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Hostess With the Mostess More Christmas Party Ideas

  • A cutting board with slices of focaccia topped with caramelized onions, cranberries, and brie.

    1 hr, 20 min
    Vegetarian
    Wow your taste buds with this festive focaccia appetizer topped with sweet caramelized onions, tart cranberries, and creamy brie. It will become your new favorite holiday starter!
  • The best cheese ball is in the center of a platter and surrounded by crackers.

    20 min
    This super easy cheese ball recipe is a holiday classic! Form cream cheese, cheddar, and some simple seasonings into a ball and roll it in crunchy pecans. Serve with crackers and sliced vegetables.
  • Swedish Meatballs

    1 hr, 20 min
    The BEST Swedish meatballs recipe! Made from a mixture of beef and pork, flavored with nutmeg and cardamom and served with a tasty Swedish Meatball sauce.
  • Stuffed mushroom caps on an appetizer tray

    40 min
    Vegetarian
    These classic stuffed mushrooms are loaded with shallots, garlic, walnuts, breadcrumbs, and chopped mushroom stems. Sprinkle with Parmesan, pop them in the oven, and you've got a great appetizer for the holidays.
  • Baked Brie

    35 min
    Easiest baked brie EVER! Brie cheese topped with jam, wrapped in puff pastry or crescent roll dough, and baked until melty. Delicious!
  • Gougeres Cheddar Cheese Puffs

    50 min
    Light and airy savory cheese puffs (gourgères) with cheddar cheese and thyme.
  • Cranberry Glazed Meatballs

    1 hr
    Cranberry glazed meatballs with lean ground turkey, thyme, fennel seeds, ricotta, glazed with a spicy-sweet ruby red cranberry sauce.
  • Honey Hazelnut Baked Brie

    45 min
    Festive Baked Brie! Drizzled with a sweet and sour honey sauce and toasted hazelnuts.
  • Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip with Bacon in a white casserole dish

    35 min
    Gluten-Free
    This Spinach Artichoke Dip with crunchy smoky bacon will disappear in a flash at your next party! Make this for football parties, game nights with friends, or any gathering that needs a dip on the table.
  • Pimento Cheese in bowl surrounded by crackers

    15 min
    Vegetarian
    Pimento Cheese! It's a Southern staple: a spreadable dip for celery, sandwiches, crackers. We make ours with pimentos, cheddar and jack cheese, mayonnaise, cream cheese. Dig in!
  • Easy focaccia bread with rosemary baked and cooling on a cooling rack

    4 hrs, 50 min
    Homemade focaccia is simply the BEST! It's easy to make, but be sure to give yourself the afternoon. You'll be rewarded with a rich, rosemary-scented bread that feeds a crowd. Serve as an appetizer or as a side with soup, roasts, or braises.
  • Smoked Salmon Dip with Capers - smoked salmon dip with crackers on tray

    10 min
    Low Carb
    Take your party appetizer game up a notch! This pretty pink smoked salmon dip is ready in minutes, makes any occasion feel extra special, and tastes just as good with crackers as it does with crudités.

Christmas Cookies Galore! More Christmas Cookies

  • Gingerbread Man Cookies

    2 hrs
    Gingerbread Cookies are the essence of the holidays and are deeply flavored with spices and molasses. Decorate with royal icing and enjoy them for dessert or on your Christmas tree!
  • Walnut Snowball Cookies

    45 min
    These festive holiday Snowball Cookies are made with finely chopped walnuts, flour, and vanilla, then rolled into balls and dusted with powdered sugar. They freeze well and ship well, too!
  • Chocolate Crinkle Cookies on Plate

    4 hrs, 35 min
    Chocolate crinkle cookies! Chocolate dough rolled in powdered sugar and baked into a festive black and white cookie. They're the perfect Christmas cookies!
  • Finished Candy Cane Cookies on Baking Pan

    3 hrs, 28 min
    Candy Cane Cookies! Twists of red-and-white cookie dough flavored with peppermint extract. Such a fun way to celebrate the holidays!
  • Chocolate Covered Pretzels

    1 hr, 20 min
    Chocolate-Covered Pretzels are a fun and easy snack to make at home! Decorate with drizzles or sprinkles for a holiday treat.
  • Brightly frosted holiday sugar cookies set on a platter.

