Holiday Dinner Party Ideas
From Baked Brie to Hot Chocolate: 6 Recipes Everyone Will Love
Hi friends,
As we enter the holiday season, I wanted to share some of my favorite recipes for hosting or attending a holiday party or potluck!
These recipes are easy, festive, and guaranteed to make your table shine.
The Recipes
Baked Brie with Fig Jam, Rosemary, and Walnuts: Creamy brie gets topped with sweet fig jam, a sprinkle of rosemary, and some crunchy walnuts, then baked until nice and gooey. For this recipe, I recommend prepping ahead and baking it just before serving!
Spicy Hot Jalapeno Artichoke Dip: If you’re as obsessed with cheesy, spicy snacks as I am, this dip is worth a try!
Fluffy Focaccia: This fluffy focaccia recipe is a long-standing favorite on my site, and for good reason! I’ve developed a delicious, from-scratch bread with a crisp exterior and a soft, fluffy inner crumb through countless experiments.
Salted Maple Milk Buns: These buns are next-level soft—like a cloud, but edible. Brushing them with maple butter takes them over the top, making them a little salty, a little sweet, and basically impossible to stop eating. They honestly taste like dessert disguised as dinner rolls (Food52).
Kale Caesar Salad: This isn’t your typical Caesar salad. The dressing is super garlicky and punchy, perfect for hearty kale.
Amaretto Hot Chocolate: This rich, creamy hot chocolate gets a cozy upgrade with a splash of amaretto—it’s the perfect blend of almond and chocolate flavors. Originally a small-batch recipe, it’s easy to scale up for a crowd (see below for details). Serve it warm in a slow cooker and set up a hot chocolate bar so everyone can add their favorite toppings, like whipped cream, salted caramel, marshmallows, or crushed graham crackers.
How to Scale the Amaretto Hot Chocolate
To scale the Amaretto Hot Chocolate recipe for a crowd, multiply all ingredients proportionally based on the desired number of servings. However, adjust for heat and timing, as larger batches take longer to simmer and thicken.
Note: When I made this recipe with 8 servings, it took the milk about 25 minutes to come to a simmer.
TIP: Try the recipe once, for 2 servings, and note any adjustments before scaling it up for a crowd!
Use a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Prepare the cornstarch slurry and add it once the milk mixture is hot, stirring constantly to ensure even thickening.
Taste and adjust sweetness, salt, and amaretto for balance, as flavors can dilute in larger volumes. Salt is key here, so don’t be shy!
When serving, stir occasionally or cover to prevent skin from forming on the surface.
For even more ideas, check out my full list of holiday recipes!
Have a wonderful rest of the week!
-Karishma