Trying to think of a dish to impress your family and friends when Christmas lunch rolls around is, dare I say, harder than buying a Secret Santa gift for that one coworker you barely know.

You don’t want to be that one person who rocks up with some chips and dip, or leaves with half the plate of boiled potatoes you brought. And DON’T YOU DARE even think about bringing a horrid Christmas cake!

Save the trouble, put your apron on and get ready for the Christmas fights to be over your food and not your drunk uncles' hot takes.

We’ve found six delish recipes to ensure you’re going home with an empty dish at your next festive feast.

Christmas crack

Ingredients:

• Butter (1 cup)

• Brown sugar (1 cup)

• Crispy M&Ms

• Sea Salt Pressed Pretzels 

• 1-2 blocks of Whittaker’s Chocolate

Kiwi TikToker Pairama Wright has put us on to Christmas crack using all NZ ingredients. He uses equal parts butter and sugar (about 1 cup of each) and brings it to a soft boil. 

While it’s on the stove, grab your Crispy M&Ms. If you want the extra Christmas touch to your plate (and not in a crunch for time), pick out all the red and green choccies - bonus that you get to munch on all the rest while you’re cooking.

Once you’re done separating the lollies, pour out your pressed pretzels onto a lined baking tray (save a few for garnish) and evenly cover with your sugar and butter mixture.

Then break up and add your choice of Whittaker's chocolate on top and chuck it in the oven just to melt and spread over the top, and BOOM, add your leftover pretzels and festive M&Ms, and call it a hard day's work in the kitchen!

Just try to keep from snacking on it before you leave the house - difficulty level EXTREME, I know!

Puff pastry Xmas trees

For the savoury-toothed Kiwis, NZ TikToker Makere Te Miringa recommends whipping up a plate stacked with easy-to-make puff pastry Christmas trees. 

Ingredients:

• Puff pastry sheets

• Butter

• Parsley flakes

• Crushed garlic

• Cheese

• Wooden skewers

Brush your pastry sheets with a mixture of melted butter, garlic, and parsley. Layer the cheese slices over the whole sheet, then cut it all into strips. 

Grab your skewers, bend and stack the strips into a Christmas tree shape (just like in the video). Pop into the oven at 180°C for 15-20 mins until golden like the star at the top of your tree. 

When cooled, brush over a bit more of that buttery mixture, and top them all with a cheese star to really capture the festive feast you’ve just whipped up.

Pavlova cups

It’s not a Kiwi Christmas table without a bit of pav, but if you’re hosting for just a few family or friends, skip the slices and get ready for the praise with TikToker Madi Hardacre’s Pav in a cup.

Before you go calling it a crime against the classic Kiwi dessert, just wait till you get a spoonful.

Ingredients:

• Meringue nests

• Cream

• Icing sugar

• Frozen berries

• Passionfruit pulp

Crush your meringue nests (about 1-1 and 1/2 large per cup). Whip up your cream, adding icing sugar to what your sweet tooth desires and you’re pretty much done.

Construct the beautiful dessert by layering cream, crushed meringue berries and passionfruit pulp. Repeat until your cup is as full as your belly at 1pm on the 25th. 

You can gain bonus presentation points for adding a cute bow to the stem of your glassware.

Sausage roll wreath 

Who can resist a good ol’ saussie roll? Not me. Especially when you’re thinking about serving them up festive style. TikToker Cassie Head shows how to turn the classic Kiwi morning tea into a festive plate that will be the first to be devoured on the table.

Ingredients:

• 500g Beef mince

• 1 Brown onion

• 2 Tbsp Brown sugar

• 1 Tbsp Olive oil

• 1 Cup Panko breadcrumbs

• 3 Tbsp Sage (chopped)

• 5 Bacon pieces (diced)

• 2 Tbsp Caramelised onion relish

• 1 Tbsp BBQ sauce

Cook the onion in your oil and brown sugar until it’s soft and caramelised. Dice and fry the bacon. 

Throw everything into a bowl with your mince, breadcrumbs, sauces, and herbs, and give it a good, even mix. 

Cut your puff pastry sheets in half, spoon the filling straight down the middle, then roll up into sausage rolls. Bake for about 30 mins (or until golden and cooked through).

Once they’re out, arrange all the rolls into a wreath and place a few rosemary sprigs around the plate to make it look festive. Do NOT forget the T-Sauce!!

Cranberry brie smashed potatoes

Turn a basic side dish into a bougie bite that will compete for best addition to any plate. Health and fitness TikToker Kirrily Edwards reckons these cranberry and brie potatoes will be a smash hit (get it?)

Ingredients:

• Baby potatoes

• Olive oil

• Salt

• Brie

• Cranberry sauce

• Bacon

• Chives

Boil your potatoes until super soft, then add to a baking tray and press down with a sheet of baking paper and the bottom of a glass. Pour a generous amount of oil over the top because we want them crunchier than the carrots you left out for Santa’s reindeer. 

Bake at 180°C for 35 mins (or until crispy), place your brie cheese on top and add back to the oven for about 5 mins.

Top each with a spoonful of cranberry sauce, bacon and chives. This is one you’ll have to make as close to leaving the house as possible, so you don’t eat them all before you’re out the door.

Strawberry Santas

Perfect on their own or to add some extra festive fun on top of your pav, TikToker Gaby Dimova’s strawberry Santas will look too good to eat - but we will devour them anyway!

Ingredients: 

• Strawberries (the bigger, the better)

• 1 Cup White chocolate drops

• Cream cheese

• Black sesame seeds for eyes (or black sprinkles)

• Red round sprinkles for nose

Wash your strawberries and cut them in half, setting aside all the little tops for the Santa hats.

Melt your white chocolate drops and measure out 1/2 cup, then add a big spoonful of cream cheese and whisk until smooth.

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag (tip optional, but it makes it cute) and pipe a generous amount onto the flat side of each strawberry.

Pop the Santa hats on top and pipe a little bobble on the tip.

Bring your Santas to life with black sesame seeds or tiny sprinkles for eyes, and a round red sprinkle for the nose.

Whatever dish you choose to bring to the table, you won’t be bringing home any leftovers, that’s for sure!