    1 hr, 20 min
    These Christmas Cookies are buttery, tender, and ready for icing. A tried-and-true family favorite, this is THE cookie that Santa wants on his cookie plate!
  • Overhead shot of magic cookie bars ready to eat

    35 min
    Classic 7-layer magic bars with chocolate, nuts, butterscotch, and coconut! They're the perfect make-ahead dessert for your next party.
  • Mini Easy Ginger Lemon Cookies placed in a footed serving bowl.

    2 hrs, 32 min
    Move over gingerbread man; there's a new cookie in town! These one-bite slice-and-bake spiced ginger and lemon cookies pack a flavorful punch. Be prepared—they are the first to go on any holiday cookie tray.
  • Overhead view of Butterhorn Cookies Filled with Walnut Meringue in a pink bowl.

    2 hrs, 25 min
    If light buttery cookies with a nutty filling are on your holiday must-have list, this is the cookie for you. Rolled up, filled with a walnut meringue, and dressed in a snowy glaze, these cookies are perfect with tea, as an afternoon snack, or part of a holiday cookie exchange.
  • Easy Peanut Butter Cookies on a serving plate

    3 hrs, 40 min
    These are the best peanut butter cookies ever! Use your favorite store-brand peanut butter and a combination of white and brown sugar. For the best cookie shape, let the dough chill for at least three hours before baking.
  • Mexican Wedding Cookies

    1 hr, 28 min
    Crumbly, buttery, and nutty - Mexican Wedding Cookies are irresistible. Also called Russian Tea Cakes. Make with pecans, walnuts, almonds, or any other nut.
  • Gingerbread Bars frosted and decorated with festive sprinkles and set on a rack.

    33 min
    Dress up your holiday table with these easy and delicious Gingerbread Cookie Bars. Make them a day in advance so the flavors come together. Cream cheese frosting with sprinkles adds that extra special touch.
  • Thumbprint Cookies

    55 min
    Thumbprint Cookies! These buttery little cookies are filled with jam and rolled with nuts. Make this classic cookie for your next cookie exchange or holiday party.
  • Christmas Crack

    8 hrs, 25 min
    Who wants Christmas Cracker Candy?! Saltine crackers coated with caramel and chocolate make a salty, crunchy holiday treat. What's not to love?
  • Peanut Butter balls or Buckeye balls

    2 hrs, 12 min
    Gluten-Free, Low Carb
    Chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls or Buckeye balls are so easy to make at home with this easy Buckeye recipe. An essential for any cookie tray!

  • 1 hr, 15 min
    Chocolate rum balls! These easy no-bake treats are perfect for your next holiday party.
  • How to make the Best Chocolate Chip cookies from this Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

    47 min
    These homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies are the BEST! One special ingredient helps deepens the flavor and gives the chocolate chip cookies a chewier texture. Save this chocolate chip cookie recipe. It's that good.
  • Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

    2 hrs, 27 min
    Soft, chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies! Made with dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and fresh ginger.
  • Oatmeal Lace Cookies

    20 min
    Crispy, lacy oatmeal cookies. So impressive on a cookie tray.
  • Peanut butter blossoms in a wide ceramic bowl.

