The holiday season is a wonderful time for baking and enjoying decadent desserts with family and friends. If you’re looking for some new Christmas dessert ideas, you’ve come to the right place! Here are my top 25 can’t-miss Christmas dessert recipes that are sure to be a hit at any holiday celebration.
1. Classic Sugar Cookies
What dessert spread would be complete without a tray of cheerful, festive sugar cookies? My easy sugar cookie recipe yields soft, buttery cookies that are perfect for decorating with royal icing and Christmas sprinkles. Kids will love decorating these as a holiday activity!
2. Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies
These rich, fudgy brownies have a layer of cream cheese that bakes into a cheesecake-like filling. Topped with white chocolate glaze and red sprinkles, they’re Christmas in dessert form!
3. Peppermint Bark
Making peppermint bark is one of my favorite holiday traditions. Crispy chocolate coats crunchy candy cane pieces for a sweet and minty treat that makes a great edible gift or dessert addition.
4. Warm Cranberry Apple Crisp
This cozy fruit crisp is filled with tart cranberries and sweet apples, topped with a crispy oat streusel topping. Serve it warm with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ultimate winter dessert.
5. Eggnog Pudding Shots
These fun eggnog pudding shots taste just like the holidays in cute little two-bite portions. Grab some festive shot glasses and let the celebrations begin!
6. Gingerbread Cupcakes
Spiced gingerbread cupcakes with sweet cream cheese frosting – how cute and Christmas-y are these? Top them with some crushed peppermint candies if you want to get really fancy.
7. Chocolate Peppermint Cake
This decadent chocolate cake is swirled with crushed peppermint candies and topped with a fluffy peppermint buttercream frosting. It’s the perfect finale for a holiday dinner party!
8. Cranberry White Chocolate Blondies
I love blondies for their chewy, fudgy texture that’s even better with mix-ins! These cranberry white chocolate blondies are studded with tart dried cranberries and sweet white chocolate chunks.
9. Eggnog Cheesecake Dip
This no-bake eggnog cheesecake dip is super easy to throw together and makes the perfect sweet treat for holiday parties. Serve it with ginger snaps, apple slices, or shortbread cookies for dipping!
10. Cherry Almond Biscotti
These crispy Italian biscotti cookies are bursting with tart cherries and toasted almonds. They’re the ideal after dinner treat to enjoy with coffee or hot chocolate.
11. Coconut Snowball Cookies
Buttery pecan coconut cookies rolled in powdered sugar for a sweet snowball shape. Biting into these powdery cookies reveals a chewy, coconutty center.
12. Hot Chocolate Cupcakes
Chocolate cupcakes swirled with marshmallow filling, topped with fluffy Swiss meringue buttercream, more marshmallows, and chocolate shavings – perfect for any chocolate lover!
13. Salted Caramel Apple Pie
This incredible apple pie has a layer of rich, salty caramel baked right into the filling alongside warm spices and fresh apples. The ultimate fall and winter dessert!
14. Raspberry Linzer Cookies
These adorable jam-filled sandwich cookies are a Christmas twist on linzer cookies with seedless raspberry jam and holiday cookie cutter shapes.
15. Eggnog Cheesecake With Gingerbread Crust
This show-stopping eggnog cheesecake sits in a crunchy gingersnap crust and is topped with whipped cream and crushed gingersnap pieces. It’s total Christmas perfection in cheesecake form!
16. Red Velvet Hot Chocolate
For a fun, festive twist on classic hot cocoa, try this red velvet version made extra creamy with white chocolate and sweetened condensed milk. Top with whipped cream and sprinkles!
17. Baked Alaska
This old-fashioned Christmas dessert is ice cream covered in airy meringue and briefly baked. Make peppermint or eggnog ice cream for a holiday version!
18. Chai Spice Sugar Cookies
If you like chai lattes, you HAVE to try these chai-spiced sugar cookies. They’re crispy on the outside while chewy in the middle, with fragrant cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
19. Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
These cute pumpkin-shaped whoopie pies have pumpkin cookie sandwiches filled with marshmallow fluff frosting. It’s the perfect fall/winter dessert mashup!
20. Pistachio Cranberry Baklava
Baklava gets a festive twist with the additions of pistachios, cranberries, and rose water to the classic honey-soaked phyllo dough layers. It makes for a stunning holiday dessert spread!
21. Peppermint Brownie Trifle
This gorgeous dessert trifle layers crumbled brownies, peppermint bark pieces, whipped cream, and hot fudge sauce. It looks so fancy but comes together easily!
22. Gingerbread Tiramisu
All the flavors of gingerbread baked into a cake layered with sweet mascarpone filling and garnished with lady fingers – such a unique, seasonal twist on tiramisu!
23. White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
Creamy white chocolate blended with crushed peppermint makes for a holiday fudge that looks and tastes like a candy cane! It’s a perfect edible gift from the kitchen.
24. Chocolate Orange Mousse With Cranberries
Light, airy chocolate mousse gets a seasonal twist with orange liqueur and fresh cranberries folded into the rich, creamy base.
25. Eggnog Panna Cotta
Silky, smooth eggnog-flavored panna cotta makes an elegant finale to a fancy holiday meal. Garnish with nutmeg and cranberries for amazing flavor and presentation.
Conclusion
I hope these top Christmas dessert recipes have inspired you to bake up some holiday magic this season! From classic sugar cookies to new unique ideas like the gingerbread tiramisu or pistachio cranberry baklava, there’s something sure to impress everyone at your celebration. Spend some time in the kitchen creating edible Christmas cheer this year!
FAQs
What is the most popular Christmas dessert?
The most popular Christmas dessert is cookies, especially holiday classics like gingerbread men, sugar cookies, snowball cookies, and more.
Can I make Christmas desserts ahead of time?
Yes, many Christmas desserts like cookies, bars, quick breads, sauces and even some pies and tarts can be made 1-2 weeks ahead. Store airtight at room temperature or freeze until ready to serve.
What do you serve for Christmas dessert buffet?
For a Christmas dessert buffet, serve an assortment of holiday cookies and bars, mini cheesecakes or tarts, chocolate dishes like brownies or lava cakes, sliced pies and cakes, fresh fruit, and sweet sauces. Provide a hot beverage station with eggnog, apple cider and Mexican hot chocolate.
What is the easiest Christmas dessert to make?
The easiest Christmas dessert to make is peppermint bark – simply melt chocolate and mix in crushed candy canes. No baking required!
What Christmas dessert looks the most impressive?
The eggnog cheesecake with gingersnap crust looks incredibly impressive and festive on a dessert table, but is still fairly easy to assemble.
What Christmas dessert recipe involves the most baking?
The gingerbread tiramisu requires making an entire gingerbread cake first before layering and constructing the tiramisu, so it involves the most hands-on baking time.
Can you make any of these Christmas desserts gluten-free?
Yes! The peppermint brownie trifle could easily be made with gluten-free brownies. The panna cotta, mousse, cheesecake dip, and more are naturally gluten-free as well.
What beverage goes best with Christmas desserts?
Coffee, hot chocolate, and eggnog are perfect pairings! A nice red wine could also balance out very rich, chocolatey desserts.