No-cook Christmas entertaining ideas

Whip up a decadent Oreo Baileys fridge cake in 20 minutes, impress your friends with a sriracha prawn and avocado cocktail, or treat your family to our raspberry and amaretti trifles – all with no baking required.

Best no-cook Christmas recipes

No-cook Christmas starters

Bloody mary prawn lettuce cups

This no-cook starter is a simple and speedy alternative to classic prawn cocktail, and makes use of storecupboard ingredients. Serve on a large platter in the middle of the table and let everyone dig in.

For a vegetarian version, try using mini mozzarella balls instead of the prawns, and basil instead of the coriander.

Salmon tartare with lemon and capers

If smoked salmon is a favourite in your house, this no-cook salmon tartare is a fun, modern twist. Finely chop the salmon and toss in a fragrant dressing of lemon, shallots and capers. Serve with thin slices of toast.

Herby cheese tartines with cucumber salad

This French-style open sandwich is a light veggie starter, and minimal effort is required to prepare it. Simply mix together the herbed cheese and serve on sourdough toast with the cucumber salad on top.

Crab and prawn cocktail rolls

These finger food-friendly rolls are made using shop-bought prawn cocktail and brioche buns, so there's no need to turn your oven on. A creative Christmas alternative with minimum prep required, serve them with thick-cut crisps and dressed lettuce leaves, if you'd like.

Fig, mozzarella and serrano ham salad

Make this easy and light fig salad for a sophisticated starter that makes great use of storecupboard ingredients. Figs are marinated in a honey mustard dressing then tossed with creamy mozzarella, salty serrano ham and peppery rocket.

Sriracha prawn and avocado cocktail

Throw together this starter with a handful of easy to find ingredients – it's quick to assemble and packs a punch flavour-wise.

No-cook Christmas canapés

Cucumber wheels with salmon, tartare sauce and dill

A no-cook canapé to kick off festive celebrations: this recipe calls for easily available ingredients and will be on the table in under 30 minutes. Alternatively, make them the night before and chill in the fridge.

Find more easy no-cook party canapés here – most take just five minutes to prep!

Peppadews stuffed with green olive tapenade and mozzarella

This is super-easy and budget-friendly. Stuff 24 peppers with a quick, homemade tapenade and cube of mozzarella. Top with a basil leaf.

Party tartines

You can't get quicker or easier party food than tartines. More substantial than canapés, these simple yet pretty open sandwiches will satisfy even the greediest guests (and all you need to do is layer the ingredients).

Little prawn poppadoms

You won't believe how quick and easy these are to make: crisp mini poppadoms are loaded with a punchy mango and cucumber yogurt, then topped with juicy prawns. This is great party finger food on a budget.

Tapenade

Impress by making homemade tapenade in just 10 minutes – just blend the ingredients and spread over mini toasts for a classy canapé.

Mini salmon, pea and mint tartines

One of the easiest make-ahead canapés you can serve: assemble crushed peas and smoked salmon on rye bread fingers. Apart from the smoked salmon, this calls for cheap ingredients.

Avocado and prawn cocktail toasts

It's your classic prawn cocktail with a super-simple, no-cook twist. Pass them around to guests at your Christmas do, and watch as everyone tucks in with glee.

No-bake Christmas desserts/baking

Oreo Baileys fridge cake

This no-cook fridge cake is incredibly simple to make – simply layer Oreos with sweetened whipped cream flavoured with Baileys. Left overnight, the biscuits soften and become ‘cake’.

It uses lots of Oreos, but overall, it's a simple and low-cost way to feed lots of people at a festive gathering.

Banoffee fridge cake

Using accessible, cheap ingredients, this easy, no-cook banoffee cake will be the centrepiece at your festive dinner party or buffet.

Raspberry chocolate pots

You only need double cream, raspberries and dark chocolate to make this silky and decadent pud. A restaurant-level dessert with only 10 minutes of prep required, this is easy on the eye and simple to make ahead of time.

No-bake chocolate cheesecake

A batch of no-bake chocolate cheesecake bars are perfect for entertaining, and you won't even need to turn the oven on. They make up to 16 bars and require accessible, low-cost ingredients.

Chocolate orange cheesecake

Make this no-bake chocolate orange cheesecake for your Christmas party – it’s easy to prep ahead and just as impressive as any dessert that requires an oven. In this decadent chocolate-orange version, we’ve used crunchy gingernuts in the base for extra flavour.

Pistachio and chocolate icebox cake

You only need a handful of easily accessible, shop-bought ingredients to make this no-bake dessert, in which the biscuits become softened by the ice cream.

Coffee and cream fridge cake

Wow the whole family with this no-bake fridge cake packed with layers of indulgence. It only requires a few ingredients (which you'll likely already have), plus there's no need to turn on the oven.

Cherry and pistachio no-bake traybake

This refrigerator no-bake cake can be made up to a week ahead, provided you keep it cool, saving you time. A great one for Christmas Day if you don't want to use the oven, or serve it as a treat with coffee or as a sweet canapé.

Frozen chocolate and hazelnut cheesecake

Ideal before a party, our frozen no-bake Nutella cheesecake with classic bourbon biscuits and crunchy, roasted hazelnuts is an easy, indulgent dessert – perfect as a Christmas cake alternative that doesn't break the bank.

Baileys chocolate tiffin

Store these no-bake chocolate tiffins in the fridge and pull out to entertain over the festive period. You don't have to include the edible glitter if you want to keep it more economical.

Raspberry and amaretti trifles

These individual raspberry and amaretti trifles are quick to put together, thanks to ready-made fresh custard and shop-bought sponge fingers. Finish them off with crumbled amaretti biscuits for a bit of decadence.

Chocolate and salted caramel ice cream cake

This easy, make-ahead chocolate bombe recipe uses chocolate swiss roll cake and Maltesers for indulgence and crunch, and there's no need to bake it in the oven.