There’s something magical about gingerbread—it’s the quintessential flavor of the holidays, bringing warmth, nostalgia, and just the right amount of spice to the season. From comforting breads and indulgent desserts to creative drinks and snacks, gingerbread isn’t just for cookies anymore! Dive into this collection of holiday gingerbread ideas from my kitchen to yours. Click on the easy gingerbread recipes to explore the full recipes and bring these delicious ideas to life.
DIY Homemade Gingerbread Spice: Create your own gingerbread spice mix and discover a dozen creative ways to sprinkle it into your favorite recipes.
Gingerbread Chai Latte with Collagen: A cozy, protein-boosted latte that blends the boldness of chai spices with the sweet essence of gingerbread.
Chocolate Gingerbread Mini Loaves: Mini loaves that combine rich chocolate and spicy gingerbread—a chocolate gingerbread mini loaf perfect for gifting or indulging!
Easy Protein Gingerbread: Enjoy a slice of this wholesome quick bread packed with protein and warm spices. This gingerbread quick bread recipe perfect for breakfast, snacking, or dessert.
Low-Carb Chocolate Gingerbread Protein Truffles: One of my more decadent-seeming protein gingerbread recipes that’s actually keto, paleo, and vegan-friendly, with a balance of spice and sweetness.
Hasselback Baked Pears with Gingerbread Streusel: Elegant baked pears topped with a flavorful streusel and paired with a quick gingerbread latte. Warm, spiced fruit desserts are my favorite in cool-weather months.
Whether you’re baking gingerbread desserts or gingerbread for breakfasts to treat friends, family, or just yourself, these healthy gingerbread recipes are sure to spice up your holiday season. What’s your favorite way to enjoy gingerbread? Let me know in the comments below!
Take your breakfast or brunch to the next level with Raspberry Chocolate Pancake Puffs, a delightful treat stuffed with juicy raspberries and melty chocolate.
These little pancake bites are inspired by Danish aebleskivers, a beloved holiday dish, but with a simpler, modern twist. Instead of using a traditional aebleskiver pan (which can be a bit tricky to master), this version makes use of a donut hole or cake pop machine. The result? A convenient, mess-free, mini-sized way to enjoy this festive favorite.
Why You’ll Love These Mini Pancake Puffs
Light and Fluffy Texture: The secret is in the egg whites! Whipping them to stiff peaks ensures the puffs are tender and airy. While stiff peaks may sound intimidating, they’re surprisingly easy to achieve with a few simple tricks:
Use cold, fresh eggs.
Make sure no yolk sneaks into the whites.
Add a pinch of salt to stabilize the peaks.
Beat on medium speed for 4–5 minutes (don’t overdo it!).
Healthier Cooking: Unlike traditional aebleskivers, these pancake puffs can be made with little to no butter or oil thanks to the nonstick magic of a donut hole machine.
Endless Customization: While fresh raspberries and chocolate chips are a dreamy combination, the possibilities are endless. Jam, nut butters, diced fruit, or even savory fillings can be used to suit your mood or menu.
A Holiday Treat to Remember
Perfect for holiday brunches, weekend breakfasts, or even as a festive dessert, these cake pop maker pancake bits this are guaranteed to be a hit with kids and adults alike. Each tender bite is a surprise, with bursts of fresh raspberry and chocolate that make every puff feel like a special treat.
Make it a family tradition: Invite the kids to help fill the batter and discover the joy of biting into a “hidden treasure” inside each puff. It’s an easy way to create holiday memories while enjoying a dish that’s as fun to make as it is to eat.
Pro Tips for Pancake Puff aka Aebleskivers Success
Don’t overfill: A small dollop of batter, followed by your filling, and then another small dollop on top ensures a neat seal.
Preheat your machine: Like any pancake, these cook best when your cooking surface is hot and ready.
Serve warm: The gooey chocolate and warm raspberries are best enjoyed fresh from the machine. But, if you have leftovers (almost unheard of!), keep them in the fridge, and then microwave on a paper towel-lined sheet for 10 seconds or so.
Whether you’re hosting a festive brunch or just looking to bring a little holiday cheer to your table, this easy aebleskivers recipe is an easy, impressive, and utterly delicious option. With their light texture, customizable fillings, and festive appeal, they’re sure to become a new family favorite.
What’s your favorite filling for pancake puffs? Let me know in the comments and happy cooking!