    22 min
    Nostalgia alert! When was the last time you made these favorite childhood cookies? Don't know? Let's remedy that. Chocolate and peanut butter belong together, and these easy cookies prove it.
  • Pfeffernüsse Spice Cookies

    30 min
    Pfeffernüsse Spice Cookies! Traditional German Christmas cookies made with a blend of spices like ginger, cinnamon, and white pepper and glazed. These cookies store and ship very well.
  • Chewy, Brownie Peppermint Bark Cookies

    15 min
    Peppermint Bark Chocolate Cookies! These chewy, chocolate brownie cookies are studded with pieces of peppermint bark. They're the ultimate holiday treat! Best enjoyed next to a roaring fire with hot cocoa.
  • Spritz Cookies

    35 min
    Spritz cookies are a classic Christmas cookie! With roots in Germany and Scandinavia, they're a simple butter cookie pressed into festive shapes and topped with all sorts of garnishes.
  • Holiday Pinwheel Cookies

    4 hrs, 40 min
    Holiday Pinwheel Cookies are so fun on a cookie tray! Made by rolling with two colors of dough together. Freeze the log of dough for up to a month for slice-and-bake cookies.
  • stained glass cookies

    2 hrs, 10 min
    Beautiful, festive stained glass cookies. Sugar cookies cut out and filled with hard candy to look like stained glass windows when they are baked.

Christmas Morning

  • The best cinnamon rolls frosted with cream cheese frosting.

    9 hrs, 50 min
    These Homemade Cinnamon Rolls taste like they came from a bakery! They're soft and fluffy, and topped with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting. A make-ahead dough breaks up the work.

  • 1 hr, 5 min
    Take your favorite egg and cheese bagel sandwich and turn it into a make-ahead breakfast casserole instead! This breakfast bake is an easy crowd-pleaser.
  • Make Ahead French Toast Casserole

    55 min
    This EASY French toast casserole has a super crunchy cinnamon-sugar top! Bake right away, or make it ahead and refrigerate overnight. Give your family a treat this Saturday morning!
  • Biscuits and Gravy Bake

    1 hr
    The Southern favorite, biscuits and gravy, gets the casserole treatment! Assemble the gravy ahead of time; make this for a hungry brunching crowd, and you'll taste why it's a classic!
  • Sausage Breakfast Casserole

    1 hr, 25 min
    EASY sausage breakfast casserole! Made with eggs, sharp cheddar cheese, cubed day old bread, and Italian pork sausage. Perfect brunch casserole.
  • Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

    1 hr, 20 min
    Make-ahead ham and cheese breakfast casserole! Just bread, cheese, tomatoes, ham, eggs, and milk. Feeds a crowd.
  • Crumb Coffee Cake Recipe - coffee cake on blue plate

    1 hr, 20 min
    Love Starbucks Coffee Cake? This version is even better. Tender, buttery cake topped with crunchy crumbles and a cinnamon-sugar ribbon running through the middle. Pour yourself a cup of coffee, and dig in!
  • How to Make Stuffed French Toast

    25 min
    French toast is good, but this Honey Ricotta Stuffed French Toast is even better! It only looks and sounds fancy—you can whip this up in less than a half hour.
  • Eggs Benedict

    25 min
    Making Eggs Benedict is easier than you think — especially if you make Hollandaise in a blender! It just takes a little planning and know-how. Perfect for a special meal for a special someone.
  • Pancakes Using Homemade Pancake Mix

    5 min
    Vegetarian
    Homemade Pancake Mix comes together in mere minutes and keeps for up to six months! Fluffy, buttery pancakes piled high on a Saturday morning are just a scoop away.
  • Best fruit cake on a serving platter

    2 hrs, 15 min
    This easy fruitcake is perfect for the holidays. It's light, tender, and full of dried fruits and nuts. Sprinkle the loaf with brandy, or leave it out! Either way, this fruit cake is a welcome addition to the holiday table.

  • Quiche Lorraine with a buttery crust and a tender filling with our favorite food group - bacon!
  • Overhead shot of the finished breakfast casserole in a 9x13 baking dish

    1 hr, 5 min
    This easy breakfast casserole is adaptable to whatever ingredients you have on hand—cheese, veggies, meats—and can be assembled the night before and baked in the morning. Or eaten for dinner—your choice!

