30 Best Ever Holiday Recipes for Christmas (2024)

It’s the most wonderful time of the year and everyone’s looking for the perfect holiday recipes to make this year’s holiday celebrations the best ever! I’ve rounded up 30 of my absolute favourite holiday recipes that I’ve tested year after year, including the perfect holiday brunch recipes, holiday appetizers and finger foods for the perfect holiday parties, my favourite holiday side dishes, my favourite warm holiday beverages, and of course my absolute favourite holiday sweets and desserts including holiday cookies, truffles, squares, pies, and other show-stopping holiday desserts!

30 Best Ever Holiday Recipes for Christmas (1)

30 Best Ever Holiday Recipes for Christmas (2)

Looking for even MORE Holiday recipes?? Find my ENTIRE collection of holiday recipes here!

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Holiday Breakfast and Brunch

Ok, so let’s start at the very beginning with holiday breakfast recipes. If you’re hosting a holiday brunch or breakfast then you’re going to need some great make-ahead recipes great for a crowd!

This Apple Cinnamon French Toast Bake can be made the night before and baked to absolute perfection in the morning! Serve it with some whipped cream and your guests might never leave!

This Skinny Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole is a deliciously savoury dish that’s low in fat but high in flavour! Adapt it to your family’s tastes by adding ham or sausage instead of bacon and whatever veggies you’d like!

There’s always a fruit salad on our Christmas Morning breakfast table and this fruit salad recipe is my favourite! Add whatever fruit your family enjoys, but don’t forget the sweet honey lime dressing!

This Sticky Cinnamon Buns recipe has never failed me and it’s one of my favourite recipes of all time. These are perfect for Christmas breakfast or for a sweet treat after playing outside in the snow!

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And if you’re in the mood for hash browns this holiday season, these Waffle Iron Hash Brown Potatoes are SO fun to make, and really easy too! Serve them with a side of sour cream and some green onions!

Warm, Comforting Drinks

The holidays are a time of celebration which calls for some delicious warm drinks to enjoy!

Is there a tea-lover in your life? This Homemade Earl Grey Vanilla Tea Latte is so creamy and delicious, and it’s made with all natural ingredients so it’s a healthy choice too!

There’s nothing more comforting during the holidays that a hot mug of homemade cider! Make this Slow Cooker Apple Cranberry Cider for a super easy version of the traditional favourite!

This Healthier 3-Ingredient Hot Chocolate Recipe is one of our family’s favourite recipes during the holiday season! And it just doesn’t get any easier than this delicious set-it-and-forget-it recipe!

Holiday Party Foods and Appetizers

Are you hosting a holiday co*cktail party this year? If so, you’re going to need some delicious hors d’oeuvres that will be easy to make but sure to impress any guest!

These Creamy Bruschetta Bites are made with a super easy homemade bruschetta and a deliciously creamy homemade herb and garlic cream cheese!

Any appetizer platter wouldn’t be complete without mini quiches and these Roasted Red Pepper Phyllo Quiche Cups are the perfect addition to any holiday party!

Try these Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Mushrooms for a deliciously creamy appetizer! They come together in minutes and bake to perfection with a delicious Parmesan crust on top!

Looking for something to snack on in between delicious holiday meals? This Homemade Kettle Cooked Popcorn is the perfect blend of sweet and salty, and it’s SO easy to make at home!

Holiday Side Dishes

With all these delicious holiday side dishes, all you’ll need to add is the turkey!!

This Pomegranate Lemon Couscous Salad is so fresh and delicious and makes a great side dish with roasted chicken or turkey! And for another holiday twist, substitute the lemon with fresh orange zest and juice!

These Maple Rosemary Roasted Sweet Potatoes are made with real maple syrup for the ultimate sweet flavour! They pair perfectly with roasted chicken, turkey, or ham!

Who doesn’t love Brussels sprouts? Ok, a lot of people…but if there’s one awesome way to enjoy Brussels sprouts it’s in this Brussels Sprouts Salad with sweet raisins, sharp red onions, real crumbled bacon and a creamy bacon dressing!

If you’re in need of a super easy side dish to make at the last minute, these Roasted Carrots with Honey Balsamic Glaze have your back! The only other ingredients you’ll need are oil, salt and pepper and you’re good to go!!

Serve some pasta over the holidays with this delicious Butternut Squash Pasta Salad with Cranberries, Candied Walnuts, Baby Spinach and Pancetta. Need I say more??

Try these Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions, Cranberries and Pistachios for the ultimate holiday-inspired side dish!

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Sweets and Desserts

The holiday season wouldn’t be complete without lots and lots of sweet treats, am I right? Here’s a list of all my favourite sweet holiday recipes for you to enjoy!

This Gingerbread Spice Cake with Fluffy Cream Cheese Frosting is one of my favourite holiday cakes! It’s a simple, moist cake recipe with whipped cream cheese frosting that’s as fluffy as the fresh snow outside!

These Peppermint Chocolate Snowball Truffles are an old family recipe that began with my great-grandmother! They call for a really strange secret ingredient that makes all the difference in the delicious minty centre!!

These Amaretti Cookies are light and airy and perfect with a dusting of powdered sugar during the holidays!

Do dried fruit in a whole new way this holiday season with these Chocolate Spice Fig Truffles! Every bite tastes like Christmas and if you have a food processor, you can easily make these yourself instead of buying expensive store-bought chocolates this year!

If any of your holiday guests are gluten-free they’ll appreciate this Chocolate Spice Meringue Torte with Mulled Cranberry Compote! It may look like a difficult dessert to tackle yourself, but with my tips you’ll have the perfect meringue torte this year!

Put a twist on the traditional apple pie this season with this delicious Cranberry Apple Pie! And if you’re tired of soggy crust, don’t forget to check out my Top 10 Tips for the Perfect Fruit Pie Every Time!

