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As Christmas Day draws closer, many of us tend to wish for a few more hours in the day so we can get everything done on time. 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes will help to eliminate some of that last minute holiday stress. Whip up a few of these confections now and freeze them until company comes; there’s no need for last minute baking this Christmas season!
Time seems to pass by much more quickly at Christmastime, so I put together this list of 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes to help you out. These recipes will help to make preparing your holiday treats a little easier! Save time in the kitchen when the big day is upon you with some of the best-tasting festive recipes to share with your family and friends this season! And, there are just so many to choose from!
Just like there are people who don’t care much for Christmas, there are also people who don’t care much for baking. They want to get into the kitchen and out of it as soon as possible. In fact, they would like not to be in there at all! So, the recipes here will ensure that you don’t have to turn on the oven and bake cookies at the last minute. These recipes are meant to be prepared ahead of time and frozen until you need them. Consider this my gift to you, Dear Reader! Are you ready? Let’s get into it!
I’ve taken the liberty of breaking down the 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes into categories. Some of them might overlap with other categories, but I’ve tried to keep them tied to just one. No room for duplicates here! On the backend, I’ve done all the work for you. As soon as you see a picture of a food item that you like, just click on the green highlighted box that says “CHECK OUT THE RECIPE.” A new window will open in your browser so that you don’t lose your place on this page. No searching, no downloading, each and every recipe is just a click away.
SLICED COOKIES
Marshmallow Church Window Slices
A classic Christmastime treat, Marshmallow Church Window Slices were a childhood favourite. Only four ingredients bring this sweet treat to life!
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Walnut Cherry Slices
Chopped red and green candied cherries add a pop of festive colour and delicious flavour to these Walnut Cherry Slices. Prepare a month in advance and freeze the dough. When ready to bake, simply cut the dough into slices and bake until light and fluffy. These cookies are perfect for a cookie exchange or for gifting to a neighbour!
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Orange Cranberry Cookies
Have you been surprised by unexpected holiday guests in the past? Prepare these cookies in advance and bake them up in a hurry whenever needed. Straight from the fridge to the oven, Orange Cranberry Cookies are delicious and gorgeous! As an added bonus, they will help keep you looking like the baking genius you are!
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Caramel Peanut Slices
Caramel Peanut Slices are a no-bake confection consisting of caramel, peanut butter, rice krispies cereal, chocolate, and chopped peanuts. Working in layers, it is rolled into a log and chilled until set. The log is cut into slices before being served. These cookies are irresistible and one of my all-time favourite Christmas treats!
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Looking For More Christmas Confections?
Lord Byron’s Kitchen has more than enough to satisfy yoursweet tooth! Click on the links belowto see a countdown series of holiday recipes from that category!
Biscotti Series
Bundt Cake Series
Truffle Series
Snack Series
Edible Wreath Series
BARS & SQUARES
Christmas Jewel Squares
With bright flecks of red, white, and green, these delectable Christmas Jewel Squares are rustic, fancy, and impressive all at the same time!
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3 Ingredient Cherry Squares
Sometimes a recipe needs to be quick and easy. 3 Ingredient Cherry Squares are just that, but they are also pretty to look at and delicious too! These freeze well and are a great Christmas confection.
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No Bake Chocolate Marshmallow Squares
In all probability, this will be the best thing you will eat this holiday season. No Bake Chocolate Marshmallow Squares are prepared with only four ingredients and comes together in just minutes with the help of a microwave. These are decadent and rich, and you won’t be able to stop eating them!
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Santa’s Peanut Butter Squares
If you want extra presents under the tree this year, leave a couple of these Santa’s Peanut Butter Squares with a tall glass of milk on the mantle this Christmas Eve! Loaded with sprinkles, M&Ms, white chocolate chips, peanut butter, and more, who wouldn’t want to sink their teeth into this festive treat!?
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Holiday Magic Squares
This multi-layered sweet treat is perfect for the holidays! Not only is it fast and easy, but it’s also relatively inexpensive too! Prepared with white chocolate, salted peanuts, coconut, and M&Ms, these Holiday Magic Squares are gooey and messy, and absolutely worth it!
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FUDGE
Peppermint Chunk Fudge
Chocolate and peppermint go together like bread and butter. Peppermint Chunk Fudge is the perfect unison of them both; consider this fudge recipe a gift from me to you!
