32 Delicious Christmas Eve Recipes Dinner for Dinner and More

‘Tis the night before Christmas, and the excitement is tangible! The holiday magic starts on December 24. As you prepare for the festivities, we’ve gathered the best Christmas Eve dinner ideas to make your evening magical and stress-free. From comforting to decadent, these Christmas Eve recipes are designed to complement your favorite Christmas cookie creations. It is the season to indulge in decadent dishes and create cherished memories with your loved ones. Let the holiday magic begin on December 24th, as you savor these delightful recipes and set the stage for a joyous and memorable evening with those close to your heart.

Cranberry Holiday Beef Brisket

This cranberry holiday beef brisket is seriously amazing. It’s a lovely dish for the holiday season, Jewish holidays or any time of year you’re feeling festive. A large brisket with fresh cranberries or cranberry jelly is a great recipe for any holiday, special occasion or simply because it’s delicious enough to have any day!
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Holiday Beef Brisket

Christmas Deviled Eggs

Not only are Christmas deviled eggs a wonderful holiday appetizer, but they are sure to disappear fast if you serve them at a Christmas party. Christmas deviled eggs recipes vary but this one is a favourite of mine. Everything from the Christmas colors to the fresh herbs, lemon and garlic in the filling makes these Christmas appetizers truly special. And the recipe is wide open to interpretation so you can tweak the filling in this Yuletide appetizer however you want.
Get the Recipe: Christmas Deviled Eggs

Cranberry Jello Salad With Mandarins and Pineapple

If you’re planning your Thanksgiving dinner spread, don’t forget the homemade cranberry jello salad with pineapple and oranges! This recipe is made with jello, giving it a different consistency, and the fruity taste goes perfectly with your Thanksgiving turkey!
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Jello Salad With Mandarins and Pineapple

Christmas Chocolate Cake Martini Cocktail

A Christmas chocolate cake cocktail is like a holiday dessert and festive beverage rolled into one. This chocolate martini cocktail is a rich and decadent Christmas party mixed drink with only three main ingredients as well with a couple of garnish ideas. If you are a fan of milk, Nutella and cake flavoured vodka, you will love this boozy holiday drink.
Get the Recipe: Christmas Chocolate Cake Martini Cocktail

Pesto Puff Pastry Christmas Tree Appetizer

It’s never too early to think about new recipes for Christmas or an impressive centerpiece for the occasion. A homemade pesto puff pastry Christmas tree appetizer is definitely worth considering. This puff pastry recipe is in the shape of a Christmas tree, so it’s definitely a fitting, festive choice. These puff pastry tree appys are a delicious recipe for the holiday season and easy to make with store-bought puff pastry.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Puff Pastry Christmas Tree Appetizer

Holiday Roasted Chicken

It’s easy to make a great Thanksgiving or Christmas roast chicken recipe. Chicken’s such a versatile protein and can be jazzed up for a special occasion or used in so many other ways. Here the chicken is roasted whole with delicate, aromatic flavours.
Get the Recipe: The BEST Holiday Roasted Chicken

Easy Italian Christmas Zuccotto Cake

Traditional Italian desserts like this easy Italian Christmas zuccotto cake are the perfect treat for after dinner. This beautiful Italian dessert is made with pound loaf (pound cake), mascarpone cheese, chocolate, and more. There are only nine ingredients in this simple Italian liqueur cake and the multicolour sprinkles give it a fun look.
Get the Recipe: Easy Italian Christmas Zuccotto Cake

Marinated Olives with Feta

You only need seven different ingredients to prepare this delicious marinated olives and feta cheese appetizer or snack. Expect a riot of soft and pleasing Mediterranean flavours in every mouthful. Everything in there is tasty from the green and kalamata olives to the creamy feta, salty caperberries, and hints of garlic, red pepper flakes and extra virgin olive oil. If you love Greek appetizers, this might become your next favourite.
Get the Recipe: Marinated Olives with Feta

Sheet Pan Garlic Parmesan Roasted Carrots

Sheet pan parmesan roasted carrots with garlic make a delicious side dish for all kinds of entrees. The natural sweetness of carrots is showcased by the creamy, salty parmesan cheese and buttery, as well as hints of garlic, rosemary and fresh parsley. Everyone at the dinner table will love crispy parmesan carrots. Their sweetness appeals to the younger members of the family and it’s a great way to get them to eat cooked carrots.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Garlic Parmesan Roasted Carrots

