holiday baking

deck your table with family favorites

Turn on the oven and get ready to make some holiday dishes! From spiced gingerbread cookies to caramelized pumpkin bread to roasted turkey with pomegranate sauce and more, your gatherings will be festive with these seasonally inspired foods.

90 min

prep time serves 10

Caramelized Pumpkin Bread

From Half the Sugar, All the Love: 100 Easy, Low-Sugar Recipes for Every Meal of the Day by Jennifer Tyler Lee and Anisha Patel, MD, MSPH ($22.95, Workman Publishing Co., 2019) Nonstick cooking spray 1¾ c all-purpose flour 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1½ tsp baking powder 1 tsp ground ginger ½ tsp baking soda ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground nutmeg ¼ tsp ground cloves 1 c canned pumpkin purée* ½ c mashed very ripe banana (about 1 medium banana) ¹⁄³ c maple syrup ½ c vegetable oil ¼ c whole-milk plain Greek yogurt 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 2 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Line an 8½×4½-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on each side. Coat with cooking spray. 2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cloves. Set aside.

3. Combine pumpkin purée and mashed banana with maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened and caramelized, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to another large bowl and let cool completely, 15 minutes. 4. Add oil, yogurt, vanilla, and eggs to cooled pumpkin mixture and whisk vigorously to combine. 5. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir gently to combine. (Batter will be thick.) 6. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour.

7. Cool in pan for 20 minutes, and then remove bread from pan and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool for at least 15 minutes longer before cutting into 10 slices and serving. *Be sure to use canned unsweetened pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.

Kitchen Note: Caramelizing the pumpkin and banana with a little maple syrup brings out their natural sweetness and enhances the delicious flavors with considerably less added sugar. Greek yogurt adds a bit of tang. The bread will keep, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Per serving: 243 Calories, 4 g Protein, 28 g Carbohydrates, 9 g Total sugars (6 g Added sugars), 1 g Fiber, 13 g Total fat (1 g sat), 197 mg Sodium, ★★ Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), ★ Vitamin B1 (thiamine), E, Folate, Phosphorus

Soft and Chewy Gingerbread People

From The Complete Autumn & Winter Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen ($34.99, America’s Test Kitchen, 2021)

3 c (15 oz) all-purpose flour ¾ c packed (5¼ oz) dark brown sugar 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon 1 Tbsp ground ginger ¾ tsp baking soda ½ tsp ground cloves ½ tsp table salt 12 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted ¾ c light molasses 2 Tbsp milk

45 min

+ 90 min chill and cool time makes about 20 cookies

1. Process flour, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, cloves, and salt in a food processor until combined, about 10 seconds. Add melted butter, molasses, and milk. Process until a soft dough forms and no streaks of flour remain, about 20 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

2. Spray counter lightly with a baking spray with flour, transfer dough to counter, and knead until dough forms a cohesive ball, about 20 seconds. Divide dough in half. Form each half into a 5-inch disk, wrap disks tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. 3. Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lowermiddle positions and heat oven to 350º. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 disk of dough at a time, roll ¼-inch thick between 2 large sheets of parchment. (Keep second disk of dough refrigerated while rolling out first.) Remove top piece of parchment. Using a 3½-inch cookie cutter, cut dough into shapes. Peel away scraps from around cookies and space shapes ¾-inch apart on prepared sheets. Repeat rolling and cutting steps with dough scraps. 4. Bake cookies until puffy and just set around edges, 9 to 11 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack. Let cookies cool completely before serving. (Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature, with a sheet of parchment or waxed paper between each layer, for up to 3 days.) Kitchen Note: These cookies are soft, not crunchy, and brimming with the flavors of ginger and molasses. Depending on your cookie cutter dimensions, all of the cookies may not fit on the sheets and a second round of baking may be required. You can decorate these cookies with your favorite icing, if desired.

Per serving (1 cookie without icing): 188 Calories, 2 g Protein, 30 g Carbohydrates, 15 g Total sugars (15 g Added sugars), 1 g Fiber, 7 g Total fat (4 g sat), 110 mg Sodium, ★ Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Folate, Iron, Magnesium

Molasses Spice Cookies

From The Complete Autumn & Winter Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen ($34.99, America’s Test Kitchen, 2021)

2¼ c (11¼ oz) all-purpose flour 1½ tsp ground cinnamon 1½ 1 tsp ground ginger tsp baking soda 75 min prep time + ½ tsp ground cloves cool time ¼ ¼ tsp ground allspice tsp black pepper makes24 cookies ¼ tsp table salt 12 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened ¹⁄³ c packed (2¹⁄³ oz) dark brown sugar ¹⁄³ c (2¹⁄³ oz) granulated sugar, plus ½ c for rolling 1 large egg yolk 1 tsp vanilla extract ½ c mild or robust molasses 1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375º. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, cloves, allspice, pepper, and salt together in a bowl. 2. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter, brown sugar, and the ¹⁄³ cup granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; add egg yolk and vanilla; and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Beat in molasses until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds (dough will be soft). Give dough a final stir by hand to ensure no flour pockets remain.

