I have more than 200 Christmas dessert ideas on my site, but these are the 50 best sweet treats, cheesecakes, cookies, and desserts I love making for Christmas Eve or gifts.
I’ve tested again and again all of them, and came up with the simplest versions of layered cakes, baked cheesecakes, red Velvet recipes, and donuts you can decorate with kids like the Grinch, snowman, reindeer, or simply with peppermint candy.
You will surely find some no-bake dessert recipes, as well!
Gina’s Rundown:
Why I love it: Something here for every craving—sweet, savory, and everything in between.
Christmas Cake Pops
Fun Christmas cake pops are the perfect way to reuse any cake scraps from all the holiday baking frenzy. Just with 4 ingredients, you can have these fun hand-held desserts that kids and adults will absolutely love.
Get the recipe: Christmas Cake Pops
Butter Cookies Recipe
Simple, perfectly festive cut-out cookies for Christmas goodie boxes, cookie exchanges and weekend snacking. You can make shapes you like: a star, a classic round cookie, or anything else.
Get the recipe: Butter Cookies Recipe
Rolo Pretzel Recipe
The combination of sweet and salty, creamy and crunchy will never go out of style, and these Rolos are a must during the Christmas holidays. I love dipping them in white chocolate and decorating with fun holiday sprinkles. Amazing DIY gift for neighbours.
Get the recipe: Rolo Pretzel Recipe
Julekake (Norwegian Christmas Bread)
Explore the world’s classic Christmas treats with this recipe. Julekake is a sweet bread made with cardamom, candied fruit, and a tender, golden crumb. It makes a very simple dessert or a sweet breakfast.
Get the recipe: Julekake (Norwegian Christmas Bread)
Potato Candy
An old-fashioned potato candy recipe to bring back some childhood memories. Its signature melt-in-your-mouth texture and peanut butter creaminess are just the perfect combo for a holiday candy.
Get the recipe: Potato Candy
Snowman Cupcakes
Adorable snowman cake mix cupcakes that you can easily customize with festive colors – your snowman can have red, green, blue hats, candy corn noses, and chocolate chip mouths and eyes. Browse more Christmas cupcakes ideas on my blog.
Get the recipe: Snowman Cupcakes
Cranberry Bliss Bars Starbucks Copycat
If you’re obsessed with Starbucks’ sweet treats, you can make them at home in one pan! Buttery bars with zesty notes, white chocolate chips, warm spices, and tart cranberries.
Get the recipe: Cranberry Bliss Bars Starbucks
Christmas Kringle
Inspired by Danish traditional Kringle, this puff pastry not only looks festive, but it is filled with Nutella! Every sweet tooth in your family will rave about it.
Get the recipe: Christmas Kringle
Christmas Jam
Give as a gift or enjoy with your family this homemade Christmas jam with cranberries, strawberries, and spices. If you’ve never made jam before, you will be surprised how easy it is to stock up on such a beautiful dessert (much healthier than anything from the store!)
Christmas Cheesecake Snickerdoodles
If I can only make one cookie recipe for Christmas, this will be it! Cheesecake Snickerdoodles with red and green M&Ms are simple, soft, chewy, and so holiday-ready! A hit at cookie exchanges and big families.
Get the recipe: Christmas Cheesecake Snickerdoodles
Gingerbread Cheesecake
Light, creamy, and silky smooth, this cheesecake is loaded with Gingerbread cookie flavors and looks stunning on the table! Classic baked cheesecake on a sweet, spiced gingersnap cookie crust. Great to make ahead for Christmas!
Get the recipe: Gingerbread Cheesecake
Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake
The ultimate Christmas dessert for all Red Velvet fans – the cheesecake layer tinted with red color looks absolutely glorious! The cheesecake comes with a classic chocolate Oreo crust and extra cream cheese topping. It will be gone in seconds.
Get the recipe: Red Velvet Oreo Cheesecake
Gingerbread Pudding Cake
For an elegant family dinner, individual desserts are always a great idea (as long as someone will help you with the dishes!). These delicious Gingerbread Pudding Cakes in little ramekins are a classic childhood Christmas dessert that everyone will love.
Get the recipe: Gingerbread Pudding Cake
No-Bake Eggnog Pie
No-bake desserts are perfect for busy cooks and great to make ahead when you need the oven to cook something else. This creamy pie is full of eggnog flavor and vanilla pudding. Just 10 minutes to assemble the whole thing!
Get the recipe: No Bake Eggnog Pie
Christmas Cake Roll
Do you recognize the motives of the Little Debbie Christmas Tree cakes? Yes, this Swiss roll cake was inspired by the famous cakes. The recipe makes a moist, light cake roll with a simple filling and Christmas decoration.
