25+ Christmas Recipes Everyone Should Make This Year

If you only bookmark one holiday collection this year, make it these Christmas recipes. The whole day is covered in one place, from a make-ahead Christmas morning casserole and spiced gingerbread pancakes to easy starters that keep everyone happy while the main event finishes in the oven.

At the center of the table there is honey-glazed ham, herb butter turkey, garlic prime rib and all the classic sides everyone asks about, and the night ends properly with decorated cookies, cakes, pies and cozy drinks. Pick a few favorites to fill gaps in your own menu, or cook the whole list from morning to night — with these Christmas recipes, planning the day suddenly feels simple.

1. Overnight Christmas Breakfast Casserole

This is the breakfast that saves Christmas morning, because all the work happens the night before. Cubes of bread soak up a savory egg custard with sausage, cheddar and sweet peppers, then bake into golden, sliceable squares while everyone is still in pajamas.

Ingredients

• Bread cubes
• Eggs
• Milk
• Cooked sausage or ham
• Shredded cheddar
• Bell peppers, diced
• Mustard powder
• Salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Grease a baking dish and layer in the bread cubes, sausage or ham, peppers and cheddar.
2. Whisk the eggs, milk, mustard powder, salt and pepper, then pour evenly over the layers.
3. Cover and chill overnight so the bread absorbs the custard.
4. Bake at 350°F (175°C) until puffed, set in the center and golden on top, then rest 10 minutes before slicing.

2. Gingerbread Pancakes with Maple Butter

Warm ginger, cinnamon and molasses turn a simple stack of pancakes into a Christmas morning treat. A spoonful of maple butter melting over the top makes them taste like gingerbread in fluffy form.

Ingredients

• Pancake flour mix
• Molasses
• Ground ginger
• Ground cinnamon
• Egg
• Milk
• Butter, melted
• Maple butter, to serve

Directions

1. Whisk the flour mix with the ginger and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. Whisk in the egg, milk, molasses and melted butter until just combined; a few lumps are fine.
3. Cook ladles of batter on a hot greased griddle until bubbles appear, then flip and cook the second side.
4. Serve warm in stacks with maple butter on top.

3. Baked Brie Wreath

A wheel of brie wrapped in twisted puff pastry bakes into a pull-apart wreath that looks far fancier than it is. Spoon cranberry sauce into the center and finish with rosemary for a starter everyone gathers around.

Ingredients

• Brie wheel
• Puff pastry strips
• Cranberry sauce
• Egg, beaten, for egg wash
• Fresh rosemary
• Crackers or sliced baguette, to serve

Directions

1. Set the brie in the center of a lined baking tray and twist the pastry strips around it in a ring.
2. Brush the pastry with egg wash.
3. Bake at 375°F (190°C) until the pastry is deep golden and the brie feels soft.
4. Fill the center with cranberry sauce, scatter rosemary and serve warm.

4. Cranberry Salsa with Tortilla Chips

Bright, tart and a little spicy, this chunky salsa is a fresh break from all the rich food on the table. Make it ahead, because the flavor only gets better as it rests.

Ingredients

• Fresh cranberries
• Jalapeño, finely chopped
• Fresh cilantro
• Sugar
• Lime juice
• Green onions, sliced
• Pinch of salt
• Tortilla chips, to serve

Directions

1. Pulse the cranberries in a food processor until coarsely chopped, not puréed.
2. Stir in the jalapeño, cilantro, sugar, lime juice, green onions and salt.
3. Rest for at least 30 minutes so the flavors blend and the sugar softens the tartness.
4. Serve chilled with tortilla chips.

5. Honey-Glazed Ham

A glossy honey and brown sugar glaze with Dijon and orange makes this ham the centerpiece people talk about all year. It bastes as it bakes, so the edges turn sticky and caramelized while the inside stays juicy.

Ingredients

• Bone-in ham
• Honey
• Brown sugar
• Dijon mustard
• Whole cloves
• Orange juice

Directions

1. Score the surface of the ham in a diamond pattern and stud with cloves.
2. Stir the honey, brown sugar, Dijon and orange juice into a glaze and brush over the ham.
3. Bake, basting with more glaze every 20 minutes, until heated through and shiny.
4. Rest at least 15 minutes before slicing.

