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As the candles are lit and the glow of the menorah fills our homes, Hanukkah invites us to slow down, gather close, and savor the flavors that have been passed through generations. This season is all about comfort, tradition, and a touch of sweetness—and what better way to celebrate than with a trio of classic recipes that bring those elements to life?
Here are the recipes:
We’ll start with Easy Challah Bread, a beautifully braided loaf that’s soft, golden, and surprisingly simple to make. It’s perfect for sharing at the table, dipping into soup, or enjoying warm with a smear of butter.
The recipe can be found here.
Start by adding the flour, yeast and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. In a separate bowl, whisk together the honey, olive oil, 2 eggs, and water.
Tip: to make liquid honey, simply microwave the honey until it’s a liquid consistency, about 30 seconds.
Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with the mixer running on low speed. Once combined, knead for about 5 minutes.
Tip: If the dough is not coming together, add 1 Tbsp water, then let the mixer do its thing. You shouldn’t need more than 1 Tbsp to bring the dough together.
Transfer the ball of dough to a greased bowl (spray with cooking spray or add a small drizzle of olive oil and swirl around). Cover and let rise for about 1 hour in a warm place or let the dough rise until doubled in size. If your house is cooler, this will take more than 1 hour.
Once doubled in size, divide the dough into 5 equal pieces and roll into long strands. Pinch the strands together at one end then braid together and pinch together at the other end to finish the braid.
Tip: If you do not know how to braid Challah, a simple Google search or YouTube video will work wonders! I had to give myself a quick lesson too. And no, I do not have an image of my first attempt 🙂
Place the bread on a parchment lined baking sheet and let rise for another 30 minutes. Then, brush with egg yolk and bake at 350 degrees F for 30-40 minutes. The top should turn a nice golden brown.
Remove from the oven and serve warm or let cool and serve room temperature. Enjoy!
The recipe can be found here.
Next, nothing says comfort quite like Simple Matzo Ball Soup. With fluffy matzo balls floating in a rich, flavorful broth, this dish is soothing, nostalgic, and exactly what you want simmering on the stove during the festival of lights.
The recipe can be found here.
First you want to make the matzo balls. You do this by combining the matzo meal, beaten eggs, oil, water, salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well and then cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. You want the mixture to be firm when you form it into balls or they won’t stay together.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil while the matzo balls refrigerate. Wet your hands or use a cookie scoop (I think the cookie scoop works wonders) to form the mixture into balls. The balls should be about 1-inch in size, and you should have enough for 10-12 balls.
Reduce the boil to a simmer and add the matzo balls. Work in batches if you need to – they will expand quite a bit, and you want to ensure ample space in your pot. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. The matzo balls will become light and fluffy.
In a separate pot, heat the chicken broth over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
Tip: Have the broth heating while the pot of salted water for the matzo balls is heating. This will ensure you have enough time for the veggies to cook.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the matzo balls into the soup. Then, let them warm for about 5 minutes in the broth.
To serve, ladle the soup and some matzo balls into bowls and garnish with fresh dill or parsley. Or you can skip the garnish and enjoy as is. Personally, I don’t think it needs the garnish, but I know some enjoy the fresh herb taste. Enjoy!
For any leftovers, let cool completely and store in SEPARATE airtight containers in the fridge. The matzo balls should not be stored in the soup.
The recipe can be found here.
And of course, we can’t end without something sweet. Rugelach Cookies, with their tender, buttery dough and delicious swirls of cinnamon, walnuts, or fruit, bring a delightful finish to any celebration. They’re as fun to make as they are to eat—perfect for gifting or enjoying by the glow of the menorah.
The recipe can be found here.
You want to start by adding the flour, salt, and butter to a mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour. You want pea-sized pieces. This will take some patience 🙂 Then, stir in the sour cream and vanilla. It won’t look like much so use your hands to knead the dough together.
Once the dough has *mostly* come together, transfer to a lightly floured counter. Knead the dough until it forms a ball. Divide the ball into 3 equal size pieces and roll those into balls. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
While the dough chills, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. These don’t spread too much while baking so you should be able to fit all cookies on 2 baking sheets.
Working one ball of dough at a time, lightly flour the counter and unwrap the dough. Roll out until the dough is about a 10-inch circle. Spread about 2 Tbsp of the jam over the dough. You don’t want to add too much, or it will seep out while baking.
Tip: Use whatever flavor jam you prefer. I like to go with mixed berry but cherry, blueberry, blackberry, or any fruity flavor will work.
Next, add the pecans to a food processor and pulse until they resemble small crumbs. You might have a few larger pieces, but most should be crumbs. Sprinkle about 1/3 of the crumbs evenly over the jam.
Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 12 wedges – like you are slicing a pizza. Then, start at the long end of one piece and roll it towards the center (like a crescent roll). Place it on one of the baking sheets, point side down. You don’t want it to unravel. Repeat this will all slices then move on to the other 2 balls of dough. Leave a little room between each cookie on the baking sheets but don’t worry about leaving too much room.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top.
Serve and enjoy!
The recipe can be found here.
Together, these recipes create a Hanukkah menu that’s heartfelt, approachable, and full of tradition. Let’s celebrate the season with warmth, flavor, and food that brings everyone to the table.
Happy Hanukkah and Happy Cooking!
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