Christmas

The sour tang and bready texture of the yeasted cake dough keep things interesting; heaps of streusel keep the crowds happy.

You can use the same weight in regular apples for this gingerbread cake recipe, but don’t the little lady apples just look so awesome?!

The biscotti of shortbread: Cooking these impossibly tender cookies twice encourages the flour and butter to take on a toasty, nutty flavor. This recipe is from Baroo, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.

Santa deserves more than store-bought cookies. Here's how to build the perfect milk-and-cookies plate for the man in the red suit this Christmas Eve.

How to turn that bone into a soup without making it too hammy.

Don’t scoff at the sour cherries in this Chex mix recipe! Their sweet bite and chewy texture are the perfect foil for all the crunch and salt and spice. But if you’re really not into it, sub mini chocolate chips instead.

These simple, flavorful walnuts go perfectly with our Herbed Baked Brie.

Any dark caramel-flavored liquor will work with this; it’s particularly good with rye whiskey or rum.

If you’re feeling really decadent and fancy (as you should), add a splash of half-and-half or heavy cream just before serving.

'Tis the season to stuff your face—specifically, to stuff your face with all those cookies, pies, and cakes. Food director Carla Lalli Music and senior associate food editor Claire Saffitz break down everything you need to conquer your holiday baking plans.

Beat the holiday grocery shopping stress by ordering your Christmas bird online.

Nothing says Christmas like Chinese food.

For the perma-cool lead singer of No Doubt and coach on NBC’s "The Voice," Christmas has always been sacred. It’s also been a nonstop stuff-your-face affair.

The coffee obsessive—and star of "Angel from Hell"—shares her surprising Christmas Eve ritual.

Why burn a log when you can bake a cake that looks like one? Outdo yourself with our outrageous bûche de Noël.

This holiday dessert will be exponentially more impressive—and downright delicious—than any cake, pie, or sugar cookie on the table, guaranteed.

Caramelized white chocolate forms the base of this rich ganache confection; the snowballs are more like truffles than cookies.

Make any kind of shape you’d like. The cookies can be rounds instead of rectangles, and you can use any smaller cutter for the cutouts.

The butter cookie recipe you'll come back to year after year. Pro tip: Using chilled butter and freezing the cookies before baking encourages clean, tidy edges.

If you don’t have any (or don’t like) hazelnuts, try this autumnal treat with coconut flakes, pecans, walnuts, or peanuts—or simply leave them out.

This recipe is easily doubled; it's also a perfect host or hostess gift.

The gooey toffee sauce is both absorbed by the cake for a glossy, polished presentation, and served on the side for extra indulgence. 

The low oven temp and long bake time allow these nuts to take on rich flavor without burning.

Is this caramel cream-puff skyscraper a showstopper? Yes. Is it a major-league project? Yes! Here’s the strategy: Make the puffs and the pastry cream a couple of days in advance, then tackle assembly on the morning of the day you plan to serve this.