Indulge Your Sweet Tooth: The Ultimate Collection of Christmas Dessert Recipes for a Magical Holiday Feast
As the grand finale to your festive celebrations approaches, it’s time to turn our attention to the sweetest part of the Christmas dinner menu: dessert! By now, you’ve likely crafted an exquisite holiday spread, perhaps having already discovered perfect choices among our curated lists of delightful appetizers, comforting soups, and impressive main courses. Now, let’s complete your magnificent meal with an array of truly unforgettable desserts that will leave everyone with a warm, sugary glow.
This holiday season, we’re diving headfirst into a spectacular collection of Christmas dessert recipes designed to perfectly cap off your fantastic Christmas menu. From rich, traditional classics that evoke nostalgic memories to modern, easy-to-make variations, we’ve gathered a lineup that promises to satisfy every craving and cater to all skill levels. Whether you’re seeking a show-stopping center-piece or a quick, delightful treat, you’ll find inspiration here.
Below, you’ll discover a diverse selection of delicious dessert ideas tailored for your special Christmas dinner. Our collection spans the spectrum from beloved traditional treats like the classic Bûche de Noël (Yule Log), hearty Christmas Pudding, fruit-filled cakes, and iconic Pecan Pie, to innovative no-bake creations that simplify your holiday baking, and even a uniquely spiced Guinness Gingerbread. There’s something to enchant every palate! To make your holiday planning even easier, you can download the free recipe collection of all these delectable treats right now. This way, you’ll have the perfect recipe at your fingertips, ready to create Christmas magic!
Have fun browsing and happy baking!
🎄 You Might Also Like: Complete Your Christmas Menu
While you’re planning your sweet finale, don’t forget to explore other essential courses to make your Christmas dinner truly outstanding. A well-rounded meal ensures everyone leaves happy and fully satisfied. Check out these related collections for more fantastic holiday recipe ideas:
73 Easy Christmas Eve Appetizer Ideas
73 Appetizer Recipes for an outstanding Christmas Dinner – Part II
36 Soup Recipes for your Amazing Christmas Dinner Menu
36 delicious Christmas Dinner Main Course Recipe Ideas
The Great Collection of Christmas Dinner Dessert Recipes
Prepare to embark on a delightful journey through a myriad of festive sweets! This comprehensive collection showcases a variety of Christmas dessert recipes, ensuring that whether you prefer classic baked goods, light and fruity options, or rich chocolate indulgences, your holiday table will be adorned with truly special treats. Each recipe promises to bring joy and sweetness to your cherished Christmas moments.
Festive Cakes & Cheesecakes: The Stars of the Show
No Christmas dinner is complete without a grand cake or a creamy cheesecake to crown the feast. These recipes range from traditional spiced gingerbread to elegant cranberry and coconut creations, promising both visual appeal and exquisite flavors. Get ready to bake your way to a stunning holiday centerpiece!
Christmas Pavlova
Christmas pavlova with red and green fresh fruit in the form of pomegranate seeds and kiwi is a delicious dessert centrepiece for Christmas and your family celebrations for the holidays.
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Festive Cranberry Coconut Cake
Cranberry Coconut Cake is a showstopping dessert, perfect for any holiday party or festive occasion! Layers of moist coconut cake are filled with a sweet-tart homemade cranberry filling, frosted with rich cream cheese frosting, and coated in a layer of sweetened coconut.
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You have to make Magic Cake at least once!
Magic Cake is an enchanting (and easy) dessert recipe! A simple batter transforms when cooked to make different layers! This eggnog cake version is perfect for the holidays.
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Eggnog Cake
Eggnog Cake is a fluffy, moist bundt pan cake with a sweet and creamy vanilla eggnog glaze sprinkled with nutmeg. This is an easy-to-make 5 step elegant cake recipe that’s perfect for the holiday season.
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Vegan Gingerbread Cake
A wonderfully spiced vegan gingerbread cake with layers of classic buttercream. The cake melts in your mouth and is made with common ingredients.
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Zuccotto
Looks so impressive, but zuccotto is so easy to make. Try ths creamy, Italian dessert for this Christmas!
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Christmas Tree Cakes
These Christmas tree cakes provide a gorgeous presentation with the green ombre cakes. The red and white piped buttercream adds a nice festive touch too!
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Chocolate Roll with Candy Cane Whipped Cream (Bûche de Noël)
A nod to my French Canadian heritage, Bûche de Noël aka Chocolate Roll Cake, pairs a light chocolate sponge cake, with creamy and slightly sweet candy cane flavoured whipped cream. This irresistible dessert is a cake lover’s dream!
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Santa’s Favorite Hot Cocoa Cupcakes
These hot cocoa cupcakes are made with a boxed mix making this an easy and spectacular holiday treat. The perfect finishing touch is the marshmallow frosting.
