Create an ordered list of popular posts, using Jetpack's Site Stats. See wordpress.org/support/topic/2883315

plugin.php

<?php

/**
 * Create an ordered list of popular posts, using Jetpack's Site Stats.
 * 
 * @see wordpress.org/support/topic/2883315
 */
function jeherve_new_top_posts() {

	if ( ! function_exists( 'stats_get_csv' ) ) {
		return;
	}

	// Look for data in our transient. If nothing, let's get a list of posts to display
	$data_from_cache = get_transient( 'jeherve_top_list' );
	if ( false === $data_from_cache ) {
		$popular = stats_get_csv( 'postviews', array( 'days' => 7, 'limit' => 10 ) );

		// Let's cache those results for an hour.
		set_transient( 'jeherve_top_list', $popular, 60 * MINUTE_IN_SECONDS );
	} else {
		$popular = $data_from_cache;
	}

	// If there are no popular posts, let's stop here.
	if ( ! $popular ) {
		return;
	}

	// Let's build an array of post IDs.
	$post_ids = array_filter( wp_list_pluck( $popular, 'post_id' ) );
	if ( ! $post_ids ) {
		return;
	}

	// Open our ordered list.
	$list = '<ol>';

	// Now let's create a loop and display posts.
	foreach ( $post_ids as $post_id ) {

		// Let's remove all post IDs that do not use the Recipes category.
		if ( ! in_category( 'Recipes', $post_id ) ) {
			continue;
		}

		$list .= sprintf(
			'<li id="top-list-%1$s">
				%5$s
				<a title="%3$s" href="%2$s">%4$s</a>
			</li>',
			absint( $post_id ),
			esc_url( get_the_permalink( $post_id ) ),
			esc_attr( get_the_title( $post_id ) ),
			esc_html( get_the_title( $post_id ) ),
			/**
			 * You can define a different image size here.
			 * @see https://developer.wordpress.org/reference/functions/get_the_post_thumbnail/
			 */
			get_the_post_thumbnail( $post_id, 'thumbnail' )
		);
	}

	// Close our ordered list.
	$list .= '</ol>';

	echo $list;
}