These sweet treats are the best holiday desserts out there. Add some baking time into your festivities and enjoy these delicious recipes!
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Most Popular Holiday Desserts
I look forward to making holiday treats each year. Whether it’s Christmas cookies, pies, candy and more, there are so many delicious Christmas desserts to whip up!
One of my hands-down favorite parts of the holidays is all of the holiday desserts that everyone bakes up. I feel like it is my personal duty to taste test as many of the treats as possible—it is my job, after all! :)
In case you haven’t quite figured out what you’d like to leave out for Santa, I’ve rounded up some of the BEST holiday dessert recipes! You’ll find all of your favorites in this amazing list. So what are you waiting for?! Get to baking!
Christmas Cookies
There’s a good reason that cookies are first on this list. You’ve got to make sure you have a Christmas dessert to leave out for Santa with a glass of milk, after all! Plus, baking cookies as a family is such a sweet Christmas tradition. Make a few of these recipes to hand out as gifts to neighbors, friends, and any stray reindeer you come across.
Ginger Molasses Cookies
Molasses cookies that are soft and chewy on the inside and crisp around the edges. Full of delicious ginger flavor and taste just like Christmas! Drizzle or dip in white chocolate for the ultimate holiday cookie!
Total Time: 33 minutes
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Christmas Sugar Cookies
Ring in the holiday season with these easy Christmas sugar cookies! Perfectly soft and fluffy with amazing flavor. The best recipe to use when decorating sugar cookies for Christmas!
Total Time: 1 hour 28 minutes
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Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
This super soft snickerdoodle cookie recipe will instantly win you over! It truly is the best. It's a classic recipe that makes soft and chewy snickerdoodle cookies with lots of flavor every time.
Total Time: 30 minutes
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M&M Christmas Cookies
Thick and chewy M&M Christmas cookies with crispy edges, a soft center and bursting with chocolate flavor. These are the ultimate cookie recipe to make this holiday season!
Total Time: 40 minutes
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Peanut Butter Blossoms
Soft sugar coated peanut butter blossoms topped with a chocolate Hershey's kisses. Perfectly soft and chewy and perfect for a holiday cookie exchange.
Total Time: 18 minutes
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Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
These chocolate crinkle cookies are fudgy on the inside with a crisp outside edge! So rich and decadent and adored by any and all chocolate lovers.
Total Time: 38 minutes
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Easy Oatmeal Cookies
These are the BEST oatmeal cookies! Crispy around the edges and soft and chewy in the center. So easy to make and even easier to eat!
Total Time: 20 minutes
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Chocolate Peppermint Cookies Recipe
A fudgy chocolate cookie filled with fresh peppermint flavor. The perfect holiday cookie recipe to add to your baking list this season!
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Butter Cookie Recipe
Easy to make butter cookie recipe that melt in your mouth and have amazing butter flavor! With crisp edges and a tender center, they are not only a holiday classic but delicious year round.
Total Time: 26 minutes
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Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
Soft and chewy gingerbread man cookies full of ginger spice flavor. This classic Christmas treat is the perfect cookie to decorate with your family this season!
Total Time: 1 hour 32 minutes
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Mexican Wedding Cookies
These Mexican wedding cookies are so simple and take only 5 ingredients to make! The perfect bite-sized cookie recipe that will literally melt in your mouth.
Total Time: 28 minutes
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Pistachio Cookie Recipe
Soft, chewy and festive pistachio cookies are easy to make with instant pistachio pudding mix. A little green food coloring makes them perfect for Christmas or St. Patrick's Day!
Total Time: 1 hour
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Cinnamon Roll Cookies
This recipe for cinnamon roll sugar cookies is simple to make and will have you looking like a total baking rock star. You won't believe how delicious these cookies are!
Total Time: 50 minutes
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White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
White chocolate cranberry cookies are soft, chewy, and chunky loaded with white chocolate and dried cranberries. A delicious festive cookie perfect for the holidays!
Total Time: 40 minutes
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Shortbread Cookies
These shortbread cookies are so easy to make with only 5 ingredients, melt in your mouth, and turn out beautiful every time. They are perfect to make cut out, pressed or stamped shortbread cookies.
Total Time: 20 minutes
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Turtle Cookies
Rich and decadent these turtle cookies are made with soft chocolate cookies, rolled in pecans, filled with caramel and then topped with a chocolate drizzle!
