34 Easy Christmas Recipes Everyone Will Love

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Need recipe ideas to get you through the holidays? Try these easy Christmas recipes everyone will love, from appetizers to dinner and desserts.


Christmas is officially here! Depending on what kind of person you are, you’re either already done with grocery shopping and meal prep for the holidays, or you’re scrambling to figure out what to make for your family Christmas party and how to feed the kids all winter break long. If you’re part of the latter group, you’ll want to check out these 34 easy Christmas recipes everyone will love.

Going to Grandma’s for Christmas eve and need a snack for the long car ride? Check. Hosting a holiday potluck and need a few easy appetizers and a festive cocktail to serve? Check. Planning a simple Christmas dinner for two and still don’t know what to make? Check.

From Christmas brunch ideas, to holiday party appetizers, to dinner and dessert recipes that’ll cover an entire week of celebrations, this list will help you decide what to make for any occasion this season!

A croissant french toast bake with a serving spoon in a casserole dish

1. Croissant French Toast Bake

What’s better than french toast on Christmas morning? This french toast casserole might just have regular old french toast beat. Made with store-bought croissants and a creamy, cinnamony custard, this brunch recipe is the best way to make french toast for a crowd. Pop it in the oven and enjoy time with your loved ones while it bakes instead of standing over the stove all morning long.

Croissant French Toast Bake
4 servings
1 hour 10 minutes
298 kcal
Get the recipe
A Christmas charcuterie board with meats, cheeses, crackers, nuts, and fresh rosemary sprigs

2. Christmas Charcuterie Board

When it comes to holiday party appetizers, you can’t go wrong with an easy themed charcuterie board. Pick out a variety of cheeses, crackers, and meats and throw in some red and green accents with a few sprigs of rosemary for a board that screams Christmas elegance. Pro tip: a festive cheese knife is sometimes all it takes to make a holiday charcuterie board pop.

Christmas Charcuterie Board
8 people
15 minutes
370 kcal
Get the recipe
A festive Christmas cocktail.

3. Mistletoe Mules

This festive spin on a Moscow mule is the king of Christmas cocktails. It’s bubbly and refreshing, perfect for sipping on by the fireplace while listening to your favorite holiday tunes, and oh-so adorable with garnishes of frozen cranberries and rosemary. Make one for yourself or a whole batch for your holiday party and let the good vibes begin.

Mistletoe Mule
1 cocktail
3 minutes
149 kcal
Get the recipe
A plate of white chocolate peppermint fudge topped with crushed candy canes and sliced into cubes

4. 4 Ingredient White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge

There’s nothing like surprising your guests with a platter of homemade Christmas fudge for the holidays! It’s easier than it looks; this 4-ingredient recipe only takes 5 minutes to prep and a few hours to set. Make a double batch and package up the extras to go – your friends and family will thank you!

White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
64 pieces
2 hours 5 minutes
39 kcal
Get the recipe
Pesto gnocchi in a bowl.

5. Creamy Pesto Gnocchi

The days leading up to Christmas are a flurry of activity, so treat yourself to a ridiculously easy dinner like this pesto parmesan gnocchi. With a jar of your favorite pesto and a block of parmesan, you can have this restaurant style pasta dinner on the table in less than 10 minutes!

Creamy Pesto Gnocchi
2 servings
9 minutes
583 kcal
Get the recipe
Homemade lemon poppy seed muffins.

6. Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

These easy bakery style muffins will make it feel like Christmas morning all week long. If your Christmas week is a nonstop flurry of activity, prep a big batch ahead of time and leave them on the counter for an easy breakfast or afternoon snack you can grab and take with you on the go. They’ll make the best road trip treat for the long drive to Grandma’s house.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
12 muffins
1 hour
303 kcal
Get the recipe
Roasted garlic baked brie en croute made in crescent roll dough

7. Roasted Garlic Baked Brie En Croute

Garlic lovers, this one’s for you. A wheel of baked brie slathered with roasted garlic and wrapped in fluffy pastry? Yes, please. This holiday party appetizer will disappear in seconds, so make sure to snag some for yourself first!