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Rocky Road Fudge Squares
Homemade sweet treats can’t get any easier than a fudge recipe. Rocky Road Fudge Squares combines traditional Rocky Road ingredients like chocolate, nuts, and marshmallows. These are so delicious when served chilled right from the fridge!
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Hershey’s Copycat Eat More Fudge Bars
The candy bar of yesteryear comes back to life in this make-at-home copycat version. Hershey’s Copycat Eat More Fudge Bars will satisfy all of your sweet tooth cravings and then some!
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SHORTBREAD AND ROLLED COOKIES
Old Fashioned Christmas Cherry Cookies
Old Fashioned Christmas Cherry Cookies are sugary, buttery, shortbread cookies, topped with royal icing and a festive candied cherry center. Not only do they look vintage, they also look really delicious, don’t they!?
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Whipped Christmas Shortbread
Christmastime is rushed and hurried; who has time for rolling pins and chilling dough? With this Whipped Christmas Shortbread recipe, you can have shortbread cookies ready to eat in less than 30 minutes! And, you can top them any way you like too!
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Glace Cherry Shortbread
Everyone loves shortbread! Simple and rustic, but never meant to be boring, my Glace Cherry Shortbread is perfectly beautiful and scrumptiously delicious!
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Star Anise Cookies
Star Anise Cookies are rustic and simple cookies that are filled with the familiar licorice flavour we all know and love. Not super sweet, these cookies pair very well with the icing drizzle, and uses only common pantry ingredients!
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Homemade Newfoundland Jam Jams
Traditional recipes can be passed down from generation to generation, or it can simply be the food we grew up with. Homemade Newfoundland Jam Jams are both! They are eaten year round in Newfoundland, but to me, they always taste better at Christmastime. There is nothing that can beat this homestyle molasses and jam sandwich cookie – no exception!
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Classic Spritz Cookies
Simple and rustic is the way to go with these super buttery and tender Classic Spritz Cookies. A melt in your mouth cookie with festive sprinkles for fun and folly! These are the quintessential Christmas cookie!!
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Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies
Everyone loves gingerbread. And, everyone loves butterscotch. So, why not combine the two flavours into these beautifully delicious Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies!? Break out your favourite cookie cutters; it’s time to bake!
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Rolled Snowflake Cookies
This easy-to-make cookie looks great and tastes even better! Using only four ingredients, Rolled Snowflake Cookies are for those who love to make holiday cookies with rolling pins and cookie cutters. No frosting skills needed here!
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Cherry Spritz Cookies
A good spritz cookie should taste slightly sweet and buttery. The cookie should be slightly crumbly, but not dry, and it should feel like it’s melting in your mouth. Nothing is more Christmassy than Cherry Spritz Cookies! It’s a long-standing holiday favourite and this one screams cheerful with those brightly coloured candied cherries!
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Anise Wreath Cookies
These tender, flaky, yet crisp Anise Wreath Cookies are prepared with a basic rolled cookie dough, but flavoured with crushed anise seeds. Sprinkled with green sanding sugar, these licorice-flavoured cookies are a great addition to any holiday cookie exchange or cookie platter!
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Chocolate Holly Berry Cookies
Christmas baking is never complete without a cookie recipe or two that requires one to break out their stash of cookie cutters. In the case of these Chocolate Holly Berry Cookies, it’s just a round cookie cutter, but it still feels Christmassy to use any shape! These cookies have a crispy, chocolaty cookie base with a bright red holly berry center – aren’t they festive?
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Lord Byron’s Annual Christmas Cookie Series
Did you know that Lord Byron’s Kitchen has been sharing a 24 Cookies of Christmas Series for the past several years? Click on the links below to see all of the recipes from each series on one page!
Volume 1 – 2018
Volume 2 – 2019
Volume 3 – 2020
Volume 4 – 2021
BALLS & TRUFFLES
Rudolph’s Red Nose Cookies
Santa Claus is coming to town and he’s going to need Rudolph’s Red Nose to guide his sleigh! Let’s kick off my new 24 Cookies of Christmas countdown with Rudolph’s Red Nose Cookies!
