A make-ahead Christmas menu for a more joyful day

On Christmas morning, it’s all too easy to let the food take a back seat to everything else going on. You may be wrangling kids desperate to open presents, or trying to get everyone out the door to their next destination, whether church or your big family gathering. Making a from-scratch meal when you wake up? Good luck.

That doesn’t mean you need to settle for a bowl of cereal, either. There are plenty of ways to do the work in advance, so you can enjoy a homemade Christmas breakfast or brunch with a little less last-minute scrambling. Here’s a family-friendly menu of make-ahead dishes, both sweet and savory, with flexible options for when you prep them.

Sticky Ham, Turkey and Cheese Sandwiches

Hosting extended family during the holiday season is a lot of extra work. My always-accommodating mother-in-law keeps the hungry masses sated until dinner with a pair of pick-at-them-all-day treats: take-and-bake iced orange rolls (for sweets lovers) and ooey-gooey sticky ham sandwiches (my favorite).

I’ve adapted her pull-apart sandwich recipe, which features ham and Swiss, to add a little more bite to each slider. The horseradish, turkey and smoked Gouda were my idea. My colleagues wisely suggested switching from dry mustard to whole-grain and weaving in pickles to add some acid to the meal. The mustard, along with zippy horseradish and savory Worcestershire sauce, features in a sauce that’s poured over the slab of sandwiches before baking. You’ll need to budget 1 hour to let it soak in, but for an ideal Christmas morning make-ahead option, the sauced sliders can hang out in the fridge for up to 12 hours.

— Warren Rojas

Sticky Ham, Turkey and Cheese Sandwiches

For the sauce

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

For the sandwiches

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

One (12-count) package Hawaiian sweet rolls, halved across the equator

8 ounces sliced bone-in ham

8 ounces sliced roasted turkey breast, preferably no-salt-added

8 ounces sliced smoked Gouda cheese

12 dill pickle chips

Make the sauce: In a medium (3- to 4-quart) saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar, mustard, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and poppy seeds, and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently to combine the ingredients. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Assemble the sandwiches: Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-by-11-inch baking dish with the butter.

Place the bottom half of the buns in the prepared baking dish so they fit snugly. Alternate layering the ham, turkey and Gouda, about 5 to 6 slices per layer for a total of 6 layers, or until you run out of ingredients. Place 1 dill pickle chip atop each sandwich, and cap with the top half of the rolls.

Score the top of the rolls along their seams, taking care not to cut all the way through, so the sauce can seep inside. (This also allows for easier serving of individual portions.) Pour the sauce all over the sandwiches and use a brush or spatula to spread it evenly. Cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

Bake the sandwiches: When ready to bake, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Remove the baking dish from the oven and let sit on the counter while the oven preheats.

When the oven is ready, transfer the dish (still with the foil) to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue baking for another 15 minutes, or until the sauce caramelizes on top. Remove from the oven and serve hot or warm, or cover with a dish towel and leave at room temperature for up to 2 hours for snacking.

Servings: 6-12 (makes 12 sandwiches)

Make ahead: The assembled sandwiches need to be refrigerated for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

Storage: The sandwiches are best eaten right away but can be wrapped in foil and refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warm and slightly crisped.

Substitutions: Prefer a smoky flavor? Try Black Forest ham. Want more spice? Use herb- or pepper-crusted turkey. For smoked Gouda, use sliced Gruyère or Havarti.

Nutritional Facts per sandwich (using no-salt-added turkey), based on 12 | Calories: 315, Fat: 20 g, Saturated Fat: 11 g, Carbohydrates: 19 g, Sodium: 473 mg, Cholesterol: 85 mg, Protein: 16 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 9 g

— Warren Rojas

Overnight Yeasted Waffles

I started making yeasted waffles for my family about a decade ago, and we have never looked back. Not only are they incredibly delicious, with their slightly custardy middles, crispy edges and mildly tangy flavor, but they also come together with such ease that it never ceases to amaze me. Because you begin assembling them the night before you serve them, and you finish them the next morning, they’re essentially a make-ahead breakfast or brunch item — the best kind when hosting, especially for an occasion such as Christmas. (Prefer to do all the work in advance? The waffles reheat well in a toaster or conventional oven.) It was Marion Cunningham’s recipe, from her fantastic “The Breakfast Book,” that I first experimented with, tweaking the waffles a bit each time I prepared them. But lately I’ve been flavoring them, too. I adore the straight-up plain version, of course, but gingerbread, pumpkin spice and orange waffles have also been making appearances on my breakfast table, all of which are particularly fitting around the holidays. Maple syrup and salted butter are always welcome additions to waffle mornings, but I also love grabbing them warm, straight from the iron, and eating them out of hand.

— Jessie Sheehan

Overnight Yeasted Waffles

2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons instant yeast (from one 7.5-gram/0.25-ounce packet)

1 teaspoon fine salt

1⅔ cups (400 milliliters) whole milk, warmed

1 stick (8 tablespoons/113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus more softened, as needed

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Generous ¼ teaspoon baking soda

Nonstick cooking spray

Maple syrup and softened salted butter, for serving

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Whisk in the milk and butter until mostly smooth. (A few lumps are okay.) Cover the bowl, and let sit at room temperature for 10 to 14 hours.

