After a friend brought this to Friendsgiving, this became one of my favorite appetizers. It’s easy to make and a crowd-pleaser! – Katie
Cranberry-Jalapeño Cream Cheese Dip
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Recipes
In the kitchen with DSC
Chocolate Caramel Cracker Toffee
Growing up, every year at the holidays a family friend would drop off a bag of the most delicious gooey, salty, chocolatey homemade toffee, which we’d all promptly fight over. So you can imagine the joy I felt upon discovering a recipe on Smitten Kitchen that lets me make my own batch of this amazing dessert all year round! Easy to make – and even easier to eat – it makes a great holiday gift, but I’d suggest making a double batch if you plan on sharing. — Meghan
Cheese Fondue
Growing up, my family would always go to this fondue restaurant for special occasions. Since then, it’s closed, and I have spent the last few years trying to recreate their classic cheese fondue appetizer. After many attempts with trial and error, I’ve finally perfected the recipe. For my fellow lactose-intolerant folks, you may need to take a Lactaid or two to enjoy, but it’s so worth it! — Erica
Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Holiday cookies are one of my favorite things to make and eat. I’ve always loved Italian cookies and lemon so this recipe is the perfect blend of both. — Patty
Hot Buttered Rum
My favorite bar in town serves these on a secret menu just as soon as the weather gets a chill in the air. They actually pre-make the mix and keep it in the fridge and scoop out individual servings as needed. This one definitely warms you up!
Irish Hot Toddy
The first time I had one of these was on a rainy, cold day at a golf course in Ireland watching the Solheim Cup. I was immediately hooked. I’ve always loved a hot toddy on cool nights or when I don’t feel well but the ones we had in Ireland upped the game with an assortment of spices. Give this a try while sitting around a fire this fall.
Oatmeal Spice Drop Cookies
These cookies have been a Christmas tradition in my family for as long as I can remember, with the recipe card now littered with notes from slight changes made over the years. While it may seem odd to put gummy candy in a cookie, they are a great seasonal twist on the classic oatmeal cookie – just make sure you use spice drops, not fruity gum drops, to get the right flavor. – Meghan
My Grandma’s Schnecken
Schnecken are a type of sweet bun that was a traditional Saturday morning treat in German homes at the beginning of the 20th century. Schnecken means “snails” in German. My grandmother made these for every holiday gathering as a dinner roll. My family now looks forward to making these for every gathering. – Kristin
Paper Plane
Your holiday party (or cooking….or cleaning) is cleared for takeoff with this elegant cocktail. It’s sweet-tart and refreshing, but dressed for winter. It’s a cosmo in a cashmere coat. Before my first flight on the Paper Plane, I was no fan of bourbon. But when the orangey, herbaceous duo of Amara and Aperol collide with bourbon’s complex flavor, some serious magic happens. – Annie
Pumpkin Bread
This is a go-to recipe during the fall, when I will generally have the ingredients stocked in the pantry at all times. It’s great as a dessert (particularly if you throw in some chocolate chips right before baking) or as a sweet treat with coffee in the morning. – Meghan