What Recipes to Cook in December

Are you wondering what to cook in December? Browse our collection of 50 best December recipes to cook for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert!

December is here, and we’re diving headfirst into the magic of the holiday season. Frosty mornings, twinkling lights, and evenings spent by the fire set the perfect mood for this festive month. From comforting holiday meals to indulgent treats, December is all about celebrating and togetherness. Our latest collection of seasonal recipes captures the spirit of the season — the richer and cozier, the better! This roundup of the 50 best recipes to cook in December features festive breakfasts, hearty soups and stews, warm and satisfying dinners, savory holiday appetizers, and decadent, spice-filled desserts to sweeten every occasion.

What is in Season in December

December is a month when winter produce takes center stage. Below, you’ll find a list of some of our favorite fruits and vegetables that you’ll see popping up at grocery stores and farmers' markets in the cooler season. Click on the links to discover delicious recipes featuring each ingredient!

Fruits	Vegetables
Apples Clementine Cranberries Kiwi Lemon Mandarins Oranges Pears Persimmons Pomegranate Tangerines	Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Butternut Squash Cabbage Cauliflower Chestnuts Kale Leeks Parsnip Potatoes Pumpkin Sweet Potatoes Turnips Winter Squash

Holidays in December

December is filled with holiday cheer, with Christmas and New Year’s taking center stage. Over the years, we’ve shared hundreds of festive recipes, so you’ll have everything you need to make this season truly delicious!

• Christmas. Mid-month, the excitement builds for Christmas! Check out our Christmas recipe collections, including holiday dinners (see our 25 Best Christmas Mains and Entrees, 30 Best Christmas Appetizers, and 50 Best Christmas Side Dishes), festive desserts (see our 30 Best Christmas Dessert Recipes and 30 Best Christmas Cookies) and Breakfast and Brunch Recipes for Christmas morning.
• New Year’s Eve. We wrap up December and welcome the new year with sparkling celebrations and party-worthy recipes. Explore our roundups of 40 New Year's Eve Appetizers, 40 New Year's Eve Dinner Ideas, and 30 New Year's Eve Desserts to ring in the new year in style!

December Breakfast Recipes

• Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole. Egg and Potato Breakfast Casserole is an easy vegetarian breakfast bake loaded with veggies. It is completely customizable and can be made ahead of time.
• Star Bread. This pull-apart star bread is a beautiful, buttery, sugary, and delicious holiday bread that tastes as good as it looks and is actually easy to make.
• Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls. Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls are made with a rich gingerbread filling and topped with cream cheese frosting. A must-have during the holiday season!
• Oat Porridge. Oat Porridge is a healthy, delicious breakfast that's warm, comforting, cozy, and great for all ages. A quick easy recipe to warm you up on cold mornings.
• Breakfast Strata. Breakfast Strata is a hearty baked casserole dish loaded with bread, eggs, ham, cheese, and veggies that will keep you full until lunchtime.
• Baked Gingerbread French Toast Casserole. Festive baked gingerbread french toast casserole with cranberries is soft on the inside and crispy outside. The best holiday breakfast on Christmas morning.
• Cranberry Bliss Bars. Skip the trip to Starbucks and make homemade Cranberry Bliss Bars instead with a blondie base with dried cranberries and topped with cream cheese frosting.
• Gingerbread Pancakes. Soft and fluffy gingerbread pancakes are festive and loaded with holiday spices for the perfect breakfast on a winter morning or Christmas Day.
• Cranberry Sauce Oat Bars. Easy cranberry sauce oat bars with a buttery crust, cranberry sauce filling, and crumbly pecan oat topping is the best way to use leftover cranberry sauce.
• Cinnamon Raisin Challah Bread. Sweet cinnamon raisin challah bread is airy, soft and fluffy with a beautiful golden crust coated with almonds. It is braided and baked in a loaf pan.

December Lunch Recipes

• Christmas Salad. This fresh and festive Christmas Salad is made with delicious winter fruits and has a gorgeous wreath-like appearance. It’s earthy, sweet, nutty, and tangy.
• Creamy Wild Rice Soup. This homemade Creamy Wild Rice Soup is a simple recipe made with mushrooms, nutty wild rice, and yellow potatoes to offer a variety of textures and flavors.
• Twice Baked Potatoes. Twice Baked Potatoes are the perfect side dish or appetizer with tender baked potato boats, gooey, cheesy filling, and classic baked potato toppings.
• One Pot Chili Mac and Cheese. This Chili Mac and Cheese recipe combines two of the best classic comfort dishes using one pot only in just 30 minutes. A family-friendly weeknight dinner.
• Lentil Stew. Lentil Stew is a hearty and filling vegan meal loaded with vegetables like carrots and potatoes. This well seasoned vegetarian stew is ready in 45 minutes.
• Cranberry Meatballs. Cranberry Meatballs are sticky, sweet and tangy. These delicious bites are the perfect holiday appetizer, or a great way to use up leftover cranberry sauce.
• Ravioli Soup. This simple Ravioli Soup is a quick, cozy meal with plump pillows of ravioli simmered in a hearty homemade tomato soup. Ready in just 20 minutes!
• Baked Sweet Potato. Baked Sweet Potato takes almost no effort to make (in the oven or grill) and always taste amazing. They're soft and tender, naturally sweet, and delicious!
• Homemade Potato and Cheese Perogies. Homemade Potato and Cheese Perogies are comforting, delicious, and satisfying. These cheddar pierogi from scratch as easier to make than you think!
• Pot Roast Soup. This easy Pot Roast Soup is made in 30 minutes with leftover beef and veggies simmered in broth. It’s hearty, flavorful, and nourishing comfort food.

