Anyone who’s cooked a Christmas dinner before knows that juggling cooking times, peeling and chopping endless piles of veg, and catering for different dietary requirements can make your Christmas less magical and more stressful.
Thankfully, Suzanne Mulholland, aka The Batch Lady, is here to help. Her latest cookbook, The Batch Lady Saves Christmas, is packed with dozens of prep-ahead recipes to see you through the festive season – along with indispensable cooking tips, meal plans, and menu ideas for every budget and party size.
Get your copy now
The Batch Lady Saves Christmas
100 stunning festive recipes that are budget and freezer friendly
Perfect for Christmas day and beyond with easy ideas for leftovers
Including edible gifts and desserts to treat your friends and family
Buy From
All of the recipes featured in this book can be prepped or cooked ahead of time, ready to take of out the fridge or freezer and finish cooking (in the air fryer, slow cooker, or oven) with minimal fuss. As well as all the classic Christmas starters, mains, side dishes, and puddings, you’ll find chapters dedicated to easy dinners for the run-up to Christmas, breakfast and brunch dishes, ideas for using up Christmas Day leftovers, baking and edible gifts, and festive food and drinks to serve come New Year’s Eve.
To give you a taste of the brilliant recipes you’ll find inside, we’ve rounded up ten dishes we can’t wait to get prepping ahead of the big day.
Christmas starters
Prawn Cocktail
This classic Christmas lunch starter features a simple five-ingredient Marie Rose sauce that can be made up to three days in advance.
Goat’s Cheese, Walnut & Pear Tarts
Ideal if you’re catering for vegetarians, these individual savoury tarts can be prepped then frozen, ready to pop in the oven or air fryer when you want to serve them.
Christmas mains
Glazed Christmas Ham
Finished with festive cloves, peppercorns, and a delicious honey and mustard glaze, this stunning centrepiece can be pre-cooked then re-heated on Christmas day, ready to serve in a matter of minutes.
Turkey Crown
Cooking for fewer than six people? A turkey crown is the perfect fuss-free, time-saving option.
Side dishes
Roast Carrots & Parsnips
If, like Suzanne, you don’t want to spend Christmas morning peeling and chopping veg, this simple recipe can help you to prep your roast carrots and parsnips weeks in advance.
Mulled Wine Red Cabbage
Infused with festive flavours, this vibrant, colourful side dish is the perfect addition to your Christmas spread.
Veggie Stuffing
Featuring veggie sausages, cranberries, chestnuts, Cheddar, and sage, this make-ahead stuffing recipe is a medley of flavours and perfect for anyone catering for vegetarians.
Christmas desserts
Slow-cooker Christmas Pudding
A Christmas classic for a reason, this is the perfect prep-ahead pudding as you want at least a week for the flavours to become deep and rich.
Chocolate Orange Tiramisu
If you prefer an alternative to traditional Christmas pudding, this tiramisu with a twist celebrates the classic flavour combination of chocolate and orange (complete with a dash of Cointreau for an extra kick).
Christmas leftovers
Leftovers Pie
Ideal for using up any leftover bits from the big day, this versatile pie recipe uses a creamy sauce and flaky puff pastry for the ultimate comforting meal. Better still, you can make the filling in advance and keep it in the freezer, ready to pop in the oven or air fryer when you need a fuss-free dinner.
