31 Christmas Desserts That Aren’t Just Cookies
Christmas doesn’t have to be all about sugar cookies and gingerbread men! These 31 desserts bring festive flavors in different forms – from elegant trifles to fun pull-apart breads. Many of these can be made ahead which is perfect for busy holiday entertaining. Some are fancy enough for Christmas dinner while others work great for casual family gatherings or gift-giving.
Classic Christmas Pudding with Brandy Butter
This is the traditional British Christmas dessert that’s dense with dried fruits, nuts, and booze. It gets steamed for hours which makes it super moist and rich. The brandy butter is basically butter whipped with powdered sugar and brandy – sounds fancy but it’s just three ingredients. Most recipes tell you to make the pudding weeks ahead so the flavors can develop. This is definitely an acquired taste but when you like it, you really like it. Perfect for people who want something truly traditional.
Get the recipe here.
Gingerbread Trifle with Layers of Cake and Cream
This takes gingerbread from cookies to an impressive dessert. You layer chunks of gingerbread cake with whipped cream and sometimes pudding or fruit. The best part is it looks fancy but you can use store-bought gingerbread if you don’t want to bake from scratch. Each spoonful has all those warm spices plus creamy goodness. This serves a crowd and actually tastes better after sitting overnight so the flavors meld together. Great for potlucks or when you need to feed lots of people.
Get the recipe here.
Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
This combines two popular Christmas treats – peppermint bark and cheesecake. The filling usually has peppermint extract and sometimes crushed candy canes mixed in. The top gets covered with melted chocolate and more crushed candy canes to look like actual peppermint bark. Making cheesecake takes time but isn’t actually hard if you follow the recipe. This is impressive looking and tastes amazing but doesn’t require any special skills. Perfect for when you want something that looks professional.
Get the recipe here.
Eggnog Crème Brûlée
If you like eggnog, this is the ultimate fancy version. The custard base gets flavored with nutmeg, vanilla, and sometimes a splash of rum or bourbon. The sugar top that you torch is the fun part – everyone loves cracking through it with a spoon. You need a kitchen torch which seems fancy but they’re not expensive. The custard underneath is silky smooth and tastes like the best eggnog ever. These look really impressive served at a dinner party.
Get the recipe here.
Christmas Tree Pull-Apart Bread with Cinnamon
This is shaped like a Christmas tree and each “branch” is a pull-apart piece filled with cinnamon sugar. It’s basically monkey bread but festive! The bread dough is usually sweet and the cinnamon filling gets all gooey when baked. Some recipes add a glaze on top that drips down like snow. This is fun to make with kids and even more fun to eat since everyone picks off pieces. Great for Christmas morning breakfast or anytime you want something interactive.
Get the recipe here.
Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding
This takes leftover bread and turns it into something special with tart cranberries and bright orange flavor. The custard base soaks into the bread while baking and creates this custardy texture that’s so good. Fresh cranberries are tart which balances the sweet custard perfectly. Some recipes add orange zest to the custard and orange liqueur for extra flavor. This can be made ahead and reheated which makes it perfect for holiday entertaining when you’re juggling lots of dishes.
Get the recipe here.
White Chocolate Peppermint Mousse
This is light and airy but still rich from the white chocolate. The peppermint flavor is usually subtle – just enough to make it festive without being overwhelming. Making mousse seems intimidating but it’s really just melted chocolate, whipped cream, and eggs folded together carefully. Some recipes add crushed candy canes on top for crunch and color. This is make-ahead friendly which is great for dinner parties since you want it well-chilled anyway.
Get the recipe here.
Christmas Log Cake (Bûche de Noël)
This traditional French cake looks like a log and is usually chocolate sponge cake rolled with cream filling and covered in chocolate frosting made to look like bark. The decorations can be simple or elaborate – meringue mushrooms, powdered sugar “snow,” or marzipan holly. Rolling the cake takes a little practice but even if it cracks, the frosting covers it up. This looks really impressive on a dessert table and feeds a good number of people. Perfect centerpiece dessert for Christmas dinner.
Get the recipe here.
Spiced Pear and Almond Tart
This is more elegant than most Christmas desserts with poached pears arranged in a almond cream (frangipane) filling. The spices like cinnamon and star anise make it taste festive. The pears get all tender and the almond filling puffs up around them during baking. This looks fancy but isn’t actually that hard – just time-consuming with all the poaching and assembly. Great for when you want something that looks restaurant-quality but isn’t cookies or cake.
Get the recipe here.
Candy Cane Ice Cream Sandwiches
These are fun and easy to make with store-bought ice cream and either homemade or bought chocolate wafers. The ice cream usually gets mixed with crushed candy canes for the peppermint flavor and pretty pink color. Rolling the edges in more crushed candy canes makes them look festive. These need to be made ahead and frozen which is actually convenient for party planning. Kids love these but adults do too – there’s something nostalgic about ice cream sandwiches.