Stuffed with raspberries and chocolate, these little pancake puffs make a fun, festive treat for breakfast or brunch. Inspired by a Danish holiday dish called aebleskivers – except skipping the traditional tricky pan in lieu of an easy, convenient donut hole / cake pop machine. Bringing egg whites to stiff peaks help the puffs cook up light and fluffy and I always use Eggland’s Best eggs for the great taste and superior nutrition.
My goal for 2023 is to “Eat More Brunch” . . . and I’m starting now with this “Breakfast at Midnight” snacking board. It’s so perfect for our stay-at-home New Year’s Eve celebration. I’m not a fan of going out on this crazy night and would rather stay at home in my PJs and eat my favorite foods – and a breakfast grazing board pretty much covers all the favorite comfort food bases!
With help from Wildgrain Box (more details below), I made this gorgeous grazing board overflowing with beautiful brunch and breakfast trimmings. To balance my board nutritionally, I like to offer an array of nibbles and noshes.
This is a must make for your breakfast and brunch celebration. – or anytime of day!
Ideas for Your Breakfast or Brunch Charcuterie Tray
Eggs: Deviled eggs, sous-vide egg bites, slices of quiche, egg salad, or simple slices of hard-boiled egg.
Meats: Bacon, breakfast sausages, chunks of steak, and traditional charcuterie meats such as salami, prosciutto and summer sausage.
Cheese: Your favorite cheese cut in “cracker stacker” form, along mini wedges of bold cheese like blue cheese, and spreadable cheese and even a ooey-gooey baked brie.
Seasonal Fruit: All the beautiful fruits you love, avocados and tomatoes too for sandwich building.
Dried Fruits and Nuts
Butter, Honey, Jams, Spreads
Artisan Breads, Pastries, Crackers: Sourdough sliced for breakfast sandwich making, biscuits, pastries, donut holes, muffins, crackers and more! I even added homemade cottage fries with this brunch board.
Croissants from Wildgrain are magnifique! For a limited time, new orders get a FREE 4-pack with each shipment for life.
When it comes to artisan breads and pastries, I’ll admit right here and now – I’m NOT a scratch baker (those croissants above would literally take ALL DAY from scratch, but only 18-22 minutes the Wildgrain way)! Wildgrain Box to sends me other baking championship-worthy items – and no one is the wiser! Wildgrain is an amazing subscription box that sends artisanal pastas, breads and pastries to my home that are frozen and ready to prepare in no more than 25 minutes!
I transformed my Cranberry Orange Biscuits from Wildgrain into look-alike baby scones by cutting in half diagonally, giving an egg wash on top, and sprinkling with sugar crystals.
All the labor-intensive work has been done for me thanks to Wildgrain Box. The dough has been hand-prepped, the breads have been proofed, and the pastries given extra TLC. This means I save a ton of time and no extra mess is made at my house, lol! I also appreciate that Wildgrain use clean, non-GMO ingredients and their fermentation process provides benefits you won’t find at the grocery store. Items are always shipped free in and eco-friendly box and recyclable stay-cold packaging. They also support small bakeries and responsible source products from some of the best bread and pasta makers in existence. With each bite, I can taste the talent and love these yummy delights.
BTW, you can save $10 on your first order with code THEFITFORK. Every month (pause or cancel at any time), I get a frozen shipment of tender pastas, artisan breads and pastries delivered to my door.
Slow-fermented Olive Oil Ciabatta from Wildgrain is a winner with any meal. I sliced it up to use for breakfast sammies on my brunch board.
For New Year’s Eve . . . and beyond, keep Wildgrain in mind as your secret shortcut. One of my quick and east dinner solutions throughout the year (and to support my carb loading for longs runs, haha) are the artisan pastas from Wildgrain. These fresh hand-cut pastas taste oh-so “old world,” yet only need to be plopped into boiling water for mere minutes. Add a sauce, some veggies, a protein – and boom-bam, it’s a nutritious meal in under 30 minutes!
Slow-Fermented Brioche Rolls (likely but not confirmed)
Giant Chocolate Chunk Cookes
+ Free Croissants
Oh yeah, did I mention that every subscription of a Wildgrain Bread Box started now through January gets a free 4-pack of croissants sent with EVERY box shipment for LIFE. There are no words to describe how good they are! Remember to use my Wildgrain coupon code to save $10 — THEFITFORK
Pumpkin Spice French Toast Casserole with Pecan-Oat Crumble topping is a scrumptiously seasonal dish for upcoming holiday breakfasts and brunches.
