Recipes

23 Snow Day Recipes to Warm You From the Inside Out

Slow-cooker pot roast, bourbon hot toddies, a giant skillet cookie, and more recipes to make while the blizzard is blizzarding.
Thai Curry Chicken Pot Pie in a rounded white bowl on a blue surface
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Christina Allen, Food Styling by Thu Buser

When a blizzard hits, there’s only one thing to do: Stay inside, cozy up, and cook. Including hearty soups and stews, comforting baked goods, and steaming drinks, these snow day recipes are perfect for warming up your home (and your belly) when the world outside is frozen solid.

Hunker down with long-braised meats, cheesy pastas, and sweet treats like giant cinnamon rolls and sticky toffee pudding. Sip on a chocolaty chai or a warming bourbon hot toddy, and enjoy the view from your window, no matter how many inches fall outside. Whether you’re feeding a family or just yourself, this collection of recipes has all the cozy winter comfort you could possibly want.

  • A giant cinnamon bun on a wire rack covered in icing.
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Shilpa Uskokovic, Prop Styling by Linden Elstran
    1/23

    Giant, Gooey Cinnamon Roll

    Nothing says snow day cooking like a giant version of a favorite baked good straight from the oven, dripping with icing and soft, gooey layers of cinnamon sugar.

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  • A chocolate cake made with olive oil and topped with flakey sea salt.
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Jesse Szewcyk, Prop Styling Alexandra Massillon
    2/23

    Chocolate–Olive Oil Cake

    “The way this recipe deftly combines two of the world’s most perfect foods,” starts one enthusiast in the comments for this fudgy and sophisticated (but simple) cake, “you end up with this perfect synthesis of the two: off the charts.”

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  • Three bowls of sticky toffee pudding topped with vanilla ice cream.
    Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gerri Williams
    3/23

    Sticky Toffee Pudding

    The coziest, most comforting dessert is a warm sheet cake studded with dates and drenched in sticky brown sugar sauce (hot fudge cake, eat your heart out).

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  • A giant cookie in a skillet
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi, Prop Styling by Alex Massillon
    4/23

    Giant Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

    Crunchy on the edges, chewy in the center, this one-bowl chocolate chip cookie is ideal for snowy day baking. Serve wedges with warm milk for dunking, or top the warm skillet cookie with scoops of ice cream and pass out the spoons.

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  • A boule of cheddar jalapeño bread in a dutch oven.
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Jesse Szewczyk, Prop Styling by Alexandra Massillon
    5/23

    No-Knead Cheddar-Jalapeño Loaf

    Crusty and cheesy, this no-knead bread is packed with fresh chiles. Serve slices topped with scrambled eggs for breakfast or rip off hunks to dunk into white chicken chili.

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  • A serving bowl of chicken and dumplings with shredded darkmeat chicken carrots and celery.
    Photo by Alex Lau
    6/23

    Best-Ever Chicken and Dumplings

    Velvety chicken stew with pillowy dumplings and tender vegetables makes this recipe a classic for snowstorms or anytime you need a little comfort.

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  • Bowl of Amiel Stanek's French Onion Noodle Soup
    Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Yekaterina Boystova
    11/23

    French Onion Beef Noodle Soup

    Tender beef, springy ramen noodles, and a slate of spices (star anise, coriander, and more) add a deeply savory Taiwanese-inspired twist to French onion soup.

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  • Image may contain Food Dish Meal Bowl Curry Stew Soup Bowl and Soup
    Photo by Alex Lau, Styling by Chris Morocco
    12/23

    Spiced Coconut Carrot Soup

    Bright, velvety carrot soup finished with coconut milk, spices, and crunchy toppings delivers flavor and warmth with minimal fuss.

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  • Four mugs of hot water bourbon honey and cinnamon sticks garnished with lemon peels.
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Leslie Raney Garetto
    13/23

    Bourbon Hot Toddy

    Steaming hot whiskey, honey, and lemon make this simple cocktail a cozy, warming drink to sip by a roaring fire. (Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.)

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  • Two mugs of Chocolaty Chai tea on striped tablecloth.
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker
    14/23

    Chocolaty Chai

    Spiced with ginger and cardamom, this leveled-up hot cocoa brings assured cozy comfort in any winter storm.

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  • Thai Curry Chicken Pot Pie in a rounded white bowl on a blue surface
    Photograph by Isa Zapata, Prop Styling by Christina Allen, Food Styling by Thu Buser
    15/23

    Green Curry Chicken Pot Pie

    Jarred green curry paste turns the average chicken pot pie on its head while a sheet of frozen puff pastry keeps the ease intact.

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  • A slice of lasagna on a white plate
    Photograph by Elizabeth Coetzee, prop styling by Emma Ringness, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht
    16/23

    BA’s Best Lasagna

    Layers of rich ragù, creamy béchamel, and tender pasta sheets make this lasagna the ultimate project dish for a blizzard.

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  • Image may contain Dish Food Meal and Plant
    Photo by Laura Murray, food styling by Judy Mancini
    19/23

    Ropa Vieja

    This classic Cuban braise of shredded beef in a spiced tomato sauce pairs beautifully with rice or beans for a cozy stick-to-your-ribs meal.

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  • Gooiest no roux baked mac and cheese in a baking dish
    Photograph by Joe Lingeman, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Maggie DiMarco
    20/23

    The Gooiest Baked Mac and Cheese

    This stovetop-to-oven mac and cheese is ultra-creamy without the need for a fussy roux. It hits the broiler just briefly to turn the scattered cheddar topping into crusty edges.

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  • A white plate of kimchi udon noodles with a pair of chopsticks breaking a yellow egg yolk
    Alex Lau
    21/23

    Kimchi Udon With Scallions

    Transform butter, kimchi, gochujang, and chewy udon noodles into a bold, comforting, and umami-rich dish that’s sure to bring the warmth.

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  • Farro baby bella mushrooms and chopped sweet potatoes simmered in vegetable broth in a castiron skillet and served...
    Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
    22/23

    Mushroom Farrotto

    You can use any hearty grain (wheat berries, rye, etc.) in place of the farro for this savory porridge that’s almost impossible to overcook.

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  • Wedges or green cabbage braised in tomato broth and topped with herbs and sour cream.
    Photo by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova
    23/23

    Fall-Apart Braised Cabbage

    Cook flash-seared cabbage wedges slowly in a spiced tomato broth until meltingly tender for a vegetarian snow day recipe worth clamoring over.

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Joe joined the Bon Appétit team in 2022 after climbing the editorial ranks for a few years at Condé Nast’s other food publication, Epicurious. As the senior SEO editor, he works to make sure Google loves all of BA’s cooking stories just as much as you do. Look for his ... Read More
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