Make Ahead

Torta Caprese (Chocolate and Almond Flourless Cake)

The famous dessert of the Island of Capri I've found, over the years of making this cake, is extremely forgiving. The almond meal, butter, chocolate and sugar should be equal in weight. This is the time to get out the digital scale, as it makes not only preparing this but also remembering it later so easy. I've done this with 85 grams of each and 3 eggs. Or 250 grams of each and 5-6 eggs. Once I only had 125 grams of almond meal and I simply used that as the proportion for the rest of the ingredients, along with 3 eggs. They only change the cake a little in height and size, but each has come out smooth and moist, almost fudgy. And, in fact, the last measurement is my favorite because in an 8 inch round pan, it comes out just over an inch tall, which I think makes for a good-sized sliver. If you like, you can add a splash of rum, some lemon or orange zest or (reminiscent of Elizabeth David's chocolate and almond cake, which closely resembles torta caprese) and a dash of strong coffee. You can also double these ingredients and bake them in a 10 inch pan for a slightly larger cake. Helpful tools for this recipe: Maple Wooden Cake Stand KitchenAid Cordless Hand Mixer Mason Cash Cane Mixing Bowls

Pecan Cream Pie

Bake an unforgettable dessert this Thanksgiving: Pecan cream pie layers a buttery nut-filled base with brown sugar custard, a flaky crust, and whipped cream.

Potato and Egg Pie with Bacon and Crème Fraîche

This potato and egg pie is perfect for a weekend brunch. Get the recipe at Food & Wine.

9 hr 45 min

Brazo de Mercedes

A classic Filipino meringue roll filled with a rich, lemony egg yolk custard. Light, airy meringue wraps a silky sweetened condensed milk custard — perfect for holidays or make-ahead desserts.

Pumpkin Tiramisu

Tiramisu gets the PSL treatment with a pumpkin-tinged custard, warming cinnamon, plenty of whipped cream, and a splash of bourbon for good measure.

Butternut Squash Polenta | Epicurious

Butternut squash melts into the polenta as it cooks for this creamy make-ahead dish. Once transferred to a baking dish, pressing chunks of creamy Fontina cheese into the polenta ensures that once baked it will be full of gooey pockets of cheese throughout.

Gluten-Free Fudge Brownies

Just what we want a gluten-free brownie to be: rich and super fudgy. Beating the eggs and sugar for a long time incorporates air into the batter, making for a crackly crust when baked.

Pizza Dough

This recipe, adapted from Roberta’s, the pizza and hipster haute-cuisine utopia in Bushwick, Brooklyn, provides a delicate, extraordinarily flavorful dough that will last in the refrigerator for up to a week. It rewards close attention to weight rather than volume in the matter of the ingredients, and asks for a mixture of finely ground Italian pizza flour (designated “00” on the bags and available in some supermarkets, many specialty groceries and always online) and regular all-purpose flour. As ever with breads, rise time will depend on the temperature and humidity of your kitchen and refrigerator.

3 hr 30 min

Beef Ragu Recipe

This Big Batch Beef Ragu with Pasta easily feeds 8 people. You can make the ragu ahead of time and reheat just before serving!

Greek-Style Pork Spareribs with Grilled Lemons

Michael Symon’s Greek-style pork spareribs are the perfect combination of crusty, meaty and nicely charred. They’re even better with a squeeze of grilled lemon.

3 hr

Easy Cheese Danish

Foolproof Pan Pizza

A pan pizza recipe for those who love a thick and crispy crust that's golden on the bottom, but puffy and soft under the layers of sauce and mozzarella.

10 hr 45 min

Sesame Scallion Buns

Crackly fried Chinese scallion pancakes take the form of baked buns here, crisp on the sesame-speckled outside and tender within. Sizzling scallions in hot oil captures the aroma of the pancakes and brings out scallions’ savory side while preserving their bright green hue. To mimic the pancakes’ scaffolding, the blend is spiraled into a simple yeast dough, subtly sweet and a little buttery. Be sure to bake them right before serving so you can pull apart the hot, soft layers and inhale the fragrant steam before taking a bite.

2 hr 30 min

Moussaka With Roasted Mushrooms

In this Balkan style Moussaka I have substituted the roasted mushroom mix for half the meat. But you can also make a vegetarian version with no meat at all. It is delicious either way, with a complex, slightly sweet Eastern Mediterranean sauce spiced with a little cinnamon, a pinch of allspice and a few cloves. Greek moussaka is topped with béchamel, which can be heavy, even gummy. But this one has a light, fluffy topping made with yogurt and eggs. There are a few steps involved here and the sauce is a long-cooking one, but you can get that started while the eggplant is roasting in the oven to speed things along or make the sauce the day before.

