3 Easy & Delicious Last-Minute Holiday Recipes
These recipes are the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit and enjoy some festive treats with the ones you love! After all, this is the most (deliciously) wonderful time of the year!
Holiday Boozing: Adult Hot Chocolate
Boozy Hot Cocoa + Cozy Pjs + a Holiday Movie Marathon = Best Night Ever! This is not your kids hot cocoa – we recommend adding bourbon and Irish cream (our fave is Bailey’s) and topping it off with peppermint schnapps! We like to garnish with marshmallows, candy canes and sprinkles for a little extra “holiday cheer”
Adult Hot Chocolate (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
4 Cups of Whole Milk
2 tbsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
6 oz. Dark Chocolate
1 tsp. Sea Salt
4 oz. Bourbon
2 oz. Bailey’s Irish cream
Marshmallows! We recommend toasting them over the flame on your stove prior to plopping them into your drink.
Optional: 1 oz. Peppermint Schnapps
Directions:
In a small sauce pan heat milk, sugar, salt and vanilla over medium-low heat until sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Make sure the milk does not come to a boil. Add the chocolate in pieces, whisking until completely incorporated. Remove from heat.
Once removed from heat, stir in bourbon, frangelico and Irish cream. Serve immediately with marshmallows.
This recipe has been adapted from The Modern Proper. You can find the full recipe here.
Holiday Snacking: Baked Spinach & Artichoke Dip
Photo from cookingclassy.com
This dip is one of our go-to’s because it looks impressive, yet is incredible easy to execute. Filled with four kinds of cheese, plenty of tender artichoke hearts and a crispy, golden top. Serve with bread, crisps or crudite!
Ingredients:
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 ounces Gouda cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)
2 ounces low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup chopped thawed frozen spinach, drained well
3/4 cup chopped thawed frozen artichoke hearts
1/4 cup chopped scallions (from 3 scallions)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic (from 1 garlic clove)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)
Crostini or crisps
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Stir together cream cheese, Gouda, mozzarella, spinach, artichoke hearts, scallions, mayonnaise, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl until smooth. Spoon into a 1-quart baking dish; sprinkle top evenly with Parmesan. Bake in preheated oven until browned and bubby, about 25 minutes. Serve with crostini or crisps.
This recipe has been adapted from Food & Wine Magazine. You can find the full recipe here.
Holiday Baking: Brown Butter Christmas M&M Cookie Bar
Photo from Half Baked Harvest
If you aren’t already following @HalfBakedHarvest on Instagram, we suggest you do immediately! Tieghan Gerard’s Half Baked Harvest food blog has accumulated a cult following, including celebrities and foodies such as Gigi Hadid, Emma Roberts, and Blake Lively. The latest recipe published on the Half Baked Harvest blog are these brown butter Christmas M&M cookie Bars, made with browned butter, vanilla, and copious amounts of Christmas M&M’s.. These are the perfect treats to bake this weekend while watching some of your favorite holiday movies.
Brown Butter Christmas M&M Cookie Bars (Makes 22 cookies)
Ingredients:
2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup Christmas M&M’s
10-12 Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Kisses (halved)
Flaky sea salt for sprinkling
Directions:
1. Add the butter to a skillet set over medium heat. Cook until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Stick in the freezer to chill, 10-15 minutes, but no longer.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until combined. Add the vanilla, beating to combine. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. Stir in the M&M's, then remove 1 cup of cookie dough and set to the side. To the remaining dough, stir in the chocolate chips. Press the dough into the prepared baking dish. Now to take the reserved dough and press it on top to mostly cover. If desired add additional M&M's. Bake 18-22 minutes, until golden brown, but a little doughy in the center. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the kisses over the cookies Return to the oven for 1-2 minutes to gently melt the chocolate.
5. Sprinkle with flaky salt. Eat warm let coo
This recipe has been adapted from Half Baked Harvest. Find the full recipe here.