Trending (stress free) Christmas Recipes

For many people, the holiday season can bring added stress due to various expectations and responsibilities. Between gift shopping, decorating the house, organising gatherings, and preparing for family visits, it can often feel like a race against time.

To make things a little easier, we’ve put together some easy Christmas recipes that will dazzle your guests without breaking your sanity or the bank.

1. Charcuterie Tree

What you’ll need:

• Assorted hard cheese
• Cherry tomatoes
• Grapes of choice
• Biscuits
• Cucumber
• Garnish
• A large platter or wooden board
• Toothpicks of skewers

How to:

1. Arrange biscuits or crackers in a wide row at the bottom of your platter to form the tree’s base.
2. Starting from the bottom, layer cubes of hard cheese, clusters of grapes, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber slices in a tree shape. Keep the layers smaller as you move up.
3. Use toothpicks or skewers to secure any loose items like cheese cubes or grapes.
4. Decorate the tree with fresh herbs (like rosemary) to mimic pine needles, and top with a small star-shaped garnish or a sprig of rosemary.
5. Fill any gaps with extra ingredients and adjust the layers for balance.

2. Snowman Pizzas

What you’ll need:

• Pizza dough
• Pizza sauce
• Mozzarella slices
• Black olives
• Carrots
• Parsley

How to:

1. Roll out the pizza dough and cut into rectangle shapes.
2. Spread pizza sauce over the dough.
3. Place 2 slices of mozzarella cheese on top of the sauce to create the head and body of the snowman.
4. Use black olives for the eyes, buttons, and buttons on the body. Cut the carrots into small pieces to create a carrot nose.
5. Use parsley to create a scarf or add small details for decoration.
6. Bake the pizzas according to the dough instructions, until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden.
7. Let cool slightly, then serve your adorable snowman pizzas!

3. Reindeer Pancakes 

What you’ll need:

• Pancake mix (Packet is fine)
• Bacon
• Banana
• Blueberries
• Raspberries
• Maple syrup

How to:

1. Prepare the pancake mix according to the package instructions and cook pancakes. Make one large and two smaller pancakes for each reindeer.
2. Place the large pancake as the reindeer’s face and the two smaller pancakes as the antlers, positioned on top.
3. Cook bacon until crispy, then break it into pieces and place them on top of the smaller pancakes to form antlers.
4. Slice the banana into circles for eyes, place a blueberry in the center for pupils, and a raspberry as the red nose.
5. Drizzle with maple syrup and enjoy your festive reindeer pancakes!

4. Christmas Brownies

What you’ll need:

• Brownie mix
• Candy canes (or paper straws)
• Christmas sprinkles
• Royal icing
• Food colouring
• Pretzel twists

How to:

1. Follow the instructions on the brownie mix and bake according to the package directions. Allow the brownies to cool completely.
   Once cooled, cut the brownies into triangles.
2. Place pretzel twists on top of each brownie to form the reindeer’s antlers.
3. Use the candy canes (or straws) and place into the base of each triangle.
4. Mix royal icing and add food colouring (such as red for noses or green for decorations).
5. Use the royal icing to add details, such as drawing eyes or creating patterns on the brownies. Add Christmas sprinkles for extra flair.
6. Let the icing set, then enjoy your delicious, festive Christmas brownies!

5. Cranberry Brie Bites 

What you’ll need:

• Puff pastry sheets (store bought)
• Brie cheese (cut into small cubes)
• Cranberry sauce
• Fresh thyme (optional, for garnish)
• Honey (optional, for drizzling)

How to:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. Cut puff pastry into small squares, about 2-3 inches each, and place them into a mini muffin tin. Press the edges down gently.
3. Place a small cube of brie cheese into each puff pastry square.
4. Spoon a small amount of cranberry sauce over the brie in each pastry.
5. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the puff pastry is golden and the cheese is melted.
6. Once baked, remove from the oven and garnish with fresh rosemary or drizzle with a little honey for extra flavor. Let cool slightly before serving

Image: www.recipe.ukfinda.com/grinch-oreo-balls/

6. Grinch Oreo Balls

What you’ll need:

• 1 package of Oreo cookies
• 226g cream cheese (softened)
• White chocolate
• Green food colouring
• Red heart sprinkles (or mini red M&Ms)

How to:

1. Place the Oreo cookies in a food processor and pulse until they’re finely crushed. If you don’t have a food processor, you can put the Oreos in a zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
2. In a large bowl, mix the crushed Oreos with softened cream cheese until well combined. Use a spatula or your hands to blend until the mixture is smooth and holds together.
3. Roll the Oreo mixture into small balls, about 2.5cm in diameter. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Refrigerate the Oreo balls for about 30 minutes to firm up.
5. Melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until fully melted and smooth. Add a couple of drops of green food colouring. Dip each Oreo ball into the melted green chocolate, coating it completely. Use a fork to lift it out and tap off any excess.
6. Place the coated balls back on the parchment paper. While the chocolate is still wet, add a red heart sprinkle or mini red M&M to the top of each ball to resemble the Grinch’s “heart.”
7. Allow the chocolate to harden completely (you can refrigerate them again for about 15 minutes to speed up the process). Once set, your Grinch Oreo balls are ready to serve!

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