Easy Holiday Recipes 2018 - Cookies, Breakfast, Appetizers, and More! (2024)

Easy Holiday Recipes 2018. Everything from breakfast, to snacks/apps/sides, dinner, drinks, and of course dessert including candies, miscellaneous (think: puppy chow!), and cookies!

By “easy holiday recipes” I mainly mean, cookies. 😉

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Because.

Well.

‘Tis the season.

It’s December 1st . . . which means . . .

It is DEFINITELY now socially acceptable to watch The Holiday on repeat, blare Christmas music, and make all the holiday recipescookies.

Next week, I’m making ALL kinds of new holiday cookies and desserts . . . one new dessert recipe going live each day, so stay tuned!

All that being said, you gotta eat “real” food too, so today, I’ve included ALL my favorite holiday foods starting with breakfast and of course, ending with dessert. 🙂

PSST – I’ll be updating this list as I continue adding more recipes to Show Me the Yummy over the next couple of weeks, so be sure to check back!

Easy Holiday Breakfast Recipes

Holiday brunch is *almost* as important as cookies. I have two casserole recipes listed, because they’re perfect for holiday sharing.

Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

This Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole Recipe is SO quick & easy (less than 10 minutes of prep) and full of hash browns, eggs, ham, and plenty of cheese!

Coffee Cake Muffins

These Coffee Cake Muffins are perfectlycinnamon-y, fluffy, tender, moist and are stuffedwith a brown sugar, cinnamon filling! Greatfor a cozy, Saturday brunch!

Easy Biscuits and Gravy

This Easy Biscuits and Gravy recipe is a great, cozy recipe for breakfast or dinner! Pillsbury Grands! get smothered in the creamiest sausage gravy!🙂

Crustless Quiche Lorraine

ThisCrustless Quiche Lorraine is ultra fluffy, creamy, and full of salty bacon, smoky gruyere cheese, and eggs. Perfect for an easy, filling breakfast or brunch!

Waffle Sausage Breakfast Casserole

This Waffle Sausage Breakfast Casserole requires minimal prep and is loaded with waffles, sausage, eggs, cheese, and maple syrup! Sweet/savory brinner perfection!

Want more? See all our holiday breakfast recipes.

Easy Holiday Snacks & Apps Recipes

If you’re looking for the classic holiday sides, I suggest you see my Easy Thanksgiving Side Dishes round up! ALL the classics are there (ahem, creamy corn casserole anyone?).

Mushroom Brut Brie

The BESTappetizer yet, thisMushroom Brut Brie is totally impressive, ridiculously easy, and ultra cheesy! Melty brie is topped with brut champagne, butterymushrooms, and crunchy pistachios!

Smoked Salmon Pinwheels

These Smoked Salmon Pinwheels are perfect for easy and elegant holiday entertaining. Quick and easy to make with only four ingredients: tortillas, a lemon pepper and asiago spread, smoked salmon, and spinach!

This Sweet and Salty Snack Board is perfect for entertaining! As easy way to impress your guests! Full of chocolate, cheeses, fruit, crackers, and more!

Bacon Wrapped Dates

These Bacon Wrapped Dates are perfect for holiday snacking! Only 3 ingredients – bacon, dates, goat cheese – and 20 minutes neededfor the easiest and tastiest snack!

This Ham and Cheese Monkey Bread will surely be the star of your next party! Warm biscuits, gooey cheese, savory ham, and a honey mustard dipping sauce . . . what’s not to love?!

Want more? See all our holiday snacks/apps recipes.

Easy Holiday Dinner Recipes

These Pork and Brie Puff Pastry Bites are perfect for any holiday celebration! Flakey puff pastry is topped with melty brie, tart cranberry sauce, gooey honey, crunchy nuts, andpork tenderloin <– YUM. Quick. Easy. Delicious! Only 6 ingredients necessary!

Ham with Pineapple Sauce

This Ham with Pineapple Sauce is the perfect example of the classic combo: sweet and salty! It’s delicious, it’s easy, and it’s the perfect holiday dish!

