Add a little magic to your food this holiday season with these easy Christmas recipes. These kid-friendly, festive recipes are incredibly simple to make and are sure to bring a smile to children, big and small!
As the holidays approach, I become giddy with excitement that I get to play with my food! From Christmas Cookies to No-Bake Christmas treats, I love making festive holiday recipes.
But as much as I love playing with my food, I do not do complicated! I just do not have the time or artistic skills for that!
That is why every Christmas-themed recipe I am sharing with you today, is easy and does not require any special tools, ingredients, or long amount of time. Let's be honest, even if you are crafty, the holidays are already busy enough!
Have a little fun with your family and your food this year! The memories will last for years!
Santa Pancakes
These Santa pancakes are adorable and are a simple way to make pancakes of any kind and make them into a festive breakfast fit for the Christmas season.
To Make Santa Pancakes
- Start with your favorite pancake recipe. I typically start with my whole wheat pancakes, but Gluten Free Pancakes or Vegan Pancakes are both great choices as well.
- Slice up bananas and arrange them at the bottom of the pancakes in an upside-down triangle to represent Santa's beard.
- Slice fresh ripe strawberries and then arrange them in a triangle at the top of the pancakes for Santa's hat.
- Outline the strawberry hat with whipped cream to replicate the white tassel and white trim on Santa's hat.
- Use 2 chocolate chips as Santa's eyes.
- Use a round strawberry slice as Santa's nose.
- Add additional whipped cream for Santa's mustache.
- Deliver a smile for breakfast.
Christmas Tree Vegetable Tray
This Festive Veggie Tray is again simple and is a great way to encourage kids to eat their vegetables! Add a side of hummus, tzatziki, or homemade ranch on the side for a healthy Christmas treat everyone will dig into.
To make a Christmas Tree Veggie Platter
- Place cleaned and trimmed broccoli florets in a large triangle in the middle of a serving tray to resemble the tree itself.
- Add sliced red peppers as garland for the tree.
- Use the stem of red pepper for the trunk of the tree.
- Using a star cookie cutter, cut out a star from a large yellow pepper slice.
- Decorate with sliced olives as ornaments.
Peanut Butter Reindeer Treats
This little Rudolph Snack Cake is my kids' favorite after-school snack around Christmas and it only takes minutes to prepare. This means that even after a busy day, you can look like you put effort into making snack time fun.
How to Make a Rudolph "Sandwich"
- Spread rice cake (or pancake or bread cut into a circle) with peanut butter, almond butter, or soy butter.
- Add 2 pretzels for antlers.
- Add maraschino cherry as Rudolph's nose (you can also use a red candy morsel for the reindeer's nose.)
- Give Rudolph eyes by placing two slices of bananas on the rice cake and then topping each slice of banana with a chocolate chip.
Candy Cane Pizza
We have pizza night weekly at our house and this is the PERFECT pizza for Fridays in December. You can follow the full recipe for Candy Cane Pizza, or follow the step-by-step directions below.
To make a Candy Cane Pizza
- Shape your favorite pizza dough into a cane shape–a lot easier than rolling, I must say–the kids had it done in seconds flat.
- Spread the dough with pizza sauce.
- Add pepperoni slices for the candy cane stripes.
- Bake until cheese is melted and browned.
More Easy Christmas Recipes
- Reindeer Sugar Cookies
- Christmas Tree Deviled Eggs
- 3D Christmas Tree Cookies
- Homemade Hot Chocolate
- Peanut Butter Ritz Cracker Cookies
- Reindeer Pretzels
I hope you enjoy some festive fun with these simple homemade treats!
Sophie Heath
Absolutely delicious! My kids loved these holiday themed food ideas! 10/10 recommend.
Kristen Chidsey
Sophie this makes my heart so happy that you were able to make memories with your kids while enjoying these treats. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
Nellie Tracy
Such fun ideas! Can't wait to do some of these with my kids!
Kell @ All Mum Said
These look like so much fun! The kiddos will love them.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Kell--my kids LOVE them all!
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life
Kristen, these are so fun and creative! I love it! My kids are a little older but my daughter loves to do this kind of stuff with my niece and nephews! Thanks for sharing it with us at Foodie Fridays! Pinning!
Kristen Chidsey
What do you mean your kids are too old? Oh, maybe that is why my pre-teen is starting to roll his eyes at me and asking me to stop packing him cookie cutter sandwiches:) HA! HA!
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life
13, 15, and 17...yes, they'd definitely roll their eyes at me if I made them a reindeer anything...haha. But I love these, and I wish I had been this creative when they were little! These ideas are adorable!
Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life
I hope you had a wonderful holiday Kristen, and wishing you a fabulous 2015!
Natalie
I don't have the patience that goes into the first couple pictures. However, I love doing gingerbread houses!
Kristen Chidsey
Well Natalie if you have children, you could get out the supplies and let them go to town themselves.
Lysha
These are so cute and so much fun! Santa Pancakes is my favorite.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks so much Lysha.
Susan Mahlburg
Love that the Santa beard is made out of bananas - my daughter could eat an entire bunch every day if we let her! My mother-in-law recently found a Pinterest idea that uses bananas and pretzel sticks to make snowmen, so we'll be doing that this year.
Melanie | Melanie Makes
Such great kid friendly holiday treats!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Melanie!
K. Elizabeth (YUMMommy)
So cute! I love food art. Will definitely try my hand at the Pancake Santa.
Kristen Chidsey
I promise you it is not that hard--you could even show your kids the picture and let them go to town.
heather @french press
SO many cute ideas! and who doesn't love to play with their food
Kristen Chidsey
I sure do!!
Rachel
Omg, these are so simple, I can do it! Thank you! I love the Santa pancakes, very cute! And thank you for the tips on building a gingerbread house. I've done a couple in my life and they are never left standing. We forget how much fun it is play with our food, and this post totally inspired me to do just that. Very creative and easy. Thank you again!
Kristen Chidsey
Rachel, it means so much to me that I inspired you. Have some fun in the kitchen!!
Alli
I'm in love with your fruit tree! They are all so cute. Makes me want to play with my food, too!
Kristen Chidsey
Thank you so much Alli!!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets
How fun! My kids would love some of these ideas!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Aimee! My kids devoured the Reindeer Rice Cakes yesterday with huge smiles on their faces.
Melissa
I love to make food interesting for my kids. I love the Santa pancake!!!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Melissa. It makes eating so much fun! (Not that I need ANY convincing!!)
Leanne
Very cute ideas!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Leanne!
GiGi Eats
HA! These are so cute! I don't make my food look cute, because I am always so hungry when I make my food, I just JAM IT IN MY FACE!
Kristen Chidsey
Then you are the kind of girl I want at my party!!! I love to see a person eat!