Roasted Garlic Baked Brie En Croute
4 servings
1 hour 10 minutes
307 kcal
Get the recipe
An old fashioned.

8. Maple Old Fashioned

Sip this sophisticated cocktail by the fireplace this holiday season. A classic old fashioned with a maple twist, it’s especially enjoyable when the snow is falling and you’re cozied up inside with a blanket. Pro tip: get yourself a kitchen torch and impress your friends with a candied orange slice garnish!

Maple Old Fashioned
1 cocktail
3 minutes
193 kcal
Get the recipe
Loaves of chocolate chip banana bread.

9. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Share the love this Christmas with mini loaves of banana bread that are perfect for gifting! Hand them out to neighbors, coworkers, and friends to spread holiday cheer. But also, keep a few for yourself to enjoy with that afternoon coffee when you need a break from wrapping presents.

Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe
4 mini loaves
1 hour 45 minutes
884 kcal
Get the recipe
Smashed potatoes and hot sauce for dipping.

10. Smashed Potatoes

Ditch the mashed potatoes this year and serve smashed potatoes instead. Crunchy, savory, and extremely dippable, these potatoes are the perfect side dish or snack for any holiday party!

Easy Smashed Potatoes Recipe
2 servings
1 hour 15 minutes
166 kcal
Get the recipe
Buttermilk pancakes on a plate.

11. Buttermilk Protein Pancakes

Dig into a stack of ultra fluffy pancakes for breakfast on Christmas morning! With added protein in the recipe, these flapjacks will fuel a day of fun in the snow.

Buttermilk Protein Pancakes
6 5-inch pancakes
35 minutes
178 kcal
Get the recipe
A vegetarian breakfast hash made with sweet potatoes, peppers, and onions

12. Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash

This 30-minute sweet potato and veggie hash is a great side dish for Christmas brunch. Serve it with an egg casserole, fresh fruit, and muffins or bagels for a full spread on Christmas morning.

Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash
4 servings
30 minutes
152 kcal
Get the recipe
Spinach and artichoke dip in mini phyllo shells.

13. Spinach Artichoke Dip Phyllo Cups

Need an easy Christmas appetizer to feed a crowd? These bite size spinach and artichoke dip phyllo cups will be a hit at any holiday party. Creamy, cheesy, and full of flavor – and easy to make ahead of time.

Spinach Artichoke Dip Phyllo Cups
45 mini cups
1 hour 45 minutes
34 kcal
Get the recipe
Vegetarian cottage cheese lasagna.

14. Vegetarian Lasagna with Cottage Cheese

If you need a vegetarian dish to feed the family this Christmas, try our simple cottage cheese lasagna. It’s fresh, flavorful, and light, so everyone will still have plenty of room to fill up on Christmas cookies!

Vegetarian Lasagna With Cottage Cheese
12 pieces
1 hour 40 minutes
202 kcal
Get the recipe
A batch of bbq pulled pork mac and cheese.

15. BBQ Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese

If you’re looking for a Christmas mac and cheese recipe, you’ll love this decadent barbecue pulled pork version! It’s super savory and the perfect dish to warm up the whole family after a day spent playing in the snow.

Pulled Pork Mac and Cheese
4 servings
32 minutes
575 kcal
Get the recipe
Roasted tomato and garlic bruschetta.

16. Roasted Tomato and Garlic Bruschetta

Serve this festive red, white, and green appetizer at your Christmas party with fresh bread or crostini and your favorite wine. It bakes in the oven for an easy, hands-free dish you can serve to a crowd.

Roasted Tomato and Garlic Bruschetta with Balsamic
2 servings
45 minutes
230 kcal
Get the recipe
A casserole dish of cheesy spinach and artichoke dip with pita chips

17. Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Dips are the best holiday party appetizer, because who doesn’t love gooey cheese? If you need a super easy and crowd-pleasing dip this Christmas season, make this cheesy spinach and artichoke dip. You basically throw everything in a saucepan and heat it until it’s melty – it doesn’t get much easier than that. (You can also throw everything in a crockpot and warm it up that way, too!). Serve it with pita chips or crostini for a crunchy and gooey combo no one will be able to resist.

