Masa for tamales

Simply Recipes / Ericka Sanchez

Our 9 Most Popular Recipes of December

Festive yet easy recipes for a busy holiday month.

By
Myo Quinn
Myo Quinn
Myo Quinn
Myo's recipes, writing, and food styling can be found on King Arthur Baking, Food Network, Delish, Food52, and more. She collaborated on the cookbook Delish Vegan Dinners and trained at Gramercy Tavern and Untitled at the Whitney Museum.
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Updated May 16, 2025
Myo Quinn

I got a karaoke machine for Christmas. Within the safe confines of my living room walls, I broke into a rap song that’s really too fast (Eminem’s Lose Yourself) and a classic that’s too high for an untrained vocalist with a limited range (Mariah Carey’s Always Be My Baby). I had a glorious time and it was the perfect gift. Over the holidays, I've also been cooking more than I have all year—I made flan, roasted a duck, and later this week, I'm hosting a tamalada with my brother and his family. We are filling our tamales with pork and a red chile.

From simple pleasures to more sumptuous fare, I hope your holidays are filled with delicious foods and fun gifts that bring you joy. Here are the nine recipes our readers clicked on most in December.

Overhead Shot: Multiple Ramekins Filled with 3-Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Crème Brûlée Sitting on a Plate Next to Two Spoons, a Table Napkin, and Another Ramekin with More Pumpkin Spice Creme Brulee

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

1. Easy 3-Ingredient Crème Brûlée

Delight your friends and family with this TikTok-famous three-ingredient crème brûlée that leans on store-bought ice cream as the custard base. This means there is zero chance of accidentally curdling the eggs, a common blunder when making creme brûlée from scratch. 

Bowl of Masa (Tamales Dough) Next to a Plate with a Corn Husk Smeared with Masa Using the Back of the Spoon and a Plate with More Corn Husks

Simply Recipes / Ericka Sanchez

2. Masa for Tamales

Writer Ericka Sanchez learned to make tamales from her abuela and mom, and she's been making it for years. This is her go-to masa recipe for tamales.

A slice of blueberry cheesecake on a plate.

Simply Recipes / Cambrea Gordon

3. Blueberry Cheesecake

Everyone talks about leaving cookies for Santa, but what he really wants is a slice of this cheesecake. This one is studded with blueberries throughout and also topped with an easy blueberry sauce.

Casserole Dish of Cheeseburger Casserole with a Serving Already Served Using a Spoon at a Table Setting (a Plate with a Serving of Casserole, Bowl of Dry Parsley, a Table Napkin, and a Glass of Ice Water)

Simply Recipes / Dude that Cookz

4. Cheeseburger Casserole

The key to from-scratch Hamburger Helper is heavy cream and lots of cheese (pre-shredded is just fine). Make a double-batch for the busy week ahead—your future self and your unexpected holiday guests will thank you. 

Birria

Susy Villasuso / Simply Recipes

5. Homemade Beef Birria

Whether you choose to serve it as a stew or stuffed in tacos, the holidays are a great time to fill the kitchen with the intoxicating smells of Susy Villasuso’s beef birria. 

Serving of Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad with Lemony Breadcrumbs in a Bowl with a Fork Next to a Larger Bowl with More, a Bowl with Shredded Parmesan, and a Glass

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

6. Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad

Here’s a Caesar salad for crunch-lovers. It’s made with shaved Brussel sprouts (they're in peak season right now!) and toasted breadcrumbs tossed with lemon zest. This recipe makes enough for a gathering or for keeping in the fridge as a quick lunch all week.

Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup in a Large Pot with Some Raised Up Using a Wooden Spoon, and Surrounding the Pot, a Kitchen Linen and a Stack of Bowls with Utensils

Simply Recipes / Micah Siva

7. Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup

On the coldest of wintery nights, nothing warms the body and soul quite like a bowl of this sweet and sour cabbage soup. The recipe comes from writer Micah Siva’s grandmother, a daughter of Ukrainian immigrants. 

Chicken Vesuvio in a Cast Iron Skillet

Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

8. Chicken Vesuvio

Winner winner chicken dinner! A reader came to the comments to report that this easy one-pan chicken with a garlicky wine sauce is their new “company dinner.” The commenter said, “ I thought the amount of garlic would be too much, so I reduced the amount by 25%, but it turned out that I could have used the full amount and been fine.” Great to know!

Chicken Lasagna in a Casserole Dish with a Slice Missing

Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

9. Chicken Lasagna

Make it an even easier recipe with store-bought rotisserie chicken and no-boil lasagna noodles (soak the no-boil noodles in boiling water for about 3 minutes so that you don’t end up with a dry lasagna).

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