin
If you’re looking for an incredibly simple dinner that is special enough to serve to company at the holidays (or any time) grilled beef tenderloin is where it’s at! This tenderloin is rich, tender, juicy, and oh-so-flavorful.
Homemade Lasagna with Cottage Cheese
This is an incredibly easy homemade lasagna with cottage cheese that can be thrown together in just 10 minutes hands-on time. If you’re looking for a simple lasagna recipe with cottage cheese filling, this is the one for you!
Learn more about what to serve with lasagna and reheating lasagna in the oven, too.
Lemon Pepper Salmon
This Lemon Pepper Salmon recipe is absolutely foolproof. In fact, it’s the most delicious and easiest way to add all the goodness that salmon offers into your dinner rotation.
With the perfect blend of seasonings and the essence of fresh squeezed lemon, it’s a light and easy dinner your whole family will love!
Christmas Breads
Easy Homemade Artisan Bread Recipe
A quick and easy artisan homemade bread recipe that is adaptable. It’s perfect for smothering in butter, dipping in oil, or slicing for sandwiches. This homemade bread is moist on the inside, crusty on the outside, and full of flavor!
Cheddar Beer Bread Recipe
This cheddar beer bread is comforting, savory, and incredibly delicious with a variety of toppings and dips. You’ll leave your guests craving more – it’s the ultimate party food!
Homemade Cornbread with Maple Butter Topping
Crispy homemade cornbread topped with an incredible maple butter an easy sweet and savory cornbread. It’s a holiday side dish that everyone will love! Simple to make, it’s on the table in just 30 minutes!
30 Minute Dinner Rolls
These homemade dinner rolls are soft, fluffy, buttery and quite simply irresistible. The best part? This homemade dinner roll recipe is truly ready in around 30 minutes, start to finish.
Christmas Side Dishes
Firehouse Green Beans with Bacon
Step aside green bean casserole, Green beans with Bacon are an easy, last-minute side dish for holidays with the best blend of garlic, parmesan and bacon that will have green bean haters begging for the recipe!
Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
A must have, melt in your mouth Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe that is a crowd pleasing side dish for Thanksgiving and Christmas. This dish will wow your guests, while taking just 10 minutes hands on time to make!
Potato Gratin Stacks
Potatoes Au Gratin in easy to serve stacks! This recipe is everything you love about potato gratin made with thinly sliced potatoes, cream and gruyere – plus it’s delicious little individual servings.
Caramelized Shallot Mashed Potatoes
Mix up your mashed potatoes for the holidays with this easy Caramelized Shallot Mashed Potatoes recipe! They’re so flavorful you’ll never want basic mashed potatoes again!
Flavorful Baked Artichoke
Baked Artichoke is one of the easiest side dishes and ways to get your veggies in! These roasted artichoke are so delicious on it’s own or tossed into a salad.
It’s not only delicious, but a good source of fiber, Vitamin C and Vitamin K!
Cranberry Sauce with Port
Cranberry Sauce with Port – aka drunken Cranberry Sauce is a nice twist to the traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas recipe. This easy cranberry sauce recipe is quick to make and made with just 3 ingredients! It’s a great festive side dish.
Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes (Glazed Sweet Potatoes)
This Sweet and Salty Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes recipe makes an easy crowd-pleasing side dish. No one can resist these Glazed Sweet Potatoes.
You only need 4 simple ingredients and 10 minutes to prep.
The Best Baked Macaroni and Cheese
This is an easy, creamy baked mac and cheese recipe made in minutes with just a few staple ingredients! Make the BEST baked macaroni and cheese with very little hands on time.
The Best Crispy Brussel Sprouts Recipe
This Crispy Brussel Sprouts Recipe is bursting with flavor! Brussel Sprouts with pancetta and shallots are sautéed into a fragrant, textural side dish that will leave your family begging for more.
Corn Casserole (Cheesy Corn)
Creamy corn casserole made with cream cheese – this cheesy corn doubles as a dip! It’s a classic side dish that is perfect for parties as a dip or a family-friendly side dish.
