38 fabulous last-minute Christmas ideas

Garlic and rosemary focaccia

Whether you’re making for family or dinner guests, warm, home-baked bread is an easy pleaser!

Spinach dip cob loaf

This is one retro recipe that never goes out of style.

Herb-brined turkey breast in pancetta

Herb-brined overnight, stuffed with olive and wrapped in pancetta – this turkey breast is full of flavour and stays beautifully moist when cooked.

Salt and pepper squid

This crispy pepper and spice squid is perfect for a party.

Perfect barbecue prawns

Chuck another shrimp on the barbie, mate.

Since Christmas is all about indulgent fresh seafood, enjoy these delicious prawn cocktails with zucchini and mint salad. Perfect for the warm weather!

Prosciutto wrapped haloumi

Prosciutto and haloumi are a match made in nibble-platter heaven – or use this recipe to take this pumpkin, spinach and haloumi salad to the next level.

Lobster mornay

Treat yourself to a dose of nostalgia.

Deliciously fresh barbecued squid salad, this dish is perfect for spring entertaining.

Roast pumpkin, fetta and chickpea salad

Toasted pistachios and preserved lemon add crunch and zing to this roast pumpkin, fetta and chickpea salad.

Chicken and mango salad

This chicken mango salad is loaded with fresh ingredients that work beautifully together to create a refreshing tropical inspired salad.

Chicken and watercress pasta salad

This chicken and watercress pasta salad is fresh, zesty and ready in under 30 minutes. It’s perfect for your next lunch get together.

Christmas wreath salad

Lettuce be clear – it’s really a jazzed up garden salad, but it makes a fantastic centrepiece for the table.

Cobb salad

This American garden salad features salad greens, tomato, chicken breast, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, chives, blue cheese, and vinaigrette in rows.

Pearl couscous, zucchini and tomato salad

Zucchini, tomatoes and mint pair beautifully in this fresh Israeli couscous salad. Perfect for Christmas lunch and all your summer parties.

Fresh, flavoursome, and so delicious – these juicy grilled prawns with zesty avocado cream and slaw will please the entire family!

Warm spiced prawns with avocado salsa

This light, fresh and flavoursome dish is perfect as a starter or finger food for dinner parties.

Lamb and ratatouille with pesto dressing

This ratatouille and lamb as fresh, flavourful and healthy as it looks. A hearty low-carb meal with basil pesto to add that perfect zingy touch.

Lamb fillet salad with green pesto dressing

Pesto dressing adds zing to this fresh lamb salad.

Blinis with smoked salmon

These mini pancakes are smokin!

Turkey with apricot & hazelnut stuffing

Instead of taking on a whole turkey this year. Why not try this turkey breast stuffed with apricot and hazelnut stuffing?

Julie Goodwin’s last-minute Christmas pudding

Run out of time to make a proper Christmas pudding? You can still have a tasty treat on your festive table with this last-minute recipe thanks to Julie Goodwin.

Brandy custard and brandy butter

It’s beginning to taste a lot like Christmas.

Chocolate hazelnut ice-cream pandoro

Create an impressive dessert using the sweet Italian yeast bread, Pandoro, and store bought ice-cream.

Last-minute Christmas cake

That feeling when you realise you haven’t made a Christmas cake and then discover our fabulous last-minute recipe.

Last-minute trifles

Night-before-Christmas fruit cake

This quick recipe for frozen Christmas ice-cream cake is loaded with fruit, berries and brandy. Make it the night before for a hassle-free Christmas spent with your friends and family.

Night before fruit cake

Christmas chocolate brownies

They’re the kind of dessert you are more than happy to eat all-year-round, but we’ve given the classic brownie recipe a fun makeover, just in time for the festive season. Serve for dessert after Christmas lunch, or wrap up and give as gifts.

Frozen Christmas pudding

This sweet and creamy Christmas pudding pairs two types of homemade ice-cream to create a delicious frozen dessert to serve during the festive season. You’ll even get yummy chunks of dried fruit and dark chocolate with each bite.

Christmas blondies

Enrich and sweeten the festive season with these scrumptious fruit, almond and white chocolate brownie-like squares. They don’t exclusively need to be dessert either.

Frozen tiramisu

A perfect marriage of two of our favourite desserts -tiramisu and ice cream.

Gourmet rocky road

We took the classic no-bake treat and made it fancy.

Chocolate freckle biscuit bark

Warning: completely addictive.

Chocolate hazelnut Christmas tree

We’re all about the festive treats this year.

Creamy nut fudge

This is such an easy fudge to make. It’s delicious, slightly chewy, packed with crunchy nuts and is just right for a friend with a sweet tooth.

Lemon and passionfruit pavlova stack

Thanks to store-bought pavlovas and an easy lemon cream, this spectacular dessert is super-simple to create. Impress with ease this Christmas.