Christmas Stollen
Our Favorite Holiday Cookies, Cakes, Breads, and More!
‘Tis the season to be baking! Check out our collection of classic Christmas dessert recipes—from mince pies to stollen and sticky toffee pudding, as well as our easy chocolate yule cake and fun Christmas cookies. Oh, and old-fashioned gingerbread! Without further ado, here are our best Christmas baking ideas.
Christmas Dessert Recipes
Christmas Cakes and Puddings
Best Fruitcake Ever
Forget those horrible commercial fruitcakes. This is an easy, moist, delicious cake using dried fruits instead of the standard candied and glacéed fruits. Not only are dried fruits more readily available at your local market, but they also have a deeper and more natural flavor (not as sweet).
Image: Anna Shepulova/Shutterstock
Bûche de Noël (Chocolate Yule Log)
Try this straightforward, lighter version of the traditional chocolate Yule log! It’s a show-stopping dessert and fun to make (did we mention delicious?!).
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Image: David P. Smith/Shutterstock.
Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce
A scrumptious treat for all ages, this sticky toffee pudding is a sure-fire hit at any Christmas feast. Note: It is normally baked in a pan, but you can also make individual ramekins.
Image: Becky Luigart-Stayner
Christmas Breads
Classic Christmas Stollen
A lovely version of an old favorite. It tastes best served warm. Decorate with whole candied cherries, and use other candied fruit pieces to make leaves and stems.
Image: TorriPhoto/Shutterstock
Old-Fashioned Gingerbread
This authentic, hundred-year-old recipe is wonderful, served warm with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream or sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar.
Image: Marie C Fields/Shutterstock
Christmas Pies and Tarts
Mince Pies
If you don’t like mince pie, you haven’t actually had the authentic thing! Learn more about “real” mince pie and find a recipe!
Mini Cranberry-Apple Pies
These cranberry apple pies are sweet yet tart. What a great combination in one pie! Single-serving pies work really well at a holiday gathering or dinner party; they’re easy to make and attractive, and guests love them.
Cranberry Dream Pie
This icy-cold Cranberry Dream Pie will surely be a hit at any table. Made ahead of time and waiting in the freezer, it’s like having an ace up your sleeve.
Photo by Sam Jones/Quinn Brein.
Christmas Cookies and Bars
Really Old-Fashioned Gingerbread People
This recipe for “Really Old-Fashioned Gingerbread People” makes a large batch because anything this good deserves to be made in bulk. A few well-placed bits of candy or nuts for eyes and a nose will give your creations delightful personalities.
Pistachio-Cranberry Icebox Cookies
Just like grandma used to make! With their red-and-green color scheme, these sweets are perfect for the holidays.
Image: Ginger Nikole Vaughan/Quinn Brein
Spiced Sinterklaas Cookies (Speculaas)
Traditionally, speculaas are served on the eve of St. Nicholas Day or on the feast day itself (December 6), but we enjoy them throughout the holiday season.
Photo by Sam Jones/Quinn Brein.
Ethel’s Sugar Cookies
A classic sugar cookie recipe that’s perfect for making cut-outs. Super easy, too! See more Easy Sugar Cookie Recipes.
Candy Cane Dessert Squares
This crowd-sized recipe can be served frozen or refrigerated, making it ideal for a holiday buffet.
Image: Sam Jones/Quinn Brein
Snowball Cookies
Bring the snow indoors with these classic snowball cookies!
Image: LanaM/Shutterstock
Christmas Candy
Never-Fail Christmas Fudge
Even if you’ve never made candy before in your life, give this easy fudge recipe a try. True to its name (thanks to the presence of marshmallows), it won’t seize, crumble, or make you tear your hair out. It’s a tasty treat perfect for Christmastime!
Photo by GreenArt/Shutterstock.
Peanut Brittle
Simple, yet delicious, this peanut brittle is a tasty classic. For variety, mix in a cup of almonds with the peanuts!
Image: Janet Hudson
More Christmas Recipe Collections
- Christmas Appetizer Recipes
- Christmas Breakfast and Brunch Recipes
- Christmas Dinner Recipes: Main Dishes, Sides, and Soups
- Christmas Cookie Recipes for Kids
- Holiday Drink Recipes
- Holiday Party Recipes
What are your favorite holiday desserts to make (or eat)? Tell us in the comments below!
Catherine Boeckmann
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My mom had a recipe for persimmon pudding which used persimmon puree and was served with freshly made lemon sauce. She never wrote a recipe down to my knowledge and I'm wondering if anyone has a recipe for persimmon pudding? Thank you!
This I made last summer, lost the recipe cannot fine one anywhere, this was made in a 12 by17 sheet pan with Dr Pepper it also had bitter sweet chocolate in it, would love to make again
Gingerbread boys... anxious to give the recipe a try. I also need to find a good just plain gingerbread recipe the kind that is very dark, with nice sharp ginger and moist. Claudia
Claudia, Here's a recipe on Almanac.com that is dark and spicy, with ginger.
Hope this helps: http://www.almanac.com/recipe/gingerbread-2
If you do a search for "gingerbread," you'll see a lot of other nice options, too.
Wow, these are great desserts. Great job putting all of this together. I will certainly pick up a couple of these to add to some of my own.
Today I am using some of these dessert recipes for Thanksgiving. Thank you to the wonderful people that submit their family recipes for someone like me. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
I just want to tell you how much I enjoy these news letters. The recipes Folklore and all.Thank You.
Nancy
