Food Recipe Collections & Favorites Desserts 40 Best Christmas Desserts to Enjoy This Holiday Season Bake your way through the holidays with these unforgettable sweets. By Ariel Klein Ariel Klein Ariel Klein is a freelance writer specializing in lifestyle, fashion, beauty, technology, home, cooking, and gardening topics. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Well+Good, Travel+Leisure, Better Homes and Gardens, and Food & Wine magazine. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 09, 2024 The holidays are a time to gather with loved ones, reflect on the past year, and of course, indulge in delicious fare. And for many, the weeks leading up to Christmas are packed with parties, work events, and get-togethers. Whether you’re hosting friends and family, or you want to make a thoughtful homemade gift, this list of the best Christmas desserts has something for everyone. If you’re looking for something classic, you can’t go wrong with a simple sugar cookie or homemade gingerbread treat. However, if you want to pull out all the stops and really wow your guests, you may opt for something like an Orange and Clove Basque Cheesecake or a Chocolate “Salami” (trust us, it’s incredible.) There are even some options that you can whip up last-minute, like snackable Dark Chocolate Coconut Tartlets or Cinnamon Sugar Cookies made with melt-in-your-mouth puff pastry. Are you drooling yet? Here are the most delicious desserts that are worth celebrating this holiday season. Caitlin Bensel 20 Easy Holiday Appetizers You Can Quickly Whip Up 01 of 40 Easy Chocolate Mousse With Croissant Crumbs Caitlin Bensel Chocolate mousse may seem like a complex dessert to whip up (ha! see what I did there?) but it’s actually quite easy. If you ask us, the buttery croissant crumbs really put this dish over the top, so grab a few from your favorite bakery or café a few days before making this dish. GET THE RECIPE 02 of 40 White Chocolate Pomegranate Cheesecake Victor Protasio This Christmas cheesecake is absolutely stunning and will no doubt be the centerpiece dessert at your holiday dinner. Adorning the outer rim of the cake are pomegranate arils, pistachios, and lime zest. For extra elegance, white chocolate is zested atop the middle of the cake, appearing as freshly fallen snow. GET THE RECIPE 03 of 40 Brown Butter Jam Tarts Fred Hardy Brown butter is the main event in this sweet holiday dessert recipe. Glazing the tart and enriching the dough, its earthy, slightly sweet taste pairs perfectly with the sweet apricot or strawberry jam filling. Garnish with crunchy almond halves for the ideal nutty companion to brown butter. GET THE RECIPE 04 of 40 Mint Chocolate Cookie Bars Fred Hardy There's nothing quite as reminiscent of Christmastime as peppermint. That is why we are breaking out this crave-worthy confection. The base of this three-layer dessert is a soft, fudgy cookie. Next, fluffy and minty buttercream frosting is spooned on into an even layer across the cookie. A rich, dark chocolate ganache tops it all off, making this dessert bar simply immaculate. GET THE RECIPE 05 of 40 Sparkling Gingerbread Star Cookies Fred Hardy This Christmas cookie will surely be the star of the dessert table. Wintry spices lead the flavor profile of these gingerbread cookies: Think brown sugar, molasses, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger. Lemon zest adds a pleasant pop of flavor. After cooling, the cookies are dipped in a sweet glaze and sprinkled with your choice of sparkling sugar that will really make them shimmer. GET THE RECIPE 06 of 40 Sweet Tahini and Date Truffles Victor Protasio Looking for an easy Christmas treat? You can whip up these fudgy truffles in less than an hour! A mixture of processed dates, tahini, and almond flour creates the truffles' sweet, fruity center. Then, they are dipped in a melted blend of chocolate and coconut oil. Sprinkle with flaky salt after a final drizzling of chocolate for an ideal balance of flavors. GET THE RECIPE 07 of 40 Gingerbread Latte Whoopie Pie CAITLIN BENSEL What could be better than chewy, homemade gingerbread cookies filled with silky espresso cream cheese? These bite-sized delights are perfect when paired with a cup of coffee or tea. GET THE RECIPE 08 of 40 Pistachio and White Chocolate Cookie Bark Fred Hardy Cookie meets holiday bark in this charming confection combo. The cookie recipe utilizes bold flavors such as pistachio and orange zest, yet it is grounded in a sugar and vanilla base. Though we garnished with chopped pistachios and freeze-dried raspberries for