Food is the real star of any celebration, and these recipes prove it. Big flavors, festive flair, and dishes designed to impress. They set the tone for gatherings that people remember. The decorations can try, but they won’t win.

Cinnamon Palmiers

A rectangular platter with cinnamon palmiers and holiday decorations, including garlands and a gift wrap, is displayed.
Cinnamon Palmiers. Photo credit: Quick Prep Recipes.

Wrap the comforting flavors of cinnamon and sugar in layers of buttery puff pastry, and you get cinnamon palmiers! These little French pastries might look fancy with their swirl of sugar and spice, but they’re surprisingly simple to make. All you need are puff pastry, cinnamon, and sugar and you can enjoy a delicious sweet treat with sugar, spice, and everything nice!
Get the Recipe: Cinnamon Palmiers

Chewy Molasses Cookies

A hand holds a chewy molasses cookie facing the camera with more cookies on a baking sheet in the background.
Chewy Molasses Cookies. Photo credit: Honest and Truly.

There is nothing better than a slightly spicy molasses cookie. This has been a favorite for generations, and it makes the tastiest, chewiest cookie that flat out disappears every time you make a batch.
Get the Recipe: Chewy Molasses Cookies

Two frosted dessert bars stacked on a white plate, placed on a woven mat with a whisk and spoon nearby.
Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

These Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars are the ultimate treat for mint lovers. You get a soft, buttery cookie base loaded with crushed peppermints and a creamy frosting on top. They’re super easy to make and so good you’ll want to keep them all for yourself!
Get the Recipe: Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars

Oven Roasted Rosemary Almonds

A glass jar filled with roasted almonds, garnished with a sprig of rosemary. Perfect for festive dishes, a small dish with orange powder is blurred in the background.
Oven Roasted Rosemary Almonds. Photo credit: The Honour System.

For a savory and slightly spicy snack, try this recipe for Oven Roasted Rosemary Almonds. They are flavorful, healthy, and great for entertaining.
Get the Recipe: Oven Roasted Rosemary Almonds

Quick Oatmeal Cookies

A plate piled with homemade oatmeal cookies, perfect for holiday recipes, with a bowl of oats in the background.
Quick Oatmeal Cookies. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Crafting these Easy Oatmeal Cookies is a breeze, using pantry staples you likely already have! These treats are ideal for any gathering.
Get the Recipe: Quick Oatmeal Cookies

3 Ingredient Shortbread

A close-up of several rectangular pieces of shortbread placed on a wooden surface.
3 Ingredient Shortbread. Photo credit: Quick Prep Recipes.

These 3-ingredient shortbread cookies are sweet, buttery, and delightful crumbly! They’re melt-in-your-mouth tender yet still gives that delightful crispy bite. Made with just butter, sugar, and flour, these classic cookies are as perfect for your holiday parties as they are for anytime of the year. 3 ingredients, endless buttery goodness!
Get the Recipe: 3 Ingredient Shortbread

Saltine Toffee

Close-up of chocolate toffee bark topped with chopped nuts and red candy pieces, stacked in a pile—perfect for holiday cooking and festive recipes.
Saltine Toffee. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Buttery, crunchy, salty-sweet crack: Saltine toffee is an addictive 5-ingredient treat. Crackers transform into irresistible candy in minutes!
Get the Recipe: Saltine Toffee

Spicy Candied Pecans

Spicy candied pecans on a baking tray.
Spicy Candied Pecans. Photo credit: The Honour System.

This tasty Spicy Candied Pecans recipe is quick and easy to make. Perfect for snacking or adding to salads and charcuterie boards. Also a popular homemade gift!
Get the Recipe: Spicy Candied Pecans

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

A cooling rack with red velvet crinkle cookies.
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

Introducing Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies, renowned for their rich and fudgy texture that will leave you craving more. With their unmistakable pop of vibrant red and the delectable powdered sugar crackle top, these cookies are a feast for the eyes.
Get the Recipe: Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Hershey kiss cookies in rows on a cooling rack.
Hershey Kiss Cookie. Photo credit: Savoringthegood.

A classic Christmas cookie in my house are the Hershey kiss cookies. You may know them as a peanut butter blossom cookie but we all know them as the cookie that disappears first at the cookie exchange. It takes just under an hour to make these freezer friendly cookies.
Get the Recipe: Hershey Kiss Cookie

3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Blossoms

A plate of peanut butter blossoms, with one cookie broken in half.
3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Blossoms. Photo credit: Quick Prep Recipes.

Make these 3-ingredient peanut butter blossoms once, and you’ll be hooked. Seriously, who can resist soft, chewy peanut butter cookies topped with rich, perfectly sweet Hershey’s kisses? I know I can’t! These delightful cookies will be at the center of my holiday cookie platter this year because I want to give family and friends the gift of peanut buttery, chocolatey goodness!
Get the Recipe: 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Blossoms

Beef Wellington Bites

Beef Wellington Bites on a white plate with sauce in the middle.
Beef Wellington Bites. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Flaky puff pastry envelops chunks of tender beef in these oh-so-tasty mini Beef Wellington Bites!
Get the Recipe: Beef Wellington Bites

Peppermint Mocha

Two mugs of peppermint mocha topped with whipped cream and crushed candy canes.
Peppermint Mocha. Photo credit: Easy Homemade Life.

