A Christmas dessert table can be as simple as a plate of cookies or as full as a spread with pie, cake, and a big bowl of trifle. These Christmas dessert recipes mix familiar holiday flavors like ginger, peppermint, and eggnog with a few snowman treats that kids can help decorate.
If you’re baking for a cookie swap, start with the cranberry white chocolate cookies or soft ginger snaps. For a party, try a pie you can chill ahead and a batch of cereal treats you can cut into squares. There’s something here for the oven, the fridge, and the cookie tin.
1. Christmas Peppermint Pie
A chocolate crumb crust holds a chilled, creamy filling with cream cheese, peppermint, and a pink marshmallow layer. Whipped topping softens each bite, while crushed candy canes add a little crunch. Make the pie ahead and scatter the candy over the top before slicing, so it stays crisp against the cold, creamy filling.
Slice this Christmas peppermint pie after dinner.
2. Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
Dried cranberries give these chewy cookies a tart bite between little pockets of creamy white chocolate chips. A short chill helps the dough hold its shape, and the edges turn golden in the oven while the centers stay soft. The red berries look right at home next to frosted cookies on a Christmas platter.
Bake these cranberry white chocolate cookies.
3. Eggnog Snowman Cupcakes
Eggnog flavors both the soft cupcake batter and the buttercream, with nutmeg adding warmth to the cakes. Once the cupcakes cool, pipe the eggnog frosting and set a marshmallow head on each one. A tiny orange nose brings the snowman to life. You can bake the cupcakes early and decorate them together later.
Decorate these eggnog snowman cupcakes for Christmas.
4. Grinch Oreo Balls (With Red Velvet Oreos)
Crushed red velvet Oreos and cream cheese make a soft filling with some tang. Chill the rolled balls so they hold together when you dip them in green candy coating. A small red candy heart gives each one its Grinch look. Keep the finished batch in the fridge until the party is about to start.
Try these Grinch Oreo balls.
5. Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars with Peppermint Frosting
Press sugar cookie dough into a pan to make a soft, buttery base. Once the slab has cooled, spread it with homemade peppermint buttercream and scatter crushed peppermint candy on top. The frosting stays soft under the minty crunch. Slice the bars into small squares for a platter or a box of holiday treats.
Share these peppermint sugar cookie bars.
6. Soft Ginger Snap Cookies
Molasses gives these cookies a deep flavor that goes well with the ginger and other warm spices. Roll the chilled dough in sugar for a little sparkle and a crisp edge around the chewy middle. Bake just until the edges set, then let the cookies cool before stacking them in a tin.
Fill a tin with soft ginger snap cookies.
7. English Trifle
Sponge cake, fresh strawberries and raspberries, custard, and whipped cream make up the layers of this English trifle. A splash of sherry gives the sponge its classic flavor. Layer everything in a clear glass serving bowl, then chill it so the cake softens. Bring a big spoon to the table for serving.
Spoon up this English trifle for Christmas dessert.
8. Christmas Snowman Brownies
Fudgy chocolate brownies get a puddle of white icing and a marshmallow head on each square. Black and orange decorating icing make the eyes and carrot noses. Bake the brownies ahead if you like, then wait until the squares are fully cool before you decorate. The puddles can all be slightly different shapes and sizes.
Make these Christmas snowman brownies.
9. Candy Cane Kiss Cookies
A soft vanilla sugar cookie is the base for each striped peppermint kiss. The dough gets a short chill, and the outside has light crunch from its sugar coating. Add the candies once the cookies come out of the oven to keep the red and white stripes and pointed tops clear.
Add candy cane kiss cookies to your cookie tray.
10. Gingerbread Spice Cinnamon Rolls
Molasses gives the soft yeast dough its gingerbread flavor, and brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger make a sweet swirl inside. The rolls need time to rise before baking. Spread cream cheese icing over the tops so it settles into the warm spirals. A pan works for Christmas morning or for dessert later.
Warm up with these gingerbread spice cinnamon rolls.
11. Snowman Dessert Dip
Cream cheese adds a little tang to this sweet dip, and whipped topping keeps it light and fluffy. Chill the bowl briefly so the dip holds its soft swirls. Then add chocolate chips, candy corn, and pretzel sticks for a melted snowman look. Set out graham crackers around the bowl for scooping at the party.
Share this snowman dessert dip.
12. Reindeer Chocolate Cookie Dessert Cups
A mini muffin pan shapes the chocolate dough into little cups. Let the shells cool before adding the smooth cocoa cream cheese filling. Pretzel antlers give each cup a salty crunch, while candy eyes and red noses turn them into reindeer. The small cups are easy to pick up from a shared party platter.
Serve these reindeer chocolate dessert cups.
13. Christmas Tree Cookies
These buttery vanilla cutouts have tender centers and lightly crisp edges. Chill the dough so the trees keep their shape as they bake, especially around the pointed branches. Spread green vanilla frosting on the cooled cookies with a small spatula, then finish them with red and white sprinkles. Save a few for the cookie swap.
Try these Christmas tree cookies.
14. Red Velvet Oreo Cake Roll
A soft red cocoa sponge wraps around cream cheese filling with small bits of Oreo. Roll the sponge in a towel while it’s still warm, then let it cool before spreading on the filling. Chill the finished roll for neat slices, and give the outside a light dusting of sugar before serving.
Bring out this red velvet Oreo cake roll.
15. OREO Snowman Pops
Sandwich cookies on slim lollipop sticks get dipped in melted white candy coating. Add black and orange icing for the snowman faces and let the coating set before wrapping. The crisp cookie and its creamy center stay tucked inside the candy shell. Set these out at a Christmas party or wrap a few as gifts.
Make these OREO snowman pops.
16. Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
A box of white cake mix keeps the measuring short for these soft cookies. White chocolate chips add creamy bites, and red and green sprinkles bring color to the dough. Chill it briefly before baking to help the cookies stay thick. Let them cool all the way before packing a batch into gift tins.
Bake these cake mix Christmas cookies.
17. Christmas Rice Crispy Treats With Sprinkles
Melted marshmallows and butter coat the crisp rice cereal and hold it together in chewy squares. Red, green, and white confetti sprinkles make the batch look festive. Press the mixture into a pan and let it set before cutting. These are easy to pack for a Christmas party or share at home.
Cut these Christmas rice crispy treats into squares.
Final Thoughts
When I’m picking Christmas dessert recipes for a gathering, I like to start with one dessert I can finish early. The English trifle and peppermint pie both need fridge time, so either can be waiting while you get dinner ready. A batch of cookies gives people something to nibble on while they wait for a slice.
If you’re baking with kids, save the snowman faces or Christmas tree sprinkles for when the desserts have cooled. For a gift tin, let cookies cool all the way before packing them. The little details are easier to handle when the baking is already done.