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Craft your perfect Christmas dinner from our best holiday recipes. Whether you’re hosting a casual buffet or a formal sit-down dinner, we’ve got plenty of ideas to help you feed the ones you love the most.
Growing up in Wisconsin, Christmas dinner with family always included a juicy baked ham, a seemingly infinite array of side dishes, and a sweets table that groaned from the weight of all my mom’s cookies and desserts.
This year, I wanted to pull out all of the stops. I kept some of my favorite things, but switched up the main event and learned how to make the most delicious Prime Rib ever.
Whether you’re celebrating with friends, having Christmas dinner with family, or celebrating a very, merry mixture of both, maybe my Christmas dinner ideas will inspire you to update your own traditions.
Table of Contents
Prime Rib with Mustard Cream Sauce
Prime Rib makes a mouth-watering, show-stopping centerpiece for any holiday gathering. If you’ve never attempted Prime Rib, fear not! All the information you need is there, broken-down and clearly explained, so you can approach this indulgent cut of meat with confidence, even as a beginner.
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Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped potatoes are creamy, cheesy, and delicious in every bite, a rich side dish that is perfect for a celebration. Layers and layers of thinly sliced potatoes swim in a homemade cheese sauce, then baked until golden brown and crunchy on top. These are great for dinner and brunch alike!
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Green Beans with Bacon
Everything is better with bacon, and green beans are no exception. Blanch the green beans to keep them bright green and tender crisp, then toss with chewy (or crispy) bacon and a touch of brown sugar for sweetness. It’s a vegetable side dish people go crazy for!
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Soft Dinner Rolls
These soft, yeasty dinner rolls are perfect in every way: The size, shape, and texture you want, and so delicious slathered with butter. They are perfect for impromptu sandwiches or just enjoyed on the side of Prime Rib or whatever main dish you serve.
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Cranberry Apple Cider
A staple at the holidays, this Cranberry Apple Cider is the perfect winter warm-up for entertaining. Keep a big crockpot of cider next to mugs and a ladle, and guests can help themselves. It keeps tummies warm and adds a delicious aroma to your house, too. Stash a bottle of something on the side for the 21+ crowd, if desired.
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Cranberry Wreath Cake
This stunning Cranberry Wreath Cake is elevated with a ring of rosemary and sugared cranberries atop a decadent chocolate cake with vanilla buttercream. It’s a festive display for your Christmas table that tastes as good as it looks!
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Great recipes! I can’t wait to try them this year!
Once again, you developed an outstanding selection of ideas/recipes! The pictures as well as step by step recipes are very helpful. The difficult part is narrowing choices. Happy holidays. Thanks again.
I haven’t used any of these recipes yet but I will be using some of these recipes for Christmas dinner I’m always looking for a new recipe I get tired of cooking the same Christmas dinner year after year
Hi Betty! I hope you enjoy them! – Meggan