Throw it together the night before you plan to serve and keep this make-ahead breakfast casserole in the fridge until ready to bake and serve. This takes so much stress out of a busy morning when hosting guests or just otherwise have a lot on your proverbial plate.
Pumpkin spice everything is LIFE this time of year, and using a pumpkin pie spice blend and already pureed pumpkin from a can minimizes the steps and adds convenience to putting together a holiday brunch recipes. A Wildgrain subscription box is another way to simplify and add convenience to your holiday entertaining and recipe plans.
Wildgrain is a delicious bread subscription box that also delivers artisanal pastas, pastries all kinds of breads (made with clean, nutritious ingredients) to your door that are frozen and ready to prepare in a flash – no more than 25 minutes from freezer door opening to your mouth opening for the first bite! I love to cook, but baking from scratch is a whole ‘nutha skill set and patience level, so I’m happy to let Wildgrain come to my rescue this holiday season when there is already more than enough “to-dos” on my list!
For this pumpkin breakfast casserole, I used the plain sourdough loaf in my box. Wildgrain bakers start with wild yeast to made the sourdough starter which takes days from start to finish and provides nutrients such as fiber-rich bran, proteins, probiotics, and vitamin-rich germ. The exterior of this loaf bakes up fabulously crusty and audibly crunchy while the interior is soft and tender with that old-school sourdough zip. So good!
When making a French toast casserole, it typically usually turns out best with bread a tad on the stale side so that it better soaks up the milk-egg mixture like a sponge.
With a fresh-baked loaf, the easy work around is to cut up in bite-sized cubes and leave on the counter uncovered for a couple hours.
Check out the No-Cook Tomato Artichoke Pasta made using one of Wildgrain’s hand-cut pastas! This was a quick and simple summer-inspired dish I created but would also be great for the holiday season, to bring to a party or serve at home on one of those busy nights when everything’s happening at once.
Pin this for later!
Let me know what you think about this pumpkin spice breakfast casserole and don’t forget to check out Wilgrain. Use code THEFITFORK to save $10 on your first box (AND, if you sign up now, they will treat you to a free 4-pack of croissants with each and every box you have delivered for life – and these croissants ARE AMAZING, we were fighting over the last one at my house!!!)
Pumpkin Spice French Toast Casserole with Pecan-Oat Crumble Topping
Prep Time
15mins
Cook Time
45mins
Total Time
1hr
Treatyour holiday crowd this delicious pumpkin spice breakfast bake inspired byFrench toast! A crusty loaf of sourdough soaks up all the goodness and apecan-oat streusel like topping adds extra yum and then some! Make it ahead,stick in fridge overnight and bake in the morning for brunch
Course:
Breakfast, brunch
Keyword:
entertaining, fall, holiday, make ahead
Servings: 8servings
Ingredients
1 16-ounceloaf sourdough breadI used plain sourdough loaf from Wilgrain
6large eggs
2 1/4cupswhole milk
2teaspoonspure vanilla
1cuppumpkin pureefrom can
3/4cupbrown sugar
2teaspoonspumpkin pie spice
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
CRUMB TOPPING
1/3cuppacked light brown sugar
1/3cuprolled oats
1/2teaspoonpumpkin pie spice
6tablespoonsbuttercold
3/4cuproughly chopped pecans*
Optional topping ideas: maple syrupcaramel sauce, or powdered sugar drizzle
Instructions
Cut or tear loaf into approximate 1” cubes. Stale bread soaks up the egg mixture better, so if loaf is fresh-baked, let the bread cubes sit on counter uncovered for a few hours.
Spray a 10”-diameter oven-proof skillet or 9”×13” inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Add bread cubes to skillet or dish.
In large bowl, whisk eggs, milk, vanilla, pumpkin, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice together. Pour mixture evenly over bread.
Cover skillet and chill in fridge for 2 hours or more (even overnight) so that bread absorbs as much of the egg-pumpkin mixture as possible.
Prepare topping by tossing brown sugar, oats, and pumpkin pie spice. Cut cold butter in little cubes and, using a fork or pastry cutter, mash around until mixture is coarsely combined and crumbly. Do not add topping until ready to bake (also keep in fridge until ready).
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Sprinkle pecan-oat crumb topping evenly over casserole and bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Then, cover skillet with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until center appears set. Total bake time is about 45 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. If desired, drizzle with a sauce such as maple syrup, caramel sauce, or a simple powdered sugar-milk drizzle.
