From gingerbread to roast turkey to hot chocolate, is it any wonder that Christmas is considered the most wonderful time of the year? Food plays a big role in the holidays, as we tend to associate them with delicious desserts, warm beverages and home cooked meals. Yet Christmas cooking can often be a source of stress for those of us charged with preparing meals for loved ones. This holiday season, alleviate some of that anxiety by taking some inspiration from the pros. This year, there are a number of new and exciting holiday cookbooks out that will walk you through every step of Christmas meal preparations. From books by esteemed chefs to food bloggers, here are some of the season’s most festive culinary reads.

Photo: jamieoliver on Instagram

Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook by Jamie Oliver, HarperCollins Publishers

The beloved British chef is back just in time for the holidays with Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook. This 400-page volume is packed with recipes for every holiday need, from party food, edible gifts and unique ways to use leftovers. The included dishes range from shareable appetizers to vegetarian and vegan options and are budget friendly, with money saving options included with each recipe. With festive chapter titles like “The Wonderful World of Potatoes,” and “Spectacular Festive Puddings,” it’s clear that with this book, Oliver aims to put a cheerful spin on the often stressful task of cooking for the holidays.  

The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook: Entertaining for Absolutely Every Occasion by Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Little, Brown & Company

For vegans, the holidays can be a stressful time when it comes to family meals. This difficulty was the inspirations behind Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s new cookbook, which offers a variety of vegan recipes that are tailored for the holiday season. Vegan meals tends to be wrongfully associated with bland, flavourless food, but this cookbook aims to prove just how wrong that connection is. From finger food and appetizers to casseroles and roasts, – and of course, dessert – The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook is proof that you can enjoy delicious, hearty meals during the holidays without sacrificing your beliefs.  

Crave and Cook: Home Cooking During the Holidays by Virginie Degryse, Createspace Independent

Written by food blogger Virginie Degryse (or @craveandcook on Instagram), this festive cookbook aims to “demystify Holiday cooking” by demonstrating simple yet impressive meals that can be made without any culinary experience. Degryse grew up in Belgium and now lives in California, so Crave and Cook: Home Cooking During the Holidays offers a number of meaningful suggestions on how to seamlessly merge past and present holiday traditions. With stars such as Lori Loughlin and Lisa Kudrow as fans of the cookbook, Crave and Cook is sure to be a hit this holiday seasons.