Holiday Recipes Worth Gathering Over

Holiday Recipes Worth Gathering Over

A group of six diverse women and one man standing outdoors on a sunny day. They are dressed in casual to semi-formal clothing, smiling, with a background of trees, a pool, and outdoor patio furniture.

Check out the recipes our team curated for this holiday season - join us in gathering some friends and family and share a meal - or a drink!

Two people hug in front of a wall decorated with framed floral artwork inside a restaurant or bar. In the background, a woman works behind the bar, which has a computer and various drinks. Tables with glasses and papers are in the foreground.
A man sitting at a bar holding a glass of Old Forester bourbon, smiling at the camera, with a bar counter, liquor bottles, and shelves in the background.

Matt’s go-to drink from November to February

Fort Golley Boulevardier

Ingredients

2 oz Bourbon

1.5 oz Vermouth

1 oz Campari

Stir 40 times (trust him on this!)

Orange Twist Garnish

A happy family of three, including a smiling baby, enjoying an outdoor celebration. The baby is holding hands with two adults, a man and a woman, standing on a grassy area with a wooden fence and flowers in the background. In the foreground, there are multiple pieces of saltine cracker toffee and small bowls of toppings, with a label reading 'Saltine Cracker Toffee.'
A family of five walking outdoors on a path, holding hands and smiling, with large trees and rocks in the background. An overlay shows a mug of ginger apple Moscow mule with apple slices, pomegranate seeds, and cinnamon sticks.

Lauren & Frances

Our favorite duo team chose to share their go-to crowd friendly options!

Saltine Cracker Toffee (Fran’s Pick)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 35 servings

  • 4 ounces saltine crackers

  • 1 cup butter

  • 1 cup dark brown sugar

  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

  • ¾ cup chopped pecans

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C)

  2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with saltine crackers in single layer.

  3. Combine butter and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil for 3 minutes.

  4. Immediately pour over saltines and spread to cover crackers completely. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 to 6 minutes.

  5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Let sit 5 minutes.

  6. Spread softened chocolate evenly. Sprinkle with pecans. Allow to cool completely, about 25 minutes.

  7. Break toffee into pieces. Enjoy!

Ginger Apple Moscow Mule (Lauren’s Pick)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 35 servings

  • 4 ounces saltine crackers

  • 1 cup butter

  • 1 cup dark brown sugar

  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

  • ¾ cup chopped pecans

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients, and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C)

  2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with saltine crackers in single layer.

  3. Combine butter and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil for 3 minutes.

  4. Immediately pour over saltines and spread to cover crackers completely. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 to 6 minutes.

  5. Remove from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Let sit 5 minutes.

  6. Spread softened chocolate evenly. Sprinkle with pecans. Allow to cool completely, about 25 minutes.

  7. Break toffee into pieces. Enjoy!

A woman holding a baby standing outside near a stone wall and a white gate, with a tray of sticky cinnamon rolls on a table in the foreground. The scene is set outdoors with trees and lounge chairs in the background.

Sami’s

Great-Grandmother Elaine’s Sticky Cinnamon Rolls

In Sami’s opinion - the best cinnamon rolls you’ll have

Ingredients

  • Make your own or … 2 loaves Rhodes frozen bread (Unthawed at purchase, thaw in fridge the night before then bring to room temp)

  • 2 sticks butter (Room Temp)

  • Generous amount of brown sugar 

  • Fairly generous amount of cinnamon to sprinkle

  • 2-3 Tablespoons of milk

  • Optional: Pecans or other nuts for bottom of pan 

Instructions:

If you are using frozen bread, make sure to thaw the bread the night before!

Grab your pan and grease the bottom of the pan with a generous amount of butter and add brown sugar to the bottom of the pan (if you are using pecans or another type of nut also add this to the bottom of the pan). 

Once your bread is thawed and not cold in the middle - work the 2 loaves together to make it about 1/2” thick. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Once your loaves are combined, use a rolling pin to get it to the right thickness. Spread 1 stick of butter on to the bread. Cover the bread and butter generously with brown sugar. Sprinkle a fairly generous amount of cinnamon on top. Roll the bread up tightly.  Cut into 1/2” slices. Add the slices to the pan that you have greased & topped. Let the cinnamon rolls rise to double the size that they currently are. Once they have risen, brush the top of the rolls with a couple tablespoons of milk. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done (If you use a glass pan, they will cook quicker)

When they are done, grab a large cookie sheet and line with foil (For easier cleanup). Using hot pads or several towels grab the pan and flip it onto your cookie sheet - make sure to get all of the brown sugar goodness for the top of your rolls on there! 

Cut and enjoy with your family! 

