Christmas is coming, and you know what that means—it’s officially time to start planning your dessert menu! Forget everything else for a second because let’s be real, the best part of any holiday gathering is the sweets table. Whether you’re hosting a full-on Christmas feast or just need something to bring to your cousin’s party, having a killer dessert lineup is non-negotiable.
I’ve spent way too many Decembers stress-baking in my kitchen (not complaining though), and I’ve learned that the secret to nailing Christmas desserts is variety. You need cookies for the kids, something easy for when you’re running out of time, and maybe a showstopper centerpiece that’ll have everyone asking for the recipe. So buckle up, because I’m about to walk you through 15 Christmas dessert ideas that’ll make your holiday season absolutely delicious.
Gingerbread Cookies
You can’t have Christmas without gingerbread cookies—it’s basically illegal :). These warmly spiced beauties are packed with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, and they make your entire house smell like a holiday wonderland. The best part? Decorating them is half the fun. Grab some royal icing, sprinkles, and maybe some gumdrops, and go wild.
These cookies are sturdy enough to hang on your Christmas tree or ship to distant relatives without crumbling into dust. Plus, they taste incredible—crispy on the edges, slightly chewy in the middle, and packed with that nostalgic holiday flavor we all crave.
How to Make
Mix the dry ingredients: Combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt in a large bowl.
Cream butter and sugar: Beat softened butter with brown sugar until fluffy, then add egg, vanilla, and molasses.
Combine and chill: Mix wet and dry ingredients until dough forms, then divide into disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Roll and cut: Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness on a floured surface, cut out shapes with cookie cutters, and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Bake: Bake at 350°F for about 10 minutes until edges are set.
Decorate: Once cooled, decorate with royal icing made from powdered sugar and milk, then add sprinkles or candy.
Sugar Cookies with Festive Icing
Sugar cookies are the blank canvas of Christmas baking. You can cut them into any shape—stars, trees, snowmen, reindeer—and decorate them however your heart desires. The dough is buttery, tender, and ridiculously easy to work with.
I love making these with green-tinted buttercream for Christmas tree cookie stacks that look way fancier than they actually are. Stack a few graduated sizes, pipe on some frosting “garland,” add a couple of sprinkles, and boom—you’ve got an Instagram-worthy dessert.
How to Make
Make the dough: Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in eggs and vanilla extract.
Add dry ingredients: Mix in flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt until just combined.
Chill: Wrap dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to make rolling easier.
Cut shapes: Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness, cut with cookie cutters, and transfer to baking sheets.
Bake: Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until edges are barely golden.
Decorate: Let cool completely, then ice with colored buttercream frosting and add festive sprinkles.
Peppermint Bark
If you want something that takes literally zero baking skills but still looks like you spent hours in the kitchen, peppermint bark is your best friend. This classic holiday treat combines dark chocolate, white chocolate, and crushed candy canes for a minty, crunchy, utterly addictive confection. It’s perfect for gifting, and kids absolutely love helping crush the candy canes.
The best part? You only need about four ingredients and a microwave. IMO, this is the ultimate last-minute dessert that still feels totally festive and special.
How to Make
Melt dark chocolate: Melt dark chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave, stirring until smooth, then mix in ½ teaspoon peppermint extract.
Layer and chill: Pour chocolate onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, spread evenly, and refrigerate for 30 minutes until set.
Crush candy canes: Place candy canes in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin.
Add white chocolate: Melt white chocolate with remaining ½ teaspoon peppermint extract, pour over the dark chocolate layer, and spread evenly.
Top and set: Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top, press lightly, and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes until completely hardened.
Break into pieces: Once set, break or cut into irregular pieces and serve.
Christmas Cheesecake
Want to seriously impress your guests? A Christmas cheesecake is the way to go. This festive dessert combines creamy white chocolate cheesecake with holiday sprinkles, cranberry jam, or white chocolate mousse for a showstopper that tastes as good as it looks. It’s rich, decadent, and screams celebration.
You can customize the toppings with whipped cream, red and green candies, or fresh cranberries for that perfect Christmas color scheme. Fair warning though—this one requires a bit more effort than cookies, but it’s totally worth it.
