152 Best Christmas Recipes

Meggan Hill

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Discover all of our best Christmas Recipes on Culinary Hill. Prime rib, baked ham, roasted turkey, all the side dishes, soups and salads, bread and rolls, desserts, drinks, and appetizers. It’s all here, organized by category. Cheers!

Prime rib cut into slices on a white platter with a serving fork.


 

Whether you mostly stick to a traditional Christmas menu year after year or are looking for fresh inspiration, these Christmas recipes can serve up a hearty helping of joy and happiness for your guests at any holiday table.

I’ve organized everything by category (starting with the sweets!) so you can browse and see what looks good. Discover delicious food, cozy drinks, and lots of sweet treats this holiday season!

Table of Contents

  1. Christmas Cookie Recipes
  2. Christmas Candy Recipes
  3. Christmas Cake Recipes
  4. Christmas Pie Recipes
  5. Christmas Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
  6. Christmas Dinner Starchy Side Dish Recipes
  7. Christmas Dinner Vegetable Side Dish Recipes
  8. Christmas Soups and Salads
  9. Christmas Bread Recipes
  10. Christmas Dinner Recipes
  11. Christmas Appetizer Recipes
  12. Christmas Drink Recipes
  13. Vegetarian Christmas Recipes
  14. Feast of the Seven Fishes

Whether you’re hosting a Baking Day, Cookie Exchange, or just baking for your family, here are our best Christmas Cookie Recipes to sweeten your holiday.

Frosted sugar cookies decorated for Christmas on a baking rack.

1

Christmas Sugar Cookies

These frosted Christmas Sugar Cookies are my grandma’s best recipe, so buttery and sweet! A family favorite. No Christmas is complete without them.
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Christmas Candy Recipes

These homemade candies feature nuts, peanut butter, candy canes, cookies, and plenty of chocolate! Many options are no-bake or just a few ingredients, too.

A stack of Christmas crack on a plate.

2

Christmas Crack Recipe

You'll love this salty, sweet, crunchy, chewy saltine cracker candy, sometimes known as Christmas Crack, and you can make it in 15 minutes with just 5 ingredients!
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Christmas Cake Recipes

When you’re looking for something more than just cookies and candy, these cakes and bars might be just the thing. Some are Christmas-specific and others are just decadent sweets that can (and should!) be enjoyed with loved ones all year round.

A cranberry wreath cake on a granite cake platter with a small plate of sugared cranberries next to it.

3

Cranberry Wreath Cake

Cranberry Wreath Cake is a luscious chocolate cake covered in sweet vanilla buttercream and is perfect for the holidays or any winter celebration. A crown of fresh rosemary and sugared cranberries makes a stunning finishing touch.
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Christmas Pie Recipes

Thanksgiving shouldn’t get all the glory as the “pie holiday.” Sweeten up your spread with one or more of these top-notch pies.

Slices of pecan pie on a board.

4

The Best Pecan Pie Recipe

The best Pecan Pie has a flavorful, balanced filling that's just sweet enough, tucked inside a flaky, buttery crust that never gets soggy.
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Christmas Breakfast and Brunch Recipes

Special mornings call for an epic morning feast. Choose sweet, savory, or a mix of both. There are lots of kid-friendly options and easy recipes that can be made ahead, too.

Baked french toast on a plate covered with berries.

5

Baked French Toast

This custardy make-ahead Baked French Toast recipe only gets better as it chills overnight. Come morning, add a cinnamon streusel topping, bake, and pile with fresh berries for a delicious breakfast for six!
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Christmas Dinner Starchy Side Dish Recipes

Buttery mashed potatoes, cozy casseroles, and roasted spuds are all great choices for your Christmas Feast. And I never miss a second opportunity to indulge in stuffing!

The Best Mashed Potatoes in a blue Dutch oven.

6

The Best Mashed Potatoes

The Best Mashed Potatoes in the world are just 3 ingredients (plus salt and pepper) and so simple, they barely even need a recipe.
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Christmas Dinner Vegetable Side Dish Recipes

Roasted, casserole-d, or glazed, these holiday dinner-worthy veggies will please even the pickiest of eaters.