Creamy Spinach and Artichoke Dip
4 servings
25 minutes
244 kcal
Get the recipe
Spaghetti and meatballs in a black bowl

18. Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs

In case you need a big batch meal to feed the whole family all week long while hosting Christmas, try a crockpot full of Italian meatballs. You can serve them with sub rolls or slider buns for build-your-own sandwiches, or quickly boil some pasta and have dinner ready to go in no time. Pro tip: make this recipe ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze until Christmas, then reheat everything in the slow cooker when it’s time to eat.

Italian Slow Cooker Meatballs and Gravy
16 meatballs
4 hours 20 minutes
134 kcal
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A dish of gluten free shredded slow cooker chicken parmesan

19. Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan

This gluten-free crockpot chicken is another great recipe for feeding the whole family during Christmas week! You can serve it with sub rolls or over pasta, or just eat it straight up with a fork – it’s delicious either way.

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan
6 servings
4 hours 15 minutes
312 kcal
Get the recipe
Chocolate fudge topped with sea salt caramel served on a cake stand

20. Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Fudge

This decadent holiday fudge is one of our favorite sweet treats for Christmas time. It tastes and looks like so much more work to put together than it is! With just 5 ingredients and 10 minutes of your full attention, you can serve this impressive holiday dessert to your guests after Christmas dinner.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Fudge
2.5 pounds
3 hours 10 minutes
2021 kcal
Get the recipe
A bowl of crispy sweet potatoes.

21. Crispy Sweet Potatoes

These sweet potatoes are an easy side dish you can serve at Christmas dinner with few ingredients and minimal effort. Simply crisp them on the stove, season with your favorite spices (we love smoky chipotle powder and paprika), and serve!

Crispy Sweet Potatoes
2 servings
35 minutes
158 kcal
Get the recipe
A restaurant style plate of goat cheese and tomato gnocchi with a garnish of fresh basil

22. Goat Cheese & Tomato Gnocchi

If you’re celebrating the holidays with an Italian dinner at home, you’ll want to make this creamy goat cheese and tomato gnocchi. It has restaurant-caliber flavor yet comes together in just 10 minutes, so you can spend Christmas evening enjoying good company and marveling at the decorations instead of laboring in the kitchen.

Goat Cheese and Tomato Gnocchi
4 servings
10 minutes
576 kcal
Get the recipe
Whipped brie topped with spicy Calabrian chiles.

23. Whipped Brie with Calabrian Chiles

Spice up your holiday charcuterie spread with a flavorful whipped brie that packs a punch of heat! Serve it with sea salt crackers and a festive cocktail to cool your mouth down after gobbling it up too quickly.

Whipped Brie With Calabrian Chiles
4 servings
40 minutes
184 kcal
Get the recipe
A stack of Nutella stuffed brioche french toast topped with butter, powdered sugar, and whipped cream

24. Nutella Stuffed Brioche French Toast

An extra-special day like Christmas calls for an extra-special breakfast like this stuffed brioche french toast! Chocolate lovers (and kids) will be overjoyed to find this decadent treat on their plates on Christmas morning. This recipe is perfect for a smaller family breakfast or brunch, since it does take some time to prepare – but it’s so worth it.

Nutella Stuffed French Toast
2 servings
30 minutes
568 kcal
Get the recipe
Penne pasta with vodka sauce.

25. Penne alla Vodka

Not into the traditional ham or turkey on Christmas day? Enjoy a creamy, savory pasta for Christmas dinner instead! This classic penne alla vodka will hit the spot after a day of opening presents in your PJs.

Penne Alla Vodka Recipe
2 servings
25 minutes
935 kcal
Get the recipe
A bowl of basil pesto risotto.

