24 Christmas Dessert Recipes for 2024

The Christmas holidays are the perfect time for baking and here at Out of the Box Baking we've got a plethora of recipes sure to please even the most discriminating palate. In this post we'll share 24 amazing (and easy) recipes perfect for the 2023 holiday season.

Baking During the Holidays

I don't know about you but there's something about the holidays that brings out the baker in me. I love the flavors and colors of Christmas goodies. And there's no better time of year to celebrate with loved ones.

When I was a little girl, we had some lovely holiday traditions. We would go to my grandmother's house every December to make homemade Christmas candy. I still have fond memories of those gatherings. My mama was also very fond of divinity, which she made yearly.

As she aged, my mother developed a love for Christmas cookies and pies. She was known for many of her candies and other sweet treats. Many of the recipes I've shared have come from her cookbook, including her Snickerdoodles and Italian Cream Cake, which my mama called her Coconut Pecan Cake.

Festive Christmas Desserts!

Until a few years ago I didn't do much baking. Now that I'm more at home in the kitchen I love baking with friends and family members during the holidays. You can check out my Baking with Friends and Family post for more on my passion for baking with loved ones. I've also shared a post titled Baking with Kids that you might find enjoyable, too.

The point is, I've learned to pass down what my mother taught me--that baking during the holidays should be a joyous and festive thing. And her Christmas dessert ideas were the best!

24 of my Favorite Christmas Recipes

This post has been updated over the years so that I can share a host of new and exciting Christmas treats with you!

I'm all about the baked goods--pies, cakes, cookies, and so on. And that's what I'm happy to share with you. Follow the links in the titles to get the recipes. You can also click the pictures. They will lead you straight to the posts with all of the details.

These are easy recipes and some of the best Christmas desserts you'll find!

1. Festive Fruitcake (Depression Era Fruit and Nut Cake)

If you love the idea of fruitcake but you’re not a fan of the taste or texture, have I got a treat for you! This Depression-era fruit and nut cake will win over even the non-fruitcake-lovers out there! It’s packed full of texture and flavor! Click here for this fruitcake recipe.

2. Orange Cranberry Cookies

I don’t know about you but I’m crazy about the combination of orange and cranberry. If you love the mergence of those two flavors–the tartness of cranberries and the sweetness of an orange cookie, you’ve come to the right place. This is an easy recipe, perfect for the holidays or any time of year. Get the full cookie recipe here.

3. Easy Oreo Christmas Ornaments

These easy chocolate-covered Oreos are decorated to look like Christmas ornaments! They're fun to make and a great project for kids of all ages. Click this link to get the full recipe.

4. Easy Holiday Peppermint Bark

Most people equate peppermint bark with the holidays but it’s yummy year-around! In fact, homemade peppermint bark is a favorite with my grandkids. The love it! For the full recipe click here.

5. Christmas Spice Cake

If you love the warm flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice but you also love the nutty, fruity texture of a fruitcake, you’re going to love this recipe. It’s the perfect blend of two favorites. And best of all, it starts with a box of cake mix! Get the recipe today!

6. Simple Pecan Pie Bars

If you love the ease of a cookie bar but the luscious richness of pecan pie you’re going to flip over this simple pecan pie bar recipe! It merges both of those worlds into one dreamy bite, loaded with flavor and crunch! Click here for the recipe. This is one of my favorite Christmas desserts!

7. Easy Grinch Cupcakes

If you’re looking for a fun and colorful Christmas cupcake project for the kids, this is it! These simple Grinch cupcakes come together easily and quickly. And best of all, they start with a boxed cake mix! Click here for this cupcake recipe. Talk about an adorable and delicious dessert!

8. White Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies

9. Caramel Butterscotch Pound Cake

If you love peppermint but you also enjoy the creamy texture of white chocolate, this is the recipe for you! These yummy cookies combine those two favorites! And just for fun, I’m going to teach you how to make these cookies two different ways. For the recipe click here. Pull out the candy canes and get going!

This simple recipe recently became a viral sensation! (No kidding! It went viral online and thousands upon thousands of people checked it out!) I can see why: it's a luscious wintry cake, filled with warm flavors. Perfect for your Christmas gathering. Check out the recipe today!

10. Simple German Chocolate Bars

If you love a delicious German chocolate cake with coconut pecan frosting, have I got a treat for you! These bars come together quickly, taste amazing, and best of all. . .they start with a box of cake mix! This is a new recipe in 2023 and so far it's doing really well with readers!

