Healthy Holiday Breads, Muffins, and More

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Cinnamon-Date-Pecan Rolls with Maple Glaze

There's nothing about these sweet treats that's not absolutely wonderful. From the chewy dates and crunchy pecans inside to the buttery and yeasty dough to the maple glaze on top, they make a delicious breakfast with a hot cup of coffee. They're a worthy splurge, with just 226 calories and less than 5 grams of fat apiece.

View Recipe: Cinnamon-Date-Pecan Rolls with Maple Glaze

Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Sweet Challah

This beautifully braided, chewy egg bread is a mainstay of the Jewish Sabbath table, but few have time to make one from scratch every week. The holidays are a great time to put in the extra effort and give this wonderful recipe a try―you won't regret it. It's a large loaf, but don't worry; leftovers make some of the best French toast you've ever had.

View Recipe: Sweet Challah

Becky Luigart-Stayner

Classic Cranberry Sauce

That gelatinous stuff that comes from a can? It should be banned, when real cranberry sauce is this easy to make from scratch. Sugar, orange juice, cranberries, spices, and 12 minutes are all it takes. Try adding a dash of cayenne, too: It won't make the sauce spicy per se but it adds a subtle kick that's very tasty.

View Recipe: Classic Cranberry Sauce

Photography: Randy Mayor

Mini Cranberry Panettones

If you've been to a traditional Italian-style bakery at Christmastime, you may already know the joy of these beloved fruit-and-nut studded sweet breads. Our version uses muffin cups to make panettones that are the perfect size to give as gifts. This is an easy recipe to experiment with, too―try substituting other nuts and dried fruits to make your own creations.

View Recipe: Mini Cranberry Panettones

Photo: Jonny Valiant

Cheese and Chive Challah

The traditional yeasted egg bread is enriched even more by adding cheese to the dough. We love the flavor of fontina, but Gruyère or another Swiss cheese would also work.

View Recipe: Cheese and Chive Challah

Photo: Jonny Valiant

Framboise Cranberry Sauce

Belgian Framboise Lambic beer—a frothy, berry-colored beverage—adds an underlying sweetness that complements the cranberries.

View Recipe: Framboise Cranberry Sauce

Photo: Jonny Valiant

Christmas Stollen

Order candied citron from amazon.com, or omit it and add extra dried apricots and increase lemon rind to 1 tablespoon. Wrap this fruited bread in a tea towel and tie with a pretty ribbon for a lovely homemade gift.

View Recipe: Christmas Stollen

Photo: Jonny Valiant

Orange-Buttermilk Dinner Rolls

Citrusy sweet, these rolls won't take away from the main show, but they sure will add to it! Pull them from the oven just a few minutes before you serve to allow them to cool slighly.

View Recipe: Orange-Buttermilk Dinner Rolls

Photo: Jonny Valiant

Spiced Persimmon and Pecan Muffins

Traditional spiced muffins suddenly seem stylish when made with seasonal persimmons. There are two distinct types: Creamy-fleshed Hachiya is mashed to keep the muffins moist, while firmer Fuyu is diced for fruity bits with some bite.

View Recipe: Spiced Persimmon and Pecan Muffins

Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Ginger-Pear Preserves

Fruit preserves make a great gift because they let your loved ones enjoy the flavor of fresh fruit long after the holidays are over. This particular recipe, which adds spice and tart lemon to the fall fruit favorite, will keep up to six weeks in the fridge.

View Recipe: Ginger-Pear Preserves

Photo: Ellen Silverman

Fresh Cranberry-Orange Relish

Allow at least one day in the refrigerator to marry the bright, fresh flavors and you will see it is well worth the wait. Make up to three days ahead.

View Recipe: Fresh Cranberry-Orange Relish

Photo: Ellen Silverman

Toasted Almond and Cherry Scones

This bread comes together in less than 30 minutes and is best served warm from the oven. Substitute an equal amount of chopped pistachios or walnuts for the almonds, if you prefer.

View Recipe: Toasted Almond and Cherry Scones

Photo: Ellen Silverman

Spicy Pickled Green Beans

Pleasantly sharp and vibrantly green—with just a few bright red peppers—these are a choice garnish for a cocktail buffet. If you’re making the recipe for a gift, the beans look gorgeous in tall glass jars.

