61 Easy Holiday Recipes That Require Minimal Effort

The holiday season is possibly the best time of the year when it comes to eating. As the first flakes of snow fall and Christmas decorations go up, roast dinners, warm drinks, and sweet desserts are on everyone's minds — turkeys roasted till golden brown, pies baked from scratch, potatoes so creamy that they melt in your mouth, and homemade eggnogs spiked with a splash of rum.

As much as the holidays are a season of enjoying hearty feasts, putting them together is an entirely different story. A survey conducted in 2021 found that the most stressful part about cooking during the holiday season is the cleaning up that it leads to, closely followed by how tricky it can be to time the cooking of holiday meals (via Cinch Home Services). Take the classic roast turkey, for instance, which can be a tedious affair considering the many steps that go into roasting a turkey correctly. Not to mention the array of side dishes that tend to go with it! All-in-all, you could be spending more time slaving away in the kitchen than actually enjoying the scrumptious holiday meal at the end.

Worry not, however, not all holiday recipes require hours of chopping, prepping, and stirring. With the help of these incredibly easy holiday recipes (and handy kitchen gadgets like crockpots, slow cookers, and an oven), holiday cooking this year will be easier than ever.

Sausage rolls often look more complicated to make than they actually are. In reality, all it takes to make a platter of sausage rolls, is an egg, a pack of puff pastry sheets, and your choice of ground sausage — pork, chicken, turkey, take your pick! You can even assemble them in advance and freeze them for up to three months. Simply bake your frozen sausage rolls and serve them with some mustard or ketchup when you're ready to go.

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Sausage Roll

During a time when roasted meats and pies reign, it can be hard to find a side dish that won't sit neglected in a corner. Recipe developer Susan Olayinka's recipe gives the everyday chicken salad a festive spin with cranberries, pecans, apples, and a balsamic vinegar dressing. While the salad works as a wonderful side dish to accompany heavier mains, it can also double up as a delicious light lunch. Considering it only takes 10 minutes to come together, this holiday chicken salad deserves a seat on everyone's dining tables.

Recipe: Holiday Chicken Salad

Why wait till dinner to try out a festive recipe when even breakfasts could be given a holiday-worthy spin? Filled with the flavors of warm cinnamon, sweet maple and vanilla, zesty orange, and tart cranberries, this baked oatmeal also provides a solid start to the day in terms of nutrition. A handful of clever tricks will go a long way in taking the cranberry baked oatmeal to the next level: baking powder to make it more fluffy than dense, whole rolled oats instead of quick ones to avoid it turning mushy, and an egg for a supreme texture.

Recipe: Cranberry Baked Oatmeal

Few things make for a better sharing appetizer than shrimp cocktail, partly because it tastes so good and partly because it's incredibly easy to make — all you need is some shrimp and a cocktail sauce! This recipe makes the already easy appetizer even easier by whipping a cocktail sauce out of four simple ingredients. You only need ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, and lemon juice for this two-minute cocktail sauce but if you happen to have a few more ingredients to spare, consider throwing in a few herbs or spices for some oomph.

Recipe: Cocktail Sauce

What in the world is a snowman soup you ask? While there are certainly no snowmen involved in the making of this "soup," recipe developer Catherine Brookes' snowman soup is really just a mug of hot chocolate decked up with a snowman made from whipped cream. You'll need a generous dollop of store-bought or homemade whipped cream to begin with, as well as white marshmallows and gel icing in black and orange colors. Brookes then walks you through the process of making a snowman out of your ingredients and leaves the rest of the soup up to you: cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg for spice, Bailey's or rum for a splash of booze, and gingerbread or sugar cookies for dipping.

Recipe: Snowman Soup

When you're cooking for a big group of people or prepping meals for the rest of the week in advance, a dish that takes minimal time and effort but yields several servings is a savior. This spinach quiche requires only 10 minutes of hands-on time and leaves the rest of the hour-long cook time to the oven to do its work. While the recipe is enough for eight slices, it can easily be doubled to make two quiches for a bigger crowd.

Recipe: Easy Crustless Spinach Quiche

It's entirely possible to enjoy turkey during the holidays without going through the shebang of roasting the whole bird for hours each time. With just five minutes of prep involved and 20 minutes of oven time, this recipe only asks you to roast the turkey breast. In fact, you don't even need to marinate the turkey; simply plop the garlic, herbs, onion, butter, and oil into a tray with the turkey breast and you're pretty much good to go. Because everything happens in one pan, you'll barely have any washing up to after either!

