23 Christmas Desserts for a Festive Holiday Baking Lineup

Easy Christmas Baking: 23 Christmas Desserts To Bake This Year

There is something about Christmas baking that makes the season feel extra special. The scent of cinnamon drifting through the kitchen, a scatter of festive sprinkles on the counter, and a slow, cozy afternoon spent mixing and decorating can turn an ordinary day into a memory you look forward to all year.

If you are planning your holiday bakes, our guide to Christmas flavors for holiday baking is a lovely place to start.

This collection works as a go to guide for bakes to make for Santa, a centerpiece for the table, or simply something fun to do together on a rainy December afternoon.

The headline says 23 Christmas desserts, and the page actually presents 26 entries, so you have even more to choose from. Each dessert gets a short write up and a link to the full recipe.

If you like to browse widely before you decide, this Best Christmas dessert recipes collection is worth a look as well.

Inside you will find:

• Cupcakes and layer cakes with piped buttercream and festive frosting swirls
• Cookies, shortbread, and gingerbread for gifting and cookie trays
• Traybakes, brownies, and no bake treats that are easy to slice and share
• Showstoppers such as layered cakes, a bundt, and a fruit cake

Throughout, the emphasis stays on simple methods, make ahead advantages, and bakes that are easy to share. You will spot plenty of piped buttercream, spiced fruit, chocolate logs, meringue, pastry stars, and candy cane toppings.

Toward the end, the ideas lean toward treats for parties, gifts, dessert tables, and leaving something out for Santa, rather than only for a traditional Christmas dinner.

Many of these bakes can be made ahead, which takes the pressure off the big day and leaves you more time to enjoy the season.

Christmas Wreath Cupcakes

These Christmas wreath cupcakes start with a rich chocolate cupcake and a generous swirl of green buttercream piped to look like a wreath.

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Little white chocolate bows and festive sprinkles finish the look. They are perfect for holiday baking, Christmas parties, and a fun seasonal activity to do with children.

Gingerbread Espresso Cake

A dark, spiced sponge gets a little depth from espresso, then it is layered with smooth white chocolate ganache and finished with a rustic ganache swirl on top.

It is a cozy, indulgent seasonal dessert that looks impressive without feeling fussy. Slice it for a festive afternoon with a cup of coffee.

White Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes

Light, fluffy vanilla cupcakes hide a little pocket of homemade sweet cherry filling inside, and each one is crowned with a generous swirl of whipped white chocolate ganache.

They are a pretty and tasty addition to a festive dessert table, and the cherry center makes them feel a bit more special than a plain vanilla bake.

Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookies

These festive gingerbread cookies are shaped like mini Christmas puddings and seasoned with warm spices.

The dough bakes soft but firm enough to hold up when you dunk each one in melted chocolate, and a little edible holly leaf topper finishes the look. So easy to make, and lovely for gifting.

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Soft, chewy double chocolate peppermint cookies bake up thick and keep their shape.

Each one is dipped in white chocolate and scattered with crushed candy canes for that classic festive finish. They are delicious with a glass of cold milk and perfect for a cookie tray.

Mince Pie Crumble Slice

Think of this as a mince pie in bar form, which makes it simpler to bake and serve for a crowd. A buttery shortbread base holds a generous layer of spiced mincemeat, and a crunchy, crumbly topping goes over the top.

Cut it into squares and set them out on a festive platter. It is a relaxed way to serve the flavor of a classic mince pie without shaping individual pastry cases, and everyone can help themselves.

Christmas Cookie Cake

This is one big, chewy, chocolate packed cookie baked as a single golden dessert. It stays soft in the middle with crisp edges around the outside, which is exactly what you want.

A little festive green buttercream and a scatter of sprinkles turn it into a celebration. Serve it in wedges and watch it disappear.

Gingerbread Bundt Cake

A festive bundt cake with warm ginger spice, finished with a white chocolate glaze that pools into every groove of the pan.

Simple to make and lovely with a cup of tea on a cold afternoon.

Chocolate Peppermint Layer Cake

This is an easy three layer chocolate cake with a cool peppermint flavor running through the sponge. A swirl of red and white frosting goes on top, which gives it that candy cane look.

With three tall layers and a rich chocolate crumb, it makes a lovely festive twist on a classic Christmas cake and works beautifully as a centerpiece for the dessert table.

Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake

A rich, moist cocoa loaf cake made with fresh orange zest and baked in a 2lb tin so you get a nice deep slice. Chocolate ganache goes over the top, then Terry’s Chocolate Orange segments are arranged on top for a bit of sparkle.

