Christmas recipes are some of my absolute favorites to make — the smells coming from the kitchen, the sparkle of lights, and everyone gathered around the table make it feel so special. Whether you’re planning a big family dinner or a cozy night in, these dishes are sure to make your holiday meal extra festive and full of flavor.
My favorite things about Christmas? The decorations, the music, and, no surprise here, the food! I love turning on my favorite holiday playlist, lighting up the tree, and spending the day cooking and baking until the whole house smells like a Christmas simmer pot!
And yes, I always make way too much, but that just means there are plenty of leftovers for snacking later! From festive appetizers to decadent desserts, these Christmas recipes are the perfect way to celebrate the season (and fill your plate… more than once).
Amazing Appetizers
Let’s start with the appetizers, because every great holiday meal begins with a few tasty bites! These easy Christmas appetizers are perfect for keeping everyone happy while the main course finishes cooking. From cheesy dips to bite-sized snacks, they’ll disappear faster than you can say “pass the crackers!”
Charcuterie Wreath
Perfect for holiday parties, this festive charcuterie wreath is an easy make-ahead appetizer packed with all your favorite antipasto flavors.
Loaded with a colorful assortment of fresh fruits, meats, and cheeses, this Christmas tree charcuterie board is a show stopping appetizer that's perfect for your next holiday party.
This festive Cranberry Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip is an easy party dip that's creamy, slightly tangy, and a bit sweet with a subtle kick of heat. There's no better way to add a burst of flavor to your holiday gatherings.
Made with beautiful crimson red cranberries, fresh jalapeno peppers, cilantro, tangy lime and a sugar and honey mixture that adds the perfect balance of sweetness, this recipe will be a holiday favorite!
Creamy, rosemary-flavored, and arranged like a Christmas tree, these Christmas deviled eggs are an easy appetizer for Christmas dinner, holiday parties, and brunch!
These BBQ Grape Jelly Meatballs are the ultimate sweet and tangy appetizer! Juicy, saucy, and ridiculously easy to make, they’re perfect for parties, game days, or busy weeknight dinners.
With the perfect combination of bacon, deli meat, cheese and fresh veggies, these delicious Ham and Turkey Pinwheels are a fun twist on traditional club sandwiches!
With just four simple ingredients, these baked jalapeno poppers couldn't get much easier. Filled with a delicious combination of cream cheese, cheddar and bacon, this appetizer is always a crowd pleaser!
These Bacon Wrapped Smoked Sausage Bites make make the perfect game day appetizer! Juicy, mouth-watering pieces of sausage are wrapped in crispy bacon, then served with an amazing homemade honey mustard glaze for a tailgating snack that's a total game changer!
Now let’s talk about the main event…the Christmas ham! Juicy, flavorful, and beautifully glazed, it’s the centerpiece of the holiday dinner table. I
f you’re looking for even more ways to serve up this holiday classic, check out my favorite holiday ham recipes from fellow food bloggers. There’s something for every taste and tradition!
Ham Roast With Brown Sugar Glaze
Adorned with juicy pineapple rings and cherries, this ham roast with brown sugar glaze makes the perfect meal for holiday entertaining for just a simple Sunday dinner.
Now that the main dish is ready, let’s move on to the sides, because no holiday meal is complete without them! From creamy potatoes to festive veggies and casseroles, these Christmas side dishes are the ones that bring everything together (and usually disappear first!).
Roasted Sweet Potato Slices
These Roasted Sweet Potatoes Slices make the perfect side dish for any meal. With parmesan, garlic, thyme and more, it's an amazing recipe that's just bursting with incredible flavor!
This Garlic Herb Stuffing is a holiday classic that never disappoints! Loaded with fresh herbs, a hint of garlic, and just the right amount of buttery richness, it's perfectly golden on the outside with a soft, savory center.
These sweet and tender Maple Glazed Carrots are the perfect easy recipe for the holidays or just a simple weeknight dinner. Roasted to perfection with a brown sugar and maple syrup buttery glaze, this side dish is always a family favorite!
Want more delicious side dish recipes? Most of these Thanksgiving side dishes are perfect for your Christmas table too!
Delicious Desserts
Now that dinner’s done, it’s time for everyone’s favorite part…dessert! From cookies and cakes to pies and festive sweets, these Christmas desserts are the perfect way to wrap up your holiday meal. And if you want to add a little extra fun, don’t miss the Grinch recipes! They’re full of Christmas cheer (with just a hint of mischief)!