3 hr

Chewy Chai Gingerbread

Soft and chewy, these gingerbread cookies come together quickly and easily. Using oil instead of butter keeps the rounds moist and lets the warmth of the spices shine. A chai blend, which often highlights ginger and cardamom and includes the surprising heat of black pepper, gives them even more verve. If you don’t have one on hand, you can simply mix your own (see Tip). That spiced coziness is echoed in the glaze, but the cookies are just as satisfying unadorned. (For more of Genevieve's holiday cookie tips, see this article.)

1 hr 30 min

The Food Lab's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Learn the secrets and science behind the best browned butter chocolate chip cookies in this classic recipe from The Food Lab.

1 hr 15 min

Chicken Pot Pie With Biscuit Crust

Gourmet’s best chicken pot pie recipe makes the ultimate comfort food with a creamy filling topped with puffy, flavorful cheddar biscuits.

Cheesy Cauliflower Nests

There’s something undeniably celebratory about a dish wrapped in crisp, golden phyllo, especially when it gives way to golden, roasted cauliflower and a rich, creamy custard. These cheesy cauliflower nests make for an excellent vegetarian centerpiece, offering comfort and elegance in equal measure. The cauliflower, cut into six individual wedges, gets tucked into phyllo nests, then a gently spiced custard, fragrant with nutmeg and cloves, seeps into the crevices and binds everything together. Much of the work can be done ahead — the phyllo nests can be assembled and refrigerated the day before, ready to bake when needed, and so can the custard — which makes this dish a stress-free option for festive gatherings.

1 hr 30 min

Shockingly Easy No-Knead Focaccia

Letting the dough do its first rise in the fridge overnight means improved flavor and ease of handling, but if you don’t feel like waiting that long, leave it out at room temperature until doubled in size—three to four hours.

Shrimp Dumplings With Saffron Shallot Sauce

Aushak and mantoo (or mantu), dumplings found in Afghan cuisine, are often filled with soft cooked leeks and onion or ground beef, but this shrimp-filled iteration is the product of the chef Shamim Popal’s journey from Afghanistan to the United Arab Emirates and, eventually, Washington, D.C. After opening a French creperie in 2003, Mrs. Popal decided to share dishes inspired by her upbringing in Afghanistan at Lapis, a restaurant in the city’s Adams Morgan neighborhood. A filling, yet light appetizer, these are meant to be prepared by and for a group, which makes light work and speaks to Mrs. Popal’s own memories of making aushak in Kabul with family.

1 hr 30 min

Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

Recipes from Cook’s Illustrated and Antonella at Krumville Bake Shop in N.Y.C. both deserve big shout-outs for helping us develop this approach.

Black Sesame Tofu “Basque” Cheesecake

There are many things that appeal about a Basque cheesecake—it's crustless (one less job) and is meant to look “rustic” with its wrinkled and jagged sides.

Garlic Parmesan Hashbrowns

Crispy, golden hashbrowns flavored with garlic powder and freshly grated Parmesan. Partially boiled potatoes are shredded, bound with egg and cornstarch, frozen briefly for firmness, then shallow-fried until crunchy—perfect for breakfast or as a side.

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

This rich, creamy chocolate cheesecake recipe layers a dark chocolate filling with an Oreo cookie base and silky ganache for the ultimate decadent dessert.

Sunny Lemon Bars Recipe

This recipe is a cross between lemon curd and lemon meringue pie, soft and rich with egg yolks, but thick enough to slice into neat squares.

2 hr 10 min

Dark Chocolate Flax Bark

Crunchy, seedy flax crackers get topped with dark chocolate and a showering of sea salt for the ultimate sweet and salty snack.

Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad

This easy fall or winter salad is packed with shredded raw kale and brussels sprouts and makes an excellent holiday side dish or hearty lunch.

Baked Oatmeal

This baked oatmeal is the make-ahead breakfast your holiday plans need—it’s easy to execute and feeds a crowd. Substitute coconut oil and your favorite alternative milk to make this dairy-free.

Rich and Gooey Chocolate Banana Pudding

Creamy, chocolatey banana pudding made from scratch—perfect for potlucks, summer parties, or a no-bake treat at home.

11 hr 30 min

Green Bean Salad

Crisp-tender green beans meet a punchy Parmesan dressing in this easy, make-ahead fresh green bean salad that’s perfect for dinner parties or holidays.

Pecan Cake

This tender butter pecan cake channels all the gooey richness of pecan pie, with toasted nuts and a sticky bourbon caramel glaze.

Peanut Butter Bars

This old fashioned Peanut Butter Bars recipe has a chewy base topped with peanut butter and chocolate glaze. They are perfect for potlucks or parties and can be made in advance or frozen!

Suman (Filipino Sticky Rice)

Simple 4-ingredient suman — Filipino sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves and boiled until tender. A comforting family recipe (how my Lolo makes it) served with a thick coconut-brown sugar sauce and optional toasted coconut.