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Gingerbread Cake
Turn heads and drop jaws at your next Christmas gathering with this gorgeous gingerbread cake. This cake pairs a moist gingerbread cake base with a boozy bourbon frosting. Top it off with your choice of decorated gingerbread cookies and you’re ready to go!
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Speculoos ‘Biscoff’ Cheesecake
This incredibly decadent Baked Biscoff Cheesecake is the perfect dessert to make for a special occasion – or when you just want to treat yourself! With Biscoff used in every layer of this Cheesecake, you will get both the delicious caramelised spiced flavour of traditional Speculoos Cookies and the dense creaminess from a classic Baked Cheesecake.
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Chocolate Lava Cakes for a Crowd | Borrowed Bites
A moist cake with a gooey, rich center that can only be described as heaven on earth. These Chocolate Lava Cakes are baked in muffin tins for an easy dessert that will impress at your Christmas Dinner. Plus, they are perfect for a crowd since they can be made ahead, frozen, or reheated in a pinch!
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Christmas Cheesecake (Cranberry Jam White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake)
Amazing Christmas Cheesecake to make your holidays magic. Vanilla bean cheesecake layered with an easy cranberry jam and smooth white chocolate mousse.
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Guinness Gingerbread
This moist and flavorful Guinness Gingerbread Bundt Cake is topped with a not-too-sweet Guinness glaze for the perfect indulgent dessert. Ginger, cloves, and molasses add rich, warming background flavors to this delicious holiday treat.
For many, Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without the comforting aroma of a freshly baked pie or a traditional steamed pudding. This section offers a selection of hearty and flavourful desserts, from fruit-filled delights to rich, decadent chocolate creations, perfect for warming up a chilly winter evening.
“You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy dessert, and that’s kind of the same thing.”
Spiced Apple Cranberry Pie – The Jam Jar Kitchen
This Spiced Apple Cranberry Pie is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. A delicious pie that whole family will love!
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Cranberry Orange Custard Pie | Recipe
This festive dessert is everything you didn’t know your Christmas was missing. A creamy egg custard is paired with orange zest, spices, and tart cranberries and set in a rich, flaky cream cheese crust for a gorgeous make-ahead pie that’s bursting with beautiful color and vibrant flavors. The sweet, silky vanilla custard balances out the bright, tangy cranberries for an amazing dessert that will make a beautiful finale to any holiday gathering.
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Easy Eggnog Pie
This delicious and easy eggnog pie is sure to be a hit with the eggnog lovers in your family this holiday season!
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Chocolate Ganache Tart with Salted Caramel
This Chocolate Ganache Tart is made with an Oreo crust topped with a layer of salted caramel, all under a rich and decadent chocolate ganache, then topped with flecks of sea salt and is absolutely INCREDIBLE!
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The BEST Sticky Toffee Pudding (So Easy!) | All Ways Delicious
Sticky Toffee Pudding is the perfect Christmas dessert. It’s a super moist cake made with dates and drenched in buttery toffee sauce. Plus, it’s really easy to make!
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“Desserts are the fairy tales in the kitchen.”
Traditional British Christmas Pudding
Traditional British Christmas Pudding is a make-ahead, steamed, fruit filled dessert which is set alight when served. It is beautiful culmination of many British Christmas dinners.
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Old Fashioned Pecan Pie
Delicious, old fashioned Pecan Pie that wraps up a meal just perfectly! Oeey Gooey filling on a decadent crust, topped with pecans, it’s pretty and delicious! Grandma would be proud!
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The Best Gluten-Free Vegan Fruitcake – Christmas Cake (Allergy-Free)
However you like your Christmas cake, this is The Best Gluten-Free Vegan Fruitcake to try! This easy recipe is allergy-free (no nuts!), refined sugar-free with natural dried fruit, alcohol-free, kid-friendly, and perfect for gifting or dessert!
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Old fashioned fruit cake
This old-fashioned fruit cake is my great-grandmother’s recipe. It is easy to make and makes a fantastic Christmas cake for the festive season.
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Christmas Bread Pudding
Christmas Bread Pudding is a dessert, steeped in tradition, all dressed up for the holidays with apples and dried cranberries and topped with a rum-spiked cream sauce. Pure comfort and totally festive.
For those bustling days when time is of the essence, or when you simply prefer a lighter touch in the kitchen, our no-bake and quick-prep desserts are your secret weapon. These recipes deliver maximum flavor with minimal effort, allowing you to enjoy the festivities without being tied to the oven.
“Always save room for dessert.”
Yogurt and Cherry Red Wine Sauce Recipe
This frozen yogurt dessert is a delightful treat that adults will enjoy digging into! It features spicy mulled wine, cherries, and yogurt to deliver holiday flavors in each spoonful.
