The best thing about any holiday is the food, and Hanukkah is no exception. Here are some exciting and festive recipes — from perfectly crispy latkes to crave-worthy chocolate babka — all to celebrate these ~eight crazy nights.~ 🕯
1. Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken
You can find this sweet-meets-savory chicken dish on the table for just about any Jewish holiday. Chicken thighs cook in the slow cooker in a mixture of onion soup mix, apricot preserves, French dressing, and thyme. It's only a few ingredients, but it packs tons of flavor.
Recipe: Slow Cooker Apricot Chicken
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2. Sweet Potato Latkes
Replace Russet potatoes with sweet potatoes for a modern take on classic pan-fried latkes.
Recipe: Sweet Potato Latkes
3. Matzo Ball Soup With Chicken Meatballs
The ultimate comfort food, matzo ball soup is called Jewish penicillin for a reason. This version calls for homemade chicken meatballs instead of more classic shredded chicken breast.
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4. Sweet Noodle Kugel Muffins
These sweet and tender egg noodle muffins get their flavor from cinnamon, sugar, applesauce, and pineapple juice. Baked in muffin tins, they're a perfectly shareable appetizer.
Recipe: Sweet Noodle Kugel Muffins
5. Easy Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup gets a decadent upgrade worthy of the holiday table thanks to a little bit of cream and flour. It's coziness in a single bowl.
Recipe: Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
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6. Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket
The hardest thing about making brisket is having the patience to wait and let it get nice and tender. Thanks to your handy slow cooker, that's easier than ever. Just cover beef brisket in your favorite bottled BBQ sauce and some spices and let dinner cook itself.
Recipe: Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket
7. Challah Grilled Cheese
Buttery, eggy, moist challah bread is the perfect vessel for gooey grilled cheese. Try it once, and you'll never go back.
Recipe: Challah Grilled Cheese
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8. Crispy Potato Latkes With Smoked Salmon
A little dollop of sour cream and a slice of smoked salmon turns your average potato latkes into an elevated, crowd-pleasing appetizer. Make these for Hanukkah...or any day.
9. Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken Thighs
Crushed tomatoes, pineapple, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, hot sauce, and some spices form a delightfully balanced sauce that's equally sweet and tangy.
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10. Beet Latkes with Horseradish Crème Fraîche
You can replace potatoes with just about any shredded veggie to make crispy latkes. In this case, beets give veggie pancakes a bright pop of color and, paired with horseradish crème fraîche, a unique and irresistable flavor.
11. Truffle Oil Potato Kugel
Potato kugel is probably the comfort food you never knew you needed in your life. It's basically a potato and egg noodle casserole, baked with creamy cottage cheese, sour cream, butter, and scallions. If you don't have truffle olive oil, don't worry: it will still taste incredible.
Recipe: Truffle Oil Potato Kugel
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12. Roasted Tomato Soup with Ricotta Matzo Balls
While not necessarily traditional, these fluffy ricotta matzo balls in tomato-based broth tastes almost like matzo ball soup and lasagna soup had a baby.
13. Pizza Latkes
I'm just wondering why didn't I think of this sooner...
Recipe: Pizza Latkes
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14. Jewish-Style Fried Artichokes
Perhaps the most delicious way to eat artichokes, the hearts are deep fried until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, then they're drizzled with salt and lemon juice.
Recipe: Jewish-Style Fried Artichokes
15. Homemade Challah Bread
Challah bread is easily one of the most wonderful things on the planet. Enriched with eggs and olive oil, it's light and moist, yet rich and buttery at the same time. Plus, you get to make French toast with the leftovers.
Recipe: Homemade Challah Bread
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16. Chocolate Babka
Making babka from scratch requires some time and effort, but if you're looking for a baking project to keep you busy and yield incredible results, this is the one. It's soft brioche bread filled with dark chocolate swirls, all topped with chocolate streusel crumble.
Recipe: Chocolate Babka
17. Jelly Donuts (Sufganiyot)
The Israeli take on deep-fried donuts called sufganiyot are filled with sweet jelly and dusted with powdered sugar. You'll want these on your holiday table.
Recipe: Jelly Donuts (Sufganiyot)
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18. Marshmallow Dreidels
An adorable, edible project to make with kids, these tasty chocolate and marshmallow dreidels call for just five ingredients.
Recipe: Marshmallow Dreidels
19. Apple Bundt Cake
Grab some Granny Smiths from your local farmer's market and turn them into a seasonal bundt cake.
Recipe: Apple Bundt Cake
20. Homemade Rugelach
You can make rugelach with anything from raspberry jam to melted chocolate, but this recipe calls for a simple cinnamon sugar filling. Oh, and these homemade cookies are easy enough for even novice bakers.
Recipe: Homemade Rugelach