For my family, Hanukkah is the perfect time to gather in the kitchen and make our favorite holiday treats. While we rotate the recipes from year to year, here are eight favorites to make your holiday a little sweeter.

Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

Ingredients

2 egg whites, room temperature
3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
Dash of salt
1⁄8 tsp. cream of tartar
6 to 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 oz. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place the oven rack on top. With a stand mixer (you can do this with a hand mixer, just be prepared to hold it for a very long time), beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until a soft peak. Gradually add in sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop by the teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in oven and turn it off immediately. Leave in the oven for 4 hours.

Rugelach

Ingredients

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1⁄4 cup granulated sugar plus 9 tbsp.
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1⁄4 tsp. salt
2 cups flour
1⁄4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 1⁄2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
3⁄4 cup raisins
1⁄2 cup apricot, raspberry or strawberry preserves, pureed in food processor
1 egg, beaten
Parchment paper

Directions

Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add a 1⁄4 cup sugar, vanilla extract and salt on low speed, then add flour until combined. Roll the dough into a ball, flouring the surface as needed, then divide that ball into quarters; wrap in Saran Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. For the filling, mix together 6 tbsp. granulated sugar, all of the brown sugar, raisins, walnuts and 1⁄2 tsp. cinnamon. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured surface, take your first quarter and roll it into a 9-inch circle. Spread the fruit preserve of your choice onto the dough followed by 1⁄2 cup of filling, using your fingers to press the filling into the dough. Using a pizza cutter, slice the dough into 12 equal wedges. Starting with the wider edge, roll up each piece and place on a baking sheet with the point on the bottom. Chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Brush each rugelach with the beaten egg, then combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle onto each one. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
8 oz. bag of chocolate chips, semi-sweet, milk chocolate or both
Parchment Paper

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside. Cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, scrape down the sides and beat until mixed. Add flour, baking soda and salt until thoroughly mixed. Fold in chocolate chips. Take two tbsp. of dough and roll into a ball. Place on cookie sheet, press down and bake until golden, approx. 9 to 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Hanukkah Doughnuts

Ingredients

1 ounce yeast
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. water
1 tbsp. flour

3 cups flour
¼ cup margarine, melted
Dash of salt
3 tbsp. sugar
2 egg yolks
1 1/4 cups water, room temperature
Grape, strawberry or raspberry jelly
Vegetable oil
Powdered sugar

Directions

For the dough, mix the first four ingredients in a large bowl, cover and let rise. In medium bowl, combine the remaining flour, salt, egg yolks, margarine and sugar and mix well.  Pour in the large bowl. Add water and mix until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise. Roll the batter onto a floured surface and use a small biscuit cutter or circle cookie cutter to cut circles. Place 2 tsp. of jelly in the center and then top with another dough circle. Seal the ends tightly. When all the doughnuts are finished, heat oil in a pot and then carefully drop doughnuts in one at a time. Fry until brown on one side and then flip over. Remove with a spoon and place on paper towels to cool. Use a sifter to sprinkle powdered sugar over the donuts.

Potato Latkes

Ingredients

2 cups of potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 tbsp. onion, diced
3 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp. flour
Oil for frying
Applesauce
Sour cream

Directions

Combine first four ingredients. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Take a large spoonful of mixture and place in pan, flattening until about ½ inch thick. Brown on one side, then flip over and continue to cook until golden. Serve with applesauce and sour cream.

M&M Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1⁄4 tsp. salt
1 1⁄4 tsp. baking soda
3⁄4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2⁄3 cup granulated sugar
2⁄3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup M&M’s, plus more for nibbling fingers
Parchment paper

Directions

After putting the oven rack in the top third of the oven, preheat to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease cookie sheet. In a bowl, whisk flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside. With a stand or hand mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides, then add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla, beating until combined. Add the flour and mix on a slower speed until combined, then refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll out the dough and use a cookie cutter (I prefer a 2-inch circle while my daughters love their heart-shaped cutter) to cut out cookies. Decorate cookies with M&M’s, pressing them down slightly, then bake the cookies for about 14 minutes until they are slightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes before transferring to a wire rack

Applesauce

Ingredients

12 medium apples
1 cup water
½ cup sugar
1 tbsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. cinnamon

Directions

Peel and slice apples. Place in a large pot and water. When apples soften,  add remaining ingredients and cook until desired consistency. Serve this warm or cold.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

2/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 tsp. vanilla
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
2 ¼ cups flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar with a mixer. Add eggs, bananas and vanilla. Mix remaining dry ingredients together and then add to cookie mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 12 minutes.