After resting, the batter will have risen, then probably collapsed and look bubbly and even a little curdled. (This is fine.) Whisk in the eggs, vanilla and baking soda until thoroughly combined. The batter will deflate.

Grease a waffle iron with the softened butter, if using, or spray with nonstick spray, and preheat according to the manufacturer’s directions. Ladle enough of the batter to cover most of the surface of the waffle iron — this will vary by model, but expect ¼ to ¾ cup (60 to 180 milliliters) of batter per waffle — then close it, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the appliance alerts you the waffle is done. If your iron does not have an alert, look for the waffle to be crisp and golden brown.

Serve warm, with syrup and pats of salted butter.

Servings: 6 (makes six 7-inch waffles)

Make ahead: The waffle batter needs to rise at room temperature for 10 to 14 hours.

Storage: The finished waffles can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 1 month and reheated in a toaster or toaster oven.

Substitutions: For instant yeast, use active dry yeast. Want to incorporate whole grains? Substitute up to ½ cup (65 grams) of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour. For whole milk, use reduced-fat milk. Dairy-free? Use nondairy milk and butter.

Variations

For gingerbread waffles: When you are ready to make the waffles, whisk 3 tablespoons molasses, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves into the batter along with the eggs, vanilla and baking soda. (Feel free to play around with the spice mixture, as long as you keep the total amount of spices to 4 to 5 teaspoons.)

For pumpkin spice waffles: Whisk in 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ¾ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon ground allspice and ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, as instructed in the variation above. Or add 4 to 5 teaspoons premade pumpkin pie spice.

For orange waffles: When you are ready to make the waffles, whisk the finely grated zest and juice of 2 oranges into the batter, along with the eggs, vanilla and baking soda.

Nutritional Facts per waffle | Calories: 382, Fat: 20 g, Saturated Fat: 11 g, Carbohydrates: 42 g, Sodium: 482 mg, Cholesterol: 109 mg, Protein: 9 g, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 10 g

— Jessie Sheehan

Chaider

I first discovered this chai-and-apple-cider crossover in 2017 at Blue State Coffee, a local cafe operating out of the Brown University Bookstore in Providence, Rhode Island. One sip, and I was sold. It was sweet, spiced and warming. The flavor was similar to a mulled cider, but with more complexity, thanks to the black tea. I often ordered it to add a bit of cheer to those gray, chilly New England mornings as I hiked across campus to get to class. Blue State Coffee has since shuttered, and I’ve long since left Providence, but, luckily, I’ve figured out how to re-create this drink at home.

The cold-weather beverage feels even more special during the holidays. Your guests will appreciate waking up on Christmas morning to the comforting aroma of cinnamon and ginger wafting through the air as the spices simmer on the stovetop. The drink comes together in about 30 minutes, and half of the process is hands-off, but it can also be made ahead of time and reheated to fit in with your holiday plans. Enjoy it between unwrapping presents, or pack it in a thermos to keep you toasty on a holiday-lights stroll around the neighborhood.

— Victoria Caruso

Chaider

Two (3-inch) cinnamon sticks, plus more for optional serving

12 green cardamom pods

6 black peppercorns

6 whole cloves

One (1-ounce/30-gram) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced

3 cups (720 milliliters) water

3 cups (720 milliliters) apple cider

2 tablespoons loose-leaf black tea, preferably Assam

½ tablespoon unsulfured molasses

1 tablespoon cane sugar, plus more as needed

Dried apple slices, for serving (optional)

Ice, if serving chilled (optional)

In a small blender or food processor, combine the cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, peppercorns and cloves, and process until coarsely ground, about 5 seconds. (Alternatively, crush the spices using a mortar and pestle.) Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter, and set over a large bowl or measuring cup.

In a medium (3-quart) nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the ground spices with the ginger, and toast, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 3 minutes.

Add the water and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a simmer, until the spices deeply infuse the water, about 12 minutes. Add the cider, tea, molasses and sugar, and stir to combine. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, then remove from the heat and pour through the prepared strainer. (Discard the solids.) Taste, and add more sugar, if desired, as fresh apple cider can vary in sweetness. Serve hot, with the dried apple slices or cinnamon sticks, if using, or chilled, over ice.

Servings: 6 (makes about 6 cups)

Storage: Chaider is best when hot or chilled over ice. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Stir or shake well before serving.

Where to buy: Fresh apple cider can be found at well-stocked supermarkets or, seasonally, at farmers markets.

Substitutions: We prefer making this with loose-leaf tea, but if you have only bags use 6 to 8 of them instead of the leaves. (Leave the tea in the bags.) For Assam tea, use decaffeinated black tea or Darjeeling tea. For cane sugar, use granulated, light brown or dark brown sugar.

Nutritional Facts per serving (1 cup) | Calories: 76, Fat: 0 g, Saturated Fat: 0 g, Carbohydrates: 18 g, Sodium: 4 mg, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Protein: 0 g, Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 17 g

— Victoria Caruso, inspired by a version from the now-shuttered Blue State Coffee in Providence, Rhode Island.