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Jumbo Marshmallow Balls
A popular Christmastime treat in Newfoundland, Jumbo Marshmallow Balls are cookies that make you feel as though you were eating candy. Serve whole or sliced, but best when frozen! A thick coconut and chocolate mixture is formed around a jumbo marshmallow and rolled in more coconut. This is one serious cookie!
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Chocolate Coconut Balls
A sweet, moist, coconut and vanilla flavoured center, covered in a chocolate coating, Chocolate Coconut Balls are an easy, no-bake holiday favourite! Very freezer-friendly and great for gift-giving too!
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Gingerbread Truffles
Nothing compares to the warming and comforting taste and smell of gingerbread at Christmastime. These Gingerbread Truffles are the perfect bite-sized treat for sharing. And, they make a perfect bring-along treat to any festive party!
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Mom’s Christmas Jello Balls
No baking, no melting, and just one mixing bowl! Mom’s Christmas Jello Balls are one of the easiest cookies you’ll make this holiday season! And, not only that, they taste great too! Use any flavour or colour of Jello you want!
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Traditional Newfoundland Snowballs
One of the most recognized confections in Newfoundland, these traditional snowballs are a no-bake version with lots of chocolate and coconut flavour!
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Holiday Spiced Snowballs
Being from Newfoundland, I know a thing or two about snowballs! They are a very traditional treat on the island, and loved by everyone. But, who says they have to be chocolate flavoured? Christmastime treats conjure up warming spice flavours, just like the ones in these Holiday Spiced Snowballs! This version is void of chocolate, but has an explosion of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger!
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Pineapple Christmas Balls
For some people, Christmas isn’t all about snow covered hills and warm, cozy cottages in the countryside. For some people, Christmas is warm and sunny, and filled with tropical flavours, just like the flavours found in these Pineapple Christmas Balls!
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Newfoundland Smartie Cookies
Prepared with melted marshmallows, cocoa, and graham crumbs, Newfoundland Smartie Cookies are sure to give you smores vibes. The addition of the candy coated chocolate in the center helps to make this cookie feel and look more festive.
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Christmas Chocolate Truffles
With only 4 ingredients, including the sprinkles, Christmas Chocolate Truffles are easy to make and fun to eat. These make lovely gifts for friends and neighbours, so make lots!
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SOMETHING-FOR-EVERYONE COOKIES
Holiday Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Cookies
Nostalgia gets an update with these Holiday Cream Cheese Peanut Butter Cookies. Take a classic peanut butter cookie and add cream cheese to get a lighter, flakier, tastier update on your favourite childhood cookie. Don’t worry, the cream cheese does not take away any of that delicious peanut butter flavour!
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Russian Christmas Tea Cakes
Often prepared and eaten at Christmastime, Russian Christmas Tea Cakes are made from a mixture of nuts and coated twice in powdered sugar. They’re messy, so just don’t wear a black shirt when eating these and you’ll be fine!.
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Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
A delicious red cookie dough is rolled into powdered sugar to create these puffy, moist, Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies – the red and white lends itself well to holiday baking!
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Irish Ginger Cookies
A soft, chewy, moist center with a sugary, crunchy coating; Irish Ginger Cookies are golden nuggets of cookie perfection with the deep ginger flavour we all love.
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Holiday Piped Rosette Cookies
There are no special skills needed to make these gorgeous Holiday Piped Rosette Cookies; they’re very impressive, but they’re also very easy! These pack well and are great for storing in tins for gift giving!
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Dutch Pepernoten Cookies
Pepernoten are Dutch cookies which are traditionally baked and eaten during Sinterklaas festivities. Pepernoten literally translates to pepper nuts! All of your favourite Christmas spices are present – cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger. But, this cookie has black pepper too!
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Pistachio Pudding Cookies
Light and fluffy, soft and moist, Pistachio Pudding Cookies are a cookie-lover’s dream; and they’re green too so they’re perfect for the holidays! Plus, they’re made with cream cheese, so you know they’ll stay soft and moist!
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Christmas Peanut Butter Rosettes
A light and fluffy peanut butter cookie with a milk chocolate rosette center, which has been rolled in sanding sugar. Christmas Peanut Butter Rosettes will add lots of festive colour and flavour to your holiday baking. These are a great addition to a cookie exchange!