Recent Christmas Recipes & Ideas

  • Overhead view of two Negronis with non alcoholic gin, bar nuts and an orange wedge.

    3 min
    All the delight of a negroni cocktail, but without the alcohol! This non-alcoholic negroni relies on alcohol-free gin and vermouth to make a cocktail that’s just as bold and delicious as the original.
  • Sliced prime rib roast on a platter

    5 min
    Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Paleo
    Prime rib recipe, how to cook to perfection a standing rib beef roast, step-by-step instructions and photos. Perfect for Christmas and the holiday season.
  • Homemade Eggnog Recipe served in glasses with a sprinkle of nutmeg

    1 hr, 25 min
    Homemade Eggnog is EASY to make! Plus, it doesn't have all the fillers of the store-bought stuff. Just cream, sugar, eggs, and spices. Enjoy it spiked or without alcohol for a kid-friendly version.
  • Instant Pot Pot Roast sliced and served on a platter with carrots and potatoes

    1 hr, 55 min
    Paleo
    Instant Pot Pot Roast shaves some time off oven-cooked and slow cooker methods. You can also cook the veggies right in the pot, making it an easy one-pot meal.
  • Old fashioned cocktail made with bourbon or rye whiskey

    2 min
    An Old Fashioned is a true classic. Made with whiskey, sugar, Angostura bitters, and an orange peel (or cherry) for garnish, it's a cocktail made for whiskey lovers!
  • Easy waffle recipe served on a round plate with maple syrup

    40 min
    Here's a Classic Buttermilk Waffle Recipe! These waffles are light and crispy on the outside, tender in the middle. No mixer required. Make a batch ahead and freeze for easy breakfasts!
  • Panna Cotta with berries and sauce in a round bowl with a spoon.

    20 min
    Gluten-Free
    Panna cotta is such an easy and elegant make-ahead dessert for any special occasion, from Christmas dinner to the Fourth of July! Serve with a quick fruit sauce and summer berries.
  • Round shortbread cookies on a cooling rack

    25 min
    Take your cookie plate to a new level with these buttery, crisp, and utterly delicious classic shortbread cookies! Easy to share, but we won't blame you for keeping them all to yourself.
  • Stuffed mushroom caps on an appetizer tray

    40 min
    Vegetarian
    These classic stuffed mushrooms are loaded with shallots, garlic, walnuts, breadcrumbs, and chopped mushroom stems. Sprinkle with Parmesan, pop them in the oven, and you've got a great appetizer for the holidays.
  • A cutting board with slices of focaccia topped with caramelized onions, cranberries, and brie.

    1 hr, 20 min
    Vegetarian
    Wow your taste buds with this festive focaccia appetizer topped with sweet caramelized onions, tart cranberries, and creamy brie. It will become your new favorite holiday starter!
  • Best fruit cake on a serving platter

    2 hrs, 15 min
    This easy fruitcake is perfect for the holidays. It's light, tender, and full of dried fruits and nuts. Sprinkle the loaf with brandy, or leave it out! Either way, this fruit cake is a welcome addition to the holiday table.
  • Christmas morning pancakes spread on a plate and topped with pears and creme fraiche. Additional pears are in a bowl next to the plate.

    55 min
    This holiday season, start a new tradition with gingerbread pancakes. Rich molasses, cinnamon, clove, and ginger added to classic buttermilk pancakes make a short stack worthy of Christmas morning. Top with whipped cream and caramelized pears to make this an extra special treat.
  • Sponsored Content

    1 hr, 12 min
    Vegan
    There's a new gingerbread cookie in town! Warmly-spiced and made dairy-free thanks to a lovely, light olive oil. Decorate them simply and enjoy, or gift to friends and neighbors!
  • Three photos side by side. On the left is a pan of Raspberry Jam Rolls. In the center is a platter of Swedish Coffee Bread. On the right is Caramel Apple Monkey Bread.