Holiday Beef Wellington

What about making holiday beef wellington for Christmas dinner this year? It’s made with beef tenderloin, the most tender cut of beef, along with flavourful ingredients such as prosciutto parma ham, rosemary, thyme, mushrooms, shallot, and more. This Thanksgiving or Christmas beef wellington recipe is straightforward to make and it’s a wonderfully decadent meal for the holidays.
Get the Recipe: Holiday Beef Wellington

Gingerbread Latte Dessert Rum Cocktail

This gingerbread latte dessert rum cocktail is going to be one of the stars of your holidays! It’s a delectable mixture of spiced rum and coffee liqueur. This gingerbread rum cocktail makes a great alcoholic Christmas drink and holiday after dinner drink. Make lots, because this Christmas dessert cocktail will be the drink of the festive season!
Get the Recipe: Gingerbread Latte Dessert Rum Cocktail

Cranberry Cream Cheese Stuffed Flank Steak

How does cranberry cream cheese stuffed flank steak sound as a Christmas dinner dish? Doesn’t the sound of this recipe make your mouth begin to water? It’s such a great recipe for stuffed flank steak and works well as a New Year, Thanksgiving or Christmas steak recipe when you want something both fancy and tasty.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Cream Cheese Stuffed Flank Steak

Antipasto Christmas Tree

It’s never too early to start planning recipes for your Christmas dinner and festive appetizers during the holiday season (or even just before!) This antipasto tree is an Italian take on an antipasto platter, boasting tomatoes, little cheese balls, green olives, and more. It’s worth making several of these because, as well as being a delicious appetizer, it makes a gorgeous and edible table centerpiece.
Get the Recipe: Antipasto Christmas Tree

Italian Rainbow Cookies

These Italian-American cookies are prepared by layering almond cake with raspberry jelly and adding a sweet chocolate glaze. They’re gorgeous to look at and even better to eat!
Get the Recipe: Italian Rainbow Cookies

One Pot Gouda And Cream Cheese Corn

One pot gouda and cream cheese corn is an extra-special and very delicious side dish. It’s an amazing holiday corn recipe and pairs nicely with any kind of meat you want to cook. The combination of gouda, cream cheese and heavy cream gives this cheesy corn casserole recipe a rich taste and it’s a cozy, comforting side dish the whole family will love.
Get the Recipe: One Pot Gouda And Cream Cheese Corn

Tiramisu Cheesecake Mini Trifles

A delicious dessert for chocolate lovers, these individual tiramisu cheesecake mini trifles are indulgent and yummy. They’re not hard to prepare and you don’t need many different ingredients either.
Get the Recipe: Tiramisu Cheesecake Mini Trifles

Italian Chocolate Roll Cookies

It isn’t necessarily hard to make such nice-looking cookies, and these chocolate roll cookies are easy even for beginner home bakers. Italian chocolate filled cookies are a holiday favourite, so add these cookies to your Christmas baking list this season.
Get the Recipe: Italian Chocolate Roll Cookies

Festive Gingerbread Pizzelle Recipe

This gingerbread pizzelle recipe makes authentic Italian Christmas pizzelles. These holiday cookies have a crisp texture and delicious ginger snaps flavour. Aromatic cinnamon, ginger and cloves add a spicy touch to the pizzelle cookies, while molasses gives them a rich sweetness. This Christmas cookie is a holiday tradition.
Get the Recipe: Festive Gingerbread Pizzelle Recipe

Antipasto Skewers

Antipasto skewers, or antipasto kabobs, make great party food. Easy to make in advance, they are an easy party appetizer idea that’s ideal for parties, picnics, game day, BBQs, road trips, tailgating and gatherings, among others. This crowd-pleasing antipasto bite appetizer is served on wooden skewers and made with classic Italian flavours.
Get the Recipe: Antipasto Skewers

Sheet Pan Ham Dinner

Looking for a sheet pan Easter dinner, Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner recipe? Not only would this recipe be perfect for either one, but it’s also simple enough to serve up as a regular busy weeknight staple whenever you like.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Ham Dinner

Peppermint Ice Cream Bonbons

Make a batch of peppermint ice cream bon bons to make your annual Christmas movie night extra special. This recipe is so easy! All you need to do is stuff mint oreos with ice cream, dunk them in chocolate and freeze. Your friends will declare you to be one smart cookie after just a nibble.
Get the Recipe: Peppermint Ice Cream Bonbons

