3 Perfect Holiday Pecan Recipes for Your December Celebration
Aren’t you excited? The holidays are here! Who doesn’t like a little holiday cheer to close out their year? Whether you celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah, there is a perfect pecan recipe out there waiting just for you. In fact, it isn’t waiting out there. It’s right here! We’ve got three of our favorite holiday-themed pecan recipes that will leave you and friends or family asking for more, no matter what December winter holiday you celebrate.
It's time to ring in the New Year with pecan recipes that will have you grinning from ear to ear. Let’s go in chronological order and start with the celebration closest to today. And that would be Hannukah. Read on to learn more about this important Jewish holiday.
Let’s Start with Hannukkah
Hanukkah, or Chanukah, which is the word for “dedication” in the Hebrew language, is a Jewish wintertime “festival of lights,” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers, and fried foods. The ancient December holiday is named after the word for “dedication” because it celebrates the rededication of the Holy Temple after it was reclaimed from the Syrian Greeks in the second century BCE.
Hanukkah is a 9-day celebration where it is customary to eat foods fried in oil. An Eastern-European classic is the potato latke (pancake) garnished with applesauce or sour cream. Travel to Israel during this sacred time and you will find the jelly-filled sufganya (doughnut) is what most prefer. Today, for our pecan Hanukkah recipe, we’re going to introduce you to yet another Jewish crowd favorite, the Sticky Bun Noodle Kugel. It’s no great secret that Asian foods hold a special place in Hanukkah tradition, so this sticky bun noodle recipe is just perfect for the occasion.
Sticky Bun Noodle Kugel
This recipe is going to have you licking your lips no matter what time of year you make it. It’s sweet and delicious and just what the winter months ordered. But first, what is a kugel? In short, a kugel is a baked casserole, mostly made from lokshen or Jewish egg noodles, or potato. It is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish, often served on Shabbat and Jewish holidays. American Jews also serve it for Thanksgiving dinner and during Hanukkah.
Ingredients
1 lb. of medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
1⁄2 a cup of margarine
1 cup of brown sugar
1 cup of pecan halves
4 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1⁄8 of a teaspoon of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of vanilla
5 tablespoons of melted margarine
1 cup of sugar
Instructions
Step 1
Melt the whole stick of margarine and add 1 of cup brown sugar to it.
Step 2
Pour in the sugar mixture into the bottom of a bundt pan, and then press the pecan halves into the mixture.
Step 3
Mix all the remaining ingredients together except for the noodles, then add the mixture to the cooked noodles.
Step 4
Carefully spoon everything into the bundt pan.
Step 5
Bake for 1 hour at 350°.
Step 6
Invert to serve and enjoy!
Doesn’t that sound like an easy and amazing recipe? It’s a sweet delight you and the family could enjoy all year long. So, with Hanukkah beginning on the evening of December 18 and ending on December 26, that brings us to our next holiday on the list, Christmas. What delicious pecan-oriented delights can yuletide celebrants look forward to?
A Christmas Tradition
Christmas is the most popular entry on this list simply because of the sheer number of humans who celebrate it. The origins of Christmas stretch back thousands of years to prehistoric celebrations around the midwinter solstice. And many of the traditions we cherish today have been shaped by centuries of changing beliefs, politics, technology, taste, and commerce.
According to one Gallup poll, up to 93% of Americans celebrate Christmas. Near universal observance of Christmas is seen across all gender, age, education, and income subgroups of Americans with more than 9 in 10 in each saying they celebrate. Certainly, Christmas is a perfect way to introduce yourself, your friends, and your family to an amazing new snack pecan recipe. Think about all those happy millions!
Cinnamon Spiced Pecans
Sure, there are all sorts of Christmas cakes and other dessert goodies with pecans as an ingredient. But we wanted to make the pecans themselves the star of the show. We believe that pecans are a great snack. They can be enjoyed in far more settings than simply being cooked into a cake or cookie. They should stand out on their own as healthy and well-balanced snacks. And these Cinnamon Spiced Pecans are just that.
These spiced pecans are a treat enjoyed by people of all ages. They are nice to have on hand during the Christmas season to serve as an appetizer, add to a cookie plate or give as gifts packaged in decorated jars or containers! Don’t you just love making foods that will delight your family or guests? A bowl of cinnamon-spiced pecans set in strategic locations around your house will be just what your Christmas party needs.
Ingredients
1/2 a cup of sugar
3 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1/2 a teaspoon of salt
1 large egg white
1-pound of large pecan halves
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 300°.
Step 2
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Step 3
In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg white. Add the pecans; stir until coated. Sprinkle with sugar mixture from step 2 and mix well.
Step 4
Spread this mixture in a single layer on a greased baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, 20-25 minutes, stirring once.