    Draw your family from their sweet slumber on Christmas morning with the smell of freshly baked breakfast rolls wafting through the air. Sticky Buns studded with pecans, Cinnamon Rolls (regular or gluten free), Raspberry Jam Rolls or S-shaped St. Lucia Saffron Buns make the morning extra special.

  • 2 hrs, 56 min
    A grocery store classic brought home for the holidays! These super soft, cakey cookies are delicious with a cold glass of real milk – a true festive treat the whole family will love. Double the batch to gift or freeze!

  • 42 min
    Usher in the holiday baking season with these simple, soft, and tender eggnog cookies! Laced with fragrant nutmeg and real eggnog, these are a great contender for this year's cookie tin or holiday dessert.
  • Gingerbread Bars frosted and decorated with festive sprinkles and set on a rack.

    33 min
    Dress up your holiday table with these easy and delicious Gingerbread Cookie Bars. Make them a day in advance so the flavors come together. Cream cheese frosting with sprinkles adds that extra special touch.
  • Homemade Caramel Candy cut into squares.

    3 hrs, 35 min
    Making classic, soft and chewy caramel candies to stuff into stockings, gift to loved ones near and far, or simply treat yourself is easier than you might imagine. You can make these sweet candy treats in about 30 minutes. Then all you need to do is let them cool and wrap!
  • A pan of easy gluten free cinnamon rolls being topped with icing.

    There’s nothing quite like a soft, tender cinnamon roll filled with gooey cinnamon sugar and topped with cream cheese frosting. This gluten free version uses both yeast and baking powder to create a roll everyone will love.
  • A stack of Snickerdoodle next to a glass of milk.

    24 min
    These brown sugar snickerdoodle cookies are crackled with cinnamon-sugar on the outside and chewy-soft on the inside. This recipe does not use cream of tartar, but adds cornstarch for extra tenderness.
  • Hot chocolate in a decorative cup with a saucer.

    15 min
    Homemade hot chocolate is a dreamy treat on a cold day. Make it with real chocolate, whole milk, and vanilla, and top it with a dollop of whipped cream.
  • Sidecar drink with chocolate in a coupe glass with a second glass behind it. Ingredients for the cocktails are behind the glass.

    5 min
    This riff on the classic sidecar is made with cognac, tawny port, fresh lime juice, and dark créme de cacao for a chocolate-y hit. It’s smooth, sultry, and sophisticated -- perfect for any cocktail party!
  • Twice baked potato recipe baked on a sheet. pan and topped with crispy bacon.

    1 hr, 50 min
    Gluten-Free
    When is the last time you had Twice Baked Potatoes?! Here are two variations on a classic recipe: one with a cheddar cheese and bacon, the other with a blue cheese and chives. These are such a good side dish to a holiday meal or Sunday supper.
  • Beef Bourguignon served over mashed potatoes in a bowl

    3 hrs, 15 min
    This version of Julia Child's classic Beef Bourguignon (or Boeuf Bourguignon) is made by stewing beef with carrots and mushrooms until it's fall-apart tender. The sauce is rich, hearty, and worth every minute of slow cooking. Serve for Christmas dinner or any special winter meal.
  • Sponsored Content

    5 min
    Looking for a new seasonal cocktail that's sure to wow, but only calls for three ingredients? This slightly spicy, smoky, sweet tea cocktail is just the thing! Perfect for the holiday season – and beyond.

All Christmas Recipes

Most viewed
Most pinned Most recent
  • A show bowl with Thanksgiving mashed potatoes inside.

    35 min
    Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
    Want the creamiest mashed potatoes? Use Yukon Gold potatoes, lots of butter, and cream. This recipe makes the best mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or any holiday in between.
  • Sliced prime rib roast on a platter

    5 min
    Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Paleo
    Prime rib recipe, how to cook to perfection a standing rib beef roast, step-by-step instructions and photos. Perfect for Christmas and the holiday season.
  • Side view of a new york style cheesecake on a cake stand.