It is an easy showstopper that looks like you spent far longer on it than you did.

Cranberry Orange Muffins

Soft, fluffy muffins made with fresh cranberries, zesty orange, and warming spices.

They are an easy homemade treat for Christmas and the holidays, and they are just as good for a relaxed breakfast as they are for an afternoon snack with a warm drink.

Snowman Cake Pops

Snowman shaped cake pops are a festive Christmas treat that looks impressive for guests while staying pretty straightforward to put together. Leftover cake, Oreos, and white chocolate do most of the work, so they are a clever way to use up odds and ends.

Children especially love helping with the faces, and they make a sweet little gift tied up in a bag.

Gingerbread Brownies

Dense and chewy gingerbread brownies bring warming holiday spices into a brownie, and a melted chocolate drizzle goes over the top.

They are simple to prepare yet look impressive on a festive dessert table, and they work beautifully for gifting or a cozy winter evening at home with a warm drink.

Christmas Wreath Cookies

Soft, buttery cookies decorated with classic wreath icing are a joy to make because the dough does not spread in the oven, so every shape stays crisp and neat.

They bake in just 10 minutes, which makes them handy when you need a batch in a hurry. Lovely for sharing or giving as gifts.

Simple Fruit Cake

This 7 inch fruit cake is a dependable Christmas bake that you can adapt with the fruits and nuts you like best. Soaking the dried fruit in brandy or orange juice beforehand adds extra depth of flavor.

The finished cake is suitable for decorating as a Christmas cake, and the source describes it as both rich and as a simple light fruit cake, so you can take it either way depending on the fruit and nuts you use.

Cranberry and White Chocolate Shortbread

Tender, butter rich shortbread dotted with cranberries and white chocolate. The biscuits come together quickly with very little effort, which makes them a nice one to bake when time is short. If you enjoy shortbread, these Christmas maraschino cherry shortbread cookies are another lovely one to try.

Cinnamon Roll Cookies

These cookies echo the flavor of cinnamon swirl pastries in a soft, buttery bite with a gentle cinnamon note.

They suit a morning snack or an afternoon pick me up, and they are lovely alongside a hot coffee.

Chocolate Orange Brownies

Fudgy, chocolatey brownies with a soft texture and a light orange note, made to use up any leftover Terry’s Chocolate Oranges. Preparation takes less than 10 minutes, and the recipe is simple enough for children to help with.

The orange keeps the chocolate from feeling too heavy, and the middle stays fudgy, which is exactly how a good brownie should be.

Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies

Soft, fudgy cookies with a gentle cocoa note and that signature crackled top.

They work as a festive Christmas treat, and they are just as lovely as a Valentine’s Day cookie for someone special, which makes them useful to have in your recipe box all year round.

Hot Chocolate Cookies

These soft, crumbly cookies deliver all the flavor of a mug of hot chocolate, and they are finished with marshmallows as an extra treat.

The recipe is very simple to prepare, so it is a good one for a busy baking day or a last minute bake before guests arrive.

Christmas Cookies From Scratch

A simple recipe for making vanilla Christmas cookies from scratch. Use a mixture of cookie cutters to shape decorative festive treats, and add almond or other flavorings if you wish.

The number of cookies you get depends on the size of the cutters you use, so a small set will stretch the dough much further than a big one. They are a lovely base for icing, sprinkles, and a little edible glitter.

Gingerbread Muffins

This gingerbread muffin recipe is super easy and quick to make, and the result tastes delicious.

They are great for brunch or an afternoon snack, and they are perfect for a cozy Christmas morning with a cup of tea.

Gingerbread Cookies

An easy spiced gingerbread cookie recipe made without molasses, which keeps the shopping list short.

They are ideal for Christmas cookies and for decorating as gifts for neighbors, friends, or family.

Simple Shortbread Cookies

An easy shortbread recipe built from just 3 ingredients.

The biscuits are simple to prepare and ready in just 15 minutes, so they are a good choice when you want something homemade without a long afternoon in the kitchen. Simple, buttery, and very hard to stop at one.

Simple Sugar Cookies

A simple sugar cookie recipe that works as a versatile base for decorating, or you can leave them plain for a buttery treat.

Either way, they are a reliable one to keep in your holiday rotation, and they are perfect for a decorating session with the family.

White Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies

Soft and chewy cookies that pair white chocolate with cranberry, ready in less than 20 minutes.

The sweet chocolate and tart fruit make a lovely festive combination, and they are so easy to make that you can bake a batch on a whim.