Cozy Winter Recipes

Something I love about the winter season is that it is all about being cozy! When the weather is cold, our family craves delicious, warm food. The aroma of comfort and familiarity can do a lot for the soul, so I thought I would share some simple recipes we love!

  • HOMEMADE HOT CHOCOLATE: There is nothing like curling up in the evening with warm, rich, and creamy hot chocolate!

    • INGREDIENTS:

      • 4 cups milk (preferably whole or 2%)

      • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

      • ¼ cup granulated sugar

      • ½ cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar

      • ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

    • INSTRUCTIONS:

      • Place milk, cocoa powder and sugar in a small saucepan. Heat over medium/medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until warm (but not boiling). Add chocolate chips and whisk constantly until the chocolate chips melt and distribute evenly into the milk. Whisk in vanilla extract and a pinch of salt (if desired), serve immediately. 

Here are the cute mugs and nice saucepans I recommend!

  • WHITE CHICKEN CHILI: Creamy white chicken chili is the perfect cozy recipe for those cold winter nights!

    • INGREDIENTS:

      • 6 cups chicken stock

      • 3 to 4 cups cooked shredded chicken

      • 2 (15-ounce) cans beans of your choice, rinsed and drained (I used Great Northern beans)

      • 2 cups (16 ounces) salsa verde 

      • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

      • Toppings: avocado, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, tortilla strips

    • INSTRUCTIONS:

      • Combine ingredients. Stir together chicken stock, shredded chicken, beans, salsa and cumin in large stockpot.

      • Bring to a simmer. Cook on high heat until the soup reaches a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue simmering for 5 minutes.

      • Serve. Serve immediately, garnished with lots of your favorite toppings.

Here are the perfect bowls for chilis and soups!

  • YULE LOG: Who doesn’t love a rich chocolate cake with creamy filling? And what makes a yule log even better is that it is festive and perfect for winter!

    • INGREDIENTS:

      • 6 eggs

      • 13.25 oz box chocolate cake mix

      • ⅓ cup water

      • ¼ cup vegetable oil or canola

      • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

      • Filling: 12 oz can peppermint, vanilla or marshmallow frosting

      • Frosting: 12 oz whipped chocolate frosting, canned or homemade

      • Garnish: Fresh cranberries and rosemary for garnish to sugar

    • INSTRUCTIONS:

      • Preheat oven to 350ºF.

      • Beat eggs. In a large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer for 5 minutes until frothy and pale yellow in color.

      • Create batter. Add cake mix, water and oil and beat on low for 2 minutes.

      • Prepare baking sheet. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or a silicon liner, then coat liner with baking spray. Make sure to grease sides of the baking sheet as well.

      • Add batter to baking sheet. Pour batter onto prepared 12x18 baking sheet and spread evenly.

      • Bake. Bake at 350˚F for 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

      • Let cool. As soon as toothpick comes out clean, remove from oven and let cool for at least 5 minutes, not more than 10.

      • Release cake from pan. While the cake is still warm, grab a linen dish towel. Sprinkle both sides of the towel with powdered sugar to prevent cake from sticking to it then lay it on top of the cake.

      • Holding the towel and pan together, gently flip the pan upside down so the cake drops onto the towel. Tap to release if needed.

      • Roll cake. Peel parchment paper or silicon liner off of the cake. Then tightly but gently roll the cake, keeping the towel in place to separate the layers. Place the rolled cake, seam-side down, on a cooling rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes.

      • Unroll and add filling. When cooled, gently unroll the cake and spread a layer of marshmallow frosting all the way to the edges. Gently but tightly roll cake back up to form a log. Place cake onto a serving dish, seam-side down.

      • Make a branch. (Optional) If you'd like to make a "branch" cut away a slice of the cake, at an angle, and position at the side of the cake. Trim the angled end of the cake to be flat.

      • Frost the entire outside of the log and branch with chocolate frosting.

      • Add bark texture. Using a fork, create a bark-like pattern in the frosting.

      • Garnish. Add fresh cranberries and rosemary or decorate your log. Or use your creativity to create a wintery scene using whatever decorative items you would like.

I love these baking sheets and silicon liners for all of my baking ventures!

  • CHEESY BROCCOLI SOUP: Winter calls for delicious warm soups, and this one is a favorite!

    • INGREDIENTS:

      • 5 tbsp unsalted butter

      • ½ onion chopped

      • ⅓ cups all purpose flour

      • 2 cups chicken stock

      • 1 celery stalk finely diced

      • 2½ cup broccoli chopped into bite sized pieces

      • 2 cups whole milk

      • 2 cups shredded cheddar

      • salt and pepper to taste

    • INSTRUCTIONS:

      • Place large pot over medium heat and melt butter. Add onion and sweat, about 5 minutes.

      • Whisk in flour and cook for about 2 minutes.

      • Stir in chicken stock and season generously with salt and pepper.

      • Stir in celery and broccoli and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

      • Stir in milk and continue to simmer until soup is thick enough to just coat the back of a wooden spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. (soup should still have a 'soupy' texture)

      • Remove pot from heat and stir in cheddar in small handfuls, waiting until cheese melts to add more cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

This is the stock pot I like to use for soups!

Warm, hearty meals and sweet baked desserts not only physically warm you up but also trigger happy brain chemicals to combat those winter blues and tap into nostalgia! From rich broths to creamy textures, cozy winter recipes are a must to prepare & serve during the cold season!

HERE is a link to the supplies & bakeware I recommend using to make some delicious food this season!

Chesley Tolentino