Recipe: Garlic And Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

When you think of a mashed vegetable, it's almost always a potato. You may even consider sweet potato on rare occasions but seldom is cauliflower a vegetable that you'd associate with a creamy mash. But for those looking for low-carb substitutes to the root vegetable, cauliflower makes for an excellent mash with heaps to offer in terms of flavor. While this recipe relies on garlic, butter, sour cream, and pepper, the secret ingredient here is nutmeg. Recipe developer Jennine Rye explains that "the warmth and nuttiness of the nutmeg complements and brings out the sweet, nutty flavors in the cauliflower, helping to make it shine."

Recipe: Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

The holidays are a time when the oven does most of the heavy lifting, whether it's appetizers, mains, or desserts. This little treat, though, requires no more than four ingredients and leaves the baking to another course. Grab a few ounces of dark and sweet white chocolate as well as a bag of peppermint candies, and add a dash of peppermint extract for good measure. Let the barks harden in the refrigerator for a few minutes and voila! You have yourself a minty little treat to go with your coffee or to add to your Christmas gift bags.

Recipe: Peppermint Barks

Worthy of being a showstopper in itself, this roasted pork tenderloin looks like an impressively complex meal to put together. In reality, however, all this recipe asks is 10 minutes of undivided attention to pack the pork with heaps of flavor. Once the pork is seasoned, a generous lashing of garlic and parsley butter goes on, and the pork tenderloin is left to roast in the oven for about an hour till the crust is golden.

Recipe: Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Gluhwein gets its name from the German word for glow wine which is a reference to the use of red hot irons that were traditionally used to warm the wine to make gluhwein (via Culture Trip). Often known as the most popular Christmas drink in Germany, gluhwein is similar to mulled wine in that you'll use a bottle of dark dry red wine and a whole bunch of spices. But the best part? This warm drink can be mulled for as long or as little as you want. If you're short on time, a few minutes of heat will do but if you do have time to spare, let the wine mull in the spices for an hour.

Recipe: Gluhwein

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn's reindeer food is a festive version of puppy chow that's likely going to be just as big a hit amongst humans as it will among reindeers. While you may need to do a grocery run to grab the many snacks in the ingredient list, the recipe only requires you to toss the munchies together and coat them in a sweet chocolate chip and peanut butter sauce — a task that takes no more than 15 minutes.

Recipe: Reindeer Food

There are two words that no one can ever say no to: garlic and bread. This garlic bread, however, comes with a small twist. Using a can of refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, this recipe uses a shortcut for the most arduous bit, that is, the dough. The biscuits are then shaped into knots, brushed with butter, cheese, and lots of garlic, and baked till soft and golden brown. Consider pairing them with marinara or pizza sauce and you'll have yourself a winner for an appetizer.

Recipe: Shortcut Garlic Knots

Some days are all about minimal effort and maximum taste and for those days, recipe developer Ting Dalton's glazed slow cooker ham is a handy recipe to have on hand. Don't be fooled by the five-hour cook time of the though as pretty much all of it goes into the slow cooker doing its thing with the ham. Because you only really need 10 minutes of prep here, Dalton says that the recipe is "perfect for special occasions including Thanksgiving or Christmas." Slice into the glazed ham at the dinner table and be ready to dazzle your guests!

Recipe: Glazed Slow Cooker Ham

Everyone loves a side dish that can be prepped quickly and forgotten about till the oven goes off a few minutes later. Even better if it needs only a handful of ingredients! As long as there are fresh sweet potatoes and a couple of pantry staples, this nutritious side dish will come together in half an hour. While the recipe leaves the addition of parsley to your discretion, its secret ingredient is date syrup that caramelizes to give the savory root vegetable a hint of sweetness.

Recipe: Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes

There's no situation inappropriate for a pie of pizza. Late-night hunger pangs? Pizza. Office parties? Pizza. Sunday morning breakfast? Pizza! With recipe developer Jennine Rye's festive spin on the beloved dish, pizza can now be a part of holiday menus too. Instead of a round pie, the Christmas pizza is shaped like a wreath and topped with red pepperoni and green basil leaves. The pizza wreath even comes with a bow made from sliced red peppers!