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
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Candy
When I think of Christmas, I immediately think of all of the delicious homemade candy recipes. They holidays just aren’t the same without fudge, caramels, toffee and more. Any of these candy recipes below would make a great gift for neighbors or the perfect addition to your holiday goodie plate!
Microwave Fudge
Creamy homemade fudge made in the microwave with only 3 ingredients! Top with a gooey salted caramel or mix in your favorite chopped nuts. You won't believe how easy and delicious this chocolate fudge recipe is!
Total Time: 13 minutes
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Caramel Candy Recipe
This homemade soft caramel recipe is one you'll reach for again and again. Perfect for making a batch of sweets to gift a teacher, friend or just to eat!
Total Time: 40 minutes
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Peppermint Bark
Delicious layers of dark and white chocolate topped with pieces of crushed candy canes. This easy peppermint bark takes only 4 ingredients and is made in just 30 minutes!
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Christmas Crack Recipe
You are going to want to put this Christmas crack toffee on your MUST MAKE list this year. It takes SWEET and SALTY to a whole new level and it only takes 5 ingredients and 15 minutes to make!
Total Time: 27 minutes
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Chocolate Turtles Recipe
These easy 4-ingredient chocolate turtles will become your new favorite treat. The crisp pecans, chewy caramel and creamy chocolate with sea salt on top is pure heaven!
Total Time: 20 minutes
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Peanut Butter Fudge
This peanut butter fudge is super smooth, creamy and one of the easiest fudge recipes ever!
Total Time: 5 minutes
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Homemade Toffee
This rich and buttery homemade toffee takes only thirty minutes to make and is super easy, too! Perfect for parties, holiday gifts, and snacking!
Total Time: 35 minutes
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Peanut Brittle
No holiday cookie tray is complete without this delicious Peanut Brittle! It gives you all the flavor of traditional peanut brittle with just a touch of maple. Plus it's ready in just 25 minutes!
Total Time: 25 minutes
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Rocky Road Candy
This rocky road candy is super easy to make and only takes 5 ingredients! Absolutely no cooking or baking required. Perfect for when you need a last minute holiday treat!
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
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Buckeye Candy
Creamy peanut butter buckeye balls dipped in chocolate. This easy no-bake candy is a peanut butter lover's dream come true!
Total Time: 35 minutes
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White Chocolate Fudge
This easy white chocolate fudge is sweet, salty and melt in your mouth delicious. It's smooth and silky texture paired with the bold rich flavor is everything you want in a dessert!
Total Time: 2 hours 25 minutes
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Peppermint Graham Cracker Toffee Recipe
This peppermint graham cracker toffee is SO easy to make and is sure to be your new favorite holiday treat. It's made with only 5 ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes.
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Eggnog Fudge Recipe
Creamy and rich eggnog fudge that combines all of the best flavors of Christmas! Makes the perfect edible gift for the holidays.
Total Time: 25 minutes
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
Easy peanut butter balls made with creamy peanut butter, powdered sugar and covered in a sweet chocolate coating. Only takes 5 ingredients!
Total Time: 35 minutes
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Snickerdoodle Fudge
Rich and creamy snickerdoodle fudge with a cinnamon-sugar crunch on top. Made in just 10 minutes with 5 simple ingredients!
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
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Divinity Candy
Soft and chewy divinity candy made with just 4 simple ingredients! The sweet flavor and pillowy texture tastes just like the version grandma used to make.
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
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Graham Cracker Toffee
Graham cracker toffee is a popular holiday treat that is crunchy, crispy, sweet, and chocolatey. It is so easy to make and completely addicting!
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Rolo Pretzel Turtles
Sweet and salty Rolo pretzel turtles made with only 3 ingredients in less than 15 minutes! This quick and easy dessert is the perfect no-fuss treat to enjoy this Christmas.
Total Time: 13 minutes
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Peppermint Oreo Balls
These no-bake peppermint Oreo balls have a chewy mint cookie and cream cheese center with a hardened chocolate shell and crushed candy canes on top! The perfect one-bite mint chocolate dessert for the holidays!
Total Time: 35 minutes
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge
This 4-ingredient chocolate peanut butter fudge is made in just minutes using a microwave and a bowl! This chewy, decadent, sweet fudgy goodness is perfect for satisfying your sweet cravings and pretty enough for any holiday dessert table!
