Editors' Picks: 11 Recipes We're Excited to Make This Winter

Cold, dark, wintry days call for tons of comfort food, and in this collection of recipes, we've gathered dishes for all kinds of occasions. Craving something hearty and warm? Make Braised Beef and Handmade Noodles or Poulet Mafé. Need a snack? A batch of Triple Chocolate–Peppermint Cookies is only a few steps away. Our editors also have Basque Garlic Soup and more recipes on their winter list—read on for all 11 we'll be making this season.

Cocoa Cola Bundt Cake

"I love everything Vallery Lomas makes, and this modern take on a Coca-Cola cake is no exception. Lomas cleverly calls this recipe Cocoa Cola Bundt Cake, because it combines that deep cola flavor with rich chocolate. Both the cake and the icing are cola-flavored, and the addition of warming spices like cinnamon and cloves turn it into a cozy, comforting dessert. I can't wait to make it this winter!" –Nina Friend, associate features editor

Poulet Mafé

"I am obsessed with this recipe from chef Pierre Thiam. Poulet Mafé, a Senegalese dish, features chicken, root vegetables, and cabbage cooked in a creamy and aromatic stew of garlic, ginger, tomato paste, and peanut butter, to which Thiam adds fish sauce for extra oomph. Thiam serves his over fonio; it's also incredibly comforting and delicious over white sushi rice. I'm going to have this dish on repeat all winter long, and I cannot wait." –Karen Shimizu, executive editor

Braised Beef and Handmade Noodles

"Reading Iliana Regan's gorgeous essay about how her Great-Uncle Frank comforted her mother with food and love in this bowl of Braised Beef and Handmade Noodles made me feel a little teary and very hungry. I love to prepare this stew on a cold, snowy January afternoon, letting the beef slowly cook down until it's fork-tender and then simmering the sturdy noodles in the braising liquid until they soften. I love that the flour from the noodle dough thickens the cooking liquid; details like those reveal that even the simplest recipe can yield a hearty, soul-satisfying meal." –Chandra Ram, senior digital food editor

Brown Butter Parsnip Purée

"Our associate culture editor, Oset Babür-Winter, ensured I ordered this buttery, creamy, and sweet parsnip purée at the delightful Brooklyn restaurant Francie and I've been dreaming about it ever since. Thankfully, she also managed to nab the recipe. Simply made with milk, cream, butter, and salt, and topped with pleasantly tart Granny Smith apples and luxurious browned butter, this dish is a balm for any cold day. I plan on making it all winter long." –Kelsey Youngman, associate food editor

Buttermilk Macaroni and Cheese with Baby Kale

"This dreamy mac and cheese is my go-to cold-weather dish because it is so, so comforting. I love that I can turn baby kale into something so decadent and cheesy. It's worth every second of prep time." –Maria Yagoda, senior editor

Cherry-and-Chocolate Bûche de Noël

"I've never made a Bûche de Noël, but I've always loved eating them. I think this is the winter I change that and make my own log-shaped cake. This recipe from pastry chef Dominique Ansel features an airy chocolate cake rolled around a filling starring brandied cherries. He also brilliantly replaces the classic buttercream frosting with a chocolatey whipped cream that results in a much lighter cake. This means I can load it up with more decorations, officially turning it into a Khush de Noel." –Khushbu Shah, restaurant editor

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Pickles and Gin-Spiked Sour Cream

"As a latke enthusiast, I was particularly excited to see a recipe in our pages that delivered all the crispy, crunchy, oily goodness of the holiday favorite without grating a million potatoes. I went heavy on the lemon zest (and gin) in the sour cream, and am pleased to report that it made for a perfectly tangy topping with the pickled cauliflower and beets." –Oset Babür-Winter, associate culture editor

Jamaican Braised Oxtails with Carrots and Chiles

"I'm a fan of deeply flavored braised stews. I've made this recipe twice in the last two weeks and I'm looking forward to the chance to make it again. Oxtails are having a moment because their prices have raised significantly in recent times, even though they're always in season. The gravy is so incredibly rich, thick, and unctuous, I cook extra beans and bake bread in order to sop up all of the gravy." –Nikki Miller-Ka, interim social media editor

Potatoes au Gratin

"Now that I'm entertaining again, I'll be making these Potatoes au Gratin because they're the perfect combination of comfort food and stunning presentation. I love the detail of rubbing the inside of the baking dish with garlic and butter before arranging thin slices of potato and onion in concentric circles." –Sarah Crowder, visuals editor

Basque Garlic Soup

"Lean on basic pantry staples like bread, eggs, garlic, and chicken broth to make food writer Marti Buckley's Basque Garlic Soup, a fortifying and comforting dinner that beats any cold winter night. Make it even more delicious with good rustic bread and homemade chicken stock." –Hunter Lewis, editor in chief

Triple Chocolate–Peppermint Cookies

"I've been thinking about these cookies ever since my brilliant colleague Nina Friend (hi Nina!) brought them into the office two years ago. A recipe from her mother (of Big Fat Cookie), these cookies are not only packed with an incredible amount of chocolate—we're talking a double dose of semisweet chips, some crushed chocolate wafer cookies, red Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa, and Dutch-process cocoa blend—but shards of homemade peppermint bark, too. The pink bark looks striking against the dark brown background of the cookie, and it makes for a heavenly chocolate-mint flavor, one of my favorite seasonal combinations. These are the holiday cookies of my dreams, and I can't wait to finally make my own batch at home." –Bridget Hallinan, staff writer