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Festive Holiday Recipes That Won't Cost a Fortune
Holidays are a time to join together with family and friends, celebrate, and enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal. While you may be considering making some of those fancy, festive holiday recipes you see on social media, many of them have long ingredient lists that end up being expensive to make. In this blog, we'll offer you some festive Christmas and Hanukkah recipes that will impress your guests without costing you a fortune.
Christmas Recipes
Drinks
1. Grinch Mimosas
Cost: As low as $16 for a batch of 8 drinks (or $2/drink)
Make Grinch mimosas with four simple ingredients. This recipe (one glass) calls for:
- 3 ounces prosecco
- 3 ounces orange juice
- ½ ounce blue curacao liqueur
- Fresh strawberries for garnishing
Note: Make it a mocktail by substituting Welch’s sparkling wine for prosecco.
Click here to watch a video tutorial on how to make these delicious Grinch mimosas!
2. Cranberry Cosmos
Cost: As low as $28 for a batch of 11 drinks (or $2.5/drink)
Cranberry cosmos are a perfect yet simple cocktail for the holiday season. This recipe (one glass) calls for:
- 1.5 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce cranberry juice
- ½ ounce Cointreau (or any orange-flavored liqueur)
- ½ tablespoon fresh lime juice
- Fresh cranberries
- Fresh rosemary sprig
Note: Make it a mocktail by substituting Sprite (or your preferred sparkling soda) for vodka and Cointreau.
Click here to watch a video tutorial on how to make these festive cranberry cosmos!
3. Snow Globe Spritz
Cost: As low as $12 for a batch of 6 drinks (or $2/drink)
Impress your guests by making these simple and fun snow globe spritzes! This recipe (one glass) calls for:
- 3 ounces water
- 2 ounces gin
- 4 ounces tonic water
- Juice of 1 lime wedge
- Fresh rosemary sprig
Note: Make it a mocktail by skipping the gin and substituting your favorite flavored sparkling water for tonic water.
Click here to watch a video tutorial on how to make these festive snow globe spritzes!
Appetizers
1. Christmas CharcuterTREE Board
Cost: As low as $30 (yields approximately 20 servings)
This gorgeous Christmas tree charcuterie board is a great appetizer that can be customized to match your budget. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly version of this charcuterie board, you could skip the meat and make a cheese-only board or make it a veggie board! The meat and cheese board calls for a variety of ingredients, including but not limited to:
- Assortment of cheeses (cheddar, gouda, havarti)
- Assortment of meats (salami, pepperoni, prosciutto)
- Assortment of produce (grapes, nuts, berries, pickles, olives, etc.)
- Sliced provolone to make the decorative stars
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- Crackers
Note: Customize your charcuterTREE board by choosing your favorite ingredients!
Click here to view the full recipe.
2. Grinch Fruit Skewers
Cost: As low as $10 (approximately 30 skewers)
These easy and cute Grinch fruit skewers will surely be a hit at your holiday party, especially among the kids. All you need to make these skewers are:
- Strawberries
- Green grapes
- Bananas
- Mini marshmallows
- Skewers
Click here to view the full recipe.
3. Pigs in a Blanket Wreath
Cost: As low as $16 (yields 12 servings)
Pigs in a blanket are a staple holiday appetizer for many families, but this recipe brings them to another level by presenting them as a Christmas wreath! This recipe calls for:
- 1 tube refrigerated crescent rolls
- 24 mini hot dogs
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- Egg wash
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- Ketchup or marinara sauce
Click here to view the full recipe.
Desserts
1. Raspberry Cream Cheese Candy Cane Crescent Danish
Cost: As low as $14 (yields 6 servings)
Consider adding this raspberry cream cheese candy cane crescent danish to this year’s Christmas dessert table. It’s easy to make, low-cost, and delicious! This recipe calls for:
- 1 can (8 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Original Crescent Rolls (8 Count)
- 4 oz (from 8-oz package) cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¾ cup fresh raspberries
- 2 tablespoons raspberry preserves
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ½ to 1 teaspoon milk
Click here to view the full recipe.
2. Christmas Cornflake Wreaths
Cost: As low as $20 (makes 36 wreaths)
These cornflake wreaths are an amazing sweet and spicy dessert for your Christmas gathering. While adding red hots to a dessert might sound odd, once people try them, they can't get enough! This recipe calls for:
- ½ cup butter
- 4 cups miniature marshmallows
- 1 teaspoon green food coloring, or as needed
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups Corn Flakes cereal
- 1 (2.25 ounce) package cinnamon red hot candies
Click here to view the full recipe.
3. Rudolph the Reindeer Brownies
Cost: As low as $16 (yields 24 brownies)
Try making these adorable easy-to-make and budget-friendly reindeer brownies this Christmas using only these few ingredients:
- 2 boxes brownie mix
- ½ cup water
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- Mini Pretzels
- Red holiday mint M&M's
- 1 cup melted chocolate
Click here to view the full recipe.
