Festive Holiday Recipes for a Delicious Christmas

We’ve gathered our favorite holiday recipes in one spot to help everyone find the right holiday dish for their gatherings.

One of my favorite things about the holidays is getting to spend time in the kitchen cooking for friends and family. There is something enjoyable about taking the time to get a dish just right during a time of year when you know it’s going to be savored.

Whether you’re in charge of making a big holiday dinner or just need to bring a snack over to a friend’s house we’ve put together a collection of tasty holiday dishes that are, of course, organized by course.

Appetizers

Our favorite holiday appetizers are ones you can snack on all day long. One of our favorites is this Classic Smoked Salmon Dip made with canned salmon, cream cheese, and a few other ingredients that have a rich slightly smoky flavor that is delicious whether it’s being served on crackers, bagels, or mixed in with scrambled eggs for brunch. 

Classic Smoked Salmon Dip

With its rich flavors and creamy texture, this smoked salmon dip recipe hits all the right notes in this classic appetizer.

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Whites beans, caramelized onions, and garlic are a timeless combination that comes together in this Caramelized Onion & White Bean Dip to create a creamy dip that is especially delicious served on grilled or toasted bread.

Caramelized Onion White Bean Dip

This creamy white bean dip is a delicious and healthy appetizer with a touch of sweetness from the caramelized onions that is perfect for serving with crackers or vegetables.

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If you’re looking to splurge on something decadent for a small group try this Pan Seared Foie Gras with Caramelized Figs. It’s a dish that looks amazing as it comes to the table and will impress your guests as the foie melts in their mouths.   

Seared Foie Gras With Caramelized Figs

This pan seared foie gras recipe highlights the rich flavors and sublime texture that show why foie gras is one of the most sought after ingredients in the culinary world.

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Main Course

The most memorable recipes for the holidays are the show stoppers, the ones that look as good as they taste. And nothing makes a better show stopper than a beautifully done roast that can be carved tableside.

What could feel more like Christmas than a beef roast that’s been studded with garlic cloves and slow-roasted in the oven until it’s a beautiful, tender, medium-rare. What sets our Roast Beef Recipe apart is how tender and flavorful the meat is with a crisp crust on the outside. The recipe also includes tips on picking the right roast and how to make gravy from the drippings.

Classic Roast Beef Recipe

This classic roast beef recipe uses fresh rosemary and garlic to create tender beef slow roasted in the oven that’s cooked to a perfect medium rare with a crisp crust so good every slice melts in your mouth.

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If you’re more in the mood for a show stopper that updates a traditional holiday dish try firing up the grill and making a Maple Bourbon Glazed Grilled Ham. Using the grill to cook the ham helps to concentrate its flavors adding a touch of smoke to it without drying the ham out. Using a maple bourbon glaze to finish the ham adds a touch of sweetness and a little bite along with a bright sheen and crisp exterior.

Maple Bourbon Glazed Grilled Ham

There are lots of reasons to make a grilled ham, grilling lets you add flavors by using a dry rub and glaze, it concentrates the ham's natural flavor and juices while giving it a delicious, slightly smoky flavor, and a crisp crust.

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Side Dishes

What would a holiday feast be without a table filled with side dishes? When it comes to sides our favorite holiday recipes are ones that use color and texture to stand out on the plate, compliment the other dishes being served, and leave people asking for the recipe. It also never hurts if there’s a little cheese involved.

One recipe that has never failed to please a crowd is our Cheesy Hash Brown Casserole. With a rich creamy texture and just the right amount of cheese its comfort food personified. Our recipe has a few extras that enhance its texture and add a couple of layers of flavor that give it an edge over similar recipes.

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

Crispy hashbrowns and cheesy goodness come together to create these scrumptious cheesy hashbrowns. What makes this cheesy hashbrown casserole recipe so delicious is the combination of cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, just the right spices, a little onion, and a lot of delicious cheese.

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The simplest risotto has the ability to elevate a meal. This Simple Italian Risotto recipe is as versatile as it is delicious. It’s the type of dish that can be served with chicken, beef, or pork dishes or on its own. It’s especially tasty with sauteed or roasted mushrooms.  