Get the recipe: Christmas Cake Roll
Pistachio Cake
Stunning cake mix bundt cake infused with nutty pistachio flavors and topped with traditional sweet icing. You don’t need anything extra with this cake, trust me!
Get the recipe: Pistachio Cake
Gingerbread Man Cookies
No Christmas can go by without me making Gingerbread Man cookies at least once! I know kids love helping with decorating them, so make them just to have quality time with them. Cookies come out spiced, crispy on the edges, and melting in your mouth!
Get the recipe:Gingerbread Man Cookies
Tiramisu Cheesecake
The two desserts, light and coffee-infused tiramisu and creamy cheesecake, collide in this holiday dessert. The whole cheesecake looks incredible, and it is made with Oreo crust, cream cheese filling with and tiramisu-inspired ingredients, and whipped cream topping.
Get the recipe: Tiramisu Cheesecake
Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake
Cinnamon cheesecake is a stunning, fall-flavored dessert combining two crowd favorites: fluffy, chewy cinnamon rolls and velvety homemade cheesecake.
Get the recipe: Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake
Cream Horns With Puff Pastry
A sweet treat perfect for family gatherings, these flaky pastry shells are filled with a rich cream cheese and whipped cream mixture, making them the ideal Christmas dessert.
Get the recipe: Cream horns with puff pastry
Southern Chocolate Gravy
If you love Southern recipes, this chocolate gravy will be your new favorite dessert sauce! Perfect for Christmas desserts, breakfast, biscuits, or fruits.
Get the recipe: Southern Chocolate Gravy
Chocolate Cream Pie
Holiday classic, chocolate cream pie is a simple and elegant dessert that comes together with minimal effort and no baking involved! Cream cheese, lots of chocolate, whipped topping, and Oreo – what can we really want more?
Get the recipe: Chocolate Cream Pie
Red Velvet Cake
The beautiful 3-layer Red Velvet Cake recipe is so easy to make. It is made from scratch and has a simple yet rich vanilla cream cheese frosting. It takes barely an hour to make the whole cake!
Get the recipe: Red Velvet Cake
Nutella Christmas Tree
Rustic puff pastry Nutella Christmas tree is the perfect sweet breakfast to tear and share. Flaky dough filled with rich chocolate hazelnut spread and topped with a cinnamon sugar mix – simple and delicious.
Get the recipe: Nutella Christmas Tree
Reindeer Cupcakes
Everything reindeer is so cute on the holiday table! Kids love it! You can make chocolate cupcakes with cake mix or even buy some and decorate them with chocolate frosting, pretzel antlers, eyes, and a red nose.
Get the recipe: Reindeer Cupcakes
Snickerdoodle Cake
A whole, three-layer cake infused with signature Snickerdoodle flavors for a comforting, homemade dessert you can share with friends and family this Christmas.
Get the recipe: Snickerdoodle Cake
Grinch Crinkle Cookies
Cakey, chewy, and so soft, these crinkle cookies are sure to make your guests happy. Plus, they are super easy to decorate as Grinch-themed treats with vibrant green color and little cute hearts.
Get the recipe: Grinch Crinkle Cookies
Christmas Truffles
These holiday truffles only need 3 ingredients! You are in for a treat with a light cream cheese texture and cakey bite. Decorate with sprinkles or sanding sugar, and your no-bake dessert is ready!
Get the recipe: Christmas Truffles
Christmas Charcuterie Board – Gift Box
Make your friends or neighbors a beautiful goodie box for Christmas with all sorts of delicious treats like homemade cranberry cake, cookies, candy, and more. A great DIY gift idea.
Get the recipe: Christmas Charcuterie Board – Gift Box
Gingerbread Bars
If the idea of making a gingerbread house or decorating Gingerbread man cookies sounds too ambitious, I have the perfect recipe to still enjoy the iconic flavor without much work. These homemade bars are chewy and tender and topped with amazing vanilla cream cheese frosting.
Get the recipe: Gingerbread Bars
Christmas Cookie Fudge
I love making fudge for any occasion because it is just so simple and customizable! This recipe makes creamy, indulgent treat with sweetened condensed milk, white chocolate, and sugar cookie dough mix.
Get the recipe: Christmas Cookie Fudge
Grinch Truffles
Another Grinch-themed sweet treat for Oreo lovers – simple Oreo and cream cheese truffles coated with green chocolate and hearts. Beautiful gift and add-ons for dessert boards and gift boxes.
Get the recipe: Grinch Truffles
Peppermint Poke Cake
If you love old-school poke cakes, take note of this holiday recipe. It starts like your usual poke cake, but then you decorate it with candy canes and infuse it with peppermint extract. Perfect Christmas dessert.
Get the recipe: Peppermint Cake
Little Debbie Christmas Tree Dip
This sweet dip is made with iconic snack cakes from Little Debbie, cream cheese, and lots of sprinkles. Effortless recipe for kids’ Christmas parties and dessert boards.
Get the recipe: Little Debbie Christmas Tree Dip
Raspberry Pretzel Salad
Layers of salty pretzel crust, sweet cream cheese filling, and tart raspberry topping – this pretzel salad is a one-of-a-kind dessert, balancing flavors for a Christmas dessert spread.
Get the recipe: Pretzel Salad
Broken Glass Jello
Simple recipe to get more Christmas colors on your table! You only need a few packs of colored and flavored jello and a glass dish – no cooking skills required to make this cute make-ahead dessert.
Get the recipe: Broken Glass Jello
Hot Cocoa Dip
How about something sweet? This dessert dip is made with marshmallow fluff, cocoa, and whipped topping for a fluffy, chocolatey treat. Super simple. Everyone loves it and asks for the recipe over and over again. It takes just 10 minutes to mix together and pairs well with graham crackers or fruit. It will work as an appetizer or a dessert!
Get the recipe: Hot Cocoa Dip
Italian Christmas Cake
Classic Italian Christmas cake, or Panettone, is an elegant dessert for a holiday table. Moist crumb with dried fruit, citrus zest, and vanilla. My recipe makes two, so you can enjoy one and gift another!
Get the recipe: Italian Christmas Cake
Pistachio Cookies
I absolutely love these buttery pistachio cookies for Christmas – they are simply the best. I make them shaped like stars, from scratch, with lemon zest and vanilla, and top with white chocolate and pistachios.
Get the recipe: Pistachio Cookies
Grinch Donuts
Look how cute these baked donuts with green Grinch-inspired glaze are! I make these donut holes with canned biscuits for a sweet snack or breakfast.
Get the recipe: Grinch Donuts
Ugly Sweater Cupcakes
My favorite Christmas cupcakes because just look at them!! So fun to make, decorated just right for a bake sale or gifting, and honestly, also delicious! The best part? You only need cake mix and a bunch of basic ingredients!
Get the recipe: Ugly Sweater Cupcakes
Christmas Cheesecake
Beautiful Christmas cheesecake with a few drops of peppermint and lots of colorful candy as decoration! Of course, I had to make it with family-favorite Oreo crust.
Get the recipe: Christmas Cheesecake
Struffoli
A Christmas wreath-like dessert made simply with deep-fried dough! But how stunning it looks with just some holiday sprinkles. right? An amazing Italian dessert with sweet honey sauce.
Get the recipe: Struffoli
Gingerbread Cake
Moist and tender loaf cake full of spiced flavors and topped with rich frosting and holiday decorations. Simple yet always a hit, for potlucks and home celebrations.
Get the recipe: Gingerbread Cake
Sugar Cookie Cheesecake
This Sugar Cookie Cheesecake has a sugar cookie crust, creamy cheesecake filling, white chocolate ganache topping, and festive sprinkles all over it. My favorite baked cheesecake for Christmas.
Get the recipe: Sugar Cookie Cheesecake
Christmas Cookie Ice Cream
If kids want some holiday ice cream, skip store-bought stuff and make delicious and creamy homemade ice cream with crushed cookies, sprinkles, Pillsbury frosting, and condensed milk. No ice cream maker required.
Get the recipe: Christmas Cookie Ice Cream
Hot Chocolate Fudge
If you love hot chocolate, this simple treat is for you! An idea to make Christmas fudge with the same ingredients as a cup of hot cocoa: chocolate and marshmallows. Simple and quick recipe, and irresistible flavor.
Get the recipe: Hot Chocolate Fudge
Hot Chocolate Bombs
Beautiful hot chocolate bombs with chocolate, peppermint, sugar cookie, pumpkin spice, white chocolate, red velvet, and eggnog flavors! Great gift and dessert idea for holidays.
Get the recipes: Hot Chocolate Bombs
Mini Bundt Cakes
Beautiful chocolate mini Bundt cakes with peppermint frosting are meant for Christmas after-dinner dessert indulgence. The recipe makes 6 mini cakes in about 30 minutes (if oven space allows).
Get the recipe: Mini Bundt Cakes
Peppermint Mocha Brownies
I love brownies, and I love it when there is a ton of delicious frosting, so this recipe combines the two. You just need 5 ingredients, and you can use brownie mix for the brownie layer.
Get the recipe: Peppermint Mocha Brownies
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