Total Time: 1 hour 54 minutes
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Pies
Mmmm, it doesn’t get much better than buttery, flaky pie crust topped with warm toppings. Pie is a traditional holiday dessert and we always have a least two to three off this list on our table.
Homemade Pumpkin Pie
This homemade pumpkin pie is super smooth and velvety with the perfect blend of spices. An easy and delicious holiday dessert that will be the star of your Thanksgiving dinner!
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
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Apple Cranberry Pie
Celebrate the holidays with this delicious homemade apple cranberry pie. Filled with caramelized cinnamon apples and cranberries and a flaky, golden pie crust. There is fresh fruit flavor in every bite!
Total Time: 5 hours 35 minutes
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Easy Banana Cream Pie
This recipe has all the delicious flavors of good old-fashioned banana cream pie but is literally done in minutes. Takes only 5 ingredients and is an easy no bake pie that tastes amazing!
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
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Chocolate Silk Pie
The ultimate chocolate silk pie made with a chocolate crust, silky smooth chocolate filling and topped with homemade whipped cream and chocolate shavings. This dessert is a chocolate lovers dream!
Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes
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Razzleberry Pie
This homemade razzleberry pie is one of my all time favorite pies! Filled with 3 different types of berries and topped with a beautiful lattice crust.
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
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Oreo Peanut Butter Pie
Oreo peanut butter pie is a decadent combination of sweet creamy peanut butter filling with a chocolate crust. This easy no-bake dessert is loaded with peanut butter flavor in every bite!
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
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S’mores Pie Recipe
Loaded with gooey marshmallows, chocolate and a graham cracker cookie crust. The perfect summer pie that tastes even better than the traditional campfire s'mores!
Total Time: 40 minutes
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Brown Bag Apple Pie
Easy brown bag apple pie with a delicious crumb topping and flaky pie crust. The brown bag helps seal in all of the delicious flavors and leaves you with the best apple pie you've ever tried.
Total Time: 2 hours
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Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
A chocolate chip cookie baked in a pie crust that's filled with caramel. So easy to make and takes only 3 ingredients. Everyone will go crazy over this gooey cookie pie!
Total Time: 40 minutes
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Old Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie
Flaky pie crust filled with a creamy custard filling, then topped with whipped cream and toasted coconut. This coconut cream pie is sweet, smooth and rich…every bite is perfection!
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
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Pecan Pie Bars
Easy homemade pecan pie bars made with a buttery shortbread crust and gooey pecan pie filling. They're perfectly caramelly, nutty, crispy and chewy all in one bite!
Total Time: 55 minutes
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Eggnog Pie
A creamy, no-bake holiday eggnog pie made with just 5 ingredients. All of the delicious flavors of drinking eggnog, but in a delectable pie version!
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
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Easy Holiday Desserts
These sweet treats are easy, delicious and practically guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser! Plus, most of these recipes are made with just 5 ingredients or less!
Oreo Balls
These OREO balls are made with just 3 simple ingredients and are such an easy dessert recipe to make. Drizzle with chocolate or top with your favorite colored sprinkles for the perfect decorative treat!
Total Time: 35 minutes
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Rolo Pretzels
Only 3 ingredients to make and the perfect blend of salty and sweet, crunchy and chewy, and all around delicious! These Rolo pretzels are the easiest holiday treat and are so fun and festive
Total Time: 13 minutes
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Sugar Cookie Truffles
No-bake sugar cookie truffles made with only 4 ingredients! An easy and delicious treat for the holidays that is super easy to make.
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Pretzel Hugs
These Christmas Pretzel Hugs are the easiest holiday treat! Made with just 3 simple ingredients and take only 10 minutes from start to finish. Perfect easy and inexpensive holiday gift idea!
Total Time: 10 minutes
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Chocolate Pretzel Rods
Salty pretzel rods dipped in layers of sweet caramel and chocolate. These easy Christmas pretzel rods are a must-have this holiday season!
Total Time: 10 minutes
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Christmas Oreos
These chocolate dipped Christmas Oreos are adorable and easy treats the whole family can help make! Only 2 ingredients (and a few decorations) needed to whip up this quick and simple dessert.
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Sweet Chex Mix Recipe
Sweet Chex Mix Recipe…ooey gooey chex mix topped with fresh coconut and sliced almonds. Such a delicious treat that will instantly become a new favorite. You’ll love this yummy ooey gooey chex mix recipe!
