From cranberries to gingerbread, our best holiday desserts include cookies, dessert bars, and more. Consider this your ultimate holiday baking guide for Christmas desserts.
This collection of Christmas recipes features some of my favorite holiday treats. From the traditional gingerbread men cookies to saltine toffee, this list will have everything you need to fill your holiday dessert table this year.
Growing up, our house was always filled with delicious treats from mid-November through New Year’s Day. We’d put together gift boxes featuring our family-loved favorites and, of course, keep some of each sweet treat for ourselves.
Why You’ll Consider These the Best Holiday Desserts
- These recipes are time tested and family approved. They all get rave reviews each time we make them.
- From cookies to other desserts, this list has something for everyone to enjoy. It also has a wide range of flavors to hit everyone’s sweet tooth in just the right spot.
- From filling up the perfect Christmas cookie box to offering something decadent to wrap up Christmas dinner, you won’t have to look any further than this list.
The Best Holiday Cookies
These cookies are perfect for creating the perfect Christmas cookie box or for having around to nibble on just because this holiday season.
You can never go wrong with the classic flavor combination of white chocolate and cranberries!
This combination of butterscotch, chocolate, and a hint of cinnamon is divine.
Adorable and delicious...these melted snowman cookies make a super fun snow day baking project.
No holiday baking event is complete without sugar cookies! This recipe is perfection.
Porcelain cookies look like regular sugar cookies but they have a slighty lemon flavor which makes them extra special.
These spritz cookies are so buttery and delicious that no one can eat just one!
Make sure you save a spot in your holiday cookie boxes this year to feature these little bites of heaven.
Gingerbread men are the quintessential holiday cookie. This recipe ensures yours come out perfect every time.
Cake mix cookies are so easy but come out soft and delicious every time! This version features the delicious classic holiday flavors of chocolate and peppermint.
I could sit with a spoon and eat this frosting all by itself. Of course, it tastes amazing on top of the cookies too.
I am always a sucker for a rich chocolate cookie and tart fruit. This definitely help me get my fill.
Once you taste one of these incredible cookies, you might find it difficult to share any of them. They are THAT good.
I love dipping these in my morning coffee. They have just the right amount of sweetness.
Take the classic peanut butter cookie next level by dipping them in decadent dark chocolate. The little sprinkles make these cookies even more cheerful.
Little thumbs are perfect for helping making thumbprint cookies. These are filled with delicious jam and then topped with a perfectly nutty glaze.
All the warm spices of the holiday season are captured in this fabulous cookie! Definitely make at least 2 batches because you'll need plenty to go around..
These cookies scream holiday fun!
Reminiscent of stained glass windows, these cookies are stunning and impressive.
Rich and delicious is the perfect way to describe these German chocolate cake cookies!
These cookies come with all the candy cane cuteness. They are so fun for the holidays.
Traditional shortbread with a rich, chocolatey twist!
Holiday baking goes beyond cookies. Reach for your 9×13 baking pan instead of the cookie sheet to make these enticing dessert bar recipes.
Best Holiday Dessert Bars
They call these magic bars because of how easy they are to make. I call them magic because of how quickly they disappear off the dessert table.
These are called the best for good reason. The recipes produces a perfectly chewy cookie bar.
Chewy on the inside with a little crispness on top...these bars are holiday cheer in dessert form.
These bars will be the star of your holiday dessert spread.
These sugar cookie bars are better than the store bought cookies and are so easy to make.
Shortbread, caramel, and chocolate...the perfect dessert combination.
Soft and chewy, these bars are just as good as the cookie but so much easier to make.
These bars a delicious combination of maple flavors, pecans, and rich chocolate.
You know when a recipe is named for the grandma who makes them regularly, it is going to be delicious.
A gingerbread cookie bar that requires no rolling and no dough chilling? Sign me up!
What tools do you need to make all of these amazing Christmas dessert recipes? (contains affiliate links)
- Cookie sheets
- Parchment paper (I love the kind that is precut)
- Wire cooling racks
- Offset Spatula
- 9×13 baking dish
- Holiday sprinkles and candies
Looking to break away from the traditional cookies or cookie bars? Try these other amazing desserts this year and wow everyone.
More Amazing Holiday Desserts
A bowl of this is a requirement at all of our holiday gatherings! Just be sure to include napkins to help tame the powdered sugar.
A pavlova makes a stunning addition to the holiday dessert table. This one is topped with sugared cranberries and pomegranate seeds for extra holiday flair.
Skip the oven and reach for your crockpot instead to make these yummy clusters of deliciousness.
You won't believe how easy it is make this gorgeous and delicious cake.
The little hint of heat goes to well with the chocolate in these easy to make truffles.
Fudge is one of those must have holiday desserts. I love the refreshing peppermint in this version.
Similar to the classic French dessert, this recipe adds Grand Marnier to the cherries for an extra depth of flavor.
This is a delicious twist on the classic baked Alaska dessert. Pairing a brownie bottom with vanilla and lemon curd swirled ice cream, it will be a WOW moment for your guests.
We keep a container of this saltine toffee in the snack pantry from November through January.
These were always the first thing I'd grab out of any Christmas cookie treat boxes we received when I was younger. They are the perfect chocolate and peanut butter combination.
My husband is a HUGE coconut fan so these are always his most requested sweet treat.
Easy and delicious...these Oreo truffles fit the bill! I bet you can't eat just one though.
The holidays bring a lot of rich foods. The tartness of the lemon and cranberries in these tart is the perfect offset.
With Christmas morning coffee, in your gift boxes, or as a low carb dessert idea...this biscotti is perfect for so many things.
This super easy recipe features layers of dark and white chocolate topped with crushed candy canes.
You only need 4 ingredients to make these little bites of chocolate deliciousness.
And here are a few delicious drink ideas to pair along with these yummy sweet dessert recipes this holiday season:
- Spiked Hot Chocolate
- Classic Hot Toddy
- Cookie Butter Eggnog Cocktail
- Cranberry Hugo Spritz
- Gingerbread Martini
If you make any of these amazing holiday desserts or any other recipe from the blog, I’d love to hear about your experience. Let me know in the comments below or snap a photo and tag it #MySuburbanKitchen on Instagram or Facebook. And be sure to pin this list for later so you can make all the delicious holiday sweets.
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