10+ Christmas Dessert Recipes to Sweeten Your Holiday Celebrations

Christmas desserts just bring a certain warmth, don’t they? They’re the sweet finish to your festive meals and the reason everyone lingers at the table a little longer.

The best Christmas dessert recipes are easy and actually taste good—nobody wants baking to be a hassle, especially during the holidays. Whether you’re a cookie fan, a cake person, or more into pies, there’s something here you’ll probably want to try.

1) Classic Yule Log Cake

The Yule Log Cake (Bûche de Noël) is a classic. It’s shaped like a log, which is kind of quirky and fun for the holidays.

You bake a light chocolate sponge cake in a sheet pan, then spread a creamy filling over it and roll it up. After that, you coat the whole thing with chocolate ganache or frosting to make it look like tree bark.

Decorate with powdered sugar, berries, or even tiny meringue mushrooms if you’re feeling creative. It takes a little patience, but it’s a sweet way to finish your holiday meal.

Check out a detailed chocolate Yule Log recipe here.

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup mascarpone or whipped cream
• 1 cup chocolate ganache (for coating)

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Whisk eggs and sugar until thick and pale.
3. Sift flour and cocoa powder, then fold into egg mixture.
4. Spread batter in a greased 10×15 inch pan.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes until springy.
6. Turn cake onto a towel, peel off paper, and roll while warm.
7. Unroll, spread filling, and roll it up again.
8. Cover with ganache and chill before serving.

2) No-Bake Eggnog Pie

No-Bake Eggnog Pie is for anyone who wants a quick, easy dessert that still tastes like the holidays. It’s creamy, light, and has all that classic eggnog flavor.

Usually, you make the crust from crushed graham crackers. The filling is a mix of eggnog, vanilla pudding, and whipped cream.

Sprinkle a little nutmeg on top if you like. Just let it chill in the fridge for a few hours so it sets up nicely.

Ingredients

• 1 graham cracker crust
• 1 cup eggnog
• 1 package vanilla pudding mix
• 1 cup whipped cream
• Ground nutmeg for topping

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix eggnog and pudding until smooth.
2. Fold in whipped cream.
3. Pour into graham cracker crust.
4. Chill for at least 4 hours.
5. Top with nutmeg before serving.

Want more details? Here’s a recipe for No-Bake Eggnog Pie here.

3) Oreo Fudge Bars

Oreo fudge bars are dangerously easy. You just mix crushed Oreos with butter and chocolate—no fancy equipment needed.

They’re rich, creamy, and make a solid party treat or edible gift. The combo of Oreo and chocolate is a no-brainer for most people.

Use milk chocolate, white chocolate, or both if you’re feeling wild. You’ll have bars ready to go in a snap.

Ingredients

• 24 Oreo cookies, finely crushed
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Mix Oreos and melted butter, then press into a baking pan.
3. Melt sweetened condensed milk with chocolate chips in a saucepan.
4. Pour chocolate mixture over the Oreo crust.
5. Chill for at least 2 hours, then cut into bars.

4) Gingersnap Cookies

Gingersnap cookies just feel like Christmas. They’re crisp outside, chewy inside, and full of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses.

They look great on a cookie tray or in a gift tin. You can make them thin and snappy or soft and chewy.

Rolling them in cinnamon sugar before baking gives them a little sparkle and extra flavor. The recipe is easy, and you’ll have cookies in about half an hour.

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Extra cinnamon sugar for rolling

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and baking soda.
3. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy.
4. Add egg and molasses, beat again.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet, mix until combined.
6. Roll dough into balls, then in cinnamon sugar.
7. Place on baking sheet and flatten slightly.
8. Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are set and tops crack.
9. Cool on a wire rack.

5) Christmas Sheet Cake

If you want a festive dessert that feeds a crowd, Christmas sheet cake is the way to go. You can get creative with sprinkles, candies, or even a tree design made from frosting.

This cake is usually moist and soft, and you can make it chocolate, vanilla, or funfetti. Top it with your favorite frosting—cream cheese or chocolate both work.

It bakes up quickly, and you can slice it into neat squares for easy serving. Decorating is half the fun, honestly.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ¾ cup cocoa powder (if making chocolate)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup hot water

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
3. Add buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
4. Stir in hot water carefully.
5. Pour into a greased 9×13-inch pan.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool before frosting and decorating.

Need some inspiration? Try this Christmas Funfetti Sheet Cake recipe.

6) Sugar Cookie Biscotti

Sugar cookie biscotti is a fun twist on the classic Italian cookie. It’s sweet, buttery, and just right for dunking in coffee or milk.

