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Christmas Dinner Menu

Plan your Christmas dinner menu with these delicious holiday appetizers, entrées, side dishes and desserts. Includes a FREE printable Christmas menu template, cooking schedule and shopping list to help keep you organized! 

A collage of food photos for a Christmas dinner men.
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Holiday Dinner Meals

Christmas is one of my absolute favorite holidays. I love the festive decorations, music, holiday cheer and especially the FOOD! Between all of Christmas breakfast ideas, holiday desserts, Christmas cookies or the big Christmas dinner, it’s a dream come true for a foodie like me.

I look forward to Christmas dinner every year. I love spending time in the kitchen with my family and making all of our favorite holiday dishes. Those are some of my most cherished memories.

Below are the dishes that I’m planning to make for our Christmas dinner this year. I thought I would share them in case you need a little extra inspiration. These Christmas menu ideas are super easy, delicious and perfect for celebrating the holiday season with the ones you love!

Appetizers

We usually keep Christmas appetizers pretty light so that we don’t ruin our appetite before the big meal. And because so much of my time goes into making the main course, I like to keep it super easy with appetizers. All of these recipes can be made with less than 5 ingredients and are so simple to prep!

christmas tree fruit platter
Fruit Christmas Tree
This fruit Christmas tree is fresh, fun, and festive! Wow your guests with this simple and impressive fruit platter that can be assembled in minutes!
Total Time: 10 minutes
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The best cheese ball recipe with crackers.
Cheese Ball Recipe
Hands down one of the easiest classic recipes to serve at your next holiday party! This easy cheese ball recipe is always a huge hit!
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
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Christmas charcuterie board on counter
Christmas Charcuterie Board
This Christmas charcuterie board is made with cured meats, cheeses, dips, fruits and nuts. It's easy holiday entertaining presented on a beautiful platter.
Total Time: 20 minutes
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Cranberry Meatballs
These 3 ingredient cranberry meatballs with a cranberry chili sauce are so easy to make in the crockpot. They make the perfect appetizer for any holiday party.
Total Time: 3 hours
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Christmas punch in a glass pitcher.
Holiday Punch
Simple holiday punch recipe made with fresh fruit juices and lemon-lime soda. Easy to make and such a delicious combination!
Total Time: 5 minutes
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Christmas Dinner Menu

We usually have roasted turkey on our Thanksgiving menu and save baked ham for Christmas. I prefer ham over turkey anyways, so I’m always extra excited for Christmas dinner. You could always make a crockpot spiral ham to free up extra oven space if needed. I love using the leftovers to make ham and bean soup or these easy ham and cheese sliders.

Sliced baked ham on a plate.
Oven Baked Ham Recipe
This oven baked ham recipe is so easy to make and is great for beginners. You only need 5 simple ingredients and about 5 minutes to prep. It's the perfect dish for the holidays! 
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
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Spoonful of cheesy potatoes in a white baking dish.
Cheesy Potatoes Recipe
This easy cheesy potatoes is going to be your new go-to side dish for the holidays. Flavorful potatoes in a cheesy sauce and topping make this the ultimate casserole!
Total Time: 40 minutes
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green bean casserole in crock pot
Crockpot Green Bean Casserole
One of the most popular holiday side dishes just got easier! Made with just 5 simple ingredients, this creamy, comforting crockpot green bean casserole is always a hit!
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
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pear and pomegranate salad
Pear Salad
Fresh pear salad filled with mixed greens, juicy sliced pears, pomegranate seeds, candied pecans, feta cheese and topped with a balsamic dressing. This is the perfect salad to serve at your holiday dinner this year! 
Total Time: 5 minutes
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Dinner rolls in a baking dish.
Homemade Dinner Rolls
The absolute best dinner rolls you'll ever make! Super soft and fluffy with amazing flavor. Easily made with just 7 simple ingredients!
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
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roasted vegetables
Roasted Vegetables
Delicious baked vegetables coated in olive oil, balsamic vinegar and flavorful spices. Perfectly crispy and roasted to perfection. These oven roasted veggies are always on repeat!
Total Time: 40 minutes
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stuffing inside of white crockpot
Crockpot Stuffing
This classic crockpot stuffing has timeless flavors and mouthwatering aromas! Add a little calm to the holiday chaos by making a simple delicious slow cooker stuffing!
Total Time: 55 minutes
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Slice of raspberry pretzel salad on a white plate.
Raspberry Jello Pretzel Salad
Raspberry jello pretzel salad is a little sweet, a little salty and a crowd-pleasing favorite! A cream cheese and Cool Whip mixture sits atop a salted pretzel crust layered with raspberry jello, it's irresistible.
Total Time: 4 hours
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Desserts

Save the best for last! I’m never too full for dessert. :) The kids and I love decorating sugar cookies a few days beforehand. It’s a fun Christmas activity for the family and is an easy way to knock dessert out in advance. It frees up extra time to make any other holiday desserts that you might also want to serve.

Christmas sugar cookies.
Christmas Sugar Cookies
This is the best Christmas sugar cookies recipe. They have a sweet buttery taste plus are soft, chewy and easy to roll out then cut into shapes.
Total Time: 1 hour 28 minutes
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Oreo balls stacked on a plate.
Oreo Balls
These OREO balls are made with just 3 simple ingredients and are such an easy dessert recipe to make. Drizzle with chocolate or top with your favorite colored sprinkles for the perfect decorative treat!
Total Time: 35 minutes
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Stack of Christmas crack.
Christmas Crack Recipe
With just 5 ingredients and 15 minutes, you can make this Christmas crack toffee. Layering salty crackers with sweet toffee and chocolate creates a holiday treat that everyone will love. 
Total Time: 27 minutes
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Free Printable Christmas Menu Template

Print out this free editable Christmas menu template when planning your Christmas dinner this year. It also includes a cooking schedule and shopping list to help you stay organized for the big day.

christmas menu planning printables

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