How to Make
Make the crust: Combine crushed graham crackers, melted butter, sugar, and a pinch of salt, press into a springform pan, and bake briefly.
Prepare filling: Melt white chocolate with heavy cream, then beat cream cheese with sugar until smooth.
Add eggs: Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla, sour cream, and the melted white chocolate mixture.
Fold in sprinkles: Gently fold red and green sprinkles into the batter for festive color.
Bake: Pour filling over crust and bake in a water bath at 325°F for about 60-70 minutes until center is almost set.
Chill and top: Refrigerate overnight, then top with whipped cream, candies, or cranberry jam before serving.
Mexican Wedding Cookies
These little snowball-looking cookies are absolute perfection. Also called snowball cookies, they’re made with pecans and coated in powdered sugar, giving them that festive wintery vibe. The texture is melt-in-your-mouth buttery, and the rich pecan flavor is addictive.
One recipe makes about 40 cookies, which sounds like a lot until you realize how fast they disappear. Pro tip: make a double batch because everyone will be coming back for seconds (and thirds).
How to Make
Toast pecans: Finely chop pecans and toast them lightly in the oven for enhanced flavor.
Cream butter: Beat softened butter with powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
Mix dough: Add flour, vanilla, salt, and toasted pecans, mixing until dough comes together.
Shape: Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheets.
Bake: Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes until bottoms are lightly golden.
Coat in sugar: While still warm, roll cookies in powdered sugar, then roll again once completely cooled for that snowy appearance.
Black Forest Cake
If you want to go big or go home, the Black Forest Cake is your answer. This German classic features layers of rich chocolate cake, whipped cream, and cherries, creating a flavor combo that’s absolutely divine. The bittersweet cocoa pairs beautifully with the sweet cream and tart cherries, giving you that perfect balance.
Adding sweetened condensed milk to the batter gives it an extra caramelized depth and keeps it super moist. Top it with chocolate shavings and whole cherries, and you’ve got a centerpiece that’ll have everyone reaching for their phones to snap photos before diving in.
How to Make
Bake chocolate cake: Prepare chocolate cake layers using cocoa powder, flour, eggs, butter, and sweetened condensed milk for extra moisture.
Prepare cherries: Drain canned cherries and set aside, reserving some juice for soaking the cake layers.
Whip cream: Beat heavy cream with sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
Assemble layers: Place one cake layer on a serving plate, brush with cherry juice, spread whipped cream, and add cherries.
Stack and frost: Repeat with remaining layers, then frost the entire cake with whipped cream.
Garnish: Top with chocolate shavings, whole cherries, and extra whipped cream rosettes.
Traditional Fruit Cake
Okay, hear me out—fruit cake gets a bad rap, but a good fruit cake is actually amazing. This version is moist, rich, and packed with raisins, dates, apricots, cherries, and a hint of brandy. It’s got warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice that make every bite feel like Christmas in your mouth.
The best part? You don’t need to soak the fruit overnight like traditional recipes demand. This quick method still delivers incredible flavor and texture without the extra wait time.
How to Make
Prep fruit: Chop dried fruits (raisins, dates, apricots, cherries) and toss with a bit of flour to prevent sinking.
Mix dry ingredients: Combine flour, baking powder, spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice), and salt.
Cream butter and sugar: Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy, then add eggs one at a time.
Combine: Fold in dry ingredients alternating with brandy or orange juice, then fold in the fruit mixture.
Bake: Pour into a lined loaf pan and bake at 300°F for 90-120 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
Brush with brandy: Once cooled, brush with extra brandy for moisture and flavor, then wrap tightly and age for a few days if desired.
Hot Chocolate Cookies
These cookies are like drinking hot cocoa, but in cookie form. They’re rich, chocolatey, and topped with melted marshmallows for that authentic hot chocolate experience. The base is a fudgy chocolate cookie that’s soft in the center with slightly crispy edges.
Top them with mini marshmallows during the last minute of baking so they get all golden and gooey. Add a drizzle of chocolate on top, and you’ve got a cookie that tastes like your favorite winter drink.