This festive Christmas Lasagna Dessert layers red velvet cake, creamy cheesecake, and velvety pudding, topped with Cool Whip and holiday sprinkles for a show-stopping holiday treat!
This Easy Cranberry Fluff, with a flavorful combination of cranberries, marshmallows, whipped cream and more, is a fun and festive addition to your holiday spread.
This amazing Red Velvet Brownie recipe makes the best, perfectly dense and chewy chocolatey brownies! Topped with a rich and tangy cream cheese frosting, they make a delicious Valentine’s Day treat!
This Sugar Cookie Fudge, with tasty Christmas cookie flavors and creamy white chocolaty fudge, is the perfect way to make Christmas time extra special (and extra yummy)!
They may look like pine cones, but one bite and you'll realize it’s pure truffle bliss! Add a fun snowy dusting and you've got an eye-catching dessert that's festive, fun, and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
These Easy Gingerbread Truffles are filled with all your favorite classic gingerbread flavors. They're the most delicious way we know of to add extra cheer to all your holiday festivities!
With bright red noses and cute little eyes, these adorable Chocolate Christmas Mice are whimsical treats that'll be perfect for your holiday festivities.
These Christmas Tree Cupcakes are the perfect dessert for the holidays! Made with cupcakes and ice cream cones, the kids will love joining you in the kitchen to make their own adorable Christmas tree creations!
These adorable Reindeer Cupcakes, topped with an adorable chocolate dipped Nutter Butter reindeer cookie, make the perfect sweet treat for all your holiday parties!
These easy Ritz Cracker Cookies are the ultimate no-bake holiday treat—creamy peanut butter, buttery crackers, and sweet white chocolate in every bite!
I may or may not have a bit of a thing for Oreos (can you blame me?). In fact, I love them so much that they’re getting their own special section!
From Grinch Oreo balls to snowmen and other festive little treats, these fun Christmas Oreo recipes are some of my favorites. They’re cute, creative, and the perfect no-stress desserts for parties, cookie trays, or last-minute holiday fun.
Grinch Oreo Balls
These easy Grinch Oreo Balls are a delicious bite-sized treat that's guaranteed to be a hit at your holiday party.
These Oreo Reindeer Cookies take everyone's favorite cookie and turn them into delicious and easy holiday treats! As fun to make as they are to eat, these are guaranteed to be the cutest treat on your dessert table!
These Christmas Oreo Balls are the perfect no-bake dessert for the holidays! Made to look like ornaments with creamy Oreo centers and a colorful candy coating, they're perfect for your holiday dessert table or cookie trays!
This bright, bubbly non-alcoholic Christmas punch is made with cranberry juice, ginger ale, and sparkling cider, and it’s the perfect easy drink for all your holiday celebrations.
This Grinch Punch is the perfect fun drink for your next holiday party! Filled with the delicious flavors of lime sherbet, Sprite and Green Berry Punch, this fun Christmas drink will have everyone coming back for seconds!
This Christmas cocktail recipe not only tastes delicious but has a festive look that makes this elegant drink the perfect choice for holiday celebrations!
This delicious Peppermint White Chocolate Martini makes the perfect Christmas cocktail for the holiday season. It's almost too pretty to drink…but we didn't let that stop us!
Want a delicious holiday punch that tastes as good as it looks? This Vanilla Pomegranate Holiday Punch is the perfect Christmas cocktail for all your celebrations!
This peppermint shot recipe, with a rich creamy peppermint flavor and fun candy cane garnish, is the perfect festive shot for all your holiday parties!
And that’s a wrap on all the festive fun, from savory favorites to sweet treats (and maybe a few Grinchy goodies, too!). I hope these recipes make your Christmas extra special and full of delicious memories. Wishing you a holiday season that’s merry and bright, with just the right amount of mischief!
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About Lisa O’Driscoll
Lisa O’Driscoll is a lifestyle and parenting expert, cookbook author, and the creative force behind Fun Money Mom, a popular blog she’s run since 2014. She’s the author of the children’s cookbook Roll It, Slice It, Mash It, Dice It, designed to get kids excited about cooking. With multiple TV appearances under her belt, she loves sharing her expertise on family-friendly recipes, creative DIYs, and party planning and is always on a mission to inspire and entertain!
Check out my fun cookbook for kids, filled with easy, creative, and totally kid-approved recipes. Your little chefs will have a blast whipping up tasty treats—while picking up cooking (and cleanup!) skills along the way.