A black and white photo of a couple holding hands and walking on a curved road with trees in the background. The image also has three colorful beverages, including a pumpkin-colored drink, a dark coffee, and a whipped topped drink, placed at the bottom of the picture.

An at-home version of the cult-classic featuring your favorite fall flavors

Caitlin’s

At-home PSL

Ingredients:

  • 2 shots of espresso (or sub 1/2 c hot coffee)

  • 1-2 TBSP Pumpkin Puree

  • 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup, to sweeten

  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Whipped cream for topping (optional but recommended)

Instructions

  • Pour milk into a small pot and heat over medium-low heat until it is hot and almost simmering, but do not boil the milk.

  • Make your espresso and pour it into a large mug or glass mason jar. Add pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla and stir until well combined.

  • Use a milk frother to froth your milk for about 30 seconds or until foamy, then pour into the mug on top of the pumpkin espresso mixture. Reserve the extra foam, and spoon it on top.

  • Feel free to top with whipped cream if you wanna get a little fancy. Sprinkle with a little extra pumpkin spice or cinnamon.

A family of three, a woman, a man, and a young girl, smiling and smiling, outside in front of a building. The young girl has a white bow in her hair, and the woman wears a floral blouse. The man wears a blue and white striped shirt. In the foreground, there is a bowl of honey whipped feta with garlic, herbs, and roasted olives.

Madison’s

Honey Whipped Feta with Garlic Herb Roasted Olives

The best shareable for a crowd!

Ingredients

ROASTED OLIVES

HONEY WHIPPED FETA

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450° F. In a baking dish, combine the olives, olive oil, garlic, shallot, lemon, thyme, oregano, and a big pinch of chili flakes. Bake 20-25 minutes, until the garlic turns golden and the oil is sizzling.

2. Meanwhile, whip the feta. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth and creamy. The feta can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

3. Spoon the feta into a serving bowl and then top with the warm olives. Serve with bread or crackers.

A woman walking outdoors during autumn, smiling, wearing a red sweater and black pants, with a sunlit path and trees in the background. An overlay shows a tray of peppermint bark decorated with candy canes and crushed peppermint.

Tried & true staple of the season

Caroline’s

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:

  • 12 ounces (339g) white chocolate, coarsely chopped and divided*

  • 6 ounces (170g) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped*

  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil or coconut oil, divided

  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract, divided

  • 2–3 regular-size candy canes (24–36g total), crushed

Instructions

  • Line the bottom and sides of a 8-inch or 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil, smoothing out any wrinkles. Or use a lined baking sheet. Set aside.

    Bottom layer: There are a few ways you can melt the chocolate. You can use a double boiler over just barely simmering water or you can use the microwave. The microwave is a little more convenient for most, so my directions are for a microwave. (If using a double boiler, follow this recipe, but melt the chocolate layers in your double boiler over simmering water.) Place 6 ounces of white chocolate in a small heatproof bowl or a liquid measuring cup. Add 1/2 teaspoon of oil. Melt in 20-second increments, stirring vigorously with a silicone spatula or spoon after each increment, until completely melted and smooth. White chocolate and chocolate overheat easily, so it’s important to do this in increments. Once melted, stir in 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract. Pour melted white chocolate into the prepared baking pan, and, with an offset spatula or spoon, spread into a thin smooth layer. (If using a baking sheet, make it as thin as you’d like… I usually spread it out to about 8×12 inches.) Place the baking pan in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes or until almost completely set. If it sets completely, the bark layers could separate.

    Middle layer: Place semi-sweet chocolate in a small heatproof bowl or a liquid measuring cup. Add 1/2 teaspoon of oil. Repeat melting, just as you did with the white chocolate in step 2. Once melted, stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract. Pour all of the semi-sweet chocolate over the white chocolate layer and spread it into a smooth layer. Place the baking pan back in the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes or until almost completely set.

    Top layer: Place the remaining white chocolate in a small heatproof bowl or a liquid measuring cup. Add last 1/2 teaspoon of oil. Repeat melting, just as you did with the other layers. Pour over the bark layers and spread into a smooth layer. (This layer will not have peppermint extract.) Sprinkle evenly with crushed candy canes. To crush, place the unwrapped candy canes in a sealed zipped-top bag and roll or bang with a rolling pin or meat mallet until crushed.

    Refrigerate the bark until completely set, about 1 hour. Once hardened, remove from the pan and peel off the foil or parchment. Break or cut into pieces as large or as small as you want. If your bark chilled in the refrigerator for longer than 3–4 hours, let it sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes to slightly soften before breaking/slicing. (Or else the layers might separate.)

    Cover and store leftover bark in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. The bark can be left at room temperature for a few days in colder months, but it gets a little soft.