How to Make
Make chocolate dough: Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs and vanilla, then mix in cocoa powder, flour, and baking soda.
Scoop dough: Form dough into balls and place on baking sheets.
Bake: Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes.
Add marshmallows: Remove from oven, press mini marshmallows on top of each cookie, and return to oven for 2 more minutes.
Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet so marshmallows set slightly.
Drizzle chocolate: Melt chocolate chips and drizzle over cooled cookies for extra decadence.
Chocolate Peppermint Brownies
Brownies are always a crowd-pleaser, but when you add peppermint, they become a Christmas essential. These rich, fudgy brownies are topped with a creamy peppermint frosting and crushed candy canes for that festive crunch. The combination of chocolate and mint is classic for a reason—it just works.
These brownies are dense, decadent, and incredibly easy to make. Plus, they look gorgeous on a dessert table with those red and white candy cane pieces on top.
How to Make
Make brownie batter: Melt butter with chocolate, then whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, and cocoa powder.
Bake: Pour into a lined baking pan and bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes.
Cool completely: Let brownies cool fully before frosting.
Make peppermint frosting: Beat butter with powdered sugar, peppermint extract, and a bit of cream until fluffy.
Frost: Spread peppermint frosting over cooled brownies.
Top: Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top and cut into squares.
Eggnog Cheesecake Bars
Eggnog isn’t just for drinking—it makes an incredible cheesecake filling too. These bars have a graham cracker crust, a creamy eggnog-flavored cheesecake layer, and a sprinkle of nutmeg on top for that classic holiday taste. They’re easier than making a full cheesecake but just as impressive.
The eggnog flavor is subtle but definitely present, with warm notes of nutmeg and cinnamon. These bars are perfect for potlucks because you can cut them into small squares and feed a crowd.
How to Make
Make crust: Combine graham cracker crumbs with melted butter and press into a baking pan.
Prepare filling: Beat cream cheese with sugar until smooth, then add eggs, eggnog, vanilla, and a pinch of nutmeg.
Pour and bake: Pour filling over crust and bake at 325°F for 35-40 minutes until center is almost set.
Cool: Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Garnish: Dust with ground nutmeg before cutting into bars.
Serve chilled: Cut into squares and serve cold for best texture.
Christmas Fudge
Fudge is one of those desserts that feels super fancy but is actually ridiculously simple. Christmas fudge can be made with chocolate, white chocolate, peppermint, or even festive colors like red and green swirls. It’s creamy, sweet, and melts in your mouth.
The best part about fudge? You can make it ahead, cut it into pretty squares, and package it up as gifts. It stays fresh for weeks, making it perfect for holiday prep.
How to Make
Melt chocolate: Combine chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth.
Add flavor: Stir in vanilla extract or peppermint extract for extra flavor.
Pour: Pour mixture into a parchment-lined pan and spread evenly.
Add toppings: Sprinkle crushed candy canes, festive sprinkles, or nuts on top if desired.
Chill: Refrigerate for 2-3 hours until completely set.
Cut: Remove from pan, cut into small squares, and store in an airtight container.
Snickerdoodle Cookies
Snickerdoodles are soft, chewy, and coated in cinnamon sugar, making them perfect for the holiday season. These cookies have a slight tang from cream of tartar, which gives them their signature flavor. They’re comforting, nostalgic, and pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or hot cocoa.
Rolling the dough balls in cinnamon sugar before baking creates that beautiful crackled surface everyone loves. These cookies stay soft for days, making them great for cookie tins or gift boxes.
How to Make
Cream butter and sugar: Beat softened butter with sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs: Beat in eggs and vanilla extract.
Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
Combine: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until dough forms.
Roll in cinnamon sugar: Mix cinnamon with sugar in a small bowl, roll dough balls in the mixture.
Bake: Place on baking sheets and bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until edges are set.
Candy Cane Truffles
These bite-sized treats are elegant, delicious, and incredibly easy to make. Candy cane truffles combine crushed Oreos with cream cheese, rolled into balls, dipped in chocolate, and topped with crushed candy canes. They’re no-bake, which is a lifesaver during the hectic holiday season.