December Dinner Recipes

• Chicken Pot Pie. Homemade chicken pot pie is loaded with a delicious, creamy, savory filling contained by a crispy, buttery, and flaky pie crust. It stores and freezes well.
• Butternut Squash Ravioli. Homemade Butternut Squash Ravioli is a vegetarian dinner filled with roasted butternut squash and served with a nutty brown butter sauce with crispy sage.
• Creamy White Chicken Lasagna. Creamy white chicken and spinach lasagna with tender shredded chicken is the most comforting creamiest cheesiest white lasagna. Easy to make ahead & freeze.
• Coconut Curry Beef Stew. Warm and cozy, easy one pot coconut curry beef stew is hearty yet creamy, packed with tender beef chunks, potatoes and carrots, and creamy coconut milk.
• Chicken a la King. Chicken a la King is rich, creamy, and hearty comfort food. This 30-minute dinner recipe contains chicken and veggies in a cream sauce made from scratch.
• Ground Beef Meat Pie. Ground beef meat pie with a flaky puff pastry double crust pie is filled with ground beef cooked with vegetables and seasonings. The ultimate comfort food.
• Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake. Spinach and Ricotta Pasta Bake is the ultimate cozy comfort meal, packed with creamy ricotta and tender spinach, tossed in marinara, and baked until bubbly.
• Pineapple Glazed Ham Slices. Sweet and savoury pineapple glazed ham slices are perfect for a holiday dinner. With a caramelized glaze, this ham is dressed to impress.
• Roast Stuffed Chicken. Roast Stuffed Chicken is easy to make and has everything you need for a meal in one pan. Serve it for a special occasion or weekly for Sunday roast dinner.
• Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Herb Stew). Ghormeh sabzi is a classic traditional Persian herb stew with beef or lamb, fresh herbs, and kidney beans, that's slowly cooked, developing so much flavor.

December Appetizers and Snacks

• Cranberry Whipped Feta Dip. This Cranberry Whipped Feta Dip is a festive, creamy appetizer that comes together in minutes with just a handful of simple ingredients.
• Bacon Wrapped Scallops. Bacon Wrapped Scallops are the most decadent appetizer to serve at your next part. Tender, fresh scallops are wrapped in bacon slices before baked.
• Antipasto Skewers. Antipasto skewers with tortellini are a quick, easy, and delicious appetizer with the best parts of a traditional antipasto platter but easier to eat.
• Fried Mac and Cheese Balls. Fried mac and cheese balls are crispy on the outside, creamy and cheesy on the inside, and have the perfect crunch. Best way to use leftover mac and cheese.
• Smashed Sweet Potatoes. Crispy Smashed Sweet Potatoes are the perfect side dish for your fall and winter meals — sweet, savory, and so simple to make!
• Charcuterie Board. This easy charcuterie board is the perfect appetizer to impress with minimal effort— made with cheese, cured meats, crackers, dips, olives, fruit, and nuts.
• Cranberry Baked Brie. Cranberry baked brie is a sweet and savory appetizer you need to try this holiday season. It's quick and easy, melty and gooey, and so delicious.
• Air Fryer Short Ribs. Air fryer short ribs are crispy, flavorful, and delicious. The easy marinade ensures they're tender and juicy inside, while the air fryer makes them crispy.
• Cheesy Garlic Bread. Cheesy Garlic Bread is toasty and crispy on the outside, tender and soft inside with a garlic butter and melty cheese on top. Make in under 20 minutes!
• Cheese Fondue. This Swiss Cheese Fondue with warm, melty cheese is a classic. Serve it as a quick and easy appetizer or dinner with bread, potatoes, and more.
• Gingerbread Granola. Quick and easy gingerbread granola with nuts, cranberries and warm winter spices is vegan, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free. The best Christmas snack.

December Desserts

• Christmas Cookie Platter. Our Christmas Cookie Platter this year, filled with festive treats and holiday cheer, with the best mix of colors, shapes, and flavors to impress.
• Gingerbread House. This gingerbread house recipe with template is easy to make, fun to decorate, and delicious — soft and chewy, yet crunchy and sturdy with crisp edges.
• Hot Chocolate. Homemade Hot Chocolate is made with actual chocolate, melted into milk, and whisked until smooth and creamy. No more prepackaged mixes!
• Christmas Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing. Christmas sugar cookies with royal icing are golden brown and crisp on the outside, but soft and tender inside. The best and festive gourmet holiday cookie.
• Cranberry Pie. This Cranberry Pie features an orange-infused cranberry pie filling steeped with warm, aromatic spices, all nestled under a gorgeous lattice pie crust.
• Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Maple Cinnamon Glaze. This showstopping festive gingerbread bundt cake with maple cinnamon glaze and pecans is moist, soft, and fluffy, and packed with warm holiday spices.
• Christmas Cupcakes. These festive Christmas Cupcakes are made of moist and fluffy vanilla funfetti cake topped with red and green buttercream frosting. So fun to make!
• Yogurt Fruitcake. Perfect for the holidays, this super moist and tender, festive yogurt fruitcake is loaded with dried fruits and nuts for a burst of flavour in every bite.
• Gingerbread Men Cookies. Classic gingerbread cookies with royal icing are soft and chewy in the centre but crisp on the edges. Add these festive cookies to your holiday baking list.

More Winter Recipes

• 60+ Winter Dinner Ideas
• 50 Best Comfort Food Recipes
• 60 Best Soup Recipes
• 40 Best Pasta Recipes
• 30 Best Casserole Recipes

Did You Make Any of These December Recipes?

Please leave a comment and rating below, and let me know what you thought of this round up of delicious recipes to cook this December. Be sure to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.

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