35 Last-Minute Holiday Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes
Updated: Jan. 14, 2024
Fast and festive recipes for apps, desserts, sides and more make holiday party prep easy. Relax. You got this.
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Peanut Butter Snowballs
This recipe for peanut butter balls is a nice change from the typical milk chocolate and peanut butter combo. It’s is also an easy one for children to help with. I’ve made them for a bake sale at my granddaughter’s school and tucked them into holiday treat boxes for neighbors. —Wanda Regula, Birmingham, Michigan
Need more quick recipes? Check out all of our ideas in the last-minute holiday guide.
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Honey Champagne Fondue
This special champagne fondue has wonderful flavor from Swiss cheese and a hint of sweetness from honey. It clings well to any kind of dipper. —Shannon Copley, Upper Arlington, OhioPsst! Thanksgiving dinner delivery services are also an excellent quick fix for holiday season.
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Roasted Chicken and Brie Holly Mini Bites
I got the idea for these appetizers from my favorite sandwich at a local restaurant—a symphony of sweet fig, roasted apple, melted brie and tangy garlic mayonnaise. I re-created this delectable combination in a quick appetizer with bright red cranberries and green spinach to give it a holiday twist. These scrumptious bites only take about 20 minutes, but taste like you spent hours; you can also make them a few days in advance, then warm them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds before serving. They're the perfect party appetizer! —Terri Gilson, Calgary, Alberta
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Quick Golden Squash Soup
This delectable soup feels like fall! Its golden color and rich, satisfying flavor have made it a favorite of mine—which is really amazing because I was convinced I didn't like squash until I tried this recipe. —Becky Ruff, Monona, Iowa
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Snow Pea Holiday Wreath
Santa himself might stop to sample this pretty-as-a-picture finger food! Crunchy green pea pods and juicy red tomatoes add a natural fresh, festive holiday note to my buffet table. —Carol Schneck, Lodi, California
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Cranberry Pecan Cookies
These are so tasty and simple to prepare! Each delightful little cookie is loaded with cranberries, nuts and vanilla, giving them the taste of a treat that’s been slaved over. —Louise Hawkins, Lubbock, Texas
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Green Bean Bundles
I found this recipe in a rural newspaper years ago and have made it often. The bean bundles are excellent with chicken or beef. Sometimes I'll arrange them around a mound of wild rice to make an appetizing side dish. —Virginia Stadler, Nokesville, Virginia
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Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup
This cheesy ham and potato soup is hearty, comforting and altogether delicious. Serve it with a refreshing green salad and your bread of choice.
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Triple Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry fans will ask for this sauce again and again. It's loaded with their favorite fruit—in fresh, dried and juice form. Orange and allspice make it awesome. —Arlene Smulski, Lyons, Illinois
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Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower
Want an alternative to mashed potatoes? Try cauliflower jazzed up with cheddar cheese and rosemary. —Chrystal Baker, Studio City, California
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Candy Snack Mix
Chock-full of raisins, peanuts and M& M's, this crunchy salty-sweet mix stays fresh for weeks. I keep it on hand to serve to unexpected guests or to fill decorative containers to give as last-minute gifts. —Mary Newsom, Grand Ridge, Florida
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Pomegranate Splash Salad
The sparkling pomegranate gems make this salad irresistibly beautiful. My family loves it at holiday gatherings when pomegranates are in season. Even the children can't get enough of this antioxidant-rich delight. —Emily Jamison, Champaign, Illinois
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Special Creamed Corn
This corn has earned a permanent place on our special-occasion menus. While my whole family loves it, my son would be especially disappointed if I forgot to include our corn dish. —Deb Hauptmann, Mohnton, Pennsylvania
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Apricot-Glazed Bacon Spirals
Here’s a real crowd-pleaser for an appetizer table or brunch buffet. A whole piece of crispy bacon is rolled into each spiral. It's so good with the apricot preserves, which make it a sweet-and-salty treat. —Kellie Mulleavy, Lambertville, Michigan
