Celebrate the Season in Festive Flavors

This Christmas, we’ve got something for every festive moment—whether you’re looking for appetizers that will steal the show or cookies worthy of Santa’s plate (if he doesn’t eat them all before the kids wake up). Prosciutto crostinis make the perfect party bite, while baked apple thumbprint cookies are as cozy as the season itself. Fill your home with the warm aroma of cocoa chai cookies and toast the season with a jingle bell biscotti cocktail by the tree. For the main table, crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside potatoes are basically everyone’s love language, and one bite of pumpkin waffles will have your kids begging for them all season long.

Jingle Bell Biscotti

Ingredients:

1.5 oz bourbon

1/2 oz biscotti liqueur

1/2 oz cold brew coffee

1/2 oz heavy cream, extra for topping (optional)

Cinnamon sugar, for rim

1 cinnamon stick, for garnish

Dash of cinnamon, for topping

Directions:

1. Combine bourbon, biscotti liqueur, coffee, and cream in a shaker with ice. Shake well.

2. Rim your glass with cinnamon sugar and add one large ice cube.

3. Strain and pour into the rimmed glass over ice.

4. Optional: froth a little extra cream and pour over top.

5. Sprinkle cinnamon over the drink and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

Prosciutto Crostini

Ingredients:

1 baguette loaf, sliced

2 tbsp butter, melted

4 oz prosciutto, torn into bite-size pieces

2–3 tbsp fig jam

6–8 oz burrata cheese

Fresh thyme or basil, for garnish

Ground pepper to taste

Honey for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush tops with melted butter. Add prosciutto to the same sheet. Bake 10–15 minutes until bread is toasted and prosciutto crisp.

2. Spread fig jam over each crostini. Top with burrata.

3. Add baked prosciutto, herbs, pepper and drizzle of honey.

Loaded Crispy Potatoes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup salt (for boiling water)

1.5 lbs baby yellow potatoes

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1.5 tbsp butter, melted

1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

2 green onions, chopped

Chili oil (optional)

Sea salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Boil potatoes in salted water 10–15 minutes, until soft.

2. Place potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Smash gently with the bottom of a cup. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with garlic powder and a little salt.

3. Bake 25–30 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove and sprinkle Parmesan over top.

4. Brush with melted butter. Add parsley, green onions, chili oil (optional), and season with salt and pepper.

Orange Pumpkin Waffles

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1.5 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp brown sugar

1.5 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp cardamom

Pinch of salt

3 eggs

3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

1/2–1 tsp orange zest

1 cup pumpkin purée

1.5 cups whole milk (or almond milk)

Syrup or honey to serve

Sugar Pecans:

1/2 cup pecans

1 tbsp butter, melted

1–2 tsp sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat waffle maker. Preheat oven to 350°F if toasting pecans.

2. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cardamom and salt.

3. In another bowl, beat eggs. Stir in melted butter, orange zest, pumpkin purée and milk.

4. Combine wet and dry ingredients until smooth.

5. Pour ~1/2 cup batter per waffle and cook 5–7 minutes until golden.

6. For pecans: toss with butter and sugar, bake 4–5 minutes.

7. Top waffles with pecans and drizzle syrup or honey.

Baked Apple Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:

1–2 apples (about 1 1/2 cups finely diced, peeled if preferred)

10 tbsp unsalted butter (2 tbsp for apples,

  8 tbsp for dough)

2–3 tbsp maple syrup

1/2–1 tsp chai spice blend

Pinch of salt

1 tsp cornstarch

2/3 cup maple sugar (or regular sugar)

1 egg

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Peel (optional) and finely dice apples.

2. Melt 2 tbsp butter in a saucepan. Add apples, maple syrup, spice and pinch of salt. Cook 10–15 minutes until softened and jammy.

3. Stir cornstarch with 1 tsp water. Add to apples and cook until thickened. Chill 20 minutes.

4. In a mixer, beat remaining butter with sugar. Add egg, then flour.

5. Form 1-inch dough balls on a parchment-lined sheet. Press thumb to make an indent. Fill with apple mixture.

6. Bake 20–25 minutes until edges are golden.

Cocoa-Chai Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

7 tbsp unsalted butter

1 egg, whisked

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp allspice

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Powdered sugar for dusting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, butter, egg, brown sugar, cocoa, salt and spices. Mix until dough forms. If dry, add water 1 tsp at a time.

3. Wrap dough and refrigerate 20 minutes.

4. Roll out on a floured surface. Cut shapes with cookie cutters.

5. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 10 minutes until just set.

6. Cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar.