75 Best Christmas Desserts for a Holiday Season Full of Sweets
Make festive cakes, cookies, candy, and more!
There's no easier way to get in the holiday spirit than baking your favorite Christmas desserts! For Ree Drummond, that means setting aside a day dedicated to making Christmas cookies and baking up a batch of cinnamon rolls for her friends and neighbors. "You'll be another step closer to being the most popular person in Pawhuska or wherever you call home," she jokes.
Along with classics like a traditional yule log and Christmas tree sugar cookies, you'll find fun new Christmas dessert recipes that might just surprise you. Make a batch of Christmas cupcakes or try the eggnog ice cream that's spiked with spiced rum. Plus, there are plenty of treats with festive red and green colors like the Crock-Pot candy or the sugar cookie fudge. Most of these recipes are easy enough that novice bakers can master them. Even your kids will want to get involved in making them as a fun family holiday tradition.
Looking for more Christmas dessert ideas? This list has everything you need for a season of sweets. Think: gingerbread recipes, decadent cheesecakes, and holiday pies. (Candy cane pie tastes just like peppermint bark!) There are also tons of festive treats that double as homemade Christmas food gifts, like the boozy bourbon balls, homemade marshmallows, and Ree's favorite holiday haystacks. Make a big batch and you've got everyone covered (including yourself, of course). So, what are you waiting for? There are plenty of sweet ideas to go around.
Grinch Cookies
Every Who down in Whoville will adore these easy-to-make cookies. They bake up incredibly soft and flavorful thanks to boxed pistachio pudding, plus chopped pistachios and white chocolate chips add crunch and sweetness.
Get Ree's Grinch Cookies recipe.
Maple Rum Cake
If a boozy glaze is what you crave come Christmas, this is the cake for you! It starts off with a boxed yellow cake mix and instant vanilla pudding, which give it a velvety texture without much effort.
Get Ree's Maple Rum Cake recipe.
Candy Cane Pie
This frosty pie isn't just filled with so much festive flavor, but you don't have to bake a thing. Talk about a Christmas miracle! The chocolate cookie crust and a silky peppermint filling taste just like classic peppermint bark.
Get Ree's Candy Cane Pie recipe.
Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies
Decorating sugar cookies doesn't have to be complicated! It's so simple thanks to store-bought icing that the kiddos can help make these treats with ease. Add sprinkles for an extra festive touch.
Get Ree's Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies recipe.
Toffee
Don't let a candy thermometer scare you! Ree will teach you all you need to know to make "the most buttery, decadent, delightful toffee in all the land." It's topped with rich chocolate, toasted pecans, and flaky sea salt.
Get Ree's Toffee recipe.
Red Velvet Peppermint Bark Cookies
Start with a box of red velvet cake mix and end with a batch of soft, chewy cookies. There are white chocolate chips and big chunks of peppermint bark mixed in for the perfect bite of minty crunch.
Get Ree's Red Velvet Peppermint Bark Cookies recipe.
Gingerbread Biscotti
Get ready to dunk away because this holiday biscotti will go perfectly with your coffee. They're chockfull of warm, cozy spices, made even more merry and bright thanks to a drizzle of icing.
Get Ree's Gingerbread Biscotti recipe.
Black Forest Cheesecake
With a chocolatey crust, rich filling, sweet cherry topping, and lots of whipped cream, this decadent dessert has all the flavors of classic Black Forest cake but with a creamy cheesecake twist.
Get the Black Forest Cheesecake recipe.
Lace Cookies
Although these lace cookies are delicious any time of year, there's something about their rich, buttery flavor that feels so perfect for the holiday season. Drizzle the tops with chocolate or make sandwich cookies―they're equally as good!
Get Ree'sLace Cookies.
Cranberry Crisp
Make something a little unexpected, yet perfectly seasonal! This crisp filling has tart cranberries, sweet brown sugar, orange zest, and a hint of ginger. Then it’s topped with a golden oat crumble featuring crunchy pecans and sweet white chocolate chips.
Get Ree's Cranberry Crisp recipe.
No-Bake Eggnog Pie
With a box of pudding mix and about 20 minutes of prep, you can whip up a creamy holiday pie—no oven required. A store-bought crust streamlines the process even more.
Get Ree's No-Bake Eggnog Pie recipe.
Oreo Fudge
Who says fudge has to be complicated? This recipe skips the candy thermometer and goes straight for the good stuff: loads of Oreo cookie bits. Everyone will love the results!
Get Ree's Oreo Fudge recipe.
Cornflake Wreaths
Get the kids in on this nostalgic treat. It only takes about 20 minutes! The process is just like Rice Krispies treats—but with a touch more color and shaping.
Get Ree's Cornflake Wreaths recipe.
Gingersnaps
It simply isn’t Christmastime without a batch of gingersnaps. Ree’s version blends warm spices with rich molasses, baking into cookies that are chewy with perfectly crisp edges.
Get Ree's Gingersnaps recipe.
Christmas Sheet Cake
You don’t have to be a decorating whiz to wow with this dessert. Simple techniques make this sheet cake look (and taste!) impressive. Underneath, you'll find an equally festive confetti cake.
Get the Christmas Sheet Cake recipe.
Potato Candy
Just getting into candy making this season? Try this charming, old-fashioned treat. It starts with a potato (really!), but a mix of sugar and peanut butter transforms it into sweet, nostalgic candy
Get the Potato Candy recipe.
Brandy Snaps
Ree says, "If you don't make these over the holidays, I'll never speak to you again!" She's kidding, of course (or is she!?) but they really are an impressive treat to serve your grownup guests.
Get Ree's Brandy Snaps recipe.
Jeweled Divinity Candy
Ree describes this old-fashioned confection as "sort of like meringue, nougat, and marshmallow all combined." Plus, it's so festive with all those gummy candies dotted throughout.
Get Ree's Jeweled Divinity Candy recipe.
Sugar Cookie Biscotti
If you can’t get enough sugar cookies, give this twice-baked treat a try. Biscotti are perfect for dunking in coffee, and they stay fresh longer than traditional cookies, too. Don't forget a drizzle of sweet glaze!
Get the Sugar Cookie Biscotti recipe.
Christmas Cherries
Add a pop of color to your dessert spread with these retro cookies! They may look super sweet, but the citrusy orange-and-lemon dough keeps them balanced, letting that candied cherry topper steal the show.
Get Ree's Christmas Cherries recipe.
Bonne Maman’s Beloved Advent Calendar Is Back
Your Town Could Be in a Hallmark Christmas Movie
Hallmark’s Christmas in July Schedule is Here
Pull-Apart Garlic-Herb Biscuits
