The Christmas spirit is among us and we don’t know about you, but we’re certainly looking forward to Christmas dishes in particular!
There’s something about the sweet and savory holiday dishes that feels nourishing to the soul. Christmas only comes once a year (thought we all wish it happened more often), so why not pull out the tastiest recipes?
Traditional Christmas recipes often take hours of preparation and exhausting effort—fortunately, there’s another way. Check out these four easy Christmas dishes to try this holiday season.
#1 Cookie Reindeer
This simple, delicious recipe will leave you with 15 cookie reindeer. We promise you and your guests will love them (or just you, if you’re not hosting this holiday season!).
You will need:
- Pretzels
- 1 bag of oval cookies, like Milanos
- White frosting
- Candy eyes (30)
- Red chocolate-covered candies (15)
The best part of this recipe is it’s family-friendly, so little ones can easily help out.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Snap the pretzels in half down the middle—you’ll need one pretzel for each reindeer’s antlers.
Put a dab of white frosting on the top of each cookie and push the pretzels gently into the frosting. Flip the cookies over and leave them pretzel-side down on the baking sheet.
Put a dab of white frosting for each eye and nose on the cookie, then stick on the candy eyes and red chocolate noses!
Refrigerate the cookies for 5 to 10 minutes or let sit at room temperature for at least an hour to allow the frosting to solidify. Enjoy!
#2 Loaded Baked Potato Casserole
If you enjoy potatoes, then you’ll love this recipe. This easy-to-make banked potato casserole will outshine any other dish!
You’ll need:
- 5 russet potatoes
- 4 tbs softened butter
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¾ cup half and half
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded (substitute gruyere, Monterey Jack, feta, Parmesan, or other types of cheese to change the flavor)
- 10 slices of crisp, crumbled bacon
- 4 green onions, sliced
Heat your oven to 400°F and spray a 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
Place the potatoes on a cookie sheet and prick holes in them with a fork so they’ll cook inside. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
Remove the potatoes and reduce the temperature to 350°F. Let the potatoes cool for about 15 minutes, until they’re easy to handle.
Cut the potatoes in half and scoop the insides into a large bowl. Add the softened butter and mash the potatoes until the lumps are mostly gone. Stir in the sour cream, half and half, salt, and pepper.
Set aside 1 cup of cheese, 3 tbs of bacon, and 1/4 of the sliced green onions. Stir in the remaining cheese, bacon, and green onions.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and place the reserved cheese on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is slightly puffy and brown around the edges.
Garnish with the reserved bacon and green onions.
#3 Pineapple and Ginger Beer Glazed Ham
Some of us look forward to a delicious turkey each Christmas, while others opt for a delicious flavored ham. To make this easy glazed ham, you only need a 4-ingredient marinade—and the ham, of course!
You’ll need:
- ½ cup pineapple juice
- 2 cups ginger beer
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Combine the ginger beer, pineapple juice, mustard, and sugar in a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer for 20-25 minutes (or until thickened).
Remove the glaze from the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes.
While waiting, use a small, sharp knife to cut through the ham rind. You’ll want to cut about 8 cm from the shank, then run your thumb under the rind to separate it from the fat, starting at the end opposite to the shank.
Peel back and remove the rind and score the fat with the knife at 1 cm intervals. Wrap the shank end of the ham in foil.
Place the ham on a lightly greased wire rack in a large roasting pan and add 2 cm of boiling water.
Brush the ham with about 1/4 of the glaze. Bake the ham, basting it with the glaze every 20 minutes. Bake the ham for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the outside is golden and caramelized.
Remove and discard the foil, and serve.
#4 Smoked Salmon Wreath
A smoked salmon wreath is a quick and easy starter dish—on top of which, it’s super healthy and ready in only 30 minutes!
You will need:
- 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed, with the core removed
- 3 limes
- 2 green shallots, trimmed
- 3 large, ripe avocados
- 250 g baby cucumbers, peeled into ribbons
- 1 bunch radishes (200 g) washed, trimmed, and thinly sliced
- 400 g smoked salmon
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Crème fraiche
- Salmon roe
- Fresh dill sprigs
- Micro herbs
- Crackers or crusty bread (optional)
Slice the fennel lengthwise with a mandoline, then place the slices in a mixing bowl. Squeeze one of the limes into the bowl, add a pinch of salt, and toss to combine. Set aside.
Cut the shallots lengthwise and place them in a bowl of ice water for 2-3 minutes, or until they are slightly curled. Drain and set aside.
Mash the avocados and juice the remaining limes over them. Add salt and pepper or other seasonings. Stir to combine. Arrange the mashed avocado around the edge of a large serving platter.
Drain the fennel. Arrange the fennel, cucumber, radish, shallot, and salmon over the top of the avocado.
Drizzle with olive oil and season with more pepper. Add a dollop of crème fraiche and salmon roe.
Sprinkle the dill and micro herbs over the plate. Serve immediately, with the optional crackers or crusty bread, or on its own.
Related: Chic and Useful Kitchen Accessories
Christmas isn’t just about getting and giving gifts—it’s also about coming together and enjoying the fellowship of a delicious meal.
What are some holiday recipes you’re looking forward to preparing this year?
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