Look no further than applesauce for a great homemade dish that can be batch-made, saved in the fridge or freezer and warmed up later for a wintertime treat. Though often considered a fall treat, applesauce is just as good in the colder months and very easy to make.
To start, peel, core, and chop apples into one-inch cubes. Add them all to a large pot. There isn’t a set number of apples needed for this recipe, but if you fill a pot with apples, you’ll end up with about half that pot’s worth of applesauce.
Fill the pot a quarter-full with water and set it on a stove over low heat with a lid. Stir consistently and let it cook down until it reaches a preferred consistency. This may take a while (around an hour), so it’s good to have something else to do during the cooking process. Maybe make another recipe on this list if you’re already in the kitchen.
Once the sauce has cooked down, add sugar and cinnamon to taste. Feel free to experiment here and add other fall spices.
Once the applesauce has cooled, pour it into a jar or another container and refrigerate it. It can be served warm, with half-and-half, with yogurt, and in other recipes like applesauce cake.
This next recipe is an Italian holiday favorite called Cuccidati, or Sicilian Fig Cookies. Cuccidati are shaped similar to pigs in a blanket, but instead of having a sausage inside, they have sweet fig paste.
To make the filling, grab two cups of dried figs, ½ cup raisins, ½ cup roasted almonds, ¼ cup orange, quince, apricot, or squash marmalade, ¼ cup dark chocolate (chips or chopped), zest of one orange, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, two tablespoons Marsala wine (or orange juice) and two tablespoons of honey.
Soak the dried fruit in hot water for 30 minutes, then drain and trim the fig stems. Chop the fruit in a food processor until fine and then add the rest of the filling ingredients. Blend into a thick jam-like paste. This filling can be made ahead of time. It improves as the flavors blend, but be sure to keep it chilled.
For the dough, mix three cups of all-purpose flour, ½ cup of sugar, two teaspoons of baking powder and a pinch of salt. Cut in ¾ cup cold butter until crumbly. Add two eggs and just enough milk needed to form a soft dough. Wrap the dough and chill for 30 minutes.
Assemble the cookies by rolling the dough out to about ¼ inch thickness, distributing an even line of fig filling along one edge, rolling it up and sealing the seam. Cut into one ½–two inch pieces like a roll cake, and cut decorations into the sides if desired.
Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350°F, or until the cookies reach a slightly golden color. Once baked, brush the cookies with a glaze made from two cups of powdered sugar and two tablespoons of orange juice. Top with red, green and white sprinkles and serve on a platter during the holidays
If you’re feeling a bit down in the cold weather, this citrus sweetness ought to bring up your mood. The following recipe makes Lemon Snowflakes. The fresh lemon juice and zest in this recipe are a bonus, as they can help support the immune system during the cold and flu season.
First, whisk one ½ cup flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Next, place ½ cup powdered sugar in a bowl and set aside. In a food processor, add one ¼ cups of granulated sugar and four teaspoons of lemon zest for about 30 seconds until finely ground. Next, add two tablespoons of lemon juice, four tablespoons of melted and cooled butter, three tablespoons vegetable oil, one large egg, one egg yolk and one teaspoon vanilla extract and process until thickened (also about ~30 seconds). Next, transfer the mixture to the flour bowl and mix until combined. Cover and let chill for a minimum of one hour.
Preheat oven to 350℉ and adjust rack to the center position. Using a one-tablespoon scoop, form dough into balls and roll in powdered sugar. Then, bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating the rack halfway through. Finally, let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack before serving.
For a more classic Christmas-themed recipe, make these Chocolate-Hazelnut-Peppermint Diamonds.
First, preheat the oven to 375℉ and adjust the rack to a lower-middle position. Line a large baking pan with parchment paper. In a stand mixer, beat two ½ cups flour, ¾ cups superfine sugar, and ¼ tsp salt. Next, add 16 tablespoons unsalted, cubed and softened butter and beat for one to two minutes or until crumbly and slightly wet. Next, add one oz of softened cream cheese and three teaspoons vanilla extract and knead the dough until smooth.
Transfer the dough onto a baking sheet, and flatten using your hands. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes, rotating halfway through. After removing from the oven, immediately cover with 1½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. After three minutes, spread the chocolate with a spatula and cover with one cup of crushed hazelnuts and one cup of chopped peppermint candies. When the dough is warm to the touch, slice it into triangles while still in the pan. Let sit for 45 minutes and enjoy.
No matter what you decide to bake this winter, all these recipes are sure to perk up spirits and make staying indoors just a little bit more cozy.
