Christmas Day can be a bit stressful for the person taking on the main cooking responsibility, what with a big roast, trimmings, desserts, and other courses on your hands. Instead, start prepping now with these make ahead Christmas recipes for sauces, sides, desserts and more – it will make a world of difference!

Not only will these make ahead dishes leave you feeling more organised and prepared for the big day, but it will mean you can sit back and enjoy much more of the festivities, present opening, and all-round excitement too!

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Make Ahead Christmas Recipes

#1. Christmas Breakfast Casserole

This Make Ahead Christmas Sausage Breakfast Casserole from Meaningfulmama.com is handy for any big breakfast or brunch. You can leave out the mushrooms if you have any mushroom-averse eaters.

It’s a recipe the kids can help prep on Christmas Eve too, then all you need to do is refrigerate and bake on the day for an hour.

Image credit Meaningfulmama

#2. Cranberry and Orange Sauce

Fresh cranberries start appearing in grocery stores around mid-November, so snap up a few bags and stash them in the freezer to make sure you have a supply ready for holiday cooking and baking.

Make your Cranberry sauce up to a week in advance with this delicious Cranberry and Orange Sauce recipe which will keep, covered, for 1 week in the fridge.

#3. Do-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

This recipe from Betty Crocker for Do-Ahead Mashed Potatoes has just six ingredients (two of which are salt and pepper) and can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time, refrigerated, and baked when you’re ready for a no-stress, no-fuss side.

Image credit Betty Crocker

#4. Red Cabbage with Basalmic Vinegar and Cranberries

This is a handy recipe from BBC Good Food for Red Cabbage with Balsamic Vinegar and Cranberries which will keep for up to four days in the fridge, or for up to 1 month in the freezer.

Image credit BBC Good Food

#5. Jamie Oliver’s Make Ahead Gravy

The great thing about this Turkey Gravy recipe from Jamie Oliver is you can make it a few days, or even weeks before Christmas then finish it on Christmas Day. It uses chicken wings as the basis.

Image credit Jamie Oliver

#6. Crab Bisque

If you like to have a soup or a fish course during Christmas Dinner, then this Easy Crab Bisque recipe from BHG might be just the thing.

It’s a very simple but elegant soup, ready in 20 minutes, and can be made the night before and just warmed up before serving. There’s no fussy ingredients either, just a tasty combination of things you can buy at the grocery store.

Image credit BHG

#7. Mince Pies

Whip up a batch of mincemeat for delicious Mince Pies. This recipe takes less than half an hour to prep but will keep for weeks in a jar in the fridge.

Then all you need to do is make or buy pastry for the crusts and fill and pop in the oven for warm mince pies and of course, a drop of Mulled Wine to accompany!

#8. Golden Roast Potates

Don’t spend Christmas morning peeling potatoes, make these Golden Roast Potatoes from BBC Good Food that you can freeze ahead of time for up to 1 month, then cook on the day.

Image credit BBC Good Food

#9. Star Mint Meringues

I love these Star Mint Meringues from BHG, not only do they look stunning and very Christmassy but they can easily be made ahead and either stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Image credit BHG

#10. Make Ahead Christmas Brandy Sauce

Nothing is yummier with your traditional Christmas Pudding than a boozy sauce, you can make this Brandy Sauce recipe from About Food with either brandy or rum depending on your preference.

Make your sauce a day or two in advance and refrigerate it then simply reheat when your Christmas pudding is ready.

Image credit About Food