Love a hearty, hot meal in the morning, like one of my favorite make-ahead breakfast casseroles – Hatch Green Chile Chicken Egg Bake. Wholesome goodness baked up in a 9”x13” dish, ready to cut into satisfying, satiating, super scrumptious squares.
Lots of protein (21g per serving) and enough carbs to give me some get-up and go, but not be “over the top.” I rely on (thawed) frozen hash brown potatoes to give me that delicious energy I need for my runs and workouts. Eggs and cheese (boosted by some blended cottage cheese) add extra protein power along with the ground chicken breast. Plus, SO MUCH flavor from roasted Hatch green chilies – I just love them!
No surprise, I love these mild to medium (some varieties hot) peppers from the hallowed grounds of New Mexico. I’ve written a lot of blog posts on Hatch Green Chile recipes and tips (here’s a useful post) – and I’ve also been the champion of a Hatch Green Chile Cookoff here in Austin, Texas. A recent Hatch Green Chile recipe is 15 minute Baked Shrimp in Hatch Green Chile Sauce.
These green chiles are definitely a fan favorite for their earthy bite that doesn’t burn too much (really some are quite mild, which I think works well to compliment the flavors of both chicken and eggs). When hatch peppers aren’t in season (August – September), I rely on the Hatch Green Chile Store to quell my cravings!
This chicken green chile casserole recipe was inspired by one of my most popular and best breakfast casserole recipes – Barn-raiser Beef & Egg Bake, a real winner that has been featured in Taste of Home and also on the Hallmark Home & Family Show.
Of course, I changed this Hatch Green Chicken Egg Bake up a bit to be a super star in its own right, but recipe concept is very similar – create a base of thawed frozen hash browns in casserole dish, pour over a mixture of cooked ground meat, veggies, etc., and then pour over an egg-milk-cheese mixture that soaks down through all the layers to create a tender but firm casserole that cuts nicely into squares that hold their shape.
Layer up in a 9″x 13″ casserole dish and bake 60 minutes.
Big enough to serve a crowd at brunch, but this breakfast egg bake with green chiles can also be cooled and frozen in single-serving portions. Then, either defrost overnight in the fridge (or on “defrost” in the microwave) before re-heating for about 60 seconds on high in microwave.
Per serving: 304 calories, 16g carbs, 16g fat, 21g protein!!! It will keep you filled up for a while without busting your calorie budget.
This hearty but well-balanced breakfast bake is also perfect for brunch, lunch and a light dinner! Gluten free, lower carb — 21g protein for long-lasting energy. Great for a crowd, or meal prep and freeze in single-serve portions to reheat later.
Course:
Breakfast, brunch
Cuisine:
Southwestern
Keyword:
chicken, egg, make ahead, meal prep
Servings: 12servings
Calories: 304kcal
Ingredients
2tsp.olive oil
½cupchopped white onion
1lb.ground chicken breast
1oz.packet chicken taco season mixlike McCormick’s
¼cupwater
4cupsfresh spinachcoarsely chopped
1cupchopped roasted green chilesHatch Green Chili Store
¼cupchopped cilantrodivided
14large eggs
1/2cupricotta cheese or blended cottage cheese
1/2cupmilk
8ouncesshredded Monterey Jack cheesedivided
4cupsfrozen shredded hash brown potatoesthawed
½tsp.salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Heat large skillet over medium-high. Add olive oil and onions, sauté for 1 minute. Add ground chicken breast and brown, crumbling into small pieces, for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through well. The chicken is low-fat, so there will be nothing to drain.
Stir in water and taco seasoning, stir over heat to combine.
Add, chopped green chiles, chopped spinach and 3 tbsp. of chopped cilantro to skillet, stir over heat until spinach wilted.
Whisk together eggs, milk and ricotta cheese (or blended cottage cheese).
Stir 2/3 of shredded Monterey Jack cheese into egg mixture (reserve remainder)
Place shredded hash browns in bottom of 9” x 13” casserole dish that has been coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt.
Spoon chicken taco mixture evenly over hash browns.
Pour egg mixture over taco mixture.
Top with remaining cheese.
Bake for 50 minutes or until center set.
Let cook 5 minutes before slicing into 12 squares.
For meal prep, portions may be frozen in airtight container and then defrosted and reheated, as needed.