Get the recipe here.
Hot Chocolate Lava Cakes
These individual chocolate cakes have molten chocolate centers that flow out when you cut into them. The trick is timing – underbake them slightly so the centers stay liquid. Most recipes include a bit of coffee or espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor. Some versions add peppermint extract to make them taste like hot chocolate. These need to be served immediately while the centers are still molten. Perfect for a fancy dinner when you want individual desserts that feel special.
Get the recipe here.
Pomegranate Panna Cotta
This Italian dessert is basically flavored cream that’s set with gelatin. The pomegranate version is beautiful with its jewel-red color and the seeds add nice texture. Panna cotta seems fancy but is actually really easy – you just heat cream, dissolve gelatin, add flavoring, and chill. The pomegranate flavor is tart and refreshing after a heavy meal. These can be made days ahead which is perfect for holiday entertaining. They look elegant served in glasses with a few pomegranate seeds on top.
Get the recipe here.
Gingerbread Tiramisu
This puts a Christmas twist on the classic Italian dessert. Instead of ladyfingers you use pieces of gingerbread soaked in coffee (and sometimes rum). The mascarpone cream layers stay the same but the gingerbread adds all those warm spices. Some recipes add molasses or extra ginger to the cream for more gingerbread flavor. This needs to chill overnight so the flavors develop which makes it perfect for make-ahead entertaining. The combination sounds weird but really works well together.
Get the recipe here.
Christmas Fruit Cake Trifle
If you’re not a fan of traditional dense fruitcake, this lighter version might change your mind. It layers pieces of fruit cake with custard, whipped cream, and sometimes fresh berries. The cream softens the cake and makes it less dense. You can use store-bought fruitcake to save time or make your own if you’re ambitious. This serves a crowd and looks beautiful in a glass bowl where you can see all the layers. Great way to make fruitcake more appealing to people who usually avoid it.
Get the recipe here.
Peppermint Chocolate Soufflé
Soufflés seem scary but they’re really not that hard if you follow the recipe carefully. This version has rich chocolate flavor with a hint of peppermint. The key is properly whipped egg whites and gentle folding to keep them airy. These need to be served immediately while they’re still puffed up, so timing is important. The contrast between the crispy top and creamy interior is amazing. Perfect for a fancy Christmas dinner when you want to show off a little.
Get the recipe here.
Eggnog Bread Pudding with Rum Sauce
This takes regular bread pudding and makes it Christmas-worthy with eggnog flavors. The custard base uses eggnog instead of regular milk and cream which gives it that classic holiday taste. The rum sauce is usually butter, sugar, and cream with a splash of rum cooked until it’s thick. This can be made ahead and reheated which is great for entertaining. The sauce gets poured over individual portions right before serving. Comfort food that feels special enough for the holidays.
Get the recipe here.
Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
This is like pineapple upside-down cake but with cranberries for Christmas colors. The cranberries get cooked with sugar until they’re jammy and then topped with cake batter. When you flip it out, the cranberries create this beautiful red topping. Some recipes add orange zest to complement the tart berries. The cake part is usually simple vanilla or orange flavored. This looks impressive but isn’t actually hard to make. Perfect when you want something that looks fancy but doesn’t require special skills.
Get the recipe here.
Christmas Tree Brownies with Green Frosting
These start with regular brownies cut into triangles to look like Christmas trees. The fun part is decorating them with green frosting and candy “ornaments.” You can pipe the frosting to look like garland or just spread it on and add sprinkles. Mini chocolate chips, colored candies, or even a yellow star on top make good decorations. These are fun to make with kids and everyone gets to decorate their own. Great for parties or cookie exchanges when you want something different.
Get the recipe here.
Spiced Apple Galette
This is like apple pie but rustic and free-form instead of in a pie pan. The pastry gets rolled out and the spiced apples piled in the center, then the edges get folded up around the filling. It looks homemade in the best way and is actually easier than proper pie since you don’t need perfect edges. The spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom make it taste festive. This is good warm or at room temperature and works great with vanilla ice cream.
Get the recipe here.
Chocolate Orange Truffles
These are rich chocolate ganache flavored with orange zest and sometimes orange liqueur, then rolled in cocoa powder or chopped nuts. They’re easier to make than they look – just cream, chocolate, and flavoring. The trick is letting the ganache chill until it’s firm enough to roll into balls. These make great gifts since they keep well and look professional. You can roll them in different coatings for variety. Perfect when you want something elegant but don’t want to bake.
Get the recipe here.