Try this Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Bread for a sweet snack with a warm mug of something to drink while you watch the kids play outside! Or add slices of it to your holiday baking trays for something different!

If you have a tea-lover in your life, these Earl Grey Shortbread Cookies with Lemon Glaze are a great choice for an edible gift!

These Best Ever Ginger Molasses Cookies are one of the most popular recipes on my blog, and they’re by far my most requested recipe by friends and family!

It wouldn’t be Christmas for us without these Chocolate Caramel Shortbread Bars! They’re simple to make and so rich and delicious!

These Whipped Shortbread Holiday Cookies are one of my favourite holiday recipes passed down from my grandma.

And last but not least, try these No Bake Oreo Cheesecake Truffles for a deliciously easy holiday treat!!

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30 Best Ever Holiday Recipes for Christmas (2024)

FAQs

What is the most eaten Christmas food in the world? ›

What are the Most Popular Christmas Foods Eaten Around the World?
  • Roast turkey or ham, a standard main course for holiday dinners.
  • Eggnog, a rich and creamy beverage made with eggs, milk, and spices. ...
  • Gingerbread cookies and houses are popular festive treats and decorations.

What is the best Christmas dinner to make? ›

  • Lasagna. Regina Schrambling. ...
  • Easy. Prime Rib Roast. ...
  • Pepperpot. Millie Peartree. ...
  • Jansson's Temptation (Creamy Potato Casserole) Eric Kim, Jens Linder, Johanna Westman. ...
  • Christmas Glazed Ham. Yotam Ottolenghi. ...
  • Vegan Jackfruit Pernil. Christina Morales, Lyana Blount. ...
  • Easy. Cola-Braised Beef With Chile-Lime Onions. ...
  • Easy.

What is the number one Christmas meal? ›

Roast potatoes are in at number one – we'll be having at least three.

What do Italians eat at Christmas? ›

In Southern and Central Italy, baked pasta is a must. In Northern Italy, Lasagne Bolognese and filled pasta like manicotti and ravioli are traditional Christmas fare. Next comes the main event, the meat. Roasted veal, baked chicken, sausages or braised beef are common Natale entrées worth celebrating.

What to cook for Christmas dinner instead of turkey? ›

Unique holiday dinner ideas
  • Beef Wellington: The Showstopper.
  • Christmas Roast Duck: The Twist on a Classic.
  • Vegetarian Enchiladas: The Surprise Favorite.
  • Roast Lamb: The Savory Star.
  • Stuffed Acorn Squash: The Festive & Flavorful.
  • Prime Rib Roast: The Hearty Hero.
Dec 12, 2022

What is the most popular Christmas meat dish? ›

1. Turkey. Let's admit it, a whole turkey is the best and most traditional meat for Christmas dinners. Originally gracing our plates in the 16th century, popular history tells of King Henry VIII being the first English monarch to have turkey for Christmas.

What is the 12 course Christmas dinner? ›

The bread is broken by the head of the household and begins the meal, which consists of 12 courses including sauerkraut with gravy, pierogi, halupki made with mushrooms and rice, fish, dry fruit, beans , peas, honey and other dishes.

What is a traditional Christmas dinner menu? ›

Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham, are also used. Pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are staples for dessert.

What do Americans have for Christmas dinner? ›

Roast turkey and ham are popular for Christmas dinner throughout the country, but depending on the region, so are tamales, roast goose with red cabbage, crawfish jambalaya, roast pork or “seven fishes” seafood salad.

What is the most popular food at Christmas in America? ›

Crestline surveyed 2,100 Americans to determine the most and least popular Christmas foods. Starting off strong, the survey concludes the most popular food in the U.S. is roasted potatoes with 91% of Americans voting for the tasty dish.

What is the least popular Christmas food? ›

Across all states, their findings showed that the least popular Christmas foods are persimmon pudding (13%) and fruitcake (25%). The most popular foods were roasted potatoes (91%), scalloped potatoes (83%), roast beef (77%), red velvet cake (76%), ham (76%) and Christmas nuts (76%).

What do people normally cook for Christmas? ›

Turkey and prime rib are the classics that you can expect every year. So why not have some fun and switch up the traditions? Opt for juicy pork chops cooked with apples, or turkey meatballs doused in a heavenly maple mustard sauce.

What do most people eat on Christmas Eve? ›

What are 12 customary dishes on Christmas Eve?
  • Christmas borscht with ravioli. Red borscht is one principle dish for the Christmas Eve table, generally accompanied by ravioli with cabbage and mushrooms. ...
  • Mushroom soup. ...
  • Cabbage with mushrooms or peas. ...
  • Cabbage and mushroom dumplings. ...
  • Fish on Christmas Eve table.
Dec 1, 2022

What was the most popular main meal at Christmas? ›

Roast potatoes and gravy are the most ubiquitous items on the Christmas dinner, with only around half opting for turkey.

What is the most eaten meat at Christmas? ›

Why not add a bit of stuffing or cranberry sauce to go with it? Turkey is definitely the most traditional meat for Christmas dinner and you can take a look at our wide selection of whole, rolled and diced turkeys here – perfect for your traditional Christmas dinner!

What country eats the most KFC on Christmas Day? ›

While most households around the world take pains in making the Christmas Eve meal fast food-free, an estimated 3.6 million families will partake of fried chicken from KFC in what has become the typical holiday tradition in Japan. For most Japanese, nothing beats eating KFC for Christmas.

What country eats a 12 course meal on Christmas? ›

Tradition calls for 12 traditional courses to be served during the Polish Christmas Eve. This number is a symbol of wealth, the 12 Apostles and a representation of the 12 months of the year. But in the past, dinner consisted of an odd number of dishes.

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