While the holiday season is ideal for big-project cooking—- elaborate cookies, layered casseroles etc—you don’t have to work very hard to add a festive touch to your table. These recipes prove that point. Each is simple to make but feels like a real treat, delivering sweet, warm holiday flavors in a healthful way. Not only are they goodies you’ll want to whip up for yourself, they also make winning homemade gifts when wrapped up and tied with a ribbon. What a perfect way to spread the love. Enjoy!
Maple Spiced Glazed Nuts
Photo by Deb Lindsey and food styling by Bonnie S Benwick; for The Washington Post
These easy to make maple glazed nuts, with their warming hints of cinnamon and cayenne, are not only scrumptious eaten out of hand, they can instantly elevate a cheese plate, salad, roasted vegetables or simple bowl of yogurt. You might want to make several batches because, packed in a glass jar and tied with a ribbon, they make a lovely holiday hostess gift.
Pumpkin Bread with Cranberries
Photo by Quentin Bacon food styling by Suzanne Lenzer and prop styling by Maeve Sheridan; for Comfort Food Fix
This gloriously autumnal pumpkin bread enhanced with bursts of crimson tart cranberries, is special enough to grace your holiday table but easy enough to make anytime. These are nice to make in batches over the holidays to gift to friends and neighbors.
Fig and Ginger Truffles
Photo by Alexandra Grablewski, food styling by Mariana Velasquez, and prop styling by Lynda White; for So Easy
Fig and ginger are a fabulous duo, with ginger adding just the right zing to the earthy sweet fruit, and just the right holiday essence of sweetness and warmth. But when you envelop those flavors in rich dark chocolate - look out! Because then you have “fabulous” plus chocolate, and you can’t top that. Box them up and wrap in ribbon as a homemade holiday gift.