Crockpot Potato Soup

This Crockpot Potato Soup is SO quick and easy to make and is loaded with leftover ham, bacon, and frozen hash browns! Gluten free and no cream of “x” soup!

Baked Corn Crab Cakes

Baked Corn Crab Cakes are the perfect cozy, winter dinner. 10 minutes of prep and you’ve gotyourself a restaurant quality meal!

Holiday Stuffed Shells

Leftovers just got a makeover with these Holiday Stuffed Shells! Leftover potatoes, stuffing, and turkey get smothered in a red wine mushroom gravy and stuffed into pasta shells!

Want more? See all our holiday dinner recipes.

Easy Holiday Drink Recipes

One for the adults and one for the kids!

Cranberry Pomegranate Margarita

Sweet, tart, and perfect for the holidays, this Easy Cranberry Pomegranate Margarita can be enjoyed by one or shared with many! Only 5 ingredients necessary!

Crockpot Nutella Hot Chocolate

This Crockpot Nutella Hot Chocolate only takes 5 minutes to prep and 2 hours to cook! It’s the easiest recipe you’ll ever make and is full of nutella! I know I said this one was for the kids, but I bet a little Bailey’s or Frangelico would be DELISH. 😉

Want more? See all our holiday drink recipes.

Easy Holiday Dessert Recipes

The best part of the holiday season! Will be updating with more recipes all next week! 🙂

Holiday Candy Recipes

Microwave Fudge – 4 Ways

This Easy Microwave Fudge Recipe can be made into FOUR different flavors: peppermint, chocolate, turtle, and maple! Made in a mini muffin tin to make the perfect bite sized treats.

Easy Peanut Clusters

These Easy Peanut Clusters only require four ingredients: vanilla almond bark, chocolate chips, peanuts, and sea salt! Quick. Easy. Addicting.

Easy Chocolate Fudge

A passed down family recipe! This easy chocolate fudge is made in one bowl, has 5 ingredients, and is cooked in the microwave for 90 seconds! The easiest dessert you’ll make this holiday season!

Christmas Crack

Add this Christmas Crack (aka Easy Saltine Toffee Candy) to your holiday baking list! Only 6 ingredients necessary to make the most addictingholiday treat yet! It’s the perfect combo of sweet/salty/crunchy!

Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

ThisEasy Peanut Butter FudgeRecipe is made in the microwave! Make the white chocolate version or the double chocolate version! Both are gluten free and made without sweetened condensed milk.

MiscellaneousHoliday Desserts

Red Wine Chocolate Pudding Pie

ThisRed Wine Chocolate Pudding Pie will bethe star of your next holiday gathering. A simple graham cracker crust is filledwith the most decadent, rich, red wine chocolate pudding!

Puppy Chow aka Muddy Buddies

This is the best puppy chow recipe! Why? More chocolate, more peanut butter, more powdered sugar! This childhood classic aka muddy buddies just got better.🙂

Mint Oreo Cream Cheese Ball

You’re only eight ingredients and five minutes of prep awayfrom the BEST Mint Oreo Cream Cheese Ball. Cream cheese + pudding mix + mint extract and loads of Mint Oreos? This dessert is easy and delicious!

Hot Chocolate Cheesecake Dip

This Hot Chocolate Cheesecake Dip Recipe only requires 6 ingredients and 10 minutes of prep! Full of cream cheese, yogurt, marshmallow creme, hot cocoa mix, cool whip, and marshmallow bits! Serve with cookies, pretzels, fruit, and more!

Holiday Cookie Recipes

Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms

These Easy Peanut Butter Blossoms are a holiday favorite. A homemade soft and chewy peanut butter cookie is rolled in sugar and topped with a milk chocolate kiss!

Peppermint Mocha Cookie Cups

Peppermint Mocha Cookie Cups. A chewy, peppermint mocha cookie is filled with the most delicious fudge filling. Serve room temperature with crushed peppermint, chilled with whipped cream, or warm with vanilla ice cream!

Easy Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

These Easy Peanut Butter Cup Cookies are a holiday classic! Homemade peanut butter cookie dough is baked in a mini muffin tin and stuffed with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup. YUM.

