Looking for Christmas desserts that are total crowd pleasers? Here’s a list of my top Christmas dessert ideas – sure to become your new holiday tradition!
These are my peanut butter cookies decorated in different ways!
What’s a Christmas feast without plenty of sweets? I’ve compiled my best Christmas dessert recipes, from cookies and bars, to candy and fudge, to pies, crumbles, and cakes that are family favorites, year after year.
These sugar cookies are buttery, soft, chewy, and take less than an hour to make with absolutely no chill time needed! Perfect for holidays, birthdays, and any occasion in between, enjoy these sugar cookies year round!
These 4-ingredient red velvet cookies are soft and moist, with hints of vanilla and cocoa powder. Our little secret is that these cookies are made in 30 minutes with cake mix! Don’t forget the white chocolate drizzle.
Infused with richly flavorful brown butter, these brown butter chocolate chip cookies are chewy and soft, and a little thick just the way they should be. They’re indeed the very BEST cookies you’ll ever eat. No chill time or mixer needed.
You can only imagine how buttery and flaky my mom’s pie crust cookies are until you make them. With layers of cinnamon sugar in between homemade pie crust, these cookies are perfect for the holidays.
What if you could make the most delicious chocolate oatmeal cookies with a hint of peanut butter in just 45 minutes? This recipe for no bake cookies is exactly that!
IrIrresistible is right! These peanut butter bars are like homemade peanut butter cups, with rich chocolate and thick peanut butter layers – and no need to bake them!
Magic cookie bars are layered with a buttery graham cracker crust, chocolate chips, butterscotch or peanut butter chips, coconut, nuts, and drizzled with sweetened condensed milk to achieve the ultimate gooey consistency. Finish with coarse salt for the most heavenly 7 layer bars!
This fantasy fudge isn’t just a fantasy; it truly only takes 15 minutes to prep and comes out creamy, smooth and soft, using just the microwave. It’s that easy!
You’re 4 ingredients away from peanut butter fudge with an extra intense peanut butter flavor! This fudge comes out smooth and creamy with less than 10 minutes of prep, using the microwave. It’s that easy!
Christmas crack is an easy homemade candy with a base of saltine crackers, a layer of buttery toffee, and then chocolate sprinkled with toppings of choice. This Christmas Crack recipe is next-level delicious with creamy, rich chocolate ganache instead of plain chocolate. Try to have just one piece!
Buttery, sweet and a touch salty, these candied pecans are addictively delicious and they take only 20 minutes to make! Complete a charcuterie board, toss into a salad, or sprinkle over ice cream, homemade candied pecans should be in your pantry year round!
Secret ingredient homemade cream filling sandwiched between soft, chewy oatmeal cookies create the best oatmeal cream pie on this planet. Little Debbie would be proud!
This chocolate pie is next-level. A buttery shortbread cookie crust is filled with a creamy, velvety chocolate custard filling. It’s a chocolate lover’s dream dessert!
Peanut butter lovers: this peanut butter pie is one of the BEST desserts you’ll ever have! With a thick, no-bake Oreo crust, creamy peanut-butter filling & chocolate ganache drizzle, this pie will always be a favorite!
A crunchy, crumbly, buttery topping that gets just a little soft when it touches that cinnamon apple filling forms the perfect apple crumble that’s easier to make than pie, and maybe even more fabulous.
Let’s bring back this retro vanilla cake that’s super moist and topped with pineapple slices tucked into a generous caramelized brown butter and sugar topping. It’s called pineapple upside down cake and it’s out-of-this-world delicious!
An impressive no-bake dessert that can be made-ahead and still knock your socks off? Sold! Enjoy the magic of Grandma Memere’s icebox cake with layers of butterscotch pudding and homemade whipped cream.
It’s going to be tough to choose just one dessert from this list! I’m excited to hear which Christmas desserts you choose to complete your meal. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Christmas desserts ahead of time?
Yes, many dessert recipes can be made ahead, like cookies, pies, and cakes. Check each recipe for storage and make ahead info.
What are good giftable Christmas desserts?
Fudge and cookies are especially great for gifting because they don’t require refrigeration and can be made ahead. For specific instructions on storage, check the recipe!
What desserts pair well with Christmas dinner?
Depending on how heavy or light your Christmas dinner is will help you decide what desserts are the best options. A heavy dinner would call for lighter desserts and vice versa. If you aren’t sure, the best option is to serve a dessert bar with a few different options so your guests can pick and choose their sweets!
My Pro Tip
Christmas Dessert Tips for Success
Plan ahead: look for desserts that you can make ahead if your Christmas dinner is elaborate.
Don’t overcomplicate: don’t take on too much! Making a huge dessert spread is usually unnecessary! Stick with 1-3 really great desserts.
Test beforehand: if you can, practice new recipes before the big day to perfect techniques and timing.
Serve some desserts warm: think ahead about whether your dessert(s) are best served warm, room temperature, or chilled. Many Christmas desserts are best served warm for that cozy touch!
If you’ve tried any of these Christmas Desserts or any other recipe on my website, please let me know in the comments below. I love hearing from you. Please consider leaving a 🌟 star rating while you are here!
About Grace Vallo
Hi, I’m Grace Vallo! Welcome to my kitchen! Here you’ll find kitchen-tested recipes and step-by-step tutorials with videos, giving home cooks the knowledge and confidence to cook and bake the most flavorful recipes for every season. Featured on the Food Network, Food & Wine, Taste of Home and more.
Love the delicious new twists on some old-school favorites like fudge and ice box cake. Brings me right back to being a kid, which is what the holidays are all about!
Can you come make my Christmas dinner please? I’ll take the chocolate pie with cookies for dessert!
HA! I’ll be over soon! 🙂
Grace
Love the delicious new twists on some old-school favorites like fudge and ice box cake. Brings me right back to being a kid, which is what the holidays are all about!
Can’t beat the old-school desserts! Merry Christmas!
Grace
Omg oatmeal creampies! These were my favorite as a kid. Definitely going to recreate.
Awesome! Let me know how they turn out 🙂
Grace