The Best Desserts To Make This Holiday Season

Whether it’s a new year party or a family Christmas dinner, desserts are the star of the show and a mandatory element of the holiday feast. However, baking for the holiday season is always messy, mainly because of complicated recipes and intricately detailed steps. With the holiday season right around the corner, all eyes are set on the simplest yet most delicious dessert recipes to relish the occasion. While chocolate cakes and puddings are easy-to-nail classics, they are often overdone and aren’t as exciting. Push your luck this year and try one of the finger-licking desserts mentioned in this blog that will surely bring your guests back for triple servings. They are simple to bake for this holiday season, and social media-approved as well. So head below and look at our terrific ten delights for the holidays. 

GINGERBREAD COOKIES 

Gingerbread cookies are a staple for holiday parties. Unlike the traditional gingerbread houses, these cookies aren’t as time-consuming and are better than your regular ones. These cookies feature bold flavors that fill your mouth with spice and warmth. Gingerbread cookies are not chewy at all and have a biscuit-like crust. The cookies, although rich, deliver a mild sweetness at the end that goes well with caramel coffee or milk. You can make these cookies in a big batch and freeze them as they last over months. Our favorite recipe for gingerbread cookies is listed below. 

• Combine 438 grams of all-purpose flour, 150 grams of dark brown sugar, one teaspoon of baking soda, one tablespoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of ground cloves, and one tablespoon of ground ginger in a bowl. 
• Add 145 grams of unsalted butter (softened in cubes) to the dry mixture and incorporate them until the mixture forms a dried crumble.
• Pour in 160 milliliters of molasses and milk (as required) until it forms a dough. 
• Pop it in the refrigerator for two hours before rolling it out into half-inch thickness, and use a gingerbread man cookie cutter to cut it into gingerbread man shapes. 
• Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit and decorate with frosting and sprinkles after they cool down. 

YULE LOG CAKE

Yule log, also known as Buche de Noel in France, is a classic Christmas favorite. The cake is served in a realistic 3D log that cuts into cinnamon bun swirls. This log-shaped cake features wholesome flavors of chocolate and cream with a milky sweet taste and a woody scent. Its recipe is simple, although it requires some technique to perfect the shape. Here’s our yummy version of the yule log cake: 

• Beat six egg whites, ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar, and salt in a bowl until it’s frothy before gradually adding 32 grams of sugar to it.
• Combine the sugar at high speed for two minutes until the mixture forms stiff peaks. 
• Combine six egg yolks, 64 grams of sugar, and one teaspoon of vanilla extract with 96 grams of all-purpose flour (sieved), 32 grams of unsweetened cocoa powder, and ½ teaspoon of baking powder.
• Beat four tablespoons of melted butter and 33 milliliters of strong-brewed coffee in the egg yolk batter. 
• Transfer this batter to a well-greased, rimmed baking pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Once baked, let the cake cool down, remove it from the pan, and dust two tablespoons of powdered sugar over it. 
• Add a layer of your favorite cream filling on the sheet cake and roll it like a swiss roll. 
• Cover the cake with chocolate ganache and use a fork to create a wooden texture.
• Garnish with meringue bites. 

STRUFFOLI 

Italian struffoli are deep-fried dough balls with a sweet flavor. These munchkins feature prominent flavors of honey, orange, and sometimes vanilla. Fresh struffoli is best when devoured with candied fruit. The dessert has a crispy glazed outside while the inside melts in your mouth. These honey balls are extremely easy to make and require little to no technique. We’ve mentioned the exact recipe below, so do check it out. 

• In a mixing bowl, beat four large eggs until frothy.
• Add two teaspoons of orange zest, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, three tablespoons of sugar, and 59 milliliters of melted butter to the eggs and beat well. 
• Add 400 grams of all-purpose flour and ¼ teaspoon of baking powder to the liquid mixture until it forms a dough. 
• Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes, then lightly flour it and divide it into quarters. 
• Roll each quarter into a long rope up to two inches in thickness and cut one-inch pieces. 
• Perfect the shape of the dough balls and fry them at 350 degrees Fahrenheit temperature in cooking oil. 
• Meanwhile, prepare a glaze with 250 grams of honey, two tablespoons of orange juice, and 64 grams of sugar. 
• Strain and glaze your golden brown dough balls in the honey mix and top with sprinkles. 

