Christmas Dessert Recipes for a Festive Holiday Menu

7 Easy Christmas Dessert Recipes that are simple yet delicious and won’t stress you out this holiday season.

For many families, the best part of a holiday meal is dessert. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or keeping things small, these seven easy Christmas desserts are designed to be simple, festive, and crowd-pleasing. They range from cookies to bundt cakes and a comforting apple pie—recipes that deliver flavor without a lot of stress or complicated steps.

If you’d like a festive drink to pair with these sweets, try an espresso martini or a holiday margarita to complement the flavors and make the gathering feel extra special.

Easy Christmas Dessert Recipes

Seven easy Christmas desserts that won’t stress you out. From chewy cookies to nearly-from-scratch bundt cakes and a no-fuss apple pie, there’s something here for every sweet tooth.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft, chewy chocolate chip cookies with the bright, sweet addition of cherries. These cookies are festive and perfect for holiday cookie trays or gifting.

Peppermint Mocha Bundt Cake

An almost-homemade mint chocolate bundt using a boxed cake mix and pudding to create a rich, moist cake with bright peppermint notes—easy to pull together and impressive to serve.

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Festive cookie bars studded with chocolate chips and crushed candy canes. These bars are easy to bake, slice, and share at cookie exchanges or parties.

Red Velvet Bundt Cake

A simple red velvet bundt cake made with a boxed mix and pudding for extra moisture. It’s a classic, elegant choice that comes together quickly.

Rolo Cookies

Chocolate cookies wrapped around a Rolo candy for a soft caramel center—bite-sized delight that’s always a hit at holiday gatherings.

Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake

A dense, moist chocolate chip coffee cake that can be made ahead—perfect for breakfast, brunch, or to serve alongside dessert coffees during the holidays.

Swedish Apple Pie

This no-crust Swedish apple pie showcases tender, sweet apples in a simple, homey filling—an easy, comforting dessert that feels just right for the holidays.

Tips for success: prioritize recipes you can make ahead (bundt cakes and coffee cake refrigerate well), keep one or two no-bake or quick-bake options on hand for last-minute needs, and choose a variety of textures—soft cookies, chewy bars, a moist cake, and a classic pie—to satisfy different tastes. With these seven recipes, you’ll have a balanced dessert spread that’s festive, effortless, and delicious.