3. Spread remaining ½ cup granulated sugar in a shallow dish. Working with 2 tablespoons dough at a time, roll dough into balls with your dampened hands, and then roll in sugar to coat; space dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. (Dough balls can be frozen for up to 1 month; bake frozen dough balls in 300º oven for 30 to 35 minutes.) 4. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are set but centers are still soft, puffy, and cracked (cookies will look raw between cracks and seem underdone), 10 to 12 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheet for 10 minutes. Serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Kitchen Note: You can use light or dark molasses; the dark variety will have a stronger presence. (Avoid blackstrap molasses, which can be overpowering and bitter.) When rolling the balls of dough, dip your hands in water to prevent sticking; this also helps the granulated sugar adhere to the dough balls. For the best texture and appearance, bake the cookies one sheet at a time and pull them from the oven when they still look substantially underdone. (They will continue to bake and harden as they cool, with the insides remaining soft and moist.)

Per serving (1 cookie): 135 Calories, 1 g Protein, 19 g Carbohydrates, 10 g Total sugars (10 g Added sugars), 0 g Fiber, 6 g Total fat (4 g sat), 74 mg Sodium, ★ Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Folate

4½ hrs

prep time + 1 day brine time serves12

Roast Turkey with Pomegranate Sauce

From The Christmas Movie Cookbook by Julia Rutland ($21.99, Simon Element, 2022)

3 Tbsp kosher salt, divided 3 Tbsp dark brown sugar 1 Tbsp dried sage 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp paprika 1 (12- to 14-lb) whole fresh turkey 2 c water 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Fresh rosemary and sage leaves, for garnish

Orange slices, for garnish

Pomegranate arils, for garnish (optional)

Pomegranate Sauce (recipe follows)

1. In a small bowl, combine salt, brown sugar, sage, pepper, and paprika. 2. Remove giblets and neck from turkey; reserve for other uses or discard. Place turkey in a rimmed pan and pat dry with paper towels. Loosen skin from breast and thighs without detaching or tearing skin. 3. Spread 2 tablespoons of the salt mixture under the turkey’s skin. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of salt mixture inside the turkey’s cavity. Spread remaining salt mixture over entire turkey. Turn breastside down in pan. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. 4. Uncover turkey and turn it breast side up. Spread any salt mixture in bottom of pan over top of turkey. Return to refrigerator uncovered (this will dry out skin, allowing it to crisp well when roasting), and chill for an additional 12 to 24 hours.

5. Remove turkey from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450º. Place a rack in lower third of oven and remove any upper racks. 6. Discard any salt or liquid from bottom of pan (it is not necessary to wipe any remaining salt from turkey). Place turkey, breast-side up, on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Pour 2 cups of water in bottom of pan. Brush turkey with the olive oil. 7. Transfer pan to oven and roast for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350º. Cover breast with aluminum foil and continue to roast until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165º, about 2½ to 3 hours. Remove from oven and tent with aluminum foil. Let stand for 30 minutes before carving (turkey will continue to cook). 8. Garnish turkey with rosemary and sage leaves, orange slices, and pomegranate arils, if desired. Serve with Pomegranate Sauce.

Kitchen Note: To avoid a “turkastrophe,” do not overcook the bird, and use a meat thermometer to monitor the internal temperature. Brining is a technique often used to infuse meats with flavor and moisture. While wet brining works well for small cuts of meat, it’s awkward and possibly unsafe to soak an entire turkey, since the solution must be kept below 40º. Dry brining utilizes all the sweet-and-salty benefits without the liquid. Fresh turkeys are ideal; otherwise, thawing time must be built into your schedule if using a frozen one.

Per serving: 506 Calories, 66 g Protein, 13 g Carbohydrates, 10 g Total sugars (4 g Added sugars), 1 g Fiber, 20 g Total fat (5 g sat), 875 mg Sodium, ★★★★★ Vitamin B3 (niacin), B6, B12, Phosphorus, Zinc, ★★★★ Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), ★★ Magnesium, ★ Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Iron, Potassium

Pomegranate Sauce

20 min

From The Christmas Movie Cookbook by Julia Rutland ($21.99, Simon Element, 2022) prep time makes 2½ cups

1½ c pomegranate juice 1 c low-sodium chicken broth or pan drippings from turkey ¹⁄³ c white balsamic vinegar 2 Tbsp light or dark brown sugar ¹⁄³ c water 2 Tbsp cornstarch ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Fine sea salt, to taste

1. In a saucepan, combine pomegranate juice, broth, vinegar, and brown sugar. 2. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 10 minutes until reduced by about one third. 3. In a small bowl, stir together water and cornstarch. Stir cornstarch mixture into pomegranate mixture. Bring to a boil; boil 1 minute or until thickened.