No matter how on top of our schedule we try to stay, the holidays seem to go by so fast. We always end up with a ton of Christmas parties, gift exchanges, and holiday dinners to attend every year and dont want to keep bringing the same ol dessert. You too? If, like us, you’re the type who wants to bring something to each and every celebration, you’re in luck—we’ve got a festive dessert here perfect for every occasion. Check our list of 95 must-make holiday desserts—we’ve got everything from classic showstoppers like Christmas cookies and cakes (spoiler: pie’s not just for Thanksgiving) as well as easy bars, balls, and bites.
When it comes to Christmas desserts, cookies get ALL the attention, and for good reason: the variety of options is truly is something we look forward to all year, and weve included some favorites here, like our gingerbread cookies, our panettone cookies, our cookie brittle, and more. We’re here to tell you, though, they aren’t the be-all, end-all of holiday bakes. There are SO many more options to keep your house smelling great and stocked full of treats all season long.
Want more inspiration for this holiday season? Check out our favorite Christmas side dishes, our best winter dinners, and our top holiday cocktails too.
If eggnog itself weirds you out (we get it, drinking eggs is a little strange), but love the idea of its flavors—cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, cream wrapped in white chocolate—then we think you’re gonna love these truffles.
Peppermint bark is THE Christmas candy we cannot wait to get our hands on every holiday season. Luckily for you, you can make a batch in just 10 minutes flat.
You may be most familiar with these cookies as a beloved Delta in-flight snack. In fact, Biscoff’s partnership with the airline is what first introduced American consumers to the cookie in the 1980s. We love eating them all year long, but especially around Christmastime. So we decided to celebrate speculoos with this showstopping holiday trifle.
Its time for ice cream to take center stage for the holidays, specifically this peppermint ice cream. Its delicious served plain, topped with chocolate sauce, or layered into a Christmas sundae with brownies, whipped cream, and shards of peppermint bark.
Treat your guests or hosts to traditional Christmas desserts from the simple pleasure of gingerbread to the pageantry of Bûche de Noël and Croquembouche with these festive recipes.
Bûche de Noël (Yule Log Cake)
Bûche de Noël cakes are a French Christmas tradition dating back to the 19th century. Rolling up a warm cake in a towel might seem crazy, but its the best way to ensure the cake wont crack when you frost it.
The crunchy exterior and creamy interior of a cannoli is one of the world’s best bites. Unfortunately, that bite is usually a messy thing to navigate, with the shell and filling going in all sorts of directions. That’s where these one-bite wonders come in!
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Cookie brittle is a particularly great hack for the holidays or any time you’re entertaining when you don’t have time or the oven space to bake multiple trays too. Think of it like a faster, easier way to make a big batch of chocolate chip cookies.
Get the Cookie Brittle recipe.
With bright pops of cranberries, almond- and clove-scented custard, and a sweet icing made with orange zest, this wintery bread pudding is impressive enough to serve for dessert at a dinner party, and not to sweet to serve as breakfast.
Get the Cranberry Bread Pudding recipe.
Rich, decadent, and topped with fluffy marshmallows (of course), hot chocolate is a fan-favorite winter drink we can always get behind. We love it so much, we decided to take the flavors of this classic bev and incorporate them into one of our other favorite holiday treats: fudge.
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Large domed boxes line grocery and bakery shelves during the holiday season. Have you ever wondered what it could be all about? Inside those boxes lies the magic of panettone, which is nostalgic and symbolic of Christmas. It’s a rich, fruity, bread-like cake studded with citrusy essence, with bits of chocolate that melt in your mouth and orange peel brightens the bite.
Get the Panettone recipe.
The easiest way to make sugar cookies for a crowd? Turn them into cookie bars! Somewhere between a blondie and cookie, these are thick and soft with buttercream spread on top (think Lofthouse, in bar form).
Get the Sugar Cookie Bars recipe.
Building a gingerbread house from scratch might sound like a huge undertaking when you can just reach for a kit—but its not! Weve got the best tips for assembly, so you can get creative and focus on the decoration.
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Short for time on baking all of your holiday cookies this year? Think of these cake mix cookies as your magical helpers, here to save the day. These sprinkled cookies use vanilla cake mix to create the softest, fluffiest cookie youve ever had.
Get the Cake Mix Cookies recipe.
Craving a sweet pick-me-up at the end of a meal? These tiramisu truffles are for you. Luscious espresso and mascarpone white chocolate ganache is coated in a crisp chocolate shell for a dreamy bite-sized dessert that’s sure to delight every coffee lover.
Get the Tiramisu Truffles recipe.
To make Italian struffoli, little balls of dough are flavored with citrus zest and a splash of wine, deep-fried until crispy and light, and tossed in honey to sweeten the deal. As if this isn’t already enough of a delight, the balls then get shaped into a wreath and covered in rainbow nonpareil sprinkles.
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Nine layers of breath-taking beauty! This Christmas tree cake is perfect for when you really want to show off this holiday season. We recommend using a homemade cake recipe, like our chocolate or yellow cakes, but boxed cake mix will work too.
Get the Christmas Tree Cake recipe.
For us, gingerbread should have a lot of ground ginger, a bit of cinnamon, and a tiny amount of cloves. Its the perfect Christmas formula. But if you dont have cloves (or really loathe them), you can just leave them out. As for the ginger, its necessary but negotiable. Feel free to use less.
Get the Gingerbread Cookies recipe.
My DELICIOUS Christmas Sweet Table | Holiday Favourites
FAQ
Which sweet is eaten on Christmas?
What is the most popular Christmas dessert in the US?
What’s a good Christmas dessert?
Old-school sweet potato pie gets a Christmas makeover with ginger and pecans. A hefty topping of Ginger-Honey Whip truly sets this dessert over the edge. You’ll be hooked on the flavor enough to put this pie on repeat. Was this page helpful? These fabulous holiday dessert ideas taste divine and will dazzle on your Christmas dessert table.
What are the best holiday desserts?
Spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, these cookies are a sweet-heat holiday staple. These will work perfectly for your food gift-giving goals. This dessert hybrid is as merry and bright as it gets. Since this trifle can chill for up to 24 hours before serving, it’s an ideal make-ahead dessert to save you time this holiday season.
What are some easy Christmas treats?
Cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and black pepper create a delightful spiced cookie. A dusting of powdered sugar and pink and green gel food coloring gives this heavenly treat a holiday twist. Looking for an easy Christmas treat? You can whip up these fudgy truffles in less than an hour!
What is a good Christmas snack mix?
Chocolate muddy buddies, holiday M&M’s, peanut butter cups and pretzels all come together for a festive snack mix that’s easy to make and fun to eat! Grinch Cake Pops are adorable treats that are perfect for parties, a fun addition to a cookie tray, or even a tasty gift.