11. Christmas Sugar Cookies

I've got the master list for you--my top 22 Christmas Cookie ideas for 2022 and beyond! No matter how you paint them, my cut-out sugar cookies are the best! And that royal icing recipe? It's the bomb!

12. Flourless Chocolate Cake

If you love rich, decadent chocolate cake but you’ve sworn off gluten, this is the recipe for you. You can stop searching for the perfect flourless chocolate cake, my friend. You’ve found it right here, in this post.

13. Christmas Party Ideas: Edible Christmas Trees

These easy, edible Christmas trees are guaranteed to wow your party guests! They're colorful, flavorful, and so fun to look at! Check out this link for more.

14. Easy Christmas Cupcakes (to decorate with kids)

These amazing Christmas cupcakes are bright, colorful, and loaded with Christmas cheer. And, like so many of our other offerings, they start with the boxed mix of your choice. Click here for the full recipe. (Talk about a tasty treat!)

15. The 12 Bundt Cakes of Christmas

Wondering what to bake this Christmas season? Bundt cakes are the answer! They’re easy to bake, easy to transport, and (best of all) easy to slice and serve! If you’re looking for some tasty holiday recipes we’ve definitely got you covered! Check out the recipe here.

16. 16 Easy Cookie Exchange Recipes

If you’re looking for a host of different cookie recipes to fill that holiday cookie exchange tray, you’ve come to the right place. These sixteen recipes are simple to make and perfect for a swap! Nothing puts you in the holiday spirit like a classic Christmas cookie!

Click this link to see the recipes for these easy Christmas desserts! Make an extra tray to serve after Christmas dinner. There's nothing like holiday cookies to make your guests smile! (Hint: These make great Christmas gifts!)

17. Traditional Coconut Cake

Coconut cake is a popular offering in the south, but there’s no reason why we need to limit it geographically! This luscious cake is perfect for families across the globe and great for Christmas, Easter, and every day in-between! This is one of my favorite recipes ever! For more, click here.

18. Fudgy Pecan Pie

I live in the south and every good southerner needs a solid classic pecan pie recipe. This one's the perfect dessert! Whether you serve it after your Thanksgiving dinner or as a late night snack, a great pecan pie is perfect! Click here for the recipe for this decadent holiday dessert.

19. Holiday Yule Log Cake (Bûche de noël)

If you’re in the holiday spirit and want to bake a cake that reflects that, I’ve got a fun one for you! Best of all, this traditional Yule log cake starts with a simple cake mix. This is one of those impressive desserts your friends and family won't forget. Get the recipe here!

20. Easy Pumpkin Spice Cake

If you’re in the mood for those perfect fall flavors–pumpkin and spice–have I got a recipe for you! This is an easy cake to whip up in a hurry, and it all starts with a boxed cake mix! Whether you’re serving it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any other time of year, it’s the perfect blend of flavors. For the recipe click here.

21. Easy Apple Pie with Homemade Crust

If you love the warm rich flavors of apple and cinnamon and the lovely crisp crunch of a flaky crust, this is the recipe for you! Thanks to the addition of canned apple pie filling this Easy Apple Pie comes together so easily. . .but it tastes like it took hours! Best of all, it really tickles the taste buds!

22. Monkey Bread with Canned Biscuits

If you love a good cinnamon roll, one that’s gooey and sticky but light and fluffy at the same time. . .you’re definitely in the right place. This Monkey Bread recipe is rich with brown sugar and cinnamon and will leave you swooning! Best of all, it starts with canned biscuits. Talk about simple!

23. German Chocolate Pound Cake (with Frosting Inside)

If you love a terrific German Chocolate cake but the idea of making one fro scratch sounds overwhelming, do I have the perfect recipe for you!

This lucious German Chocolate bundt cake is loaded with all of the flavors of a traditional German Chocolate Cake, but made in a fraction of the time. It’s even got a secret ingredient in the batter. . .canned coconut pecan frosting! 

24. Screwball Cake with Glaze Frosting

If you’re looking for the world’s simplest chocolate cake, this is the recipe for you! It comes together in no time at all, and is completely egg and milk free! 

Other Christmas Dessert Ideas

There are so many other Christmas desserts to try. Gingerbread cookies, gingerbread houses, hot chocolate cookies, Russian tea cakes, Pecan pie cheesecake Christmas tree brownies. . .the sky's the limit!

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There you have it, friends! I hope you enjoyed these traditional Christmas dessert recipes! I also pray your holidays are filled with sweet baking experiences, no matter who you're baking with. And just because I love to offer more than promised, I'm going to leave you with 9 Easy Christmas Candy Recipes!

While you're here, go ahead and pin some photos to your Pinterest boards.

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.