Candy Cane Fudge
This is regular chocolate fudge with crushed candy canes mixed in for crunch and peppermint flavor. The red and white pieces make it look festive and Christmasy. Most fudge recipes are pretty straightforward – just chocolate, condensed milk, and butter melted together. The candy canes get stirred in at the end so they don’t completely dissolve. This cuts into neat squares and makes great gifts. Way easier than making individual candies but still feels special.
Get the recipe here.
Christmas Morning Cinnamon Rolls
These are perfect for Christmas breakfast since you can make them the night before and just bake them in the morning. The dough gets rolled with cinnamon sugar filling and shaped into rolls. Some recipes add orange zest or cardamom for extra Christmas flavor. The icing on top is usually cream cheese based which makes them extra rich. These make the house smell amazing and create that cozy Christmas morning feeling. Great for feeding a crowd without getting up super early.
Get the recipe here.
Peppermint Chocolate Tart
This has a chocolate crust filled with rich chocolate ganache flavored with peppermint. The top usually gets decorated with whipped cream and crushed candy canes. Making the tart shell takes a little work but the filling is just melted chocolate and cream. This looks elegant and serves a good number of people. The peppermint flavor isn’t overwhelming – just enough to make it taste festive. Perfect for dinner parties when you want something that looks professional.
Get the recipe here.
Eggnog Pots de Crème
These are individual custards flavored with all the classic eggnog spices – nutmeg, vanilla, and sometimes rum. They’re creamier and richer than regular pudding because they’re made with lots of egg yolks and cream. The custards cook gently in a water bath which gives them that silky smooth texture. These need to chill for hours so they’re perfect make-ahead desserts. They look fancy served in little ramekins or glasses with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Get the recipe here.
Gingerbread Poke Cake
This starts with gingerbread cake that gets poked all over with holes, then a sweet sauce gets poured over so it soaks into the holes. The topping is usually whipped cream with more gingerbread spices. It’s like a cross between cake and bread pudding. This feeds a crowd and actually tastes better after sitting overnight so the flavors soak in. Great for potlucks or when you need to feed lots of people without much fuss. The presentation isn’t fancy but the taste is amazing.
Get the recipe here.
Christmas Wreath Pavlova
This meringue-based dessert gets shaped into a wreath and topped with whipped cream and red and green fruits like strawberries and kiwi. The meringue is crispy outside and marshmallowy inside. Making meringue takes patience but isn’t actually hard – just lots of whipping egg whites with sugar. The fruit topping makes it look like a Christmas wreath. This is naturally gluten-free and lighter than most holiday desserts. Perfect for after a heavy meal when you want something sweet but not too rich.
Get the recipe here.
Spiced Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
This is pumpkin cake rolled up with cream cheese filling like a jelly roll. The spices include cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger which make it taste like the holidays. Rolling the cake while it’s still warm keeps it from cracking. The cream cheese filling is sweet and tangy which balances the spiced cake. This looks impressive sliced to show the spiral pattern inside. Good for Thanksgiving too but the spices make it work for Christmas as well.
Get the recipe here.
Hot Chocolate Bombs
These are hollow chocolate spheres filled with hot chocolate mix and marshmallows. When you pour hot milk over them, they melt and release the goodies inside. Making the chocolate shells requires chocolate molds but they’re not expensive. Kids especially love these because of the “magic” when they melt. You can decorate the outside with white chocolate drizzles or sprinkles. These make great gifts and are really fun to use. Perfect for cozy winter evenings.
Get the recipe here.
Cranberry White Chocolate Scones
These aren’t really dessert but they’re sweet enough to work as one. The tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate chips are a great combo. Scones are easier than most baked goods – just mix everything together and shape, no yeast or rising time. These are good warm from the oven but also fine at room temperature. Perfect for Christmas brunch or afternoon tea. The red cranberries make them look festive and Christmasy.
Get the recipe here.
Christmas Tree Cream Puffs
These start with regular cream puff dough (choux pastry) but get shaped and stacked to look like a Christmas tree. The filling is usually vanilla pastry cream and the “tree” gets dusted with powdered sugar for snow. Making cream puffs seems fancy but the dough is actually pretty forgiving. You can stack them with a little frosting to hold them together. These look really impressive but aren’t as hard as they seem. Great centerpiece dessert that doubles as decoration.
Get the recipe here.
Mulled Wine Poached Pears
These pears get cooked slowly in spiced wine until they’re tender and take on a beautiful red color from the wine. The poaching liquid reduces down to a syrup that gets drizzled over the pears. The spices usually include cinnamon, cloves, and star anise. This is elegant and not too heavy after a big meal. The pears can be made ahead and actually improve in flavor as they sit in the poaching liquid. Perfect for a fancy dinner when you want something impressive but not too rich.
Get the recipe here.