Don’t go through the Christmas season without trying this easy homemade peppermint mocha! Inspired by the Starbucks holiday favorite, you can whip this up at home in just 5 minutes – it tastes just as good (if not better) than the original. It’s creamy, chocolatey, and perfectly minty, and the candy cane topping makes it look oh-so-festive!
Get the Recipe: Peppermint Mocha

Vegan Thumbprint Cookies

A plate of vegan thumbprint cookies.
Vegan Thumbprint Cookies. Photo credit: The Honour System.

These Vegan Thumbprint Cookies are easy, gluten-free, and naturally sweet! The perfect recipe to add to your holiday treat recipe collection.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Thumbprint Cookies

Peanut Brittle

A white plate filled with pieces of peanut brittle on a wooden table.
Peanut Brittle. Photo credit: Real Life of Lulu.

Get ready for some homemade peanut brittle that’s sweet, salty, and super crunchy! It’s easy to make and makes the perfect snack for any occasion!
Get the Recipe: Peanut Brittle

Puff Pastry Palmiers

A plate of golden, heart-shaped puff pastry palmiers with a sugar coating.
Puff Pastry Palmiers. Photo credit: Quick Prep Recipes.

Make these puff pastry palmiers if you need a simple, wholesome treat to enjoy year-round. With just two ingredients – puff pastry and sugar – you’ll get light, flaky, and oh-so-buttery little pastries that are easy enough to make anytime but pretty enough to grace your holiday spreads. They’re the kind of treat that fits all occasions, and you’ll want to make them any time you need something quick but impressive.
Get the Recipe: Puff Pastry Palmiers

Vegan Coconut Macaroons

A stack of coconut macaroons.
Vegan Coconut Macaroons. Photo credit: The Honour System.

This Vegan Coconut Macaroons recipe is easy, delicious, and is made without condensed milk. This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and naturally sweetened without refined sugar.
Get the Recipe: Vegan Coconut Macaroons

Almond flour chocolate cookies

Chocolate almond flour cookies drizzled with chocolate on a piece of parchment paper.
Almond flour chocolate cookies. Photo credit: Fitasamamabear.

Soft, chewy, and with the perfect amount of sweetness. These chocolate almond flour cookies can be made for any occasion.
Get the Recipe: Almond flour chocolate cookies

Candy cane fudge

Two pieced of candycane fudge stacked the top with a bite out of it and more fudge and candy canes behind them.
Candy cane fudge. Photo credit: Fitasamamabear.

Smooth, creamy, and no tempering needed. This chocolate candy cane fudge recipe uses only 4 ingredients remains solid at room temp!
Get the Recipe: Candy cane fudge

Baked Scotch Eggs

Scotch eggs with ground beef one cut in half.
Baked Scotch Eggs. Photo credit: Primal Edge Health.

3-Ingredient Carnivore Scotch Eggs are a delicious option for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Traditionally made for picnics, you can take them on the go, pack in a lunch, or eat oven-fresh at home.
Get the Recipe: Baked Scotch Eggs

Double Chocolate Blossom Cookies

Two chocolate blossom Christmas cookies on a white plate.
Double Chocolate Blossom Cookies. Photo credit: Thriving In Parenting.

Chocolate blossoms cookies are a wonderful holiday treat that combines the best of both worlds: fudgy chocolate cookies and the iconic Hershey’s Kiss. This easy recipe is sure to become a new favorite on your Christmas cookie platter.
Get the Recipe: Double Chocolate Blossom Cookies

PB&J Flourless Cookies

Cooling rack with flourless peanut butter thumbprint cookies topped with jam with a jar of jam and a spoon behind them.
PB&J Flourless Cookies. Photo credit: Fitasamamabear.

Deliciously soft these peanut butter thumbprint cookies use only five ingredients! Topped with jam they’re a spin on the iconic sandwich.
Get the Recipe: PB&J Flourless Cookies

Almond Flour Sugar Cookies

Almond flour sugar cookies in Christmas tree shape dusted with cane sugar around a cut of coffee.
Almond Flour Sugar Cookies. Photo credit: Fitasamamabear.

A healthy twist on a classic! these almond flour sugar cookies are ultra-thin, crispy and the best blend of healthy indulgence!
Get the Recipe: Almond Flour Sugar Cookies

Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Plastic bowl of cookies with Christmas decor.
Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies. Photo credit: Ginger Casa.

These Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies are delicious to eat and fun to make!
Get the Recipe: Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

A glass mug of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and crushed candy canes.
Peppermint Hot Chocolate. Photo credit: Quick Prep Recipes.

Peppermint hot chocolate is a creamy, dreamy, and perfectly minty drink that will keep you warm this holiday season. This delicious homemade version is made with milk, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and cocoa powder, then topped with whipped cream and crushed candy canes – the coziest, most comforting treat for a cool winter night.
Get the Recipe: Peppermint Hot Chocolate

A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, wearing a white T-shirt and dark jeans, stands in a kitchen with a brick backsplash and stainless steel appliances. She is smiling and resting her hands on the counter.

About the author

Hi, I’m Lucy! I’m a home cook, writer, food and wine fanatic, and recipe developer. I’ve created and tested hundreds of recipes so that I can bring you the best tried and true favorites.

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