Extension of tropical and subtropical crops to colder regions, favored by global climatic changes, represents a challenge for cold stress adaptation. An upsurge of cold injury is being registered in different crops and regions, constraining growth and yield. Abiotic stresses are considered a growing threat for sustainable agriculture by compromising plant growth, finally leading to the reduction of crop productivity. The aim of achieving cold adaptation with a minimum crop yield and quality detriments will help to accomplish "zero hunger" global objectives. To further design breeding strategies, the knowledge of key mechanism governing stress response through regulation of crop growth is mandatory. Phytohormones are crucial in this process, and a recently proposed function of strigolactones (SLs) and brassinosteroids (BRs) could stimulate cold adaptation with minimum trade-offs. Recent information regarding SLs and BRs contribution to cold acclimation, together with other relevant phytohormones such as stress-responsive abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ET) coordinately with other phytohormones such as auxin (AUX) and gibberellin (GA), is reviewed. © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2023.