Recipe: Christmas Pizza

Imagine gingerbread men cookies but in the form of warm waffles — a perfectly acceptable sugary breakfast for all ages! The waffles are flavored with winter spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger and as a bonus, they'll make your home smell like Christmas as they cook away. Once they're done, the gingerbread waffles can be served with the usual maple syrup and butter but these festive waffles call for equally festive toppings: think powdered sugar and ice cream.

Recipe: Gingerbread Waffles

Now that gingerbread waffles are on the table, here's an easy-peasy five-minute gingerbread latte to go with it. With more or less the same ingredients — ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, molasses, and vanilla extract — you can only need a few more things to get the gingerbread latte going. Once the spices are mixed with the milk, the recipe calls for either one or two shots of espresso per latte depending on the strength of the flavor of coffee that you prefer. There's also the option of dolling the drink up with whipped cream and little gingerbread men cookies for festive flair.

Recipe: Gingerbread Latte

A holiday feast without cranberry sauce is blasphemous but riding into the peak of the festive season from Thanksgiving with one too many servings of cranberry sauce, a twist on the holiday classic is a welcome change. Recipe developer Kate Shungu calls her tart cranberry relish "the uncooked cousin of cranberry sauce" and an easy alternative to the latter. Even better, all this relish needs is cranberries, an orange, and sugar and there you have it — a sweet and tart 10-minute cranberry relish.

Recipe: Tart Cranberry Relish

Why wait till the big Thanksgiving or Christmas Day to bring out the turkey when you can easily serve it up anytime during the week? While the turkey legs do require an hour and a half to roast in the oven, the recipe only really has three steps: marinate, roast, and serve. Because the turkey legs are stabbed with a fork before being rubbed in oil and the spice mix, there will be heaps of flavor in this easy-to-make cajun-spiced turkey leg.

Recipe: Cajun-Spiced Turkey Leg

In the months of buttery roasted meats covered in thick gravies and rich desserts filled with sugar, easy side dishes can add some much-needed greens to the diet. This roasted broccolini for one, requires nothing more than the green florets, salt, and olive oil as well as 15 minutes of oven time to come together. The only thing to be cautious about is that broccolini is more delicate than broccoli and can easily overcook into a soggy mess.

Recipe: Roasted Broccolini

Whether you're bringing out that trusty cake recipe for the holidays or are relying on a box of store-bought cupcakes for the last course, this eggnog frosting is a handy trick to give plain ol' desserts a festive edge. The recipe takes a classic American buttercream, removes the egg, and uses nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla extract to add the spice-filled flavor of eggnog. The fluffy frosting can then be used on cakes and cupcakes of course, but also on muffins, quick breads, and inside stuffed donuts.

Recipe: Eggnog Frosting

Looking for a quick snack to munch on during the holiday season? Look no further because recipe developer Stephanie Rapone has a recipe that refashions assorted nuts into warm, spicy, and perfectly holiday-worthy snacks. While the recipe uses almonds, cashews, and peanuts, you can of course choose your own mix of nuts. From there on, an egg wash ensures that the nuts are evenly coated in cinnamon and sugar without compromising on the crunchy outer layer.

Recipe: Holiday Roasted Nuts

Nothing sounds more Christmas-like than an alcoholic fruit punch that's called jingle juice. So if there's a holiday party in the works that calls for a huge bowl of punch, here's what you're going to need: five minutes, two types of juice, two kinds of fruits, and a whole lot of booze. A bottle of sparkling rosé and sparkling cider aside, the recipe calls for a cup of vodka and half a cup of Cointreau to make enough for 12 servings. All in all, don't be fooled by the innocently fun name of the cocktail because this potent juice will have everyone jingling their way back home from your party!

Recipe: Jingle Juice

Cream cheese dips with crackers are an excellent item to put on the table when you're looking for appetizers that can be shared and require little to no effort on your end. But for those willing to add a couple more steps in between, this cranberry orange cheese ball is sure to be a raging hit. Rolled into a cheese ball, this ball of cream cheese is coated in cranberries, pecans, parsley, and orange zest. The cheese ball not only packs in festive flavors, but it looks the part too!