Cut Out Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cut out sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting! These are perfectly golden on the outside yet remain fluffy in the middle!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

These Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are basically double chocolate cookies rolled in powdered sugar. What’s not to love?! Easy. Fudge-y. Delicious! No chilling the dough!

Chewy Ginger Cookies

We’re making Chewy Ginger Cookies for day TWO of Christmas Cookie and Candy week. These cookies are chewy, a little crunchy, totally fluffy, perfectly spiced, and sweetened with maple syrup!

Mint Chocolate Cookies

These Mint Chocolate Cookies are SO easy to make during the holiday season. A chocolate cookie is filled w/ both regular Andes Mints & Peppermint Crunch!

Grandma’s Best Sugar Cookies

These really are Grandma’s Best Sugar Cookies!They’re perfectly soft, a little bit chewy, with the right amount of tang from the sour cream. Don’t forget the buttercream frosting!

Want more? See all our holiday dessert recipes.

Happy Holiday Eating!

– Jennifer

What holiday recipes are missing from this list? What holiday recipe should I make next? Show Me the Yummy!

Easy Holiday Recipes 2018 - Cookies, Breakfast, Appetizers, and More! (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you don't put enough butter in your cookies? ›

Adding too little butter can cause the cookies to be tough and crumbly. You should use unsalted butter to control the salt content, but if you only have salted on hand, reduce the amount of added salt accordingly.

What makes it a cookie? ›

A cookie (American English) or biscuit (British English) is a baked snack or dessert that is typically small, flat, and sweet. It usually contains flour, sugar, egg, and some type of oil, fat, or butter. It may include other ingredients such as raisins, oats, chocolate chips, or nuts.

What happens if you use melted butter instead of softened for cookies? ›

In cookies, softened butter will result in a cakier and airier cookie than using melted butter. This is due to the fact that softened butter will create air bubbles that expand in the oven during baking. Melted butter will make your cookies delightfully dense on the inside and crisp on the edges.

What happens if I dont cream butter and sugar for cookies? ›

Undermixed butter and sugar looks gritty and chunky, which can lead to dense cookies and cakes. It is possible to overmix the butter and sugar. If you overmix, the butter will separate out of the mixture and it will be grainy and soupy. Be sure to stop once your butter becomes light and fluffy.

What is the oldest cookie? ›

Pizzelles are the oldest known cookie and originated in the mid-section of Italy. They were made many years ago for the “Festival of the Snakes” also known as the “Feast Day of San Domenico”.

What is cookie a nickname for? ›

'Cookie' as a nickname has a long history. It's often just a name given to the cook, or whoever the duty of cooking falls on. It's also often given to folks that are fragile, 'crack up' easily, or are just sweet in nature. Perhaps it is a name referring to a particular 'cookie incident'.

What is the most important ingredient in cookies? ›

Flour is the main ingredient that provides structure in a cookie – without it, there would be no cookie! The gluten in flour forms a web of sorts – the framework that catches the air bubbles/gasses given off during rising. This helps provide the structure.

What happens if you don't have enough butter? ›

Ghee, coconut oil, and olive oil have properties that are comparable to butter, which make them appropriate baking substitutes.

Does butter matter in cookies? ›

Butter also plays a critical role in cookie structure; the fat and moisture can enhance or inhibit gluten development, which directly impacts the shape, spread, and texture in your cookies. In short, the temperature of your butter for cookies directly impacts how cakey, crispy, or flaky your cookies will be.

Is butter important in cookies? ›

The job of butter in baking (besides being delicious) is to give richness, tenderness and structure to cookies, cakes, pies and pastries. We alter the way butter works in a recipe by changing its temperature and choosing when to combine it with the other ingredients.

How do you fix cookie dough without enough butter? ›

Similarly, if you don't think the dough contains enough fat, you can add more fat to fix dry and crumbly cookie dough. Whether the recipe uses softened butter, melted butter, oil, or another fat like vegetable shortening/Crisco, add teaspoons more of it until you reach the desired texture and consistency.

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