Ina Garten’s 25 Best Christmas Recipes of All Time

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, vegetarian
• Serves: 24 to 28 crackers

Your guests will need something to chew on while they wait for the main course, and I'm betting these pair beautifully with either beer or apple cider (or fine, both). "The texture reminded me of flaky pie crust, while the flavor gave hints of Cheez-It, or even cheddar biscuit," former PureWow senior food editor Katherine Gillen claims after testing the recipe at home.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, beginner-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 4 to 6

Complete with toasted walnuts and a splash of port wine. "It's really pretty simple but looks incredibly impressive," PureWow editor Abby Hepworth says after preparing it herself. "And even though Ina recommends serving it warm, it's also fine to make it ahead and serve it at room temperature." Wash the produce and make the dressing in advance, so all you have to do on the big day is assemble.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, high protein, gluten free
• Serves: 2

See ya, store-bought cocktail sauce. Ina’s dressing is an even better pairing with shrimp. (The green goddess dip is homemade, but I won't tell if you use your favorite store-bought variety instead.) Stick 'em with toothpicks to make them look like fancy hors d'oeuvres.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, one pan
• Serves: 8

Creamed corn keeps this cornbread extra moist, but the hand-grated cheddar and fresh jalapeños make it unforgettable. Serve it drizzled with hot honey, slathered in butter or crowned with sour cream. Bonus points for baking it in a pool of bacon drippings instead of oil.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, special occasion-worthy, gluten free, make ahead
• Serves: 10

Gussy up your annual bird with prosciutto, fennel and fresh herbs to wow your relatives. Most importantly, it spares you the task of roasting a whole bird. "This turkey roulade is actually better if you assemble it in advance," Garten advises, "because the flavors—prosciutto, fennel seeds, garlic, fresh sage and rosemary—all permeate the turkey. This is classic comfort food with the volume turned up."

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

This beauty is a twist on an Ina Garten classic, the riff being in the form of tart, festive cranberries. The hearty stew is recommended to be plated with crusty bread or egg noodles, but it'd also pair gorgeously with roasted or mashed potatoes. Your call, chef.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, dairy free
• Serves: 6

For the uninitiated, cioppino is a stew starring cod, shrimp, scallops, clams and mussels that was invented by an Italian fisherman in San Francisco. Sure, it's not ham or turkey, but it's certainly festive—and unexpected. It's dairy-free as is, but I wouldn't blame you for finishing each bowl with a swirl of cream.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

Want to get the kids' table to eat their vegetables? Douse them in cheese. (The basmati is just the cherry on top.) Here's some parting wisdom from the queen herself: Make sure you're getting real-deal aged Parmesan from Italy and grate it by hand. Pre-grated cheeses, even from a specialty food store, are often made from lesser Parmesan, and no one wants that. 

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Five ingredients + 20 minutes = the easiest Ina Garten Christmas recipe ever. "In the 1950s, cooks used to hide frozen vegetables under some mystery 'cheese' sauce," the Contessa writes. "The combination of green vegetables and cheese was a good idea, but I prefer roasting broccolini (it's sweeter and more tender than broccoli) and, instead of making a sauce, I simply melt good sharp cheddar on the broccolini."

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: vegetarian, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 3

Ina loves "twofers," meaning a recipe that can be turned into a completely different dish. Here, her signature tomato and eggplant soup is the base for this vibrant, satisfying accompaniment. "You can bake this pasta in one larger dish, but making individual gratins looks so much more professional," Garten adds. Make a double batch of the soup to serve as an appetizer, if you're feeling ambitious.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, gluten free
• Serves: 2

Anyone hosting a holiday meal knows what a game-changer sheet pan recipes can be. This veggie side comes together in a flash with minimal ingredients, most of which are pantry staples that you likely already have on hand. The original calls for lemon juice and basil, if you feel so inclined to add them to the mix.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, vegetarian, gluten free
• Serves: 4

You probably have every ingredient already, save for the 'shrooms—in the words of Ina Garten, how easy is that? Plenty of butter and garlic bring them to life, while fresh parsley makes them look ready for their holiday debut. Cremini, shiitake, porcini and Portobello varieties all work here.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly
• Serves: 16 to 20 cookies

"I love shortbread in any form," Garten explains, "but this one with cinnamon and 'apple pie' spices is extra special. The basic shortbread dough was inspired by my friend Eli Zabar, of EAT in New York City. Not only are these cookies delicious but the house smells wonderful when you make them!" Well, I'm sold.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 10 cookies

For a less-expected Ina Garten recipe to serve this Christmas, there are these New York-loved treats. "They're actually more like tender little cakes than cookies and they're always iced with vanilla and chocolate frosting," Garten explains. "Be sure to turn them over and glaze the flat bottoms, not the rounded tops."

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 12

Show citrus season who's boss with this bright, sunny confection that never goes out of style. "Ina's lemon bars are exactly what a classic lemon bar should be—rich and lemon-y without being too sweet," Hepworth claims. "I made these for a friend and they got rave reviews."

• Time Commitment: 4 hours
• Why I Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 12

Inspired by the Barefoot Contessa's famous French apple tart, this Ina Garten Christmas recipe will impress way more than a store-bought pie. Since it's a bit of a baking project, make the dough and tahini frangipane a day ahead of the big feast, then finish it right before serving.

• Time Commitment: 2 hours and 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
• Serves: 8 to 10

Forget cookies—leave a slice of this out for Santa and you'll score everything on your wish list, promise. The recipe takes a tip from Garten herself with the addition of brewed coffee in the batter; the bitterness of the coffee both tempers the sweetness of the other ingredients and amplifies the natural cocoa-y chocolate flavor of the dessert without making it taste like a hot mocha.

• Time Commitment: 6 hours and 50 minutes (includes chilling time)
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 36 bars

One thing we love about Ina: She isn't shy about butter. (After all, neither am I.) Don't let the long time commitment sway you—most of it is hands-off chilling time for the filling to set. They keep like a charm in the fridge and freezer alike, although I doubt you'll have leftovers.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
• Serves: 12 buns

Frozen puff pastry can do just about anything, including star in this drool-worthy Ina Garten holiday recipe. If you're in one of those families that starts Christmas morning with a cinnamon-kissed canned biscuit, this gooey, decadent treat is basically your soulmate.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 6

Wow. Even the resident Scrooge on your guest list will be charmed by these festive crème brûlées at first glance. "These are the ultimate dessert to entertain with because you can make them a few days ahead and simply keep in the fridge," recipe developer Tieghan Gerard writes, sharing that they're adapted from Garten's recipe. "Be sure to brûlée the top just before serving, it always impresses everyone."

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
• Serves: 15 cupcakes

With some green sprinkles on top, this year-round dessert suddenly looks Christmas-bound. ICYMI, red velvet isn't simply chocolate cake dyed red. Well, it almost is, but it often has a double dose of tang from buttermilk in the batter and cream cheese in the frosting. (P.S.: You might want to make a second batch for the kids' table.)