a holiday flair, feel free to get creative with your topping selections. GET THE RECIPE 09 of 40 Ruffled Cranberry-Almond Milk Pie Fred Hardy This gorgeous custard-based pie is made for the holidays with its delicious array of flavors: cinnamon, citrus, almond, and cranberry, just to name a few. The pie's showstopping rosettes are made from phyllo dough, which gives a texture that closely resembles bread pudding. Loosely shape the dough into rosettes to encourage growth. GET THE RECIPE 10 of 40 Peppermint Checkerboard Cookies Take your standard sugar cookie up a notch with these impressive checkerboard treats. Grab some red food coloring and peppermint extract from the store and make these festive holiday cookies with a batch of homemade hot chocolate. GET THE RECIPE 11 of 40 Chai-Flavored Snowball Cookies Fred Hardy There is a flurry of flavors in these adorable snowball cookies. 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. GET THE RECIPE 12 of 40 Chocolate Ganache Tart Victor Protasio Chocolate lovers, this is the dessert for you. Picture this: a buttery, salty Ritz Cracker crust filled with silky, decadent chocolate, and finished with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt. GET THE RECIPE 13 of 40 Ginger Apple Tarte Tatin Christopher Testani Gala and Granny Smith apples are baked until soft and caramelized in this elegant tarte Tatin. The best part? Store-bought puff pastry makes this one of the easiest desserts to prepare. GET THE RECIPE 14 of 40 Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies Antonis Achilleos You have to try this innovative spin on classic carrot cake. The soft, chewy carrot cake cookies have the perfect amount of sweetness and spice. Plus, they’re filled with a whipped, slightly tangy cream cheese frosting. Absolutely divine! GET THE RECIPE 15 of 40 Chocolate-Hazelnut Swirl Cake Antonis Achilleos This marbled chocolate-hazelnut cake is just as beautiful as it is delicious. It’s light and delicate, with the most heavenly crunchy hazelnut topping. GET THE RECIPE 16 of 40 Cherry-Vanilla Bundt Cake Antonis Achilleos There’s just something about this vanilla bundt cake that screams "Christmas." The mouthwatering cherry filling tucked into a sugar-dusted cake is what holiday dreams are made of. GET THE RECIPE 17 of 40 Malted Chocolate Brownies Victor Protasio These aren’t your typical chocolate brownies. No, these are rich and decadent brownies baked with a generous portion of malted milk balls. You’re gonna need a glass of cold milk for these! GET THE RECIPE 18 of 40 Chocolate Raspberry Skillet Cake Samantha Seneviratne Need a simple dessert that takes almost no time to make? This Chocolate Raspberry Skillet cake requires about 15 minutes of hands-on time, and less than an hour in the oven. Pro tip: Serve this with a heaping scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. GET THE RECIPE 19 of 40 Nectarine Olive Oil Cake Greg DuPree Sometimes a lighter dessert is just what you need after an indulgent holiday meal. Good quality olive oil and stone fruit, like nectarines, are the key to this simple, subtly sweet cake. GET THE RECIPE 20 of 40 Dark Chocolate Coconut Tartlets Jennifer Causey Going to a holiday party or potluck? Impress the group with these bite-sized chocolate coconut tartlets. They’re the perfect little sweet treat, and take less than 30 minutes to make. GET THE RECIPE 21 of 40 Chocolate Peppermint Shortbreads Johnny Miller Put your stash of candy canes to good use by making a batch of these chocolate peppermint shortbreads. You've got an unbeatable combination of buttery cocoa-infused shortbread covered in chocolate, along with a sprinkle of crushed peppermint. GET THE RECIPE 22 of 40 No-Bake Chocolate-Peppermint Cookies Romulo Yanes A simple no-bake dessert that calls for just seven ingredients? Sign us up! The festive flavors of peppermint and chocolate will surely be a hit amongst your family and friends. GET THE RECIPE 23 of 40 Pine Nut Drops Laurie Frankel Here’s another classic Christmas cookie that everyone loves. Spread some holiday cheer by making a double batch and gifting them to your coworkers, neighbors, and friends. GET THE RECIPE 25 Crowd-Pleasing Christmas Breakfast Ideas 24 of 40 Nutella Cones With Hazelnut Praline Johnny Miller Who says you can only enjoy cones with ice cream? Instead, fill them with Nutella and chopped hazelnuts, and top them with a homemade hazelnut praline for a delicious dessert. GET THE RECIPE 25 of 40 Chocolate Bark With Dried Fruit and Spices Josh Wand Chocolate bark is another sweet treat