26. Deconstructed Basil Pesto Risotto

Creamy risotto with fresh basil, almonds, and plenty of parmesan cheese makes for a delicious and elegant Christmas dinner, if you’re willing to spend a little extra time in the kitchen. We love how the vibrant green color of this dish reminds us of the Christmas season! Top this risotto with fresh basil leaves and a few pomegranate seeds for an adorable mistletoe garnish.

Deconstructed Basil Pesto Risotto
2 servings
40 minutes
514 kcal
Get the recipe
A bowl of burrata pasta with blistered tomatoes and balsamic vinegar

27. Burrata Pasta With Blistered Tomatoes

If you’re hosting a Christmas dinner party, you’ll want to make this easy gourmet pasta with creamy burrata, juicy tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar. You’ll impress everyone with this elegant, fresh, and flavorful dinner that comes together in just 20 minutes!

Burrata Pasta With Blistered Tomatoes
2 people
18 minutes
743 kcal
Get the recipe
An egg casserole for Easter breakfast holiday

28. Holiday Egg Casserole

Christmas brunch isn’t complete without some sort of egg dish! If you’re feeding a crowd, try this holiday egg casserole that makes a ton of servings and is easy to scale. Bonus: it’s vegetarian for those who prefer it, and can be easily modified to include bacon or ham for those who don’t and want a little extra flavor on Christmas morning.

Holiday Egg Casserole
12 squares
1 hour
141 kcal
Get the recipe
A cast iron skillet of spicy shakshuka for two.

29. Shakshuka For Two

If you need a Christmas breakfast or dinner for two, look no further than a steaming hot skillet full of shakshuka. This spicy tomato stew is everything you want on Christmas day – cozy, warm, and comforting, and satisfying enough to fill you while still leaving room for dessert. You can make it in 40 minutes or less, or prep the base ahead of time and cook it in about 20 minutes day-of.

Shakshuka For Two
2 people
40 minutes
416 kcal
Get the recipe
A sheet pan of parmesan green beans.

30. Oven Roasted Parmesan Green Beans

This is one of the easiest green bean recipes you can make for Christmas dinner. Toss the ingredients together and roast for 15 minutes, and voila – you have a healthy side dish that even the kids will love, thanks to the parmesan cheese.

Oven Roasted Parmesan Green Beans
3 servings
20 minutes
135 kcal
Get the recipe
Cast iron skillet mac and cheese for two.

31. Cast Iron Skillet Mac and Cheese

Making Christmas dinner for two? Indulge in a decadent mac and cheese you can eat right out of the skillet, if you want. It’s the best way to end a day full of laughter and fun.

Cast Iron Skillet Mac and Cheese
3 servings
45 minutes
925 kcal
Get the recipe
Cheesecake dip with chocolate chips and graham crackers.

32. Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip

This creamy dessert dip is the best no bake holiday treat around! The perfect blend of sweet and tangy, it has all the flavor of cheesecake without the effort. Whip this sweet treat up in just 5 minutes when you need a last minute Christmas party dessert.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Dip (No Bake)
8 servings
5 minutes
263 kcal
Get the recipe
Peppermint bark on a serving plate

33. Milk & White Chocolate Peppermint Bark

You only need 3 ingredients to make this no-frills Christmas dessert: milk chocolate, white chocolate, and candy canes. Whether you need sweets to bring to your neighbor’s holiday party or you simply want a festive treat to enjoy after Christmas dinner, this crowd-pleasing dessert will hit the spot every time.

Milk & White Chocolate Peppermint Bark
15 servings
4 hours 15 minutes
182 kcal
Get the recipe
Sweet potato white chocolate chip cookies on a cooling rack.

34. Sweet Potato White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Who says sweet potatoes are only for Thanksgiving? These seasonal holiday cookies taste just like sweet potato casserole, only with more sugary sweet goodness. Bring them to your family Christmas party and they’ll disappear faster than you can say “ho, ho, ho.”

Sweet Potato White Chocolate Chip Cookies
18 cookies
57 minutes
102 kcal
Get the recipe

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