Christmas Drinks
Mulled Wine Recipe
Cozy, fragrant and delicious… this Mulled Wine Recipe is the perfect fall and winter drink to keep the chill at bay. No German ski slopes required for this easy mulled wine, just invite your friends!
Poinsettia Cocktail
If you’re looking for the prettiest, most festive cocktail around, look no further than this fabulous poinsettia cocktail! With its bold, deep red color and all the classic flavors of the holidays, it’s an unforgettable Christmas drink you’re going to love.
Mistletoe Margarita
Hosting a holiday get-together or looking for something festive to sip while helping Santa get ready for Christmas? This simple mistletoe margarita is sure to leave you feeling merry and bright!
A cranberry margarita that is bursting with bright juicy flavor, this cocktail feels like a delicious little holiday indulgence.
Easy Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine
An easy Non Alcoholic Mulled Wine recipe for the holidays is enjoyable for people of all ages.
This alcohol free mulled wine recipe is created with sweet grape juice, fruit and spices that simmer into a hot Christmas drink that warms you from the inside out.
Perfectly Peppermint White Russian
These last two drinks are as much a dessert as they are a cocktail! This Peppermint White Russian recipe is wonderful peppermint drink to enjoy around the holidays.
The coffee liqueur, vodka, and half and half compliment the zingy peppermint schnapps to make a festive and delicious peppermint cocktail.
Merry Mint with Peppermint Schnapps
A Merry Mint cocktail made with Peppermint Schnapps will warm your soul this holiday season! This fun and festive Christmas Cocktail is the perfect blend of cream, mint and vodka!
Christmas Desserts
Reindeer Christmas Brownies
If you’re looking for a recipe for Easy Christmas Brownies, you’re in the right place! These cute Reindeer Brownies are so easy to make, and the kids will love to help decorate!
Gooey Butter Cake with Brown Butter
Classic St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake with a twist – this easy Gooey Butter Cake with Brown Butter has a deeper, richer flavor that you’ll crave again and again!
Easy No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
This Easy No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe can be whipped together (literally) in five minutes! It’s about time that can of Libby’s pumpkin puree was put to good use.
With five simple ingredients, it’s the best pumpkin cheesecake for the holiday season. Spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your loved ones!
No Bake Rudolph Noses
These chocolate covered Rudolph Nose Dough Balls will be the hit of your Christmas get together! They’re amazing edible cookie dough truffles covered in a red chocolate shell for a one of a kind no bake Christmas cookie.
Peppermint Ice Cream
This creamy Peppermint Ice Cream is made with just three ingredients in a couple of minutes. It’s a candy cane ice cream dream come true… a delicious treat in a bowl and incredible on brownies, sugar cookies, cakes and more!
Mandarin Orange Cake (Made From Scratch)
This beautiful made-from-scratch Mandarin Orange Cake is easy to make, especially with the help of little hands. It’s a fresh twist on an old classic – Mandarin Cake made without Cool Whip or cake mix.
Easy Chocolate Pie Recipe with Pretzel Crust
This easy Chocolate Pie Recipe with Pretzel Crust is the perfect duo! The simplicity of the chocolate pie filling with the salty pretzel crust is incredible!
Make it ahead and place it in the fridge or freezer to enjoy with family and friends at your next party or holiday gathering.
Eggnog Ice Cream
Enjoy the flavors of the season with creamy Eggnog Ice Cream – a fun and festive Christmas dessert made with just six ingredients in five minutes! This is a no-churn ice cream recipe that’s perfect for the holidays.
Cracker Toffee
Learn how to make toffee with easy step by step instructions and video. Cracker Toffee aka Saltine Toffee is a classic Christmas Candy that you can’t keep your hands off of! Perfect to give as a holiday food gift and so easy and quick to make.
Funfetti Dessert Snowman Cheese Ball
Learn how to make a cheeseball with a charming snowman cheese ball recipe! Get all the best tips and tricks for creating this sweet dessert snowman cheeseball.
Are you excited to host friends and family this holiday season? I’d love to hear from you!