BOURBON BALLS 

Try the bourbon balls if you’re looking for a last-minute holiday dessert. This dessert takes 40 minutes of prep time, including chilling time. These bite-sized delicacies have unsweetened cocoa powder as the base, which gives them a rich chocolaty flavor. The sugary coating on the top with the faint taste of bourbon and nuts is pretty inviting. Bourbon balls maintain a firm shape, while powdered sugar gives them a soft touch. They have a velvety texture that might feel like taffy at first. Head below to learn the full recipe. 

• In a bowl, combine 120 grams of pecans with 60 milliliters of bourbon. 
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it sit for two to three hours until the pecans absorb the liquid. 
• Strain the pecans and spread them on a parchment-lined baking pan. 
• Bake them at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 to 15 minutes until they’re slightly toasted. 
• Let the pecans cool down before finely chopping them into a crumbly powder. 
• Mix the pecan powder with 118 milliliters of bourbon, 110 grams of wafer cookie crumbs, 32 grams of cocoa powder, 32 grams of confectioners’ sugar, and 60 milliliters of corn syrup until well-combined. 
• Scoop one tablespoon of this mix and form ¾-inch-sized balls. 
• Cover the bourbon balls with sugar and let them chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving. 

WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE 

Level up your holiday party by serving your guests this extravagant white chocolate mousse. This creamy, fluffy, and filling dessert features strong textures that go well with the prominent milky flavor. Although it might be hard to differentiate between a white chocolate mousse and a pudding from looks, the intense white chocolate flavor tells the difference. The recipe includes only a few steps and you’re ready to serve a luscious dessert that melts on your palette. 

• Beat 64 grams of whipping cream using a hand mixer until it forms stiff peaks. 
• In a second bowl, melt 64 grams of chopped white chocolate in a microwave in 30-second intervals. 
• In a third bowl, beat 113 grams of cream cheese with one tablespoon of powdered sugar until the mixture is fluffy. 
• Add the melted white chocolate to the cream cheese mix with ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. 
• Fold the cream cheese mixture with the whipped cream using a spatula and combine well.
• Serve the mousse chilled with either crushed Oreos or fresh berries. 

LEMON MERINGUE CHEESECAKE 

Bring the taste of summer to your table this holiday with a smooth lemon meringue cheesecake. Although this dessert takes around five hours, the result is worth the effort and time. The lemon meringue cheesecake features a buttery crust and a sweet yet sour cheesecake, topped off with sweet meringue. This dessert is salty, sweet, rich, and tempting, so head below and check out to nail it. 

• For the crust, smash 400 grams of cookies of graham crackers until they form a crumble. 
• Add 32 grams of melted butter to the crumble so it’s evenly combined. 
• Press the crumble in a nine-inch deep springform pan and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. 
• For the filling, beat 226 grams of cream cheese, 200 grams of sour cream, and 200 grams of sugar until well combined. 
• Add four large eggs to the mixture one at a time and beat at a medium setting before mixing 59 milliliters of lemon juice, one tablespoon of lemon zest, and one teaspoon of vanilla extract. 
• Pour the mixture on the crust and let it bake for one hour at 375 degrees Fahrenheit in a preheated oven. 
• Let it chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours.
• For the meringue, beat four large egg whites in a bowl until stiff peaks, then mix in 32 grams of sugar. 
• Spread the meringue over the cheesecake and blue torch for a crusted layer. 
• Serve with chilled lemon curd. 

FIGGY PUDDING 

There aren’t much healthier desserts to create during the holidays, but figgy pudding is always a lifesaver for diet-conscious guests. Unlike regular puddings, the traditional figgy pudding is a dried fruit cake with a dense center. Although it’s nothing like brownies, you can resemble the layers of a figgy pudding like a brownie as both look solid but are slimy from the inside. The prominent flavors in a figgy pudding are figs, nuts, and brandy. Figgy puddings are usually sweet, but if you use unripened figs, it might affect the taste. Below, we have mentioned a recipe for this Christmas pudding for you to check out. 

• Gently heat 350 milliliters of buttermilk with 340 grams of dried and chopped figs in a saucepan for 10 to 15 minutes until softened. 
• Let it cool, and grease a tube pan with butter.
• Wrap the sides of a deep baking pan with aluminum foil. 
• In a large bowl, sift and combine 250 grams of sugar, 200 grams of white flour, 2½ teaspoons of baking powder, one teaspoon of nutmeg and cinnamon each, and a pinch of salt. 
• Beat three eggs in a separate bowl and add the buttermilk mixture to it with 200 grams of bread crumbs, 68 grams of melted butter, 68 grams of sliced almonds, three tablespoons of orange marmalade, one tablespoon of orange zest and ½ teaspoon of orange flavoring. 
• Beat the mixture well, then gradually add the dry mixture and fold gently. 
• Transfer the batter to the greased tube pan and place it on the foil-lined pan. 
• Bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes to two hours before cooling it on a wire wrack.
• Decorate with your favorite frosting. 