Smoked Gouda Mac And Cheese With Pancetta

Take standard mac and cheese to inspiring new heights with this smoked gouda mac and cheese with pancetta recipe. Elbow noodles pair up with gouda cheese, white cheddar, garlic, pancetta or bacon, shallots, and more, to create this seriously impressive dish. You can enjoy this grown up mac and cheese as a side dish or as the main dish and I guarantee second helpings and clean plates!
Get the Recipe: Smoked Gouda Mac And Cheese With Pancetta

Pecan Sugar Cookies

You’re going to love this pecan sugar cookie recipe. The brown sugar pairs with molasses, maple syrup, cinnamon, and more, for a deliciously rich flavor in every bite. Whether you’re looking for melt in your mouth cookies to make for the holidays or you just love sugar cookies and pecans, this recipe might just tick all your boxes. You won’t regret making these!
Get the Recipe: Pecan Sugar Cookies

Confetti Squares

These peanut butter butterscotch confetti squares are the perfect no bake treat for any occasion. With colorful mini marshmallows and butterscotch chips, they’re sure to be a hit at your next party or potluck! This Canadian classic bar is always a favorite.
Get the Recipe: Confetti Squares

Santa’s Hat Coconut Rum Cocktail

A fun signature cocktail is always a welcome treat, especially during the holiday season. This Santa’s hat coconut rum cocktail is an ideal way to get into the festive spirit. The flavour is tart, sweet and fruity all at once, while the shredded coconut adds a contrasting exotic touch to the holiday drink. Serve these Christmas cocktails anytime over the holidays. It might become one of your favorite cocktails for this time of year.
Get the Recipe: Santa’s Hat Coconut Rum Cocktail

Air Fryer Bacon Loaded Cornbread Pudding

Bacon loaded cornbread pudding pairs with everything from chicken to ham or steaks. It’s a wonderful potluck dish and this is the best corn casserole I’ve made. It’s easy to put together this air fryer cornbread pudding made with Jiffy cornbread mix. This bacon corn casserole will become a family dinner tradition.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Bacon Loaded Cornbread Pudding

Chocolate Covered Cherries

This chocolate covered cherries recipe is great for the holidays, especially if you’re a maraschino cherries fan! You don’t need many ingredients to make these chocolate covered cherry cordials and they’re simple to prepare as well. You can customize them by adding amaretto or another liqueur and also choose your favorite kind of chocolate to use.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Covered Cherries

Pot Roast with Red Wine

This slow cooker pot roast with red wine is a simple and delicious meal that is perfect for preparing in the morning and letting cook all day. The mouth-watering aroma that fills your home when you return is just a bonus! This is one of those slow cooker recipes that will become a family favorite.
Get the Recipe: Pot Roast with Red Wine

Brie Cranberry Bites Appetizer

The creaminess of brie cheese pairs beautifully with the sweet flavour of cranberry sauce in these brie cranberry bites in puff pastry. These delightful little bites are perfect for any season or occasion and each one boasts plenty of wonderful flavour. So, if you like the gooey creaminess of brie cheese along with sweet bottled or homemade cranberry sauce, you’re going to want to make these.
Get the Recipe: Brie Cranberry Bites Appetizer

Gingerbread Trifle

Why not make a gingerbread trifle this holiday season? It’s an easy dessert to make with cake and pudding layers as well as vanilla and caramel flavours and an indulgent splash of brandy. The spices in this holiday trifle recipe are fun and festive and pair beautifully with the other flavours in this exciting take on traditional trifle.
Get the Recipe: Gingerbread Trifle

Smoked Prime Rib

Make a tender smoked prime rib for the holidays. With this method you can avoid the unappealing gray ring in the prime rib for a gorgeous and delicious holiday main course.
Get the Recipe: Smoked Prime Rib

Easy Chocolate Cherry Blossom Cookies

Chocolate cherry blossom cookies pair the sweet, fruity taste of cherries with the timeless appeal of chocolate. This chocolate cherry cookie recipe makes a batch of cute pink cookies and each one is topped with a Hershey’s kiss. It’s a fun recipe that even cooking newbies will find easy. The texture of these holiday cookies is soft and shortbread-like since they’re made without eggs.
Get the Recipe: Easy Chocolate Cherry Blossom Cookies