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Good morning! It doesn’t feel much like December outside, but Christmas is less than two weeks away. I imagine you might be looking for holiday party-worthy treats and breakfast options that can serve a crowd, so I rounded up twenty-three recipes for you.
Below, you’ll find everything from cookies and other baked treats, to snacks and sides, to meatless main dishes and a few drinks, of course. You’ll find them organized by category, plus details on which are gluten free and/or vegan.
If you’re looking for more holiday-related inspiration, check out my 2015 holiday gift guide, kitchen essentials shop, favorite cookbooks list and holiday Pinterest board!
cookies!!!
Lemon, Rosemary and Olive Oil Shortbread
Vegan
“A simple, quick recipe. This method of using liquid oil is much preferred by myself over the traditional cold butter method. The olive oil really lends itself to the dish, instead of simply providing moisture. Its gentle aroma pairs wonderfully with the almost sweet fragrance of lemon, and the rosemary adds a little depth in the background…” – Louisa
Spicy Molasses Cookies
“I made these last night… oh my they are soooo good. I love all the spices you used – especially the twists of black pepper it adds so much. I crushed some up and added them to a persimmon frozen yogurt recipe. LOVE!!!” – Kari
Dark Chocolate-Dipped Macaroons
Gluten free
“I just made a variation of your macaroon (found the recipe at Saveur). Since my kids love chocolate chips I added chocolate chips into the coconut mixture. They are fabulous, and easy (a great help at Passover) Thank you!” – Ann
Healthier Gingerbread Cookies
“Tried this recipe this past weekend and they were a hit! I used the dough for cookie decorating with my friend’s three-year-old daughter who also loved them! The cookies had a great gingerbread taste that wasn’t too much (I used the regular molasses) and the texture of the cookie was perfect for decorating… and eating after…” – Maura
Wholesome baked goods & sweets
Cranberry Orange Granola
Gluten free and vegan
“This was outstanding. My house smelled heavenly. My new favourite snack!” – Xena
Healthy Banana Bread!
Gluten-free option and vegan option
“I just made this last night since I had a couple of bananas that needed to be eaten! I used coconut oil, almond milk, eggs, and maple syrup to sweeten. AMAZING! Probably the best banana bread I’ve had. It’s not too sweet and makes a perfect breakfast. You can’t even tell it’s whole wheat flour. I brought it into my office to share and can’t wait to break it to everyone that it’s actually healthy!” – Christine
Maple-Sweetened Pumpkin Muffins with Oats
Gluten-free option and vegan option
“These are AMAZING! I’ve made them twice, once with fresh cranberries – perfection. My housemates and I are very happy to have this recipe in our collection. Thanks, Kate!” – Tenley
Gingerbread Granola
Gluten free and vegan
“Absolutely love this granola recipe. I’ve made and shared with my friends and they rave about it! Thank you!” – Sharon
Peppermint Bark Popcorn
Gluten free and vegan option (use dairy-free chocolate)
“This was a hit!!! Oh wow! I made this for a military squadron holiday party, and holy bajoly, it flew out of the bag. I could barely get it out of my house because I couldn’t stop munching. This tastes like a gourmet specialty treat. The cool thing is (well, aside from the deliciousness), is it was beyond simple to make. And cheap! Thanks for posting. I can’t wait to make a batch for my family, here at home.” – Allison
Snacks & Sides
Rosemary Roasted Nuts
Gluten free
I don’t have reader feedback to share on this one, but I can vouch for these amazing spicy and sweet nuts!
Festive Pomegranate Guacamole
Gluten free and vegan
I don’t have reader feedback to share on this one, but I can vouch for this crazy-looking guacamole. It’s surprising and delicious.
Favorite Green Salad with Apples, Cranberries and Pepitas
Gluten free and vegan option
“Made this a couple of days ago and I can’t wait to make it again this week. Simple yet so tasty and refreshing. Yum!” – Nella
Honey Mustard Brussels Sprout Slaw
Gluten free
“Kate! I made this slaw for Thanksgiving. I was a little worried about how it would be received by my very traditional, mid-western in-laws but it was a ROARING success! Everyone asked for the recipe :)” – Emma
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Gluten free and vegan option
“This is amazing! I made this for Thanksgiving dinner and everybody was in love with it. I didn’t have any nutmeg though, so I subbed cinnamon in, but it tastes absolutely wonderful. Thank you for posting this!” – Rachel
Main Dishes for a crowd
Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas
“Oh goodness, these are delicious! I was salivating reading the recipe so made them tonight and they are wonderful. What a unique and perfect combo, thanks for sharing Kate!” – Brittney
Brussels Sprouts Pizza with Balsamic Red Onions
“I prepared this pizza for friends and family last night, and wow! It easily zoomed to the top of my pizza recipe list. Only modification was to caramelize the red onion for longer (maybe 30 minutes). Don’t be afraid of the red pepper flakes, they played really nicely with the balsamic and onion sweetness.” – Leslie
Vegan option
“You have inspired me to start cooking… I made this recipe a few weeks ago for the family – so delicious and such a great presentation that it is going to be a side dish for thanksgiving this year. I’m going to try the tahini version this time though to make it dairy free… Thanks for all of these amazing recipes that I can actually make!” – Jessica
Spinach Artichoke Lasagna
“I made this Saturday and baked it on Tuesday; I didn’t freeze it but I’m sure I could have and it would have been fine. It was so, so delicious. It really was like having spinach artichoke dip in my lasagna. And the tomato sauce is really delicious and tastes so fresh – which I have never before experienced in a lasagna. Thank you so much for this recipe!” – Caryn
Quinoa Vegetable Soup with Kale
Gluten free and vegan
“I made this today and it’s SO delicious!! I will definitely be making this many more times in the future. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us.” – AL
co*cktails
Spiced Apple Margaritas
“My family has a tradition of making enchiladas every year for our annual holiday gathering. We swapped out tradional margaritas for these and they were a big hit! Still distinctly tasted like margaritas, with an appley hint.” – Jennifer
Ruby Red and Rosemary Honey co*cktail
“I just made this last night and it was fabulous. My only substitution is that I used rosemary vodka that I recently infused. So good As far as a name, it’s so similar to a greyhound that I may call it the Rosy Greyhound. :)” – Mary
Earl Grey French 75
“My husband made these for Christmas and New Year’s Eve, they were delicious and a hit with our guests! I have to say that your website has become my go to site for creative, delicious, healthy, and easy to follow recipes. Thank you!” – Tiffany
Fresh Cranberry Margaritas
“These were a hit at our thanksgiving pie party last night! Thx! Love the rim spices!” – Rhonda
More holiday resources you might appreciate: my 2015 holiday gift guide, kitchen essentials shop, favorite cookbooks list and holiday Pinterest board!
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