    3 hrs
    Say hello to your new favorite cheesecake recipe! This is a classic New York cheesecake, baked in the oven. A water bath, plus lots of tips and guidance, help you make the best, silkiest, creamiest cheesecake EVER.
  • Roast Beef

    4 hrs, 35 min
    Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Paleo
    Classic roast beef recipe using rump roast, round roast, or sirloin tip. This slow roasting method at low heat is good for tougher cuts of beef; the lower heat prevents any gristle from getting too tough.
  • How to Make Gravy

    15 min
    Two easy gravy recipes with photos and step-by-step instructions.
  • Round shortbread cookies on a cooling rack

    25 min
    Take your cookie plate to a new level with these buttery, crisp, and utterly delicious classic shortbread cookies! Easy to share, but we won't blame you for keeping them all to yourself.
  • Horizontal view of white plate with slice of small batch lasagna and garnished with chopped parsley. A partial view of the baked lasagna in the glass pan is to the right of the plate. Above the plate to the left is a small bowl of lettuce and a tumbler. A fork is on the left of the plate.

    1 hr, 5 min
    This small-batch weeknight lasagna comfortably serves two and is ready in half the time as a larger batch. Loaf Pan Lasagna is layered with chunky pieces of sausage and rustic-but-quick tomato sauce.
  • Roast Goose

    2 hrs, 5 min
    Low Carb
    Step-by-step detailed instructions and photos on roasting a goose.
  • Rack of Lamb

    35 min
    Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Paleo
    Rack of Lamb is so elegant! Perfect for entertaining. Tender oven-roasted rack of lamb, seasoned with rosemary, thyme, garlic, salt and freshly ground black pepper, and slathered with olive oil.
  • Easy fudge recipe cut into squares and stacked.

    4 hrs, 20 min
    This fudge recipe is adapted from the original Kraft back-of-the-can recipe—but with extra chocolate. It's easy to make with marshmallow fluff, chocolate, evaporated milk, and walnuts. It makes a huge batch so you can share with friends!
  • Sliced Roast Leg of Lamb with pink center

    3 hrs, 30 min
    Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Paleo
    Classic roast leg of lamb recipe. Leg of lamb marinated in a citrus rosemary marinade, then oven seared and slow roasted.
  • Gingerbread Man Cookies

    2 hrs
    Gingerbread Cookies are the essence of the holidays and are deeply flavored with spices and molasses. Decorate with royal icing and enjoy them for dessert or on your Christmas tree!
  • Easy English Toffee in Bowl

    1 hr, 30 min
    Homemade English toffee! Top this crunchy, caramel toffee with dark chocolate and toasted nuts. It's so easy to make and keeps for weeks. Ships well, too!
  • Walnut Snowball Cookies

    45 min
    These festive holiday Snowball Cookies are made with finely chopped walnuts, flour, and vanilla, then rolled into balls and dusted with powdered sugar. They freeze well and ship well, too!
  • Two Glasses of Coquito

    40 min
    Think of Coquito as the Puerto Rican version of eggnog! It's made with a blend of coconut ingredients, cinnamon, and rum. One batch makes plenty for a party.
  • Chocolate Crinkle Cookies on Plate

    4 hrs, 35 min
    Chocolate crinkle cookies! Chocolate dough rolled in powdered sugar and baked into a festive black and white cookie. They're the perfect Christmas cookies!
  • Chocolate Truffles

    2 hrs, 45 min
    Chocolate Truffles are EASY to make! Your sweetheart will LOVE these homemade truffles. With chocolate and cream, assorted flavors, and coated with either cocoa or chopped nuts. Perfect for Valentine's Day!
  • Finished Candy Cane Cookies on Baking Pan

    3 hrs, 28 min
    Candy Cane Cookies! Twists of red-and-white cookie dough flavored with peppermint extract. Such a fun way to celebrate the holidays!

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