The 31 Best Recipes to Cook This December

At the top of Executive Editor, Adriana's, must-make list this month are these pork and salsa verde tamales from Lesley Téllez. And if you're new to making tamales at home, this step-by-step guide walks you through everything (including instructions for freezing and reheating).

Ricotta cookies are fluffy, lightly sweet, and full of Italian American bakery vibes.

This breakfast casserole feels a little extra, and is perfect for Christmas brunch or a New Year's breakfast. Stratas are best when made a day ahead, so the bread has ample time to soak up the savory custard, which means all you have to do in the morning is pop it in the oven.

The secret to being the hostess with the mostest? Gougères in your freezer. These are Senior Contributing Editor Kelli's go-to whenever she has people over. "I plan to make a batch this weekend, then I can pull them out whenever friends pop over. And if I'm feeling extra fancy, I might just fill them with a little béchamel."

December is a great time for a hot bowl of gumbo, and Senior Food Editor, Megan, is excited to dig into this warming pot.

"I know I developed these spiced, white chocolate-studed blondies myself," Senior Contributing Editor Sheela tells me, "but I am just very excited to bake them again!"

These super-simple air fryer latkes — made with grated potatoes, onion, matzo meal, and eggs — are just as crispy and delicious as traditional fried latkes.

If you're looking for a last-minute homemade gift, these sweet and salty chocolate sprinkles are beloved by many and beyond easy.

After it was such a hit with her family last year, Production Editor, Tracey, cannot wait to make this trifle for the holidays again this year. "The hardest part about it was making sure we had enough room in fridge to store it!"

After sampling Biscoff-infused donuts, cookies, and other treats at various cafes in Korea, Recipe Production Coordinator, Justine, is ready to get cooking with Biscoff at home. "For a cozy breakfast, I can't wait to make this raspberry cookie butter baked oatmeal."

If beef tenderloin is your go-to main for Christmas dinner, take it to the grill this year! You get tender meat inside, plus browned deliciousness on the outside.

If you have a sprinkle-lover in your house, these easy bars are a fun holiday baking project to make with kids.

Serving savory puff pastry tarts as an appetizer is a no-brainer this time of year.

A tray of bacon is a good idea on Christmas morning. This foolproof method is simple, hands-off, and yields extra-crispy bacon every time.

During this time of year, in between the holiday madness, Senior Contributing Food Editor Sheela craves simple meals that skirt the line between wholesome and decadent — and these Persian eggs check off all those boxes, and then some. While it's traditionally a breakfast dish, she loves it most for dinner.

Naturally gluten-free (100% almond flour) and wildly easy to make (just stir, roll, and bake), these chewy cookies are scented with cardamom and lemon zest, and topped with the most delicious and stunning sweet-tart glaze.

Executive Food Director, Nina, is really excited to make this pomegranate molasses glazed chicken with potatoes. "It's quick and easy, and also impressive ... so a triple-threat!"

Herby slow-roasted salmon is easy enough to pull off on a weeknight and impressive enough for a holiday celebration.

If you're like Lifestyle Editor, Mara, and looking for something unexpected to do with Brussels sprouts, follow her lead and try this riff on the melt.

This lasagna is about as low-lift as you can get while still achieving cheesy, crowd-pleasing results.

This classic Mexican chicken soup, with plenty of colorful topping options to choose from, is the perfect way to warm up on a cold December day.

This holiday-worthy brisket recipe, from Leah Koenig's Little Book of Jewish Feasts, adds brown sugar and balsamic vinegar to the braising liquid, resulting in deep flavor and caramelized edges.

'Tis the season for all things cranberry. This is what to make with that bag of cranberries that's still sitting in your fridge.

This abundant Italian spread of cured meat, cheese, marinated vegetables, and more is the ultimate way to kick off a meal.

This bright and crunchy salad is a stunner on any holiday table, and easy enough to pull together for weeknight dinner. Senior Contributing Food Editor Kelli loves it spooned it over a bed of farro or quinoa for a feel-good lunch.