You mix flour, sugar, butter, and baking powder. Shape the dough into logs, bake, slice, and bake again until crisp.

This recipe gives sugar cookies a new look and crunch, but the flavor stays familiar and festive.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Mix flour and baking powder.
3. Cream butter and sugar.
4. Gently add dry ingredients.
5. Shape dough into two logs on a baking sheet.
6. Bake for 25 minutes.
7. Cool 10 minutes, then slice 1/2-inch thick.
8. Bake slices again for 10-15 minutes until crisp.

Find the full Sugar Cookie Biscotti Recipe here.

7) Potato Candy

Potato candy is one of those quirky, old-school treats that pop up around Christmas. Don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like potatoes—the mashed potatoes just make the dough soft and sweet.

You mix the mashed potatoes with powdered sugar to form a dough. Then, roll it out, spread peanut butter on top, and roll it up like a jelly roll.

Chill it, slice it, and you’re good to go. It’s super easy and doesn’t even need baking.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mashed potato (cooled)
• 6 cups powdered sugar (plus more if needed)
• 1 jar of peanut butter (about 12 oz)

Cooking Instructions

1. Peel, boil, and mash the potato. Let it cool.
2. Mix mashed potato and powdered sugar until you get a dough.
3. Roll out dough on powdered sugar to about 1/8 inch thick.
4. Spread peanut butter evenly.
5. Roll up tightly.
6. Chill for 2 hours.
7. Slice into pieces and serve.

Curious? Read more at Sugar Spun Run.

8) Brandy Snaps

Brandy snaps are crisp, sweet, and look fancier than they are. Fill them with whipped cream or spike the cream with a little Amaretto if you want to mix things up.

They’re thin, lacy tubes that you shape while they’re still warm. The batter is simple and comes together fast.

You don’t actually need to use brandy, but a splash adds a nice kick. They’re great with fruit or even a scoop of ice cream.

Ingredients

• 50g butter
• 50g sugar
• 50g golden syrup
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp brandy (optional)
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 50g plain flour

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. Melt butter, sugar, and golden syrup in a saucepan. Stir in lemon juice, brandy, and ginger.

3. Add flour and mix until the batter is smooth.

4. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto a baking tray. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden.

5. While they’re still warm, roll each snap into a tube shape. Work quickly—they set fast.

6. Let them cool. Fill with whipped cream or whatever filling you like best.

For step-by-step photos, check British Brandy Snaps.

9) Chocolate Chestnut Cake

This cake is a solid pick if you’re after something rich but not too much for a holiday dessert. Chestnut puree brings a smooth, nutty flavor, and the texture lands somewhere between fudgy and moist.

You’ll get a lovely chocolate taste, but it’s not overly sweet.

A chocolate ganache glaze works well, or you can go with whipped chestnut cream for a festive finish. Both options look great and add a little extra flavor.

Honestly, it’s a clever way to use up tinned chestnuts, which always seem to pop up in winter.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chestnut puree
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 ounces dark chocolate
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking Instructions

1. Set the oven to 350°F (175°C).

2. Melt chocolate and butter together, stirring until smooth.

3. Whisk eggs and sugar in a bowl until thick and pale.

4. Fold in chestnut puree and vanilla.

5. Gently stir in the melted chocolate mixture.

6. Pour the batter into a greased pan.

7. Bake for 35-40 minutes. The cake should be set but still a bit moist inside.

10) Springerle Cookies

Springerle cookies are a classic German Christmas treat. They have a gentle sweetness and usually a hint of anise.

Press the dough with carved wooden molds or special rolling pins to get those beautiful, old-fashioned designs.

They take a while because you’ve got to let them dry before baking. That’s how you keep the patterns crisp.

The cookies come out light and crisp—perfect with a cup of tea or coffee during the holidays.

You can go with vanilla or anise extract for that traditional flavor.

Honestly, making Springerle is a bit of a project, but it’s a fun way to give your dessert table a special touch.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs (room temperature)
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp vanilla or 1 tsp anise extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

Cooking Instructions

1. Beat the eggs and sugar together. You want the mixture to get thick and pale—don’t rush it.

2. Toss in your flavoring and baking powder.

3. Slowly add the flour. Mix just until the dough feels firm; it shouldn’t be sticky.

4. Roll the dough out. Aim for about 1/4 inch thickness, but honestly, a little more or less won’t hurt.

5. Grab your molds and press them into the dough. That’s how you get those cool designs.

6. Leave the dough out to dry for 12 to 24 hours at room temperature. I know, the wait is rough.

7. When you’re ready, preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).

8. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes. You’re looking for them to be just set, not browned.

9. Let them cool on a wire rack before you serve them.