6. Herb Butter Roast Turkey

Herb butter slipped under the skin keeps this turkey moist and gives every slice rosemary, thyme, sage and garlic. It is the classic main for anyone who believes Christmas dinner starts with a properly roasted bird.

Ingredients

• Whole turkey
• Butter, softened
• Fresh rosemary
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh sage
• Garlic, minced
• Lemon, halved
• Onion, quartered
• Salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Stir the chopped herbs and garlic into the softened butter and season well.
2. Loosen the turkey skin and spread the herb butter underneath, then fill the cavity with lemon and onion.
3. Roast, basting now and then, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F (74°C).
4. Rest at least 30 minutes before carving.

7. Garlic Butter Prime Rib

For a smaller, very special table, prime rib with garlic butter and rosemary is hard to beat. A long rest is the secret, so plan for it and slice thick, juicy pieces.

Ingredients

• Prime rib roast
• Butter, softened
• Garlic, minced
• Fresh rosemary, chopped
• Coarse salt
• Black pepper

Directions

1. Bring the roast to room temperature and rub all over with the garlic butter, rosemary, salt and pepper.
2. Roast until the center reaches medium-rare, about 130°F (54°C) before resting.
3. Rest, loosely covered, for at least 30 minutes so the juices settle.
4. Slice thick and serve with the pan juices.

8. Cranberry-Glazed Salmon

This salmon brings color and a lighter option to a table full of roasts, with a cranberry and orange glaze that turns glossy in the oven. A little ginger and soy keep it savory, not sweet.

Ingredients

• Salmon fillets
• Cranberry sauce
• Orange zest
• Soy sauce, a dash
• Fresh ginger, grated
• Olive oil
• Salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Season the fillets and sear briefly in hot oil, or place on a lined baking tray.
2. Warm the cranberry sauce with the orange zest, soy and ginger.
3. Bake the salmon until just flaky, about 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Spoon the warm glaze over the fillets before serving.

9. Classic Beef Wellington

Beef fillet wrapped in mushroom duxelles, prosciutto and crisp puff pastry is the showpiece of the list. Chill it well before baking and the slices will show clean, neat layers.

Ingredients

• Beef fillet
• Mushrooms, finely chopped, for duxelles
• Prosciutto slices
• Puff pastry
• Egg, beaten, for egg wash
• Dijon mustard
• Butter and oil, for searing
• Salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Sear the seasoned fillet on all sides, cool, then brush with Dijon.
2. Cook the mushrooms until dry, spread over prosciutto and wrap tightly around the beef; chill.
3. Wrap in puff pastry, seal, brush with egg wash and chill again.
4. Bake at 400°F (200°C) until golden, then rest before slicing.

10. Slow-Cooker Holiday Pot Roast

When the oven is busy, the slow cooker quietly turns a chuck roast, potatoes and carrots into a tender holiday dinner. It is also the easiest main here for a relaxed host.

Ingredients

• Chuck roast
• Potatoes, chunked
• Carrots, chunked
• Onion, sliced
• Beef broth
• Tomato paste
• Garlic and mixed herbs
• Salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Season and sear the roast until browned on both sides.
2. Load the slow cooker with the vegetables, then set the roast on top.
3. Stir the tomato paste and herbs into the broth and pour over.
4. Cook on low until the meat is fork-tender, 8 to 9 hours, then slice or shred and serve with the vegetables.

11. Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

These are the mashed potatoes everyone hopes are on the table: buttery, garlicky and whipped until fluffy. Warming the cream first keeps them silky instead of gluey.

Ingredients

• Potatoes, peeled and chunked
• Butter
• Cream
• Garlic cloves
• Salt
• Chives, chopped

Directions

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until completely tender, then drain well.
2. Warm the butter, cream and garlic together until fragrant.
3. Mash the potatoes hot with the garlicky cream.
4. Whip until fluffy, season, and finish with chives and extra butter.

12. Green Bean Casserole

The classic, done properly: tender green beans in a creamy mushroom sauce under a crisp fried onion top. Blanching the beans first keeps their color bright.

Ingredients

• Green beans, trimmed
• Cream of mushroom soup, or homemade cream sauce
• Fried onions
• Mushrooms, sliced
• Milk
• Salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Blanch the beans in boiling water for a few minutes and drain.
2. Stir the beans with the soup or cream sauce, mushrooms and half the fried onions in a baking dish.
3. Bake at 350°F (175°C) until bubbling.
4. Scatter the remaining onions on top and bake again until crisp and golden.

13. Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel

Smooth, vanilla-scented sweet potatoes under a crunchy pecan streusel sit happily between side dish and dessert. It reheats beautifully, which makes it a smart make-ahead choice.

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled
• Butter
• Brown sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Streusel: flour, chopped pecans, brown sugar and butter

Directions

1. Mash the sweet potatoes with butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth.
2. Spread into a buttered baking dish.
3. Rub the streusel ingredients together into crumbs and scatter over the top.
4. Bake at 350°F (175°C) until set and the topping is crisp and golden.

14. Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Fresh cranberry sauce takes minutes and tastes nothing like the canned kind, with orange and cinnamon softening the berries’ sharp edge. Make it a day ahead so it sets into a spoonable jam.

Ingredients

• Fresh cranberries
• Sugar
• Orange juice
• Orange zest
• Cinnamon stick

Directions

1. Combine everything in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
2. Cook, stirring now and then, until the berries pop and the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
3. Remove the cinnamon stick and cool.
4. Chill until set, then serve cold or at room temperature.

15. Soft Dinner Rolls

Pillowy rolls with buttered, golden tops are made for dragging through gravy and cranberry sauce. Shape them in the morning and they will be warm when dinner is served.

Ingredients

• Flour
• Yeast
• Warm milk
• Butter, melted, plus more for the tops
• Egg
• Sugar
• Salt

Directions

1. Mix and knead the dough until smooth and elastic, then rise until doubled.
2. Divide and shape into rolls in a greased pan.
3. Rise again until puffy.
4. Bake at 375°F (190°C) until golden, then brush the tops with butter.

16. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Roasting sprouts cut-side down gives crisp, caramelized edges that even sprout skeptics eat, especially with bacon and a maple-balsamic finish. Keep them in a single layer so they roast, not steam.

Ingredients

• Brussels sprouts, halved
• Bacon, chopped
• Olive oil
• Maple syrup, a dash
• Balsamic vinegar
• Salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Toss the sprouts with oil, salt and pepper on a large tray.
2. Arrange cut-side down and scatter the bacon over.
3. Roast at 425°F (220°C) until crisp at the edges and tender inside.
4. Drizzle with maple syrup and balsamic before serving.

17. Cornbread Stuffing

Cornbread gives this stuffing a slightly sweet crumb and wonderfully crisp edges, with celery, onion and sage doing the classic work. Bake it in its own dish so the top gets properly crunchy.

Ingredients

• Cornbread, crumbled
• Celery, diced
• Onion, diced
• Butter
• Chicken or vegetable broth
• Fresh or dried sage
• Egg, beaten
• Salt and black pepper

Directions

1. Crumble the cornbread into a large bowl.
2. Sauté the celery and onion in butter until soft, then add with the sage.
3. Stir in the egg and enough broth to moisten well.
4. Bake at 350°F (175°C) until the top is crisp-edged and golden.

18. Honey-Glazed Carrots

Buttery carrots with honey and thyme cook into a glossy, sweet-savory side that brightens the whole plate. They take almost no attention, which is exactly what a busy cook needs.

Ingredients

• Carrots, peeled and cut into batons
• Butter
• Honey
• Fresh thyme
• Salt

Directions

1. Simmer or roast the carrots until just tender.
2. Melt the butter with the honey in a wide pan.
3. Toss the carrots in the glaze until glossy.
4. Finish with thyme and salt.

19. Decorated Christmas Sugar Cookies

Soft-centered sugar cookies cut into trees, stars and snowflakes are the decorating project of the season. Set out bowls of royal icing and sprinkles and let everyone make their own.

Ingredients

• Flour
• Butter, softened
• Sugar
• Egg
• Vanilla extract
• Baking powder and a pinch of salt
• Royal icing
• Sprinkles

Directions

1. Mix the dough, chill, then roll out and cut into Christmas shapes.
2. Bake at 350°F (175°C) until the edges are just set, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Cool completely on a rack.
4. Ice and decorate with sprinkles, then leave to set.

20. Chocolate Peppermint Cake

Dark chocolate layers, peppermint buttercream and a ganache drip make this cake taste like the best part of a candy cane, in cake form. Crushed candy canes around the edge add crunch and color.

Ingredients

• Chocolate cake layers
• Peppermint buttercream
• Chocolate ganache
• Crushed candy canes
• Peppermint extract

Directions

1. Level the cooled chocolate layers.
2. Stack and frost with peppermint buttercream, chilling between coats for clean edges.
3. Pour ganache over the top and let it drip down the sides.
4. Press crushed candy canes around the base and serve in thin slices.

21. Classic Apple Pie

A lattice-topped apple pie with cinnamon and lemon belongs on every Christmas table, warm with the juices still bubbling. Let it cool long enough to slice cleanly, however tempting it smells.

Ingredients

• Pie crusts, top and bottom
• Apples, peeled and sliced
• Sugar
• Ground cinnamon
• Lemon juice
• Butter
• Egg, beaten, for egg wash

Directions

1. Toss the apples with sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice.
2. Fill the bottom crust, dot with butter and weave a lattice top.
3. Brush with egg wash.
4. Bake at 400°F (200°C) until the filling bubbles and the crust is deep golden, then cool before slicing.

22. Pecan Pie Bars

All the gooey, nutty flavor of pecan pie, in bars that are easier to bake, cool, cut and share. A shortcrust base keeps them neat enough for a cookie tin.

Ingredients

• Shortcrust base: flour, butter and sugar
• Pecans, chopped
• Brown sugar
• Corn syrup or honey
• Butter, melted
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract and a pinch of salt

Directions

1. Press the shortcrust into a lined pan and bake until lightly golden.
2. Whisk the brown sugar, syrup or honey, butter, eggs and vanilla, then stir in the pecans.
3. Pour the filling over the hot base and bake until just set.
4. Cool completely, then cut into bars.

23. Festive Christmas Punch

A big bowl of ruby punch with orange slices, cranberries and rosemary makes drinks feel like part of the decorations. Add the ginger ale at the last minute so it stays fizzy.

Ingredients

• Cranberry juice
• Orange juice
• Pineapple juice
• Ginger ale
• Orange slices
• Fresh cranberries
• Fresh rosemary sprigs
• Ice

Directions

1. Chill all the juices well ahead of time.
2. Combine the juices in a punch bowl over ice.
3. Add the ginger ale last, just before serving.
4. Garnish with orange slices, cranberries and rosemary.

24. Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Rich hot chocolate with peppermint, whipped cream and crushed candy cane is how the night should end. Keep a pot warm on the stove and let everyone help themselves.

Ingredients

• Milk
• Cocoa powder
• Sugar
• Chocolate chips
• Peppermint extract
• Whipped cream
• Crushed candy cane

Directions

1. Heat the milk in a saucepan until steaming.
2. Whisk in the cocoa, sugar and chocolate chips until smooth and melted.
3. Stir in a few drops of peppermint extract.
4. Serve topped with whipped cream and crushed candy cane.

25. Classic Eggnog

Homemade eggnog is thick, creamy and warmly spiced with nutmeg, and far fresher than anything from a carton. This family-style version is alcohol-free, so everyone at the table can have a glass.

Ingredients

• Egg yolks
• Sugar
• Milk
• Cream
• Vanilla extract
• Ground nutmeg, plus more to serve

Directions

1. Whisk the yolks and sugar until pale and thick.
2. Heat the milk, then whisk it slowly into the yolks to temper.
3. Cook gently, stirring, until slightly thickened, then stir in vanilla and nutmeg.
4. Chill, fold in lightly whipped cream, and serve dusted with nutmeg.

Christmas Day Cooking Timeline Tips

• Assemble the breakfast casserole and cranberry sauce on Christmas Eve.
• Get the ham or turkey in early and let sides reheat while the meat rests.
• Bake cookies and rolls in the morning while the oven is free.
• Set drinks up as a self-serve station.

Final Thoughts

The best Christmas recipes are the ones that bring everyone back to the table for one more bite, one more slice and one more story. Use this list to build a day that feels generous without feeling frantic, mixing one or two new Christmas recipes in alongside the family favorites nobody would forgive you for skipping. Cook a few of them this year, save the rest for next year, and before long these Christmas recipes will be the traditions your family asks for by name.

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