The holidays are here, and the food deserves as much excitement as the festivities. If another bland casserole or predictable party spread has you rolling your eyes, here’s how to mix things up. These festive eats bring flavor, fun, and just the right amount of flair to your holiday table. Forget the tired dishes everyone politely nibbles on—these recipes will actually get people talking.
Cranberry Orange Biscotti
The combination of fresh cranberries and orange brings a bright, citrusy twist to the traditional biscotti, making them a perfect, festive treat for the holiday season.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Orange Biscotti
Honey Mustard Chicken and Brussels Sprouts Salad
This salad incorporates winter fruits like apples and pomegranates, offering a fresh, crisp contrast to the hearty chicken and Brussels sprouts, making it a festive choice for a seasonal meal.
Get the Recipe: Honey Mustard Chicken and Brussels Sprouts Salad
Persimmon Jam
Using fresh persimmons in a simple jam highlights this unique winter fruit, creating a delightful, naturally sweet spread that’s a fresh addition to any holiday breakfast or gift basket.
Get the Recipe: Persimmon Jam
Pickled Cranberries
Quick pickling cranberries transforms this traditional holiday berry into a versatile condiment, adding a fresh and tangy twist to drinks, meats, or charcuterie boards during the festive season.
Get the Recipe: Pickled Cranberries
Cranberry Pesto Stuffed Lamb
The use of cranberry pesto for stuffing lamb is an innovative twist, blending traditional holiday flavors in a novel way, making it an eye-catching and festive centerpiece for a holiday dinner.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Pesto Stuffed Lamb
Gingerbread Molasses Chocolate Chunk Cookies
These cookies blend the classic holiday flavors of gingerbread and molasses with chocolate chunks, offering a fresh take on the traditional gingerbread cookie, perfect for festive gatherings.
Get the Recipe: Gingerbread Molasses Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Adding cranberries to chocolate chip cookies introduces a sweet and tart element, giving a fresh and festive spin to a beloved classic, ideal for holiday cookie exchanges.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Butternut Squash Goat Cheese Dip
The combination of butternut squash with goat cheese creates a creamy, festive dip, enhanced by the tart cherry compote topping, making it an innovative appetizer for holiday parties.
Get the Recipe: Butternut Squash Goat Cheese Dip
Pomegranate Salsa
This salsa, with its vibrant red pomegranate seeds, offers a fresh and visually festive option for holiday entertaining, perfect for pairing with chips or as a topping for meats.
Get the Recipe: Pomegranate Salsa
Persimmon Salad
The inclusion of ripe persimmons in this salad adds a fresh, sweet element, complemented by the seasonal flavors of cranberries and toasted pecans, making it a festive addition to any holiday table.
Get the Recipe: Persimmon Salad
Chopped Crispy Citrus Chicken Salad
Featuring crispy chicken and bright citrus, this salad brings a refreshing and festive twist to winter greens, elevated by an orange dijon dressing, perfect for a holiday meal.
Get the Recipe: Chopped Crispy Citrus Chicken Salad
Holiday Butternut Squash Hummus
This hummus incorporates butternut squash and seasonal fruits like cranberries and pomegranates, offering a festive and colorful take on the traditional dip, ideal for holiday gatherings.
Get the Recipe: Holiday Butternut Squash Hummus
Gingerbread Oatmeal
Combining gingerbread spices with steel-cut oats creates a warm, comforting breakfast that embodies the festive spirit of the season, perfect for chilly winter mornings.
Get the Recipe: Gingerbread Oatmeal
Cranberry Curd Tart
The tart features a sweet and tart cranberry curd in a gluten-free crust, presenting a stunning and innovative dessert that is both fresh in flavor and festive in appearance for the holiday season.
Get the Recipe: Cranberry Curd Tart
Pomegranate Popcorn
This snack mixes pomegranate arils with dark chocolate and lemon zest, creating a simple yet festive popcorn treat that’s perfect for holiday snacking or movie nights.
Get the Recipe: Pomegranate Popcorn
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