Tzatziki

Tzatziki is a popular Greek sauce traditionally served with souvlaki and pita bread, but it’s super versatile in its potential: It’s a great snacking dip with crudités and chips, as well as a bright and tangy sauce to drizzle on grain bowls or serve alongside roasted chicken or salmon. Most commonly finished with dill, tzatziki is sometimes made — and equally delicious — with other fresh herbs, like mint or oregano. It can be made a few hours ahead and will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

10 min

Caramelized Shallots

Seared and simmered in white wine and chicken broth, these buttery caramelized shallots are an ideal holiday side dish. Stack the leftovers on a sandwich.

Crab Cakes

Flavored with Old Bay seasoning, mustard and a splash of Worcestershire sauce, these classic Maryland-style crab cakes are heavy on the crab, with just enough bread crumbs and mayonnaise to hold everything together. Serve with homemade tartar sauce, lemon wedges and a green salad for a special lunch, dinner or appetizer any time of the year. For an hors d’oeuvre-sized portion, form smaller cakes (about 3 tablespoons of batter each) and pan-fry as directed. The batter can be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator.

1 hr

Cranberry-Wine Swirl Cookies

These pinwheel-style swirls pair classic sugar cookie dough with cranberry and red wine jam. They’re equally at home on a cheese plate and served as dessert.

Peppermint Black-and-White Cookies

A riff on the New York classic black-and-white cookie, featuring refreshing peppermint extract and a sprinkle of festive crushed candy canes.

Chocolate Mousse

Each mouthful of this dessert is a marvel: as light as a meringue pie topping, but with the eggy silkiness of a creamy chocolate custard. This mousse has a particularly airy texture, but is still a little rich from the bittersweet chocolate, which makes it the ideal not-too-sweet dessert. Because the mousse develops an even deeper flavor over time, it’s perfect for parties. You can make it up to five days ahead of time and serve it straight from the refrigerator.

Mom's Citrus Meringue Pie

This meringue pie — from legendary culinary historian, teacher, and author Jessica B. Harris — was named one of Food & Wine's 40 Best Recipes in 2018.

5 hr 40 min

Easy Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

The whole point of carrot cake is that, in its most ideal form, it’s a vehicle for cream cheese frosting, a triple stack of fluffy spiced cake, finished with generous swoops of frosting. Baking the cake batter in a half-sheet pan, then cutting the flat cake into three rectangles delivers thin, even layers and skips the hassle of baking and slicing tall cake rounds. To highlight the tang of cream cheese, this frosting includes sour cream instead of butter. It gives the whole thing a fresh lightness, each forkful equal parts tender cake and silky frosting. The resulting cake looks modern with its sharp angles but can still be cut into classic triangular wedges.

2 hr 20 min

Farro and Green Olive Salad with Walnuts and Raisins

With almost the same amount of buttery green olives as nutty farro, this dish from Heidi Swanson is an olive lover's dream. We named it one of our 40 Best Recipes in 2018.

40 min

Classic Turkey Gravy

This homemade turkey gravy builds flavor from make-ahead or store-bought stock, drippings, and an easy roux. Make it while your bird rests for a final flourish.

Creamy Chocolate Cream Pie

This silky, creamy pie tastes like a cross between chocolate pudding and banana cream pie. In other words: a dessert match made in heaven.

4 hr 55 min

Easiest Meatballs

We stripped a classic Italian meatball recipe down to the most essential elements to accommodate all your busy weeknight realities.

Cilantro Pesto Pasta

This vibrant cilantro pesto recipe blends blanched herbs, Cotija cheese, garlic, and toasted pepitas. Toss with pasta for a fresh and bold spaghetti pesto.

Date Bars

Native to North Africa and the Middle East, dates were planted in the Coachella Valley in the late 1890s and are now a California crop, with the state growing 90 percent of America’s dates, particularly the medjool variety. “The intense sweetness of dates makes them a great substitute for honey or sugar,” writes Tanya Holland, the chef and author of “Tanya Holland’s California Soul: Recipes From a Culinary Journey West” (Ten Speed Press, 2022). Her date bars from this cookbook feature a gorgeous strip of the beautiful fruit and make a great caky snack to serve alongside coffee or tea.

45 min

Slow-Cooker Pork Roast

This easy pork roast is a hands-off dinner party main, thanks to your slow cooker. Marinate the boneless pork shoulder in advance for a low-stress menu.

Vanilla Cake With Cookie Butter Frosting

Spiced speculoos cookie butter is delicious straight from the jar, and in this cake it makes the perfect addition to a quick and easy buttercream frosting. The plush dark brown sugar and vanilla cake is just as easy to make and is extra moist thanks to a generous amount of sour cream. This cake keeps well on the counter for a few days, loosely covered, although it’s so snackable you shouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t last that long.

55 min

3-Ingredient Date Cookies

Naturally sweetened, no-bake mini treats made with Medjool dates, peanut butter and dark chocolate. Ready in about 25 minutes, they’re an easy, healthy snack or simple dessert you can store in the fridge or freezer.