CRANBERRY PIE 

The cranberry pie is another special holiday dessert loved by all. This fruit pie features a mildly salted, flaky crust that balances the acidity and sweetness of the cranberries. It is not like usual fruit pies and is baked in a tart pan for the classic pie-shaped look. The bright red color of this festive dessert also adds a nice semblance of the holiday season. This hot pie goes best with a topping of chopped nuts and vanilla ice cream to cut the sourness. It comprises three elements, the crust, the filling, and the topping. Head below and check out its recipe to learn more about this amazing dessert. 

• To make the crust, you can use store-bought pastry sheets and line them in a nine-inch deep dish pie plate after greasing it with butter.
• Align the pastry sheet with the corners and edges of the pie plate and cut off the excessive pastry. 
• Crimp around the pastry using a fork and refrigerate for a few minutes. 
• In a food processor, blitz 454 grams of fresh cranberries with 250 grams of granulated sugar and 31 grams of all-purpose flour. 
• Fill the crust pie pan with the cranberry mix and spread evenly.
• In another bowl, combine 58 grams of walnuts, 100 grams of light brown sugar, 31 grams of all-purpose flour, and two tablespoons of shortening to create a crumble. 
• Top the pie with the crumble and bake for 55 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit in a preheated oven. 

PEPPERMINT PATTIES

If you like the colossal combo of peppermint and chocolate, you must try these peppermint patties for your upcoming holiday party. The smooth chocolate-coated dessert is filled with refreshing peppermint candy that offers a powerful, tingling sensation in the mouth. It is pretty hard to describe the smell of the patties as it varies from recipe to recipe. The common thing in all peppermint patty recipes is the kick from the candy that surprises you towards the end with a mild sweetness. The dessert requires only a few ingredients that are commonly found. Head below to check it out. 

• Create a peppermint filling by mixing 1½ teaspoons of peppermint extract in 96 grams of sweetened condensed milk. 
• Add 520 grams of powdered sugar to the condensed milk and mix with a hand mixer until it reaches a dough-like form. 
• Sprinkle powdered sugar on a flat surface and roll the dough on it.
• When the dough is ¼-inch thick, cut one-inch-sized circles using a cookie cutter. 
• Place the circles on a parchment-lined tray and let them refrigerate for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Melt 400 grams of semisweet chocolate chips in a double boiler and dip the dough circles in the chocolate. 
• Once fully coated, add sprinkles to the patties and refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes before serving. 

OREO PIE 

Everybody loves Oreos, so take these popular cookies to your holiday table as a delicious pie. This no-bake dessert is served chilled and requires minimum ingredients and low prep time. You can make this pie beforehand as it stays fresh in the fridge for up to five days. The oreo pie features a thick oreo crust, the base for the fluffy cream cheese delicacy. This dessert is neither too sweet nor bitter and showcases the perfect balance. Head below to check out this beginner-friendly recipe.  

• Take a party pack of the classic Oreo cookies and separate its cream filling in one bowl and the cookies in another. 
• In a food processor, crush the cookies for one minute at high speed so that they are finely crushed. 
• Add five tablespoons of melted salted butter to the food processor and give it a quick pulse to create a crumble. 
• Grease a nine-inch pie dish with butter and transfer the cookie crumbles.
• Press the crumble firmly to the sides and pop the dish in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Create the cream filling by beating 230 milliliters of heavy cream until stiff peaks form. 
• In a separate bowl, combine 220 grams of cream cheese, 32 grams of sour cream, 96 grams of sugar, the oreo fillings, and one teaspoon of vanilla with a paddle attachment until it’s fluffy. 
• Transfer the cream cheese mixture to the whipped cream and fold to combine. 
• Add this mixture to the pie crust and decorate the pie with crushed Oreos for presentation. 

WRAP UP

Be it a time-consuming yule log cake or effortless white chocolate mousse, all the desserts mentioned above are appropriate for the holiday season. They might not be the healthiest option to go for, but they sure leave a tantalizing effect on your tastebuds. Besides, sugar is always a great way to end the holidays, so end your year by devouring delicacies.