The peppermint crunch on top adds the perfect festive touch, and the Oreo base gives them a cookies-and-cream flavor that everyone adores. Make a big batch because they disappear fast.
How to Make
Crush Oreos: Pulse Oreos in a food processor until fine crumbs form.
Mix with cream cheese: Combine Oreo crumbs with softened cream cheese until mixture holds together.
Roll into balls: Form mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a baking sheet.
Freeze: Freeze for 30 minutes to firm up.
Dip in chocolate: Melt chocolate, dip each truffle, and place back on the baking sheet.
Top with candy canes: Immediately sprinkle crushed candy canes on top before chocolate sets.
Linzer Cookies
Linzer cookies are those beautiful sandwich cookies with a cutout window showing jam peeking through. They’re buttery, nutty (usually made with almond flour), and filled with raspberry or strawberry jam. They look incredibly impressive but are surprisingly straightforward to make.
The dusting of powdered sugar on top makes them look like they’re covered in snow, which is just perfect for Christmas. These cookies are delicate and elegant—ideal for a fancy holiday tea or dessert table.
How to Make
Make dough: Cream butter and sugar, beat in egg and almond extract, then mix in flour and almond flour.
Chill: Wrap dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Roll and cut: Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness, cut out circles, and cut small shapes (stars, hearts) from half the circles.
Bake: Bake at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden.
Fill: Spread jam on whole cookies, dust cutout cookies with powdered sugar, and sandwich together.
Let set: Allow jam to set for a few hours before serving.
Yule Log Cake
The Yule log, or bûche de Noël, is a classic French Christmas dessert that looks like an actual log. It’s a rolled sponge cake filled with buttercream or ganache, frosted with chocolate buttercream, and decorated to look like tree bark. It’s absolutely stunning and tastes incredible.
Making a Yule log does require some technique (rolling the cake without cracking it is an art form), but once you nail it, you’ll feel like a professional baker. Use a fork to create bark texture in the frosting, add marzipan mushrooms or powdered sugar “snow,” and you’ve got a showstopper.
How to Make
Bake sponge cake: Whip eggs and sugar until thick, fold in flour and cocoa, spread thinly on a baking sheet, and bake at 375°F for 12-15 minutes.
Roll while warm: Turn cake onto a towel dusted with powdered sugar, peel off parchment, roll up with the towel, and cool completely.
Make filling: Prepare chocolate buttercream or ganache.
Unroll and fill: Carefully unroll cake, spread filling evenly, and roll back up without the towel.
Frost: Cover the entire log with chocolate buttercream frosting.
Decorate: Use a fork to create bark texture, add marzipan mushrooms, dust with powdered sugar, and chill before serving.
Cranberry Bliss Bars
These bars are a copycat of the famous Starbucks treat, and they’re honestly better homemade. They feature a soft blondie base with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips, topped with cream cheese frosting and more cranberries. They’re sweet, tangy, and absolutely addictive.
The cream cheese frosting is what really makes these bars special—it’s not too sweet and balances perfectly with the tart cranberries. Cut them into small squares because they’re rich.
How to Make
Make blondie base: Cream butter and brown sugar, beat in eggs and vanilla, then mix in flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, and orange zest.
Add mix-ins: Fold in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.
Bake: Spread batter in a pan and bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes.
Cool: Let cool completely before frosting.
Make frosting: Beat cream cheese with butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
Frost and top: Spread frosting over cooled bars, sprinkle with chopped dried cranberries and white chocolate, then cut into squares.
There you have it 15 Christmas dessert ideas that’ll make your holiday season sweeter than ever. From classic cookies to showstopping cakes, there’s something here for every skill level and every occasion. Whether you’re team peppermint or team chocolate (or both, honestly), these recipes will have your dessert table looking and tasting incredible.
The beauty of having this variety is you can mix and match based on your time, energy, and who you’re feeding. Got a cookie exchange coming up? Whip up the gingerbread or snickerdoodles. Need to impress the in-laws? Go for that Yule log or Christmas cheesecake. Short on time? Peppermint bark and fudge have your back.
Happy baking, and may your Christmas be filled with sugar, spice, and everything nice!