As we gather around warm hearths and festive tables this holiday season, I wanted to share some cherished recipes from our wonderful team. Each dish tells a story, carrying with it memories of family gatherings and celebrations passed down through generations.
Erin, at KDI Tucson lights up whenever she talks about her grannie’s bread pudding, perfectly spiced – a tradition she now shares with her own children. Meanwhile, Cindy at KDI Payson swears by her Swedish Spritz cookies that her kids and grands count on every Christmas.
Some of us at KDI are all aware of Heidi’s amazing eclairs. We all love them! And a couple of us are already looking forward to making Diane’s sausage cornbread stuffing!
Whether you're reading this during the festive season or tucking these recipes away for next year, we hope these team favorites bring as much joy to your table as they've brought to ours. Let's dive into these heartwarming recipes that make our holidays truly special.
Cindy’s Classic Spritz Cookies
These delicate, buttery cookies are perfect for your holiday cookie platter.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 well-beaten egg
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 4 cups sifted flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
-1-1/4 cups Butter
- Food coloring (optional)
- Decorative sprinkles
Instructions:
- Thoroughly cream butter and sugar, then add egg and almond extract. Beat well.
- Add food coloring if desired (green is Cindy’s choice).
- Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture, mixing to form a smooth dough.
- Force through a cookie press to form shapes.
- Decorate with sprinkles.
- Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 400°F for 8-10 minutes.
- Once cooled, drizzle with frosting if desired.
*Yield: 2-3 dozen cookies*
Cindy’s Butter Ball Cookies
These melt-in-your-mouth cookies are coated in powdered sugar for a snowy effect.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup soft butter
- 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar (divided)
- 2¼ cups sifted flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions:
- Mix butter and ½ cup confectioners’ sugar.
- Add remaining ingredients and form into a large ball.
- Chill for one hour.
- Shape into 1-inch balls.
- Bake at 400°F for 10-12 minutes.
- While still hot, roll in remaining confectioners’ sugar.
- Once cooled, roll again in confectioners’ sugar.
*Yield: 3-4 dozen cookies*
Heidi’s Éclairs
A spectacular holiday dessert that's worth the effort.
For the Choux Pastry:
- ½ cup butter
- 1 cup water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 eggs
For the Vanilla Pastry Cream:
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups milk
- 6 egg yolks
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
For the Chocolate Glaze:
- 4 oz bitter or semi-sweet chocolate
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon corn syrup
Instructions:
Choux paste / pastry:
- Grease 2 large cookie sheet. In a 2-qt saucepan over medium heat, heat butter, water and salt until butter mixture boils. Remove from heat.
- Add flour all at once, with wooden spoon, vigorously stir until mixture forms a ball and leave side of pan. Preheat over to 375 degrees.
- Add eggs to flour mixture, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until smooth. Cool mixture slightly.
- Using a pastry bag, pipe tube to form eclairs.
- Bake 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut slit on side of each shell and bake 10 minutes longer.
- Turn oven off and leave pastry in for additional 10 minutes.
- Cool éclair shells on racks.
Pastry Cream:
- In 2qt sauce pan combine ¾ cup sugar, ¼ cup flour and ¼ teaspoon salt; stir in 1 ½ cup milk. Over medium heat, cook, stirring until mixture thickens and boils, about 10 minutes; boil 1minute.
- In small bowl beat 6 egg yolks with fork, beat small about of milk mixture into yolks, then slowly pour egg mixture into milk mixture.
- Cook over medium-low heat stirring until mixture thickens and coats spoon well, about 8 minutes. (coat spoon until spoon is not visible through mixture)
- Remove from heat stir in 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract.
- Cover with plastic wrap, chill well, about 2 hours.
- Beath 1 ½ cups heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
- With rubber spatula, gently fold cream into custard.
Glaze:
- Melt chocolate and butter in a medium bowl set over a pot of almost simmering water.
- Once melted and combined add corn syrup.
Assembly:
- Slice 1/3 from top of each shell and fill with cream. Replace tops and spread glaze. Refrigerate until serving.
Erin’s Grammy's Bread Pudding
A comforting classic perfect for cold winter evenings.
Ingredients:
- 1 quart milk
- 2 cups bread cubes
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 eggs
- â…“ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cinnamon for sprinkling
- Optional: 1 cup raisins
Instructions:
- Scald milk, add bread cubes and butter
- Beat eggs, add sugar and salt.
- Add milk mixture and vanilla extract.
- Pour into baking dish, sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Bake at 350°F for 1 hour and 14 minutes or until knife comes out clean.
George Washington's Eggnog (Erin’s favorite Holiday Recipe! )
A historic and potent holiday treat!
Ingredients:
- 1 pint brandy
- ½ pint rye whiskey
- ½ pint Jamaican or new England rum
- ¼ pint sherry
- 12 eggs
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 quart cream
- 1 quart milk
Instructions:
1) Mix liquors together first. (The total amount of liquor is 38oz, about the equivalent of 19 cocktails.)
2) Separate yolks and whites of eggs. Add sugar to beaten yolks and mix well.
3) Add liquor to beaten yolks, drop by drop first, and slowly beat.
4) Add cream and milk, slowly beating.
5) Beat the whites of eggs until stiff and fold slowly into the mixture. Let set in a cool place for several days and taste frequently.
"If nothing else, the recipe will help to produce a genial host ;)"
Shelley’s Pumpkin Hand-Pies
Adapted from the Mexican Empanadas - a favorite!
For the Pumpkin Filling
-2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-3/4 cup (packed dark brown sugar (or piloncillo)
-1(15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
-1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
-1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
-1 teaspoon orange zest
Make the filling: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until it dissolves (5-10 minutes). Add the pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg. Cook, stirring frequently, until darkened and the flavor has deepened, about 10 minutes. Let cool for about 30 minutes, and add the orange zest once cool. Refrigerate over night.
For the dough: Use your favorite pie crust dough, or you can use store-bought pie crusts from the refrigerated section of your grocery store.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough and cut 3-1/2” circles (a wide mouth Mason Jar Ring is perfect). Add about 1 teaspoon of filling on the top half of the cut circle. Wet the bottom edge of the dough with water, then fold over the dough to seal, making sure to press out any air. Seal the edges pressing all the way across with fork tines.
Brush each empanada with an egg wash and poke the top with a fork to let steam release.
Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
Diane's Cornbread Sausage Stuffing
A hearty stuffing that's perfect for your holiday table.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups chopped onion
- 1 chopped apple
- 3 cups chopped celery
- 1 lb sausage
- ½ pound butter plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 12 cups cornbread cubes
- 1 package stuffing cubes
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten (optional)
- 2-3 tablespoons sage (2 teaspoons if ground)
- Salt and pepper
- 2-3 cups chicken broth
Instructions:
- Break up and fry sausage, transfer to large bowl.
- In same pan, cook butter, oil, celery, onion, and apple until soft.
- Combine with sausage, add remaining ingredients.
- Add broth gradually.
- Bake covered at 350°F for 20 minutes, then uncovered for 10 minutes.
Serves 12-14