Recipe: Cranberry Orange Cheese Ball

As easy as pies are to eat, making them from scratch is an entirely different story. The pie crust can turn out too soft or too soggy, the filling too thick or runny, and the filling-to-pie ratio can be disappointing at best. But this fail-safe sweet potato pie relies on just six ingredients and 10 minutes of prep to produce a sweet and creamy homemade pie that's incredibly hard to mess up. The secret? Pre-made pie crust — no one said the pie had to be made from scratch.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Pie

Not everyone has great things to say about Brussel sprouts which is why it's oftentimes the only dish that still sits half-full at the end of a meal. But this recipe might just bring a person or two over onto the Brussel sprout team. Recipe developer Miriam Hanh thinks that simple preparation with a handful of ingredients is the way to go but it's the play on flavors and textures that does the trick. Maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness to the spicy pepper and roasting the Brussel sprouts in the oven gives a crisp layer to the tender vegetable.

Recipe: Roasted Brussel Sprouts

"What pairs better with whisky than a giant hunk of meat?" asked television star and comedian Joel McHale to Mashed before going on to spill the answer himself: "A giant hunk of meat glazed in whisky." And so, here's a whiskey-glazed pork shoulder recipe from McHale himself which, though, takes a good amount of time to come together and may look intimidating at first, requires only a few steps to make. Once you've got your pork shoulder brining and the whiskey glaze going, all you need to do is cover the meat in the glaze and let the oven do its thing for six hours.

Recipe: Joel McHale's Cranberry-Orange Whisky-Glazed Pork Shoulder

Cranberries are the fruit of the season from Thanksgiving until Christmas in several parts of the world. Recipe developer Susan Olayinka takes the seasonal holiday fruit and turns it into a quick bruschetta-style finger food that looks incredibly sophisticated but takes less than 30 minutes to make. The cranberries are coated in sugar to give them a frosty sparkle and assembled on top of slices of brie on toasted pieces of baguette. If you want your brie to have a warm puddle-like texture, consider assembling your sparkling cranberry brie bites whilst the toasted baguette is still warm.

Recipe: Sparkling Cranberry Brie Bites

Cookies in all sizes, shapes, and flavors are welcome treats during the holidays but some cookies simply hit the festive spot better than others. These green-colored sugar cookies with little red heart sprinkles inspired by Grinch for one are adorable enough to probably woo Mr. Grinch himself. The Grinch cookies are also an excellent recipe for kids to get involved in and as a reward for all the effort, there will be a plate of warm sugar cookies waiting at the end!

Recipe: Grinch Cookies

A potato mash is as basic as a mash can be but for those wanting to switch things up a bit (and add a sneaky veggie or two), this potato mash comes with parsnips too. Recipe developer Catherine Brookes says that the recipe is simply a classic mash with a twist and goes on to add that "the earthy, sweet flavor of parsnips is such a delicious addition to your standard mash!" The recipe uses equal amounts of parsnips and potatoes, calls for butter and milk for creaminess, and relies on salt and pepper for seasoning.

Recipe: Parsnip And Potato Mash

The holiday season is also the season of leftovers and when it comes to leftovers, turkey almost always takes the cake. Luckily, however, there are several easy ways to put leftover turkey trimmings to good use. Take three cups of cooked turkey and throw in a few carrots, celery sticks, and an onion in an instant pot. Several cups of broth and egg noodles later, you'll have yourself a pot full of Turkey Soup perfect for sipping on a chilly winter evening.

Recipe: Instant Pot Turkey Soup

Green bean casserole is a staple side dish that makes an appearance during the holidays each year. But while a casserole usually implies popping all ingredients in one pan and placing it in the oven, this recipe takes a more traditional approach. Most of the ingredients are first cooked in an ovenproof skillet on a stove and the casserole then goes in the oven for half an hour to finish baking. While you are adding a step or two here, this traditional green bean casserole will take no more than 15 minutes of prep.

Recipe: Green Bean Casserole

Trifle is a popular dessert in the U.K. and although it's a sweet dish enjoyed all year round, trifle becomes something of a showstopper during Christmas dinners, and considering what's in the dessert, it's easy to see why. Recipe developer Susan Olayinka says that trifle is a "layered dessert mainly with sponge, jelly, berries, and cream." But you won't be needing any fresh cake here because the reason trifle is so popular around the holidays is that it's typically made with leftover cake. Plus, while this recipe is non-alcoholic, it's entirely acceptable to throw in some leftover boozy eggnog over the cake too.

Recipe: Holiday Trifle

Everyone has their own handbook of tricks that they use when it comes to roasting a turkey. Some focus on the brining, others swear by basting, and even more believe that the secret to a good turkey is in giving it time to rest. This fool-proof turkey injection marinade is one such trick that'll have your guests wondering how exactly you managed to pack so much flavor into your bird. While you brine the turkey from outside, this recipe makes a five-minute marinade that is injected inside the turkey through a meat injector. Once the marinade is allowed to infuse for four hours, you'll have yourself a deliciously moist, tender, and flavourful turkey on the table.

