Make-Ahead Recipes
Jeweled Salad
This stunning salad adds fresh flavor and visual appeal to weeknight dinners and holiday meals alike. And while the recipe is delightful as is, there are many ways to customize depending on what you like and have on hand. Any meal can benefit from the crisp crunch and visual appeal of a good salad. Perhaps…
Jack’s Favorite Bloody Mary
A pitcher-full of outstanding Bloody Marys is easy to make and infinitely tastier than store-bought mixes. Bloody Maria, Dirty Mary, and Virgin Mary variations are included and are customizable by the glass. For added fun, offer a make-your-own garnish station! An olive loaded Bloody Mary with a crisp stalk of celery and a generous amount…
Make-Ahead Baked Mashed Potatoes
This flexible, make-ahead mashed potato recipe is a sure-fire hit on a holiday table. You can even freeze it before baking, and the Parmesan crust will not disappoint! Even though my job is all about cooking, I rely on make-ahead dishes as much as the next person. Ironically, aspects of The Fountain Avenue Kitchen often…
Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies
Nothing is more seasonal than hot chocolate…except maybe peppermint. This recipes combines both for a delicious, brownie-like cookie that may be your new family tradition! The name of these cookies caught my attention right away. How unique does a peppermint hot chocolate cookie sound? And what precisely would their taste and texture be like? I…
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crisp edges, chewy insides, puddles of semi-sweet chocolate chips, and a sea salt topping – plus nutty, caramel notes from the browned butter. These chocolate chip cookies are what dreams are made of! When asked why these cookies are Steve Lindsey’s favorite, his answer was short, sweet, and summed up his award-winning recipe quite succinctly:…
Cherry-Orange Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pillowy dough, chocolate, and just the right amount of orange flavor make these cookies soft batch perfection! I love fruit, yet when it comes to cookies, I lean towards all things chocolate as well as simple butter and sugar cookies. With this in mind, the following recipe for cherry-orange chocolate chip cookies was an unexpected…
Root Beer Float Cookies
Extra points for creativity, root beer fans far and wide will appreciate the addition of this gem to a holiday cookie platter. And don’t forget Christmas in July! As many great recipes start, Tricia Trainer discovered her winning root beer float cookies accidentally. She spied them on a holiday cookie plate, thinking they were molasses…
Swedish Cookies
This classic slice and bake cookie is easy to make and tastes similar to a pecan sandie. The beauty of it lies in its simplicity. When I first baked this recipe for Swedish cookies, I wasn’t quite sure what I was going to get. As with many recipes that have endured for generations, the baker…
Holiday Raspberry Chocolate Bars
Easy to make, pretty in color, and customizable with different jams, these festive bars are an easy holiday win! A lovely balance of sweet, tart, and a little crunchy, this easy bar cookie recipe is truly a winner. In fact, the festive bars were one of eight winning recipes in the 2024 Fig holiday cookie…
Slovak Kolache (Cold Doughs)
Think of these cookies as a smaller version of a danish, with a heavenly cream cheese pastry and dollop of your favorite jam. Until recently, I had never heard of a kolache. For those who may be in a similar boat, kolache (pronounced kuh-‘laa-chee) comes from the Czech and Slovak word koláčky, meaning little cake…
Ginger Snaps
Chewy on the inside with a lightly crisp exterior, this perfectly spiced ginger snap cookie recipe has stood the test of time and is a welcome addition to any cookie platter! One bite of Ed Mills’ ginger snap cookies took me right back to my grandmother’s kitchen. The warm, spiced aroma and flavor to match.…
Fig Holiday Cookie Recipe Contest
Judging Fig magazine’s 2024 holiday cookie contest was a sweet job, and I’m delighted to share the winning recipes, which are endlessly creative and oh-so delicious! Counters covered in flour and sugar, the sink full of mixing bowls and spatulas, and the sweet smell of freshly baked cookies wafting from a hot oven—these are the…
