Merry Christmas Recipes to Try This Year

Here are some delicious Christmas recipes that are sure to bring holiday cheer to your table this year! From appetizers to desserts, these recipes blend traditional flavors with a few unique twists to make your holiday feast memorable.

🎄 Appetizers 🎄

1. Cranberry Brie Bites

• Ingredients: 1 sheet puff pastry, 1/2 cup cranberry sauce, 8 oz brie cheese (cut into small squares), 1/4 cup chopped pecans, fresh rosemary sprigs.
• Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll out puff pastry and cut into 24 small squares.
  2. Place each square into a mini muffin tin, pressing down to form a cup.
  3. Add a small piece of brie, a spoonful of cranberry sauce, and a sprinkle of pecans.
  4. Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden. Garnish with rosemary and serve warm!

2. Stuffed Mushrooms with Sausage and Parmesan

• Ingredients: 16 oz mushrooms, 1/2 lb Italian sausage, 1/4 cup breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup cream cheese, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, chopped parsley.
• Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove mushroom stems and chop finely.
  2. Sauté sausage with chopped stems until browned, then mix in cream cheese, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan.
  3. Spoon filling into mushroom caps, place on a baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

🍲 Main Course 🍲

3. Herb-Crusted Prime Rib

• Ingredients: 5 lbs prime rib roast, 2 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary, 3 tbsp chopped fresh thyme, 4 garlic cloves (minced), salt, pepper.
• Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Rub roast with olive oil, herbs, garlic, salt, and pepper.
  2. Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce to 325°F (165°C) and cook until internal temperature reaches 135°F (for medium-rare), about 1.5–2 hours. Rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

4. Baked Honey-Glazed Ham with Pineapple

• Ingredients: 1 bone-in ham (8-10 lbs), 1 cup pineapple juice, 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, whole cloves, pineapple slices, maraschino cherries.
• Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Score ham with shallow cuts and stud with cloves.
  2. Mix pineapple juice, honey, brown sugar, and mustard. Pour half over ham and bake for 2 hours, basting every 30 minutes.
  3. Add pineapple slices and cherries on top and bake for an additional 30 minutes.

🍠 Side Dishes 🍠

5. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Balsamic Glaze

• Ingredients: 1 lb Brussels sprouts, 4 slices bacon, 2 tbsp balsamic glaze, salt, pepper.
• Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss Brussels sprouts with chopped bacon, salt, and pepper.
  2. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, stirring halfway.
  3. Drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve warm.

6. Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel

• Ingredients: 4 large sweet potatoes, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 cup milk, mini marshmallows, 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
• Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Peel, boil, and mash sweet potatoes. Mix with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and milk.
  2. Spread in a baking dish, top with marshmallows and pecans, and bake for 20 minutes.

🍪 Desserts 🍪

7. Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

• Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 tbsp ground ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 cup molasses, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 2 eggs, 1 cup buttermilk.
• Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix dry ingredients. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar, add eggs, molasses, and buttermilk, then combine with dry ingredients.
  2. Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. Cool and drizzle with cream cheese glaze.

8. Chocolate Peppermint Bark

• Ingredients: 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup white chocolate chips, 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies.
• Instructions:
  1. Melt semi-sweet chocolate and spread on a lined baking sheet. Chill until firm.
  2. Melt white chocolate, spread on top of semi-sweet layer, and sprinkle with crushed peppermint.
  3. Chill until set, then break into pieces.