Slow cooker green bean casserole on a patterned platter.

7

Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole

This Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole is a great mix of convenience and from-scratch cooking and won't take up any oven space.
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Christmas Soups and Salads

Start your supper with hearty soups or crisp salads. Soup is great in a slow cooker for a potluck or buffet, and salads add a much-needed breather to all the rich food elsewhere. Some classics, like Seven Layer Salad, stand alone as epic holiday dishes in their own right.

A bowl of cream of broccoli soup with croutons on top.

8

Cream of Broccoli Soup

This easy Cream of Broccoli Soup recipe is rich, decadent, and full of fresh broccoli florets. It’s an absolute classic and perfect for cold weather!
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Christmas Bread Recipes

Homemade bread is a true luxury at the holidays (or any time of year). If you have the chance, fire up your oven, break out the yeast, and bake some bread or rolls for the ones you love.

A cooling rack with soft yeast dinner rolls on it.

9

Soft Yeast Dinner Rolls

When nothing but homemade bread will do, try these easy Soft Yeast Dinner Rolls. They are perfect at your holiday table, on the side of Sunday Supper, piled with any kind of meat, or served simply with a bowl of soup.

Christmas Dinner Recipes

Keep it simple or pull out all the stops; we’ve got plenty of main dishes for you to consider! Beef, pork, ham, chicken, turkey, salmon, and scallops are all delicious options to center your feast.

A Dr. Pepper ham on a serving platter.

10

Dr. Pepper Ham

For maximum flavor, start with a bone-in spiral ham baked in an oven bag (so it won't dry out), then brush on a sweet and sticky Dr. Pepper glaze.
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Christmas Appetizer Recipes

Small bites, shareable boards, and dips by the dozen. There are so many ways to snack at Christmas, it’s hard to narrow down the menu. A few appetizers can stave off hunger before a formal dinner, or have a buffet of just appetizers. They are great for small gatherings, open houses, and even Christmas movie nights.

A christmas charcuterie board shaped like a christmas tree.

11

Christmas Charcuterie Board

For the merriest grazing this holiday season, make your own Christmas Charcuterie Board. Filled with meats, cheeses, and loads of seasonal touches, this charcuterie tree is as festive as it is delicious.
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Christmas Drink Recipes

It might be fun to choose a signature drink to offer at your party, and it could be non-alcoholic with a bottle of spirits on the side for the 21+ crowd. Many drink recipes include “big batch” and individual instructions depending on your preference for serving. Whatever you choose, a warm-up option is always appreciated!

Slow cooker cranberry apple cider in a clear mug.

12

Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple Cider

Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple Cider is simple to make, sweet, and delicious. This welcoming, spiced hot beverage makes the whole house smell amazing, too.
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Vegetarian Christmas Recipes

In addition to the obvious plant-based sides and vegetables above, here are some hearty entrees and appetizers that will appeal to plant lovers and meat eaters alike.

Vegetable lasagna on a blue plate.

13

Vegetable Lasagna

When a dinner like Vegetable Lasagna hits the table, no one will miss the meat—not even diehard meat lovers. Filled with spinach, mushrooms, ricotta, and an easy homemade tomato sauce, this labor of love recipe is worth every minute.
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Feast of the Seven Fishes

This event is an Italian Christmas Eve tradition where the menu is loaded with several kinds of fish and seafood. Discover new possibilities and consider hosting your own seafood-focused feast this holiday season.

A plate of Shrimp Pasta Primavera.

14

One Pot Shrimp Pasta Primavera

My one pot Shrimp Pasta Primavera is created with weeknight dinners in mind! This healthy 30-minute meal comes together in one pot so clean-up is a breeze.
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Millions of Americans suffer from food insecurity every day, but you can help. Here are the best food donations to buy (and the ones to avoid) plus a section on specific food donations for the holidays.

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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. Iโ€™m going to try your baked Mac n cheese for Xmas party. I wanted a baked oozy gooey Mac n cheese with a topping. Iโ€™ll let u know how it goes. Iโ€™m an old grandmother going to try u out. Blessings

    Reply