Recipe: Fool-Proof Turkey Injection Marinade

Pillowy soft bread still warm from the oven, strings of melted cheese, green pesto, and sun-dried tomatoes...what's not to love? If you need an appetizer that is guaranteed to be a winner, this pull-apart bread may be exactly what you're looking for. With frozen yeast roll dough and two types of cheese — mozzarella pearls and parmesan — this five-ingredient pull-apart bread will take no more than 10 minutes of your time. The most arduous part about the recipe is placing the dough balls in the shape of a Christmas tree on the baking tray and that's saying something.

Recipe: Pull-Apart Christmas Tree Bread

The holiday season is all about having a bunch of little recipes that aren't meant to be the stars of the show but can give any regular dish a festive spin using a handful of ingredients in little to no time. Recipe developer Kristen Carli's brandied cherries are one such recipe that will go a long way during the holidays. Generously spiked with a cup of brandy, these cinnamon and sugar-soaked cherries will turn everything from a stack of plain pancakes to summer cocktails into holiday-worthy delicacies.

Recipe: Brandied Cherries

The ingredient list of this martini certainly has a few items that you don't see every day but once you see just how festive the cocktail looks, you'll be rushing to your nearest store for a quick shop. The chocolate peppermint martini uses three types of alcohol: creme de cacao, vanilla vodka, and peppermint schnapps. While that makes up most of the drink inside, you'll also need whipped cream, chocolate syrup, grated chocolate, and crushed peppermint candy to doll the drink up. With sweet flavors of peppermint and chocolate, this potent holiday martini will go down dangerously easy!

Recipe: Chocolate Peppermint Martini

Turkey may no doubt be the bird of the season but it's not the only roasted meat that deserves a seat at the table during the holidays. Recipe developer Peter Marshall's standing rib roast is a marvelous main course that looks complicated but is deceptively easy to make. All you need is a 10-pound rib roast, thyme and rosemary for herbs, garlic and pepper for seasoning, as well as a dash of olive oil. And there you have it — a standing rib roast with just 10 minutes of prep!

Recipe: Standing Rib Roast

Mashed potatoes are one of the easiest sides to prepare and serve alongside roasted meat but this recipe makes it even easier. With five minutes of prep and another nine for the potatoes to soften up in an instant pot, it's a handy method to prepare mashed potatoes on days when there are other pressing mains and desserts that require more hands-on time and attention. The trick to saving precious minutes here is to leave the potatoes unpeeled, which is why it's best to use organic potatoes and give them a good scrub.

Recipe: Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

With the abundance of sugar during this time of the year, recipes that incorporate fruits and veggies whilst still keeping things fun and festive go a long way in keeping things healthy-ish. Recipe developer Kit Hondrum's kid-friendly recipe is a clever play with strawberries. By slicing the bottom tip of the berries and piping a cream cheese frosting in between, Hondrum makes strawberries look like little Santas wearing a hat and a coat. The strawberry Santas are best eaten on the same day and are best when not left out for too long unless you like your Santas mangled.

Recipe: Strawberry Santas

There are three things that guarantee the success of this 20-minute stovetop stuffing: vegetables cooked al dente so that they still have a bit of tooth, the right ratio of liquid to solids, and whole grain bread for the best texture. Additionally, the recipe is flexible in both the combination of vegetables as well as the type of broth that is used and though not necessary, the stuffing works even better when the bread is dry and stale.

Recipe: 20-Minute Stovetop Stuffing

What's better than a roast turkey? Roast turkey leftovers of course! Bring that container of turkey leftovers out because this recipe turns it into a nutritious salad that can be sandwiched between bread, croissants, and wraps. This recipe folds in chopped pecans, dried cranberries, grapes, and green onions into the turkey but there's room to be creative and swap things around to your liking. The best part is that the salad keeps well in the refrigerator for four whole days, so it's a great dish to meal prep and add a festive sprinkle to busy weekday meals.