Simple Italian Risotto

Risotto is one of the recipes that every cook needs to know. The technique becomes easier with practice, and the simplicity of just a few ingredients that turn into a creamy, soothing texture make this risotto recipe a perfect weeknight dish.

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When we’re looking for a dish that has colors that pop and a crisp texture we make Wild Rice with Sauteéd Peppers. The nuttiness and crunch of the wild rice provide a contrast with the sweetness and texture of the peppers creating a unique and festive side that stands out in a crowd.

Wild Rice with Sauteed Peppers

With an earthy Northwoods flavor, wild rice is a unique and underappreciated ingredient that is fantastic when its cooked right. What makes this wild rice recipe work is the combination of cooking the wild rice in a mixture of chicken stock and water and using the bacon to flavor the vegetables, which introduces all sorts of interesting and complimentary flavors.

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Drinks

One of the easiest things to do when it comes to cocktails, especially when you’re having lots of people over is to make a pitcher of Fresh Homemade Sour Mix. Having a pitcher on hand makes it easy to make vodka and whiskey sours to order based on a guest’s preference. 

Fresh Homemade Sour Mix

This sour mix recipe is simple to make, keeps for several weeks, and is a fantastic foundation for margaritas, sours, daiquiris, and other cocktails that use fresh citrus juice and sugar. It's also infinitely customizable to your tastes and the drinks being served.

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The mix can also be used to make dynamite margaritas, especially if you have a little mezcal in the cupboard. 

Desserts

When it comes to holiday dessert recipes, we love ones that can be made ahead of time and have lots of leftovers.

To add a holiday twist to our traditional Apple Crisp Recipe, we add cranberries and a hint of orange for a Cranberry Apple Crisp that has a scrumptious topping with just the right balance of sweetness and texture from the brown sugar and rolled oats.

Cranberry Apple Crisp

Tart cranberries, crisp apples, and a hint of orange come together to make this delicious Cranberry Apple Crisp recipe. This crisp is delicious on its own, served with whip cream or ice cream.

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A good bread pudding should balance creaminess and texture and never remind one of a brick. Our Bourbon Apple Bread Pudding uses a light challah bread, fresh apples, and a touch of bourbon to create a smooth, slightly savory bread pudding that is perfect around the holidays.

Bourbon Apple Bread Pudding

Bourbon Apple Bread Pudding is delicious when it's served on its own, better when you add some maple whipped cream, and damn fine when it comes with a side of good bourbon. This bread pudding recipe is ideal when you need to make a special occasion dessert or are looking for something to finish off a good BBQ.

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Soups & Stews

There are times around the holidays, in-between the gatherings with friends and family, where it’s nice to have a hearty soup or stew on hand to warm you up inside and chase the cold away.

The tenderness of lamb and the light flavors in great northern beans come alive when they’re combined with fresh rosemary, thyme, and a touch of coriander in this Lamb Stew with Great Northern Beans. It’s one of our favorite recipes to serve to groups of people along with some freshly baked crusty bread.

Lamb Stew with Great Northern Beans

Lamb stew with fresh herbs and white beans is a dish full of delicious flavors that has the right combination of fresh and hearty to work any time of year. What makes this lamb stew recipe so delicious is the combination of the interesting flavors from the coriander and fresh herbs and how the seasoned flour helps the lamb stay tender while creating a thick, rich stew. 

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If you’re looking for a soup to have on hand for quick meals during the holidays or as the first course in a bigger meal make a pot of Tuscan White Bean Soup with Italian Sausage. The white beans, homemade Italian sausage, and fresh spinach come together to create a light flavorful soup that is delicious on its own or as a partner to a nice grilled cheese or ham sandwich.  

Tuscan White Bean Soup

This hearty Tuscan white bean soup is full of rich Italian flavors and is a great companion on a cold winter night. This dish can be served on its own as a meal or as a soup course.

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No matter what you’re celebrating this holiday season, we hope you’ve found a holiday dish or two to share with your loved ones.