Total Time: 25 minutes
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Rolo Pretzel Reindeer
These Rolo Pretzel Reindeer are the perfect treats for the holiday season and so easy to make! Only takes 4 ingredients and a few minutes to bake.
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Snowman Oreo Balls
Adorable snowman Oreo balls are a fun, festive, and delicious DIY activity for the kids! Made with Oreo cookies, cream cheese and melted chocolate, these super easy snowmen are always a hit!
Total Time: 45 minutes
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Christmas Chex Mix
Sweet and salty Christmas chex mix made with just 5 simple ingredients. This is the perfect no-bake dessert recipe to have in your back pocket during the busy holiday season!
Total Time: 20 minutes
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Saltine Cracker Toffee Recipe
This saltine cracker toffee recipe is made with just 3 simple ingredients in 15 minutes! A seriously addicting treat that's super easy to make.
Total Time: 15 minutes
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Muddy Buddies
Crunchy Chex cereal coated in peanut butter, chocolate and powdered sugar. These muddy buddies (aka puppy chow) are an easy no-bake treat made with 6 ingredients in just 15 minutes!
Total Time: 15 minutes
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Cornflake Wreaths
Cornflake wreaths are a yearly traditional Christmas treat that comes together in minutes. They're an easy yummy dessert perfect for sharing with friends, family, and neighbors!
Total Time: 15 minutes
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Bars and Brownies
Bars and brownies top my list of holiday dessert ideas because they are perfect to make for a crowd. These recipes can easily be doubled or tripled and doled out to all your friends and family.
M&M Cookie Bars
These Christmas M&M cookie bars are gooey, soft and loaded with M&M's and chocolate chips. So easy to make and perfect for a cookie exchange or holiday party!
Total Time: 40 minutes
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7-Layer Bars
7-layer bars (aka magic cookie bars) loaded with gooey layers of graham cracker crumbs, chocolate and butterscotch chips, pecans and coconut. They really are seven layers of magic!
Total Time: 30 minutes
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Homemade Snickers
Delicious homemade snickers bars filled with layers of chocolate, nougat and caramel. This easy no-bake treat will become one of your absolute favorites!
Total Time: 3 hours
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Raspberry Jello Pretzel Salad
Raspberry jello pretzel salad is a little sweet, a little salty and a LOT of deliciousness! The cream cheese mixture and salted pretzel crust mixed with the raspberry jello is the absolute perfect combination.
Total Time: 4 hours
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Frosted Brownies
The ultimate rich and decadent fudge frosted brownies that are topped with a smooth, luscious chocolate ganache. These are any chocolate lover's dream!
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
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Chocolate Lasagna
This no-bake chocolate lasagna has layers of crushed Oreo's, cream, chocolate pudding and chocolate chips! Does it get any better than that?!
Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes
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Strawberry Santa Hat Brownie Bites
Strawberry Santa Hat Brownie Bites…cute, easy and delicious! The perfect no-bake treat for Christmas that everyone always loves!
Total Time: 10 minutes
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Peppermint Brownies in a Jar Recipe
This peppermint brownie mix in a jar makes the perfect holiday gift! It's easy, festive and tastes delicious once baked. Download the free printable tags for an extra special touch!
Total Time: 10 minutes
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Chocolate Mint Brownies
Fudgy mint brownies topped with a mint buttercream frosting and chocolate ganache. The most incredible dessert that's perfect for chocolate lovers!
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
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Peppermint Brownies
Rich and fudgy peppermint brownies topped with a peppermint buttercream frosting and a silky chocolate ganache. This indulgent dessert is perfect to enjoy this Christmas!
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
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Categorized as: Christmas, Desserts, Recipe Roundup
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is also the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook. Here you will find easy family-friendly recipes for every occasion.
I’m drooling! Great collection! Thx for including mine, Katie. :)
They look so good! Thank you for sharing all of these recipes!
Mmmmm – seriously I think I gained 20 pounds just reading this. YUM
What a round up! I think I just gained 10 lbs from looking at it.
what an awesome round up! wowee. i think i gained about 5 lbs just looking through all of them. thanks for including me!
mmm all these desserts look amazing! Thanks for including my rice krispies treats!
Katie, Thank you so much for including my Rocky Road Fudge in this amazing round up of fantastic Holiday treats I think I gained 5 pounds just looking at all the yumminess!!!