Recipe: Turkey Salad With Cranberries And Pecans

When you think of gravies, it's almost always the salty and savory kind that you can pour over meats, vegetables, and mashed potatoes. But recipe developer Catherine Brookes has a decadent little gravy that will take your desserts up a notch this season. The luxuriously smooth and sweet gravy has the flavor of cocoa which only gets deeper with the use of a secret ingredient. Brookes says that adding a spoonful of instant coffee to the chocolate gravy "really helps to enhance the chocolate flavor without giving an overpowering taste of coffee."

Recipe: Indulgent Chocolate Gravy

Deviled eggs are probably one of the most popular appetizers when it comes to large gatherings that call for finger foods and for good reason: They're quick and easy to make and there's hardly anyone that doesn't like a good deviled egg. So why not make the classic appetizer at holiday parties too? With the addition of thyme, rosemary, and pomegranate seeds, these deviled eggs come with a colorful festive touch. There's also the option of tweaking the recipe a bit by adding celery, onions, and chopped pickles to the mix.

Recipe: Christmas Deviled Eggs

The holiday season oftentimes does not take kindly to dietary restrictions but if you have gluten intolerance or are cooking for someone who does, this oatmeal meatloaf is a gluten-free version of the classic. By using oats that act as the binding agent in place of eggs and breadcrumbs, the meatloaf cuts out the gluten without compromising on any flavor or texture. In fact, the oatmeal meatloaf comes together so quickly that you'll even have a few minutes to spare for a side dish.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Oatmeal Meatloaf

Looking for a flavourful but nutritious side dish that will be ready in as little as 10 minutes? Recipe developer Michelle McGlinn's five-ingredient garlic-sautéed spinach will tick all the boxes. While the recipe only uses olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in addition to a box of spinach, it's the technique that will go a long in making the side dish a winner. Instead of tossing oil and garlic separately into the spinach, McGlinn spends a couple of minutes on making garlic oil first — a process that's quick but goes a long way in adding flavor.

Recipe: Garlic-Sautéed Spinach

Eggnog is always a good idea, whether it's in coffee, hot chocolate, or simply served plain. But it's even better when drunk in the form of a martini! Recipe developer Jaime Bachtell-Shelbert uses eggnog with vanilla vodka, and Frangelico liqueur and adds sugar, maple syrup, and cinnamon for extra flavor. Topped with a cinnamon sugar rim and a swirl of whipped cream, the eggnog martini looks festive and tastes "rich, creamy, and decadent [with] hints of vanilla, eggnog, hazelnut, and cinnamon," says Bachtell-Shelbert.

Recipe: Eggnog Martini

Now that you've already used a portion of turkey leftovers to make salads and sandwiches, what next? This recipe takes leftover turkey and turns it into an entirely different meal that's not only beginner-friendly but is nourishing for the body too. Complete with protein, carbs, and tons of veggies, a serving of the turkey wild rice soup can pretty much be a complete meal in itself. Plus, all you need to do is throw everything into a pot and watch it simmer away into a soup so that's always a bonus.

Recipe: Turkey Wild Rice Soup

Fudge is always an easy last-minute treat to whip up when you've somehow forgotten about the dessert course in all the holiday flurry or need to figure out a quick gift for someone else. With a bowl of red, white, and green Christmas-themed sprinkles, a cup of pecans, and some orange zest, however, you can a bit of holiday flair to the good ol' tray of fudge. Set aside 20 minutes to stir the toffee-flavored fudge together and four hours for it to set in the refrigerator for an easy peasy holiday-themed treat.

Recipe: Christmas Fudge

Of all the many traditional dishes eaten over the holidays, New Year's Eve is the day for pork and sauerkraut. According to the German Food Guide, the tradition to eat pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day has German roots where pork signifies luck and well-being in the new year, whereas the sauerkraut is a symbol of wealth. Luckily, with the help of a slow cooker, a five-ingredient long shopping list, and five minutes of prep, you'll have everything you need to make the dish of wealth and good luck for the new year.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Pork And Sauerkraut With Apples

While this recipe sticks to the traditional version of candied yams by roasting them in butter, maple syrup, and spices, there are several ways in which the recipe can be switched up. Orange zest can be added for a pop of citrusy freshness, vanilla extract for a hint of sweetness, and allspice and star anise can add a touch of warm winter flavors. There's also the option of sprinkling in chopped pecans for crunch or a splash of bourbon for a boozy touch to the classic.

