Holidays recipes

Bourbon pecan pie with a flaky homemade crust, gooey caramel filling made with light and dark corn syrups, melted butter, and a splash of whiskey. Holiday dessert at its most classic.

Savory cranberry ricotta torte bakes drained ricotta with Parmesan, caramelized onions, sage, and dried cranberries into a golden, custardy springform cake. A vegetarian holiday centerpiece.

Homemade Almond Roca: buttery toffee cooked to deep mahogany, whole almonds stirred in, topped with semi-sweet chocolate and ground walnuts. A classic holiday candy that breaks into gorgeous bark-style pieces.

Light fruitcake is the pale, buttery holiday classic: candied pineapple, cherries and citron with golden raisins, pecans and walnuts, brightened with lemon and vanilla, then brandy-soaked and aged for weeks.

Pureed sweet potato soup with nutmeg and white pepper, served with a dollop of cranberry sauce and sour cream in each bowl. A silky, elegant soup for fall and holiday tables.

Coca-Cola basted ham slow-roasted and glazed with dark brown sugar, two mustards, and bread crumbs for a sticky, caramelized crust. A holiday showstopper.

No-bake peanut butter balls loaded with graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and walnuts, then dipped in glossy chocolate. A classic holiday candy recipe that yields about 2 pounds of handmade Christmas treats.

Buttery pecan shortbread cookie balls dipped in vanilla frosting and rolled in tinted coconut. Melt-in-your-mouth tender, baked low and slow, and perfect for holiday cookie exchanges. Makes 48.

Almond crescent cookies with rolled oats and finely chopped almonds, dusted with powdered sugar while still warm. A heartier, oat-packed twist on classic holiday shortbread crescents.

A two-layer Christmas Jello salad with lime gelatin on the bottom and a creamy lemon layer on top with cream cheese, pecans, marshmallows, and pineapple juice. Retro holiday side dish charm.

Mincemeat sandwiches with sweetened cooked mincemeat, cream cheese, and ground nuts piled between slices of bread. Retro holiday tea sandwich that uses up leftover mincemeat from Christmas baking.

Prune Armagnac gingerbread is a deeply spiced holiday cake loaded with brandy-soaked prunes, three forms of ginger, molasses, and a coffee kick. Served with crème fraîche.

Edna's cranberry cake with a layer of whole cranberry sauce baked between two layers of sour cream batter in a tube pan, topped with chopped walnuts. A holiday Bundt cake classic.

Fruitcake drop cookies with brandy, candied cherries, dates, candied pineapple, and nuts. All the holiday fruitcake flavor in a bite-sized cookie that bakes in 12 minutes.

Pumpkin nut cake baked directly in sealed canning jars for long storage. Warmly spiced pumpkin-walnut cake with cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. A giftable holiday treat.

Cranberry-apple Stilton bites on Melba toast with port-braised fruit, creamy blue cheese, and chopped walnuts. A make-ahead holiday appetizer that balances sweet, salty, and funky in one bite.