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Rolo Stuffed Cookies
For the ultimate chocolate lover, these Rolo Stuffed Cookies are prepared with a rich chocolaty and fudgy base, which is wrapped around a single Rolo candy. When you bite into one of the cookies, milk chocolate and caramel oozes out – sounds indulgent, right? Perfect for Christmastime, when calories don’t count!
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Hershey Acorn Cookies
These adorable bite-sized cookies are bound to be a complete hit! They look stunning all on their own, but are perfect for filling in the gaps on your Christmas cookie platter. Hershey Acorn Cookies are prepared with a miniature homemade cookie, and paired with a chocolate kiss and a single chocolate chip!
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Holiday Sugar Cookies
This recipe consists of a melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookie base, topped with a thin, sugary glaze, and festive sprinkles. Holiday Sugar Cookies are brightly and vividly coloured with red and green frosting and will appeal to both the little kids and the big kids in your life!
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Toasted Cashew Cookies
This cookie is super light and airy, and it’s packed full of nuttiness! Toasted Cashew Cookies are packed with both ground cashews and chopped cashews. Topped with cashews as well, this cookie is most certainly for the cashew lover! These are a must for any Christmastime nut lover!
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Almond Sprinkle Cookies
A delightfully light and airy confection, Almond Sprinkle Cookies are packed with delicious holiday flavour; prepared with ground almonds, almond extract, powdered sugar, and vegetable shortening. Made festive with sprinkles, these cookies must be a part of this year’s Christmas baking!
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Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies
Everyone loves gingerbread, but not everyone has the patience or skill needed to roll out dough and decorate little men. Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies has all of that classic flavour in a soft, pillow-y cookie. And, no decorating skills or rolling pins needed!
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Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
More commonly known as Snickerdoodles, Cinnamon Sugar Cookies are a family favourite. Before baking, the cookie is rolled in a cinnamon sugar mixture, which gives the cookie that recognizable and familiar crinkly appearance.
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Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
These cookies are slightly crispy on the outside, but with a moist and dense chocolaty center. Loaded with lots of chocolate chips and hazelnuts, Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies taste very much like eating a big spoon of Nutella in cookie form!
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Christmas Eggnog Cookies
A soft, chewy cookie prepared with eggnog and rum. Christmas Eggnog Cookies are loaded with nutmeg too, which makes them taste extra eggnog-y! They aren’t too pretty to look at, but they taste marvelous!
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Ginger Molasses Cookies
Prepared with classic Christmas ingredients like ginger, cloves, and cinnamon, Ginger Molasses Cookies flood the senses with thoughts and memories of home. These extra large, soft cookies are loaded with Christmastime flavour!
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STORING, PACKAGING, & FREEZING
When it comes to most cookies, they taste best at room temperature, but they don’t hold up well to being left out on your countertop for long periods of time. Cookies will stay fresh in a cookie jar or food-safe container with a lid for 3-5 days if left to sit on your kitchen countertop. You can store them in a food-safe container in your fridge. When you want one, two, or half a dozen, take them out of the container and place them in a single layer on a plate. Let them sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and they’re ready!
To properly freeze cookies, do this: once completely cooled, pile them into a clean, food-safe container. The container must be freezer friendly! You’ll want to ensure a very tight-fitting lid too. I usethesequite often when freezing baked goods. I like to place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the container before pushing the lid on. This helps to create a better seal. The goal is to keep all of that freshness locked in!
You can freeze every confection on this list for up to three months. If you plan to give previously frozen cookies as a gift, I would lay them out on a wire cooling rack to thaw completely. If packaging, wait until the condensation has evaporated. Once thawed, pile into cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon, or stack in a cookie tin/box.
50 MAKE AHEAD FREEZER FRIENDLY CHRISTMAS RECIPES
There you go, Dear Reader! 50 Make Ahead Freezer Friendly Christmas Recipes all on one page for you to peruse and drool over! I trust you will be able to find a recipe or ten in this list that fits into your holiday baking time and schedule.
I’m going to share a few more collection-type posts over the weekend, but I’ll be back on Monday with a brand new series for you! This time, I’m posting 12 back-to-back recipes in Lord Byron’s 12 Christmas Snacks and Treats series! Be sure to come back and join me!
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