Add a Pinch | Recipe Index | Holiday and Occasion Recipes

Make Ahead Christmas Dinner Menu

Robyn Stone

Published Dec 12, 2025

This Make-Ahead Christmas Dinner Menu is a much-loved collection of easy, delicious holiday recipe favorites, including appetizers, main and side dishes, desserts, and more. With included make-ahead, storage, and serving tips, you can easily prepare these tasty recipes ahead of time for a stress-free Christmas dinner everyone will love!

Christmas Dinner Menu graphic. - 1

I love hosting Christmas dinner for my family. Preparing much of it ahead of time with this Make Ahead Christmas Dinner Menu makes it much easier for me to enjoy spending the most time with all of my family and friends. It’s such a stress-free way to make our Christmas dinner!

I’ve included our full Christmas Dinner Menu along with my schedule for getting it all ready for a stress-free holiday! I hope you find it as useful as I have throughout the years!

Make Ahead Appetizer Recipes

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Photo of spinach artichoke dip on a slice of toasted baguette. - 2

Spinach Artichoke Dip Recipe

Chicken Cheese Ball

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Chicken Cheese Ball Recipe

Apple Dip Recipe

Sliced apples surround and are dipped into a bowl of creamy apple dip. - 4

Easy Apple Dip Recipe

Make Ahead Main Dish Recipes

I have included a few main-dish options for Christmas Dinner so you can choose the one your family likes best.

Perfect Prime Rib served with Horseradish Sauce

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Perfect Prime Rib Recipe

Horseradish Sauce Recipe - This simple horseradish sauce is a great condiment for steak, roast, tenderloin, or in your beef sandwiches. Made with just 4 ingredients! // addapinch.com - 6

Horseradish Sauce Recipe

Easy Roast Turkey

Photograph of golden brown roasted turkey served on a white platter with fresh herbs. - 7

Easy Roast Turkey Recipe

Best Baked Ham

Cola Glazed Ham Recipe - This classic cola glazed ham recipe with brown sugar makes an easy baked ham perfect for any occasion!  // addapinch.com - 8

Best Baked Ham Recipe

Make Ahead Sides Recipes

Twice Baked Potatoes

Twice baked potatoes on a white plate. - 9

Twice Baked Potatoes Recipe

Apple Pear Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Apple Pear Salad Recipe - This Apple Pear Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette makes a delicious salad anytime of year, but especially throughout the holidays. // addapinch.com - 10

Apple Pear Salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Make Ahead Christmas Desserts

Peppermint Chocolate Cake

Peppermint Chocolate Cake Recipe - Chocolate Cake has to be an all-time favorite cake recipe and this Peppermint Chocolate Cake version is perfect for the holidays. // addapinch.com - 11

Peppermint Chocolate Cake Recipe

Cinnamon Rolls

Photograph of cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting on a white plate with the inside with gooey cinnamon roll filling showing. - 12

Cinnamon Roll Recipe

Coconut Cream Pie

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Coconut Cream Pie Recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookies

photograph of chocolate chip cookie on a white plate on a dark background. - 14

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Photo of a stack of three sugar cookies on a dark background. - 15

The BEST Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe!

Cut out sugar cookies in the shape of angels are iced and lying on marble surface, surrounded by greenery and festive twine. - 16Image of decorated gingerbread cookies with assorted decorations. - 17

Gingerbread Cookies Recipe

Snickerdoodle Recipe

Closeup photo of snickerdoodle with a bite out to show the soft texture. - 18

Snickerdoodles Recipe

How to Save Your Own Favorite Recipes

We have created a Recipe Collections Tutorial as a guide. It is so easy to save your favorites, but this guide makes it even easier.

Create an Account and Save Recipes

Simply create an account and Save your favorite recipes!

Save and Customize Weekly Meal Plan

Once you have created your free account, you can save this meal plan to your personal recipe collection. If there is something else you’d rather have one night, swap out the recipes with your favorites!

Shopping Lists

Once you have your meal plan the way you like it, you can create your Shopping List by clicking on the shopping cart in the top right corner. Make sure each recipe you plan to make has a check mark beside it, then click the shopping cart in the top-right corner a second time to generate the Shopping List. Now, you can edit, save, share, print, and regenerate your Shopping List. How neat is that?

If you have any questions, please let us know!

Wishing your family a very Merry Christmas! Robyn xo