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Caramel Fluff & Toffee Trifle
The best part of this stunning dessert is that you need only five ingredients to put it together. —Daniel Anderson, Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin
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Seven-Layer Mediterranean Dip
I like traditional seven-layer Mexican dip, but I love Mediterranean ingredients even more. When I made this mashup, my husband wolfed it down. And he won’t even touch hummus or Greek olives on their own! —Bee Engelhart, Bloomfield Township, Michigan
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Pomegranate Pistachio Crostini
Pomegranate seeds intrigued me, so I sliced French bread, smeared it with cream cheese and added seeds, pistachios and chocolate. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah
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Grandma's Cranberry Stuff
What could taste better than turkey and cranberry on Thanksgiving Day? My grandmother's classic recipe makes the best cranberry stuff to share with your family and friends this holiday. —Catherine Cassidy, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
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Caprese Skewers
Light, satisfying and healthful in one impossibly easy-to-make dish? Yes, please! Enjoy these Caprese skewers as an app, side dish—truly perfect paired with grilled meat or poultry—or a convenient snack. Every bite is a little taste of summer.
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Gooey Caramel-Topped Gingersnaps
Making these cookies is therapeutic for me. And they are always quite popular at fundraisers. If you’d like, you can make variations by using different nuts. —Deirdre Cox, Kansas City, Missouri
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Grandma's Biscuits
Homemade biscuits add a warm and comforting touch to any meal. My grandmother makes these tender biscuits to go with her seafood chowder. —Melissa Obernesser, Utica, New York
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Gorgonzola Polenta Bites
I needed a brand-new appetizer for a big party. I covered polenta with Gorgonzola and a tangy sauce. That’s how you spread holiday cheer. —Margee Berry, White Salmon, Washington
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Turkey Sliders
We love how easy these no-bake turkey sliders are to throw together for a party or an easy (and fun!) dinner.
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Egg Baskets Benedict
A little puff pastry turns Canadian bacon and eggs into a tasty update on eggs Benedict. We use a packaged hollandaise or cheese sauce for the finish. —Sally Jackson, Fort Worth, Texas
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Herb-Roasted Olives & Tomatoes
Eat these roasted veggies with a crunchy baguette or a couple of cheeses. You can also double, or triple, the amounts and have leftovers to toss with spaghetti the next day. —Anndrea Bailey, Huntington Beach, California
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Pomegranate Persimmon Salad
To bring some sunshine to the table, I toss up a bright salad of persimmons and pomegranate seeds, dressed with a puckery vinaigrette. —Linda Tambunan, Dublin, California
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Brussels Sprouts & Kale Saute
In an effort to add more greens to our meals, I created this dish—and my kids eat it up. The crispy salami is the "hook." —Jennifer Mcnabb, Brentwood, Tennessee
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Tangy Bacon Green Beans
My grandmother’s Pennsylvania Dutch-style recipe turns plain old green beans into a tangy cross between three-bean and German potato salads. —Sharon Tipton, Casselberry, Florida
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Bacon Deviled Eggs
These bacon deviled eggs are the perfect potluck or barbecue party snack when you need an easy, crowd-pleasing appetizer for your party.
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Cranberry Fizz
With just five basic ingredients, this wonderfully tangy punch couldn't be much simpler to stir together. —Suzette Jury, Keene, California
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Pumpkin Toffee Trifle
I wanted to use pumpkin for a quick party dessert. This twist on a cream cheese pie tastes divine when made ahead. It keeps well, too. —Jodie Jensen, Draper, Utah
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Waffle-Iron Cookies
The recipe for these cookies is the easiest to find in my book because the page is a beautiful mess covered with fingerprints, flour smudges and memories of more than 30 Christmases! I made these with my daughters, and now I make them with my granddaughters. —Judy Taylor, Quarryville, Pennsylvania
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