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Egg Liqueur Parfait with Homemade Egg Liqueur
Delightful gluten-free, no churn egg liqueur parfait with homemade advocaat! Perfect for any season! Prepared extremely quickly and easily.
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15-Minute Pomegranate Parfaits with Pistachios • Happy Kitchen
Beautiful and delicious Pomegranate Parfaits with Pistachios and Mascarpone Cream is a perfect Christmas dessert. This easy recipe takes 15 minutes to make!
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No-Bake Chocolate Ricotta Cheesecake
Have you ever tried a cheesecake with ricotta? If not, then you should try this no-bake chocolate ricotta cheesecake without cream cheese! You will love it! It’s easy to make and a winner for every occasion!
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Arroz con Dulce (Creamy Coconut Rice Pudding)
Switch up your regular Christmas dinner dessert routine for something tropical. This Arroz con Dulce is a popular dessert around the holidays!
Kids seem to find the thought of chocolate reindeer poop hilarious, and if your kid(s) is one of those kids then make them a cup of this silly (but delicious!) Chocolate Reindeer Poop Pudding as an after-dinner treat during the holidays – complete with Rudolph’s red (cherry) nose on top!
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Kinder Bueno Cheesecake (No Bake)
Fancy a light, creamy and indulgent Kinder Bueno Cheesecake for your Christmas Dinner Dessert? This cheesecake is so tasty, easy to put together, and you can make it the night before Christmas!
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4 Ingredient Peppermint Ganache Pie – Chef Savvy
This four-ingredient Peppermint Ganache Pie features a smooth, rich chocolate filling inside of an Oreo crust. It’s topped with crushed peppermint for the perfect Christmastime dessert you can make in less than 10 minutes!
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Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake with Nutella and Whipped Cream
This Pandoro tree dessert is a STUNNER yet requires no baking. Say hello to your new go-to Christmas dessert!
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Super Easy Peppermint Cheesecake with NO Baking!
If you are looking for an easy Christmas dessert, this No Bake Peppermint Cheesecake will be perfect. Great subtle peppermint flavors in this super simple cheesecake. Makes for an amazing holiday dessert.
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Fruity & Fresh Options: Lighter Holiday Endings
For those who prefer a lighter, brighter end to their festive feast, our selection of fruity and fresh desserts provides a wonderful alternative. Bursting with seasonal flavors like cranberry, orange, and pomegranate, these treats offer a refreshing contrast to richer dishes, ensuring a perfectly balanced meal.
This Cranberry Ice Cream is made with Fresh Cranberry Sauce, which not only includes cranberries but is also flavored with white wine, orange and cinnamon, adds an extra dimension and makes it the perfect seasonal pudding.
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Gluten Free Orange Cranberry Cake
This easy recipe for gluten-free orange cranberry cake is a layer cake with cranberry jam filling and orange buttercream frosting. This moist cake uses sour cream and makes the best layer cake.
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Ambrosia Fruit Salad – The Six Figure Dish
This ambrosia fruit salad is a classic dessert to make for Christmas. It’s made with just 7 simple ingredients and will definitely be a hit with the family!
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Snag it before it’s gone! Don’t miss out on our full Christmas Dinner Cookbook!
Christmas CookieBook!
Snag that Recipe eBook!
Unlock the secrets to baking the perfect batch of holiday cookies with our exclusive Christmas CookieBook, featuring 20 delicious and easy-to-follow recipes. From classic sugar cookies to spiced gingerbread, this eBook has everything you need to create a festive array of treats that will delight family and friends. Make your Christmas baking simpler and sweeter this year!
Yes, please!
Tips for a Stress-Free Christmas Dessert Experience
Making Christmas desserts should be enjoyable, not stressful! Here are a few tips to help you sail through your holiday baking:
Plan Ahead: Many Christmas desserts, especially fruitcakes and puddings, actually taste better when made a few days or even weeks in advance. This allows flavors to meld and deepen.
Delegate: Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Assign tasks to family members or friends, making it a fun group activity.
Embrace No-Bake: As seen in our collection, no-bake desserts are lifesavers. They free up oven space and your time, offering delicious results without the hassle.
Utilize Seasonal Ingredients: Lean into the flavors of the season like cranberries, pomegranates, gingerbread spices, and eggnog to infuse your desserts with true holiday spirit.
Don’t Forget Presentation: A simple dusting of powdered sugar, a sprig of rosemary, or a few fresh berries can elevate even the simplest dessert to a festive masterpiece.
“The perfect dessert is like music that makes my taste buds dance.”
We hope this expansive collection of Christmas dessert recipes inspires you to create truly memorable sweet endings for your holiday meals. From the comforting warmth of traditional puddings to the effortless elegance of no-bake cheesecakes, each recipe is chosen to help you celebrate the season with flavor and joy. Happy holidays and enjoy every delicious bite!
