
We love our go-to, sure-to-please recipes but sometimes we like to mix up the old standbys with someone new. And when you can drop a celeb name at the holiday table, the dish becomes a conversation piece to boot. This year we're heading to Hollywood, and Nashville!, for celebrity takes on holiday desserts, dishes and drinks plus just good ol' comfort food to feast on through winter. Mouths, prepare to water.
SOMETHING SWEET
Get your baking on with holiday cookies, pies and the ever-versatile fudge sauce in this roundup of sweet treats from some of our favorite actors and country singers.
Kristen Bell's Everything Cookies
For your next cookie party serve up the Frozen star's favorite Everything Cookie (oats, butterscotch and chocolate, oh my!). Get points for gluten-free too! (from Today)
Christmas Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour sifted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 cups softened butter
- 2 large egg yolks
Directions
- Cream sugar and butter in a medium-size bowl.
- Beat in eggs, then flour and lemon peel.
- Knead the mixture gently together, making sure it's consistent.
- Chill dough for 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
- Roll out dough with a rolling pin. Cut into shapes and place on greased cookie sheets.
- Bake for around 8 minutes, until tops get pinkish-brown.
Carly Pearce's Pumpkin Pie
The country music singer, based in Nashville, shared her mom's pumpkin pie recipe with us and we are all over it.
Dough:
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 stick of butter
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Filling:
- 2 cups of unsweetened pure pumpkin puree
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 1/4 cups half-and-half
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/3 teaspoon of ground cloves (we like to add an extra pinch!)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- For the dough, mix together flour, sugar and salt evenly in a bowl
- Lightly beat in butter and egg
- Cover the dough in plastic and let chill in refrigerator for 2 hours
- Once chilled, sprinkle flour on a flat surface and roll out dough, then roll dough onto pie pan. Leave about half an inch extra around the edge and fold underneath the edge of the crust.
- Pinch edges of pie with your fingers, then freeze the shell for 30 minutes.
- Add parchment paper over the pie shell and fill with pie weights (this can be dried beans or even sugar)
- To prep the dough for the filling, bake on a baking sheet for 30 minutes on 375 degrees, or until pie shell is golden brown
- Take the crust out of the oven and remove the weights, then let the crust cool.
- Set oven temp to 350 degrees
- For the filling, mix the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, half-and-half, light brown sugar and spices and eggs into a bowl. Whisk until smooth.
- Pour mix into pie crust, bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes.
- Remove from oven, let pie cool for 30 minutes
Chrissy Teigen's Sweet Potato Streusel Pie
Buttery pecan topping? Yes, please! Thanks to Cravings by Chrissy Tiegen for the recipe.
Amy Grant's Fudge Sauce
The 6-time Grammy Award winner shared with us her mom Gloria's recipe for fudge sauce. Dip cookies, add to ice cream or drizzle on pie:
- 4-5 unsweetened chocolate squares
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 stick butter
In a double-boiler, melt Chocolate Squares and Sweetened Condensed Milk, then fill empty can with water. Add water, a little at a time, to the melted chocolate mixture. Allow it to cook down, and add more water and repeat. After about 20 minutes, remove from heat, add butter and beat until shiny.
Sarah Michelle Gellar's Gingerbread Cookies
The Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum makes this adorable Gingerbread family at home with her two little ones. (from Us)
Martha Stewart's Shortbread Cookie Wreaths
Slay your cookie party with these candied flowered cookies from the baking kween. (from People)
SOMETHING SAVORY
Whether you're heading out to a potluck or tasked with the whole meal (or a meal) these recipes will give you a head start on what to prepare. We've got breakfast, lunch and dinner served.
Jesse Tyler Ferguson's Roast Chicken with Lemon Pepper Rub
If you're over turkey and turkey leftovers, this flavorful roast chicken from the Modern Family star will mix up your holiday meal with lemon-y deliciousness. (from People)
Gwyneth Paltrow's Potato Apple Latkes with Smoked Salmon
We never met a fried potato we didn't like. This Hanukkah hit from GP makes a great holiday breakfast or side dish. (from Goop)
Lauren Conrad's Christmas Morning Pancakes
The holidays call for your pancakes to look more like cake and this recipe from the Hills alum does the trick. Top with bottle brush trees or woodsy figurines and you're sure to win breakfast.
Joanna Gaines' Friendsgiving Casserole
This chicken casserole is the perfect one-pot meal to take to your holiday potluck or just whip up for a delicious winter meal for days. (from Magnolia)
Kylie Jenner's Famous Matzo Ball Soup
Warm up a winter holiday day with a bowl of matzo ball soup courtesy of the Kardashians star. She walks you through her recipe via IG Stories — the matzo balls can be made by following the instructions on the box.
SOMETHING SPIRITED
Get in the spirit of the holidays with hot and cold spirits! Enjoy a cocktail or two with the help of a few celeb friends and ring in the new year right. Cheers!
A twist on one of our faves, the French 75, this official Golden Globes cocktail created by the The Misfits star has a kick of tequila. (from Haute Living)
Meghan Markle's The TIG Cozy Cocktail
The duchess calls this warm and cinnamon-y bourbon-based drink "the very best apres ski drink I can think of." Cue the roasting fire. (from The New Potato)
Kourtney Kardashian's Pomegranate Champagne Punch
So easy and so tasty! Give this festive Champagne-based cocktail a swig to ring in the new year in style. (from In Style)
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Theresa Gonzalez is a content creator based in San Francisco and the author of Sunday Sews. She's a lover of all things design and spends most of her days momming her little one Matilda.