Make Your House Smell like the Holidays With These 5 Beautifully Scented Recipes

Zesty and Savory

Stifado is a traditional Greek stew that can be made with beef, rabbit, or pork and almost always includes whole pearl onions and a fragrant braising liquid. The wine, tomatoes, and orange zest in this one combine for a piquant aroma that intermingles with the sweet and peppery notes of cinnamon and nutmeg.

"This had wonderful aromatic flavors. The combination of red wine, orange peel, cinnamon, and nutmeg was beautiful," says reviewer Ladybug.

Get the recipe: Beef Stifado

Earthy and Smoky

This dish gets its heady scent from the popcorn-like aroma of basmati rice and the alchemy of toasting several whole spices before steaming them with the grain. Green cardamom delivers sweet, peppery notes, while its cousin black cardamom adds a pungent, smoky edge. Cumin seed, a member of the parsley family, contributes hay-like undertones while woody cinnamon, spicy cloves, and musky black pepper add to the dish's warm, earthy aroma.

Get the recipe: Pulao (Whole-Spice Fragrant Rice)

"The smell in my house while this baked was better than any candle on the market! And the mix of tastes was really great. I will definitely make it again," says reviewer JoeyandMaggiesmom.

"As I started this, I thought, 'These ingredients are kind of weird!' But I made it anyway, and my family loved it! I did mix a little sugar with the cinnamon, and it was delicious. This would be a good company dish," says home cook CTISZA.

Get the recipe: Cinnamon Pork Loin and Potatoes

Warm and Peppery

Turmeric brings a sunny color and an earthy, peppery, slightly bitter edge to the sweet tropical musk of the vanilla and the woodsy bite of the cinnamon and nutmeg.

It's fine to use lower fat or nondairy milk for this warm, cozy drink. If you don't have a vanilla bean, stir in two teaspoons of vanilla extract after simmering the milk.

Get the recipe: Vanilla Golden Milk

Grassy and Sweet

Saffron, the stigma of the Crocus sativus flower, adds a golden hue and lends a grassy, lightly floral essence to the just-baked aroma of these traditional sweet, yeast buns.

"My Swedish husband has been eating and making saffron buns for 40 years. These were the best we've had. We bought the quark (a fresh, tangy, spreadable cheese) from a cheese store. It makes a difference in the texture of the buns," says reviewer Jojo.

Get the recipe: Lussekatter (Swedish Saffron Buns)

This article originally appeared in the December/January 2022 issue of Allrecipes Magazine.

Related:

• Everything You Need for Holiday Baking in One Handy Checklist
• 25 Easy Christmas Dinner Menu Ideas
• Christmas Recipes