Hanukkah Recipes
Drinks
1. Hanukkah Prosecco
Cost: As low as $18 for a batch of 8 drinks (or $2.25/drink)
Make your prosecco glass more festive for Hanukkah by adding a blue sugar rim to your flute glass. This recipe calls for:
- 6 ounces prosecco
- Blue sugar sprinkles
Note: Make it a mocktail by substituting Welch’s sparkling wine for prosecco.
2. Menorah Margarita
Cost: As low as $23 for a batch of 12 drinks (or $2/drink)
This tasty and gorgeous ombre Menorah Margarita will surely be a hit at this year’s Hanukkah party. This recipe (one glass) calls for:
- 1 ounce mezcal tequila
- 1 ounce blanco tequila
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 2 ounces club soda
- 1 ounce of simple syrup on top
- Blue food coloring
Note: Make it a mocktail by substituting extra club soda for tequila.
Click here to view the full recipe.
3. Gelt Gimlet
Cost: As low as $18 for a batch of 11 drinks (or $1.6/drink)
These gelt gimlets are a perfect yet simple cocktail for the holiday season. This recipe (one glass) calls for:
- 1.5 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce blue curacao
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- Juice of half a lime
- Blue food coloring
- Blue sugar sprinkles
- Gelt garnish
Make it a mocktail by substituting blue-died Sprite (or your preferred sparkling soda) for vodka and blue curacao.
Click here to watch a video tutorial on how to make these delicious gelt gimlets!
Appetizers
1. Pull-Apart Pizza Menorah
Cost: As low as $15 (yields 4 servings)
Who doesn't love pizza, especially when it's pull-apart pizza in the shape of a menorah? Make this fantastic (to eat and look at) Hanukkah appetizer using the following ingredients:
- 12 ounces pizza dough
- ¾ cup pizza sauce
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella
- 2 teaspoons Za'atar seasoning
- Extra virgin olive oil for brushing
- 1 clove garlic
Click here to view the full recipe.
2. Build-Your-Own Mochi Latkes
Cost: As low as $26 (yields 20 servings)
This year, consider adding this traditional Jewish cuisine, upscaled build-your-own mochi latkes, to your Hanukkah menu. This board calls for a variety of ingredients, including but not limited to:
- 1 pound russet potatoes
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons mochi flour (sweet rice flour, such as Mochiko)
- 3 cups vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Sliced cucumbers
- Sliced salmon
- Desired toppings, such as Asian Pear Sauce or Matcha Salt
Click here to view the full recipe.
3. Star of David Fruit Tray
Cost: As low as $20 (yields approximately 15 servings)
This festive Star of David fruit tray is an excellent alternative to classic fruit salad. The tray includes a variety of fruits, but you can use whichever fruits you prefer, such as the following:
- Mango chunks
- Kiwi slices
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
Note: You can plate this fruit platter on a pizza pan (as pictured) or a round, wooden cheese board.
Click here to view the full recipe.
Desserts
1. Hanukkah Chocolate Bark
Cost: As low as $9 (yields 20 servings)
Hanukkah Chocolate Bark is a quick and easy no-bake dessert made with only three simple ingredients! This recipe calls for:
- Vanilla candy melts
- Blue food gel coloring
- Pearl sprinkles
Note: Make variations to this recipe by stirring in some crushed pretzels or chopped almonds!
Click here to view the full recipe.
2. Hanukkah Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
Cost: As low as $12 (makes 36 cookies)
Transform this classic Christmas cookie into a festive Hanukkah cookie by adding one simple ingredient: blue sugar sprinkles! This recipe calls for:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- ½ cup butter
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ cups Gold Medal™ All Purpose Flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Blue sugar sprinkles
- About 36 milk chocolate Hershey’s kisses
Note: The only difference between the original recipe and the Hanukkah recipe is in the last step, rolling the peanut butter dough balls in various blue sugar sprinkles instead of regular granulated sugar.
Click here to view the full recipe.
Kveller. (2015). Hanukkah peanut butter kiss cookies [Photograph]. Edible Crafts. https://ediblecrafts.craftgossip.com/hanukkah-peanut-butter-kiss-cookies/2016/12/01/
3. Chocolate Marshmallow Dreidels
Cost: As low as $14 (makes 24 dreidels)
These adorable chocolate-covered marshmallow dreidels will be your family's new favorite Hanukkah tradition! This dessert, resembling real dreidels, can be made using the following ingredients:
- Large marshmallows
- Pretzel sticks
- Hershey's kisses
- 1 (12 ounce) bag blue candy melts
- 2 squares white chocolate
Click here to view the full recipe.
Ingredient Cost-Cutting Tips
Plan your holiday menu as early as possible to watch out for weekly sales. Also, consider shopping at bulk or stores with low-cost produce, such as Costco, Sam’s Club, Aldi, Fresh Thyme, HyVee, or Trader Joe’s.
There's a common misconception that fancy, festive holiday recipes cost a fortune, but that's not always true. Hopefully, some of these low-budget Christmas or Hanukkah recipes caught your eye, and you'll add them to this year's holiday menu!
