The best way to end Christmas Eve is with a table full of beautiful christmas desserts. After a cozy dinner and a long day of celebrating, everyone loves a sweet treat. The good news is that your christmas desserts do not have to be complicated to look impressive.
In this guide I am sharing simple and festive christmas desserts ideas built around five winning recipes:
- Yule log cake
- Gingerbread cookies with royal icing
- Chocolate brownies
- No bake cheesecake cups
- Christmas sugar cookies
You can choose just one or two for a small family gathering, or mix several of these christmas desserts for a full dessert table.
Showstopper Christmas Desserts
These are the christmas desserts that make people say wow when you bring them to the table. They look beautiful, taste amazing, and are perfect as the main centerpiece.
Yule Log Cake
A Yule log cake is one of the most classic christmas desserts. It is usually a light sponge cake rolled with cream or frosting, then covered in chocolate icing and decorated to look like a log. You can add little decorations such as berries, powdered sugar for snow, or small Christmas toppers.
If you are looking for christmas desserts ideas that feel traditional and special, this cake is a perfect choice.
Why you will love it:
- Beautiful centerpiece for your dessert table
- Can be made ahead and kept in the fridge
- Easy to decorate in many different styles
👉 Full recipe: Yule Log Cake
Classic Christmas Cookies And Bars
Cookies and bars are the heart of many christmas desserts tables. They are easy to share, simple to store, and great for gifting as well.
Gingerbread Cookies With Royal Icing
Gingerbread cookies are one of the most loved christmas desserts in many homes. They are lightly spiced, slightly crisp on the edges, and perfect for decorating with royal icing. You can cut them into stars, trees, gingerbread people, and more.
This is also one of the best christmas desserts ideas to enjoy with kids, since they can help with cutting shapes and decorating.
Why you will love them:
- Classic Christmas flavor
- Fun activity for the whole family
- Perfect for cookie boxes and gifts
👉 Full recipe: Gingerbread Cookies With Royal Icing
Christmas Sugar Cookies
Christmas sugar cookies are soft, sweet, and easy to decorate. You can roll them out and use your favorite cookie cutters, or make them as simple circles and decorate with sprinkles or icing.
If you want christmas desserts that are very flexible, these cookies are ideal. You can color the icing, change the shapes, and match any holiday theme you like.
Why you will love them:
- Simple dough that is easy to work with
- Great base for creative decorating
- Loved by both kids and adults
👉 Full recipe: Christmas Sugar Cookies
Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate brownies might not be only for Christmas, but they belong on every christmas desserts table. Rich, fudgy brownies are always popular and they are very easy to dress up for the holidays.
You can dust them with powdered sugar, add red and green sprinkles, drizzle melted chocolate on top, or serve them warm with ice cream. When you need christmas desserts ideas that are guaranteed to please everyone, brownies are the answer.
Why you will love them:
- Simple one bowl recipe in most cases
- Easy to cut into small squares for sharing
- Can be made ahead and stay moist
👉 Full recipe: Chocolate Brownies
Easy Individual Christmas Desserts
Individual desserts feel extra special and are perfect when you have guests. These christmas desserts ideas are great if you want something that looks fancy but is actually very simple to prepare.
No Bake Cheesecake Cups
No bake cheesecake cups are creamy, smooth, and very easy to assemble. You usually layer crushed cookies or biscuits at the bottom of a glass or jar, then add a sweet cream cheese filling and finish with fruit, chocolate, or sauce on top.
These cups are one of the most practical christmas desserts, because you can make them ahead and keep them chilled until serving time.
Why you will love them:
- No oven needed, perfect when your oven is busy
- Easy to customize with different toppings
- Look elegant served in glass cups or jars
👉 Full recipe: No Bake Cheesecake Cups
How To Build A Christmas Eve Dessert Table
You do not need to make every recipe in this post. Here are a few simple christmas desserts ideas you can use as ready made menus.
Option 1: Classic and cozy
- Yule log cake as the centerpiece
- Gingerbread cookies with royal icing on the side
Option 2: Cookie lovers
- Christmas sugar cookies
- Gingerbread cookies
- Chocolate brownies
This is one of the easiest christmas desserts combinations to prepare, and it works well for parties and family gatherings.
Option 3: Mix of rich and light
- Yule log cake
- No bake cheesecake cups
- A small plate of sugar cookies
This kind of mix gives your guests several christmas desserts ideas to choose from, without making the table too crowded.
Tips For Stress Free Christmas Desserts
To make your christmas desserts easier to handle, keep these tips in mind:
- Bake ahead where possible
- Cookies and brownies can usually be baked a day or two in advance
- Use the fridge smartly
- Keep your Yule log cake and no bake cheesecake cups chilled until serving
- Decorate close to serving time
- Add delicate decorations and sprinkles later so they stay fresh and pretty
- Mix textures and flavors
- Combine soft, crunchy, chocolatey, and fruity christmas desserts so everyone finds something they like
For more holiday inspiration, see my full Christmas Eve recipes collection, including even more christmas breakfast ideas and menus for the whole day.
👉 Read the full recipe collection here : Christmas Eve Recipes for a Stress-Free Holiday
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FAQs :
What are the top 10 Christmas desserts?
Here are 10 popular, classic Christmas desserts that show up on holiday tables again and again (a mix of cookies, cakes, and seasonal favorites):
Gingerbread cookies
Sugar cookies (decorated)
Peppermint bark
Yule log cake (bûche de Noël)
Fudge
Apple pie
Pecan pie
Pumpkin pie
Cheesecake (holiday flavors like eggnog or classic)
Holiday truffles or cookie balls
What are the 13 desserts served at Christmas?
“The 13 desserts” is a Provençal (southern France) Christmas tradition served after the Christmas Eve meal, often representing Jesus and the 12 apostles. The exact list can vary by town and family, but it commonly includes items like the “four beggars” (nuts and dried fruit), Pompe à l’huile (olive oil bread), dates, nougat (white and black), and other local fruits and sweets.
What is a good dessert for a Christmas party?
Pick something that is easy to serve and travels well. Great party choices include:
– Cookie platter (sugar cookies + gingerbread)
– Brownies or bar cookies (easy to portion)
– Peppermint bark or fudge (no slicing stress)
– Mini desserts (cheesecake cups, cake balls) for grab-and-go serving
What is America’s favorite Christmas dessert?
One recent survey of 1,000 Americans (Talker Research for Newsweek) found pumpkin pie was the most commonly chosen Christmas dessert, with 40% saying they typically have it for Christmas dessert.