Dolly Parton On Which Holiday Dishes She Looks Forward To Most

A lover of home and tradition, Dolly Parton is also passionate about cooking, often sharing how much she enjoys preparing festive meals and creating memorable moments with loved ones during the holiday season. Her music, films, and culinary warmth have cemented her place as a beloved symbol of Christmas cheer.

While promoting her first-ever holiday-themed children’s book, “Billy the Kid Comes Home for Christmas,” Dolly Parton, opened up about her unwavering tradition of being home for the holidays and how it inspired her latest literary venture.

Dolly Parton’s journey into holiday music began in 1984 with the release of “Once Upon a Christmas,” a collaborative album with Kenny Rogers that became an instant seasonal classic. She followed it in 1990 with her solo holiday collection Home for Christmas, but fans had to wait three decades for her next festive release.

In 2020, she delighted listeners with “A Holly Dolly Christmas,” featuring timeless favorites like “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” and “Mary, Did You Know?”

Beyond music, Parton has brought her signature holiday spirit to the screen, penning original songs for projects like Hallmark’s “Christmas at Dollywood” and Netflix’s “Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square.”

Released on September 24, the cookbook features treasured Parton family recipes alongside classic American dishes. Naturally, it also includes some of the “9 to 5” singer’s favorite holiday meals—dishes that are likely to grace her table when Christmas Day rolls around.

“I always love everything we have to do at Christmas. So many of the things we have at Thanksgiving, you know, like the sage dressing and the giblet gravy and the mashed potatoes and the sweet potato bars,” Parton told PEOPLE of her most-cherished holiday dishes. “I’m big on making a big old pot of chicken and dumplings, and everybody looks forward to that as well.”

Dolly Parton shared that being home for Christmas is so important to her that she wouldn’t consider accepting even the highest-paying gig if it meant missing the holiday.

“[I love] the tradition of being home for Christmas, and being with family, and having all the good food and all the different dishes that different family members make, and just the music, and just all the festivities of the lights and the sounds, and everything to do with Christmas,” the “9 to 5” artist told PEOPLE.

Dolly Parton’s new book introduces “Billy the Kid,” a character inspired by her cherished French bulldog, who also starred in her New York Times bestseller Dolly Parton’s “Billy the Kid Makes It Big.”

“In this book, performers have the dilemma of whether we go on the road or whether we take shows for money, because so many artists get so much money offered to actually perform at certain things during the holiday season,” she told PEOPLE Magazine. “But to love your family, and for that to be a family tradition. You always want to be home for Christmas, and that’s kind of what this little book is about.”

In this festive tale, Billy faces a dilemma: accept a paid performance gig or prioritize making it home for Christmas. “Billy gets a big offer to work at the Barcafella Center, and so he’s already promised that he’d be home for Christmas, and so eventually he gets there,” Parton explained. “But then there’s a lot of fun, story and everything in between.”

True to his owner’s values, Billy chooses the holiday tradition, mirroring Parton’s own deep commitment to family and festive celebrations.

Dolly Parton’s walnut pie is a classic treat, featuring a flaky, tender crust filled with a luscious, sticky filling similar to a pecan pie. The topping of golden-baked walnuts adds a delightful crunch, creating a dessert that’s both easy to make and utterly irresistible—a timeless favorite for holiday gatherings.

With only a few simple ingredients and minimal prep time, Dolly Parton’s walnut pie shows that festive baking can be both easy and incredibly delicious.

Find the full recipe here.