that’s perfect for gifting around the holidays. And it’s so fun to make because you can top it with pretty much anything in your pantry. This recipe calls for dried fruit, cinnamon, and cayenne. GET THE RECIPE 26 of 40 The Best Sugar Cookie Caitlin Bensel Whether you’re gathering your friends for a cookie decorating party, or making Christmas cookies with the family, this is the recipe to use. Making the dough takes 30 minutes and yields 20 delicious cookies. Easy enough, right? GET THE RECIPE 27 of 40 Chocolate Linzer Cookies Caitlin Bensel There’s a reason why every dessert platter has Linzer cookies on it. They’re elegant, beautiful, and most importantly—they’re easy to devour. Almost any type of jam or marmalade works with these, but we recommend a tart berry variety to pair with the rich chocolate. GET THE RECIPE 28 of 40 Gingerbread Cookies Lucas Allen Nothing beats homemade gingerbread dough, and it’s incredibly easy to make. Use your favorite cookie cutters to make different shapes to decorate! The best part is, your house will smell better than any Christmas candle you’ve ever had. GET THE RECIPE 29 of 40 Chocolate “Salami” With Hazelnuts and Figs Caitlin Bensel Change things up and make a sweet charcuterie board filled with little nibbles like dried fruit, nuts, and this chocolate “salami.” While it might look like cured meat, this roll of chocolate is so decadent and perfect for sharing. GET THE RECIPE 30 of 40 Salty-Sweet Chunkers CAITLIN BENSEL Some may consider these to be “kitchen sink” cookies, and we might have to agree. You haven’t lived until you’ve had a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie with ooey gooey marshmallows and pretzel bits. GET THE RECIPE 31 of 40 Chocolate Pecan Fudge Balls Caitlin Bensel Here’s another great dessert option if you’re hosting a party or gifting to friends. Fudgy bite-sized chocolate covered in pecans is the perfect way to indulge this holiday season. GET THE RECIPE 32 of 40 Brownie Batter Babka Bites Brie Passano Need something sweet for Christmas brunch? Don’t pass up these single-serving chocolate babka bites. All you need is store-bought crescent rolls, a muffin pan, and some baking essentials. GET THE RECIPE 33 of 40 Jam Sandwich Cookies Raymond Hom These delicate, buttery jam-filled cookies look like they’re covered in freshly fallen snow. Serve them alongside a variety of Christmas favorites, or a simple bowl of fresh raspberries. GET THE RECIPE 34 of 40 Break and Bake Kitchen Sink Cookies Want to know the secret to these irresistible kitchen sink cookies? The recipe calls for two extra egg yolks, which makes the dough rich in flavor and texture. GET THE RECIPE 35 of 40 Cinnamon Sugar Cookies Jennifer Causey This five-ingredient cookie is anything but ordinary. Frozen puff pastry is transformed into buttery, flaky spiral-shaped cookies that are generously dusted in cinnamon sugar. GET THE RECIPE 36 of 40 Chocolate-Covered Strawberries Getty Images There’s something so special and elegant about chocolate-covered strawberries. And they’re perhaps the easiest and most affordable dessert to make. You can even make a platter a day or two before your holiday event for convenience. GET THE RECIPE 37 of 40 Orange and Clove Basque Cheesecake Jennifer Causey Prepare to blow your guests' minds with this Basque cheesecake. This isn’t just any ordinary cheesecake—it has an essence of orange and clove, and boasts the most stunning caramelized outer layer. GET THE RECIPE 11 Delicious Desserts You Won't Believe Are Actually Healthy-ish 38 of 40 Fig and Almond Custard Tart Danny Kim Looking for a dessert that's not too sweet? This fig and almond custard is just the thing. The recipe is easy to follow and makes use of fresh figs. An apricot glaze rounds out the finished tart for a balanced flavor profile. GET THE RECIPE 39 of 40 Mini S'mores Cookie Cups Grace Elkus Enjoy the heavenly combo of graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate with these bite-sized s’mores cookie cups. It wouldn’t be Christmas without eating a cookie with a Hersey Kiss baked in. GET THE RECIPE 40 of 40 Winter Citrus Pavlova Greg DuPree This winter citrus pavlova is an Australian dessert that is full of fresh flavors reminiscent of the warmer months but with a wintery twist. That's thanks to homemade lime curd (you can also use store-bought lime curd if you're in a pinch). The egg whites and plentiful sugar combine to create thick ribbons of meringue that you'll top with whipped cream and citrus. GET THE RECIPE Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit