Golden-brown turkey, savory stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes, luscious pumpkin pie: The holiday season practically revolves around food. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner aren’t just meals—they’re the way we gather with friends and family this time of year.
That puts a lot of added pressure on the host, of course. If the turkey comes out dry, it feels like you’ve ruined a holiday tradition. This year, take some of the stress out of the season by practicing your culinary skills in a cooking class. Professional chefs will teach you the basics of cooking a flawless main course, baking the perfect pie and preparing everything else you need on the holiday table. Whether your family goes for the traditional Thanksgiving turkey with all the fixings or something more unique, these cooking classes will help you knock this year’s holiday dinner out of the park.
Modern Thanksgiving Dinner at the Foodery; various dates and times; $120
Set down the boxed Stovetop stuffing and marshmallow-topped yams: Isn’t it time to make Thanksgiving a little more sophisticated? Learn to make modern dishes like sous vide turkey legs stuffed with chicken sausage, apple-celery slaw, Colombian coconut rice and cheesy red potatoes in this cooking class led by chef Daniel Morduchowicz.
Thanksgiving Sides at BLVD Kitchen; Nov 16 at 6pm; $85
Let’s be real: Thanksgiving is all about the sides. Creamy mashed potatoes, savory stuffing, rich gravy and fluffy dinner rolls really make the meal. This three-hour cooking class might just inspire you to add new sides like Brussels sprouts with pancetta, mushroom bread pudding and maple-glazed sweet potatoes to the menu. While they could never replace the old standbys, these new recipes might just become Thanksgiving traditions in their own right.
Thanksgiving Take Home Pies at PREP Kitchen Essentials; Nov 21 at 6:30pm and Nov 22 at 11am; $89
No Thanksgiving dinner would be complete without dessert—specifically, pumpkin pie. Practice baking a classic pumpkin pie recipe, plus pecan pie, apple-cranberry streusel tart and sour cream pumpkin pie in this hands-on cooking class. You’ll sample all four desserts and leave with one full-size pumpkin pie to take home.
Holiday Candy Making at Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom; Dec 2 at 1pm; $100
Not sure what to give your next-door neighbor or awkward coworker for Christmas? You can’t go wrong with holiday candy. This three-hour class will give you all the skills you need to make chocolate truffles, toffee almond brittle, homemade marshmallows, old-fashioned peanut brittle and nutty chocolate fudge from scratch. Your coworkers, friends and family will go nuts for these sweets—if you can manage not to eat it all by the time you get home, that is.
Holiday Breads: Kringles, Braids, Twists and More at the South Bay School of Cooking; Dec 9 at 10am; $82
There’s no more impressive centerpiece for the holiday meal than a warm loaf of freshly baked bread from your own oven. You’ll knock your family’s socks off with recipes for Christmas kringles, marzipan twists, Nutella star bread and classic dinner rolls. Fair warning: Your holiday crew might not be willing to go back to store-bought bread next year.
Posole for Christmas at the Gourmandise School; Dec 15 at 6:30pm; $95
Christmas dinner in Mexico doesn’t mean honey-baked ham or roast beef: It means posole, a rich pork stew flavored with dried chiles. This classic has, of course, spread to Southern California, where more and more Angelenos are turning to posole to feed a crowd of holiday revelers. Chef John Pitblado will teach you everything you need to know to make a pot of prizewinning posole and all the accoutrements: salsa verde, handmade corn tortillas, a festive Mexican punch called ponche navideño, fried bunelos and the thick, hot chocolate drink called champurrado.
The Whole Holiday Dinner at the Gourmandise School; Dec 16 at 10am, Dec 17 at 2pm; $125
Hosting the entire family for the holidays for the first time? You’re going to want to get the lowdown on preparing everything from beef rib roast to roasted vegetables to festive desserts. That’s where this three-hour class at the Gourmandise School comes in. Each class prepares a different five- or six-course holiday meal, so be sure to check out the menus carefully before reserving your spot.
Holiday Elves at Hipcooks; Dec 17 at noon; $80
Tie on an apron and get ready to bake your heart out in this four-hour class devoted to all kinds of holiday sweets. You’ll make eight different cookies and treats, including chocolate-lavender truffles, raspberry linzer cookies and peanut butter blossoms. At the end of class, you’ll wrap everything up in festive boxes to give away as gifts or take to your next holiday party. Your ticket also includes Hipcooks’ signature winter cocktail, a Warm Cup of Good Cheer, to make the time pass even more quickly.
Sixth Annual Yule Log Bake and Take at the Gourmandise School; Dec 22 at 10am; $125
Talk about a showstopper: You’ll learn to bake a traditional yule log in this class at the Gourmandise School. Watch carefully as the chef bakes a classic genoise sponge, whips up the creamy buttercream frosting and delicately rolls the cake into the signature oblong shape before trying it yourself. Once your yule log is frosted and decorated with mini meringue mushrooms, you’ll get to take it home. Just pop it in the freezer to save it for Christmas Eve.