Step 5
Remove nuts from the baking sheet to cool on waxed paper and enjoy!
Now, you may be wondering what to do if you have many pecans left over. We’ve got some pro storage tricks for you. Simply store them at room temperature in an airtight container. Avoid refrigeration as it will change their texture. Once they are stored, you can expect them to last for up to two weeks—so long as they're sealed. Wondering what to do with the excess? They make excellent gifts. Try wrapping them in decorative baggies or containers and gifting them to friends and family.
You can also add a twist to this Christmas pecan recipe by adding other spices, such as a little nutmeg, a hint of ginger, or a bit of allspice. For all your pumpkin spice lovers out there, you can try to skip the cinnamon and use a pumpkin pie spice blend instead!
And finally, we come to our final December holiday celebration, Kwanzaa! What fascinating Kwanzaa-centric dish will we learn about today?
The History of Kwanzaa
While some put their tree up for Christmas and get their menorah ready for Hanukkah, others are getting ready to observe the vibrant holiday of Kwanzaa. Kwanzaa is an annual seven-day celebration of African American culture that was created by activist Maulana Karenga back in 1966 based on various African harvest traditions. Before anything else, Kwanzaa is a community-centered holiday. People come together for Kwanzaa. Because of that, the table you set should feed a crowd, and then some. Kwanzaa dishes are bountiful, culturally rich offerings that welcome guests in and guide them on a taste journey through the African diaspora.
Consider a buffet or family-style presentation. You are going to need all your dishes as the sauces and dish variations will be numerous. Your Kwanzaa spread should be overflowing with bounty. The holiday is excellent for potlucks, with guests coming together to contribute to an epic feast. Another convivial way to spread the joy of Kwanzaa and satiate the masses is by setting an elaborate grazing table, crammed with a mix of snacks, salads, and crowd-pleasing appetizers that may be refreshed throughout the celebration. And we’ve got one of the perfect recipes for your Kwanzaa table.
Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Pecan Praline Sauce
This is another recipe that you can cook year-round. But here’s the thing, in the holiday world of delectable desserts there is a divide between those who eat pumpkin pie and those who eat sweet potato pie. Here is our recommendation. If you haven’t ever tried a sweet potato pie, we recommend giving it a chance. If nothing else, it will make a great addition to your Kwanzaa spread.
Ingredients
Bread Pudding
2 cups of diced and peeled sweet potato
3/4 cup of water
3 tablespoons of granulated sugar plus 1/4 cup, divided
3 tablespoons of light brown sugar
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
1 ½ teaspoon of orange zest
1/4 cup of orange juice
3/4 teaspoon of lemon zest
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of salt
6 large eggs
1 ½ cups of low-fat milk
2/3 cups of sweetened condensed milk
1 ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
8 cups of diced, stale French bread, preferably whole-wheat
Sauce
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, divided
1/4 cup of light brown sugar
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 cup of low-fat milk
2 tablespoons of heavy cream plus 3/4 cup, divided
1/3 cup of finely chopped pecans, toasted
3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Whipped cream for serving
Instructions
Step 1
To prepare the pudding: Combine the sweet potato, water, 3 tablespoons each of granulated sugar and brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of butter, orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Step 2
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the sweet potato is very tender, 15 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
Step 3
Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree. Transfer to a shallow pan and let cool completely, about 15 minutes in the refrigerator or 5 minutes in the freezer.
Step 4
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 7-by-11-inch or similar 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Put a kettle of water on to boil for the water bath.
Step 5
Whisk eggs in a large bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups of milk, condensed milk, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, the sweet potato puree, and the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar; whisk until blended. Add the bread and stir until well-coated. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
Step 6
Place the baking dish in a roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come 1 inch up the sides of the baking dish. Carefully transfer the roasting pan to the oven. Bake the pudding until the center is no longer runny, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Step 7
Just before serving, prepare sauce: Combine 3 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, and 2 tablespoons cream in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 1 minute, whisking occasionally. Add pecans and vanilla. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and golden, about 3 minutes more. Add the remaining 3/4 cup of cream. Return the mixture to a boil and cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
Step 8
Serve the pudding with the sauce and whipped cream, if desired, and thoroughly enjoy!
Does this sound like an amazing dessert or what? It would be a perfect addition to your Kwanzaa spread, no matter where you live. Treat your guests to something amazing this Kwanzaa with this Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Pecan Praline Sauce recipe! And with Kwanzaa ending on January 1st, it would be a perfect recipe after a long night out.
We hope you have enjoyed these three incredible holiday pecan recipes. They are some of our favorites and we loved sharing them with you. From your friends at Delightful Pecans, we wish you a lovely holiday season!