View Recipe: Spicy Pickled Green Beans

Photo: Ellen Silverman

Cranberry, Apple, and Walnut Sauce

Have this deep red sauce ready to pair with your roast before the guests begin rolling into town by making it up to two weeks ahead. If you prefer, frozen cranberries also work in this recipe.

View Recipe: Cranberry, Apple, and Walnut Sauce

Photo: Ellen Silverman

Spiced Apricot Chutney

This tangy chutney is delicious on flatbreads or savored with leftover turkey or ham. We also recommend trying it on sandwiches or scones.

View Recipe: Spiced Apricot Chutney

Photo: Ellen Silverman

Walnut Bread

This recipe yields two loaves, which means you can make one for yourself and give one away with preserves as a tasty gift. Serve any leftovers toasted with a spot of butter and jam.

View Recipe: Walnut Bread

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Fig-Walnut Sticky Buns

These sweet rolls start with or all-purpose Bakery Dinnner Rolls dough. They're delicious enough to garner our highest rating for taste.

View Recipe: Fig-Walnut Sticky Buns

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

A light hand with the dough will help to ensure tender biscuits. This method of folding the dough creates irresistible flaky layers. To maximize the number of biscuits you get from the recipe, gather the dough scraps after cutting and gently pat or reroll to a 3/4-inch thinkness. This dough can also be used as a base for Spiced Pumpkin Biscuits, Parmesan-Pepper Biscuits, Pistachio-Cranberry Scones.

View Recipe: Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Jezebel Sauce

With its sweet apricot and pineapple flavors and pepper-jelly kick, this spicy Southern condiment pairs marvelously with cheese and crackers or roasted meats. It's a snap to make, so keep its simple ingredients on hand just in case unexpected company arrives.

View Recipe: Jezebel Sauce

Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Potato-Sour Cream Biscuits

Mashed potatoes give these unique biscuits density and body, but they're still crisp and buttery. Their texture and tangy flavor makes them a great choice for your holiday table―or for making a leftover-turkey-and-cranberry sauce sandwich.

View Recipe: Potato–Sour Cream Biscuits

Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Sun-Dried Tomato Jam

Though it's called jam and is full of onion and tomato sweetness, this spread is not just for breakfast toast. Try it with goat cheese, as a main-dish sauce, or on pizza. The recipe makes four cups, so keep half and give the rest as a gift, or double the recipe and bring cheer to lots of coworkers and friends.

<a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sun-dried-tomato-jam-10000001545775/" _fcksavedurl="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/sun-dried-tomato-jam-10000001545775/" Target="_blank>View Recipe: Sun-Dried Tomato Jam

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Basic Beer-Cheese Bread

Drizzling butter over top of this quick bread twice during baking gives it a wonderfully brown and crisp crust, and a great rich flavor, accentuating the cheese spread throughout the loaf. The bread is endlessly variable; by changing the type of beer, cheese, and extra ingredients you can make a whole new dish. Check the recipe for apple-cheddar, manchego-jalapeño, and sopressata-asiago variations.

View Recipe: Basic Beer-Cheese Bread

Photography: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

Most holiday recipes are made for dinner, but these playful muffins are perfect for a breakfast or brunch. Bite into an enchantingly peanutty whole wheat muffin and you'll find a pocket of sweet, fruity jam hiding inside. They're great warm or cool.

View Recipe: Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

Photo: José Picayo

Cranberry Sauce with Cassis and Dried Cherries

This essential trimming can be made up to a week ahead. Cassis is black currant–flavored liqueur. If you can’t find it, substitute orange liqueur.

View Recipe: Cranberry Sauce with Cassis and Dried Cherries

Holiday Breads and Extras

Cinnamon-Date-Pecan Rolls with Maple Glaze

Sweet Challah

Classic Cranberry Sauce

Mini Cranberry Panettones

Cheese and Chive Challah

Framboise Cranberry Sauce

Christmas Stollen

Orange-Buttermilk Dinner Rolls

Spiced Persimmon and Pecan Muffins

Ginger-Pear Preserves

Fresh Cranberry-Orange Relish

Toasted Almond and Cherry Scones

Spicy Pickled Green Beans

Cranberry, Apple, and Walnut Sauce

Spiced Apricot Chutney

Walnut Bread

Fig-Walnut Sticky Buns

Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

Jezebel Sauce

Potato-Sour Cream Biscuits

Sun-Dried Tomato Jam

Basic Beer-Cheese Bread

Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

Cranberry Sauce with Cassis and Dried Cherries