Recipe: Candied Yams

With just alternating slices of mozzarella and tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt, and a few basil leaves, a Caprese salad is as easy as an appetizer will ever be. By getting creative with the plating of the salad, a classic Caprese can easily be transformed into an appetizer that's fit for the holidays as well. Coincidentally, the colors of the Italian flag that inspire the Caprese salad also coincide with the colors of Christmas and by arranging the basil leaves, tomatoes, and mozzarella in the shape of a circle, the Caprese salad will double up as a stunning Christmas wreath.

Recipe: Caprese Christmas Wreath

You've got to love a recipe that can transform into several different courses, depending on the need of the day. Think of the brie apple honey crostini as a side dish to a main, a fancy finger food to accompany cocktails, an appetizer on the dinner table, or even a simple snack to go around on a night of holiday movie reruns. Considering the recipe only requires apple, honey, brie, French bread, prosciutto, and butter, plus a little bit of stirring and baking, recipe developer Erin Johnson proudly declares "if you can slice, you can make this!"

Recipe: Brie Apple Honey Crostini

Like your cookies warm and chewy instead of crunchy and crumbly? These cinnamon sugar cookies are going to be right up your alley! Generously laced with sweet cinnamon and vanilla extract, recipe developer Catherine Brookes says that she loves "the chewy texture and sweet and spicy flavor of these cookies. They're so moreish!" Besides, even though you're baking the cookies from scratch, they're ready to devour in 25 minutes and that's including the bake time. In the unlikely case that you're left with extras, the cookies stay fresh for five days.

Recipe: Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

Traditional pot pies usually feature chicken but considering the fact that it's the holiday season, it's only fair that the chicken is switched up with shredded turkey. With the change in poultry, the turkey pot pie also uses two fresh herbs to make the flavor of the meat and vegetable filling stand out: sage and rosemary. Additionally, chicken bone broth deepens the flavor of the pot pie while the collagen of the bone broth adds an extra layer of nutrition.

Recipe: Turkey Pot Pie

Recipe developer Erin Johnson has two words for you: bourbon and pecan. "Bourbon and pecans are two of my favorite flavors and these combined make for a delicious treat," says Johnson adding that these boozy little pralines make for excellent gifts during the holiday season as well. Besides, considering that the recipe only has five steps and that most of the 25-minute cook time goes in the pralines setting, the bourbon-spiked treats can be ready in a jiffy.

Recipe: Bourbon Pecan Praline

It's easy to find ways to mope up leftover roast turkeys but what do you do with the rest — the small bowl of stuffing or the spoonful of cranberry sauce that's leftover? Well, you can turn them into crisp egg rolls! While this recipe makes use of turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing along with mozzarella cheese and egg roll wrappers, you can even use up any extra gravy by serving it as a dipping sauce alongside the rolls. Who knows, you may even want to make extras on purpose just so that there's enough to make a big batch of leftover egg rolls after.

Recipe: Thanksgiving Leftover Egg Rolls

Rice Krispies are a treat equally enjoyed by adults and kids alike and luckily enough, they're incredibly easy to make at home. Even better, they can quickly be turned into festive treats depending on the time of the year, whether it's with pink and white sprinkles for Valentine's Day Rice Krispie treats or with Christmas sprinkles alongside red and green M&Ms for the holidays. To take your Christmas Rice Krispie treats up a notch, you could even dip them in melted chocolate or eat them with a scoop of ice cream.

Recipe: Christmas Rice Krispie Treats

The only thing better than maple-glazed carrots are maple-glazed carrots that come wrapped in crisp strips of bacon. After all, there's nothing that a little bit of bacon can't make better. In these three-ingredient maple-glazed carrots, bacon brings a layer of saltiness to the otherwise sweet carrots making a simple side dish incredibly complex. There's also the option of adding basil or parsley on top for a pop of color and flavor though the bacon-wrapped maple-glazed carrots are scrummy as they are.

Recipe: Bacon-Wrapped Maple-Glazed Carrots

Cranberries tend to pop up in grocery stores starting in October and stay in season until December (via The Pennsylvania State University). But rarely does the fruit make its way onto dinner tables during the holidays outside of its tart sauce form. Recipe developer Susan Olayinka's cranberry fluff though unusual, is a delicious new way to enjoy the winter fruit. Olayinka says that the best part about the cranberry fluff is its "simplicity and the fact that it uses ingredients that you wouldn't usually put together." After all, who would've thought that cranberries, cream cheese, whipped cream, condensed milk, and marshmallows could make a yummy dessert?

Recipe: Cranberry Fluff