Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (2024)

dessert recipesholiday dessertschristmas dessert recipes

Even Martha Stewart would gasp at the sight of these beauties.

By

Julie R. ThomsonTaste Senior Editor, HuffPost

The holidays are about a lot of things ― good cheer, friends and family, presents ― but they’re mostly about sweets. Cookies, fudge, bark and brittle are everywhere during the month of December. But even better than all those classic sweets are the festive and stunning desserts baked for parties and special dinners.

Not only are they delicious, they’re downright beautiful, too. Even Martha Stewart would be impressed. If you want in on these stunning desserts, we have the recipes you need. From layer cakes to meringues to yule logs, these are the desserts that will make your season bright.

1

Gingerbread Cake With Caramel Cream Cheese Buttercream

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (1)

Half Baked Harvest

2

Red Velvet Cake With Creme Fraiche

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (2)

Hummingbird High

Get the Red Velvet Cake with Creme Fraiche recipe from Hummingbird High

3

Chocolate Espresso Bûche de Noël

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (3)

Portuguese Girl Cooks

Get the Chocolate Espresso Bûche de Noël recipe from Portuguese Girl Cooks

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4

Date And Honey Cake With A Cinnamon Orange Glaze

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (4)

Adventures in Cooking

5

Hazelnut Panna Cotta

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (5)

Adventures in Cooking

Get the Hazelnut Panna Cotta recipe from Adventures in Cooking

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7

Salted Maple Apple Tarte Tatin With Vanilla Cream

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (7)

Half Baked Harvest

8

Chocolate Sweet Potato Layer Cake With Molasses Buttercream

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (8)

Love & Olive Oil

9

Black Forest Pavlova With Espresso Cream

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (9)

The Cook Who Knew Nothing

Get the Black Forest Pavlova With Espresso Cream recipe from The Cook Who Knew Nothing

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10

Roasted Pears With Espresso Mascarpone Cream

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (10)

Amy Roth/Minimally Invasive

11

Gingerbread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Cranberries

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (11)

Call Me Cupcake

12

Affogato Cake

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (12)

A Spicy Perspective

Get the Affogato Cake recipe from A Spicy Perspective

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13

Eggnog Layer Cake

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (13)

Life, Love & Sugar

Get the Eggnog Layer Cake recipe from Life, Love & Sugar

14

Chocolate Swirl Meringue

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (14)

Manger

15

Chocolate Vanilla Tuxedo Cake With Raspberry White Chocolate Buttercream

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (15)

Pineapple & Coconut

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16

Peppermint Chip Layer Cake

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (16)

Life Love And Sugar

Get the Peppermint Chip Layer Cake recipe from Live, Love & Sugar

17

Hazelnut Chocolate Bûche De Noël

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (17)

Cannelle Et Vanille

Get the Hazelnut Chocolate Bûche De Noël recipe from Cannelle Et Vanille

18

Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (18)

La Receta de la Felicidad

Get the Salted Caramel Chocolate Tart recipe from La Receta de la Felicidad

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19

Sugar Plums And Currant Tart

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (19)

Aran Goyoaga

Get the Sugar Plums and Currant Tart recipe from Aran Goyoaga of Cannelle Et Vanille

20

Mint Chocolate Cheesecake Bûche De Noël

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (20)

Sprinkle Bakes

21

Sparkling Cranberry White Chocolate Bundt Cake

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (21)

Life Love And Sugar

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22

Fudge Mountain Cake

Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (22)

Yammie's Noshery

Get the Fudge Mountain Cake recipe from Yammie's Noshery

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Holiday Dessert Recipes So Gorgeous You'll Make Them Twice (2024)

FAQs

What kind of desserts are you going to make if there is a celebration at home? ›

We favor desserts made in individual portions, such as cookies and cupcakes, or ones that can be easily portioned out—think bar cookies, sheet cakes, and Bundts—so there is less to fuss over at the last minute. We have included a few easy treats, like fruit crisps, that you could scoop and serve at the party.

What is the number 1 dessert in France? ›

1. Crème brûlée. This custard based dessert is topped with a layer of crunchy caramel. The dessert is popular all over the world, but it originated in France, making it a must-try for anyone who's traveling through.

What is the favorite dessert that French people eat at Christmas? ›

Yule Log (Bûche de Noël): A Sweet Symbol of Tradition

The Bûche de Noël, shaped like a log, is a Christmas dessert tradition. Crafted from sponge cake and filled with delectable flavors, it is a festive centerpiece enjoyed at the end of Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

What is the traditional dessert most couples serve? ›

Wedding Cake: a classic choice, and must-have dessert at many weddings; you can choose from various flavors, fillings, and designs to match your wedding style and theme. Cupcakes: if you want a fun and trendy alternative to wedding cake, consider serving cupcakes.

Why are 13 desserts served at Christmas dinner in the Provence region in France? ›

Following midnight mass, it is time for the 13 desserts. The amount has nothing to do with a baker's dozen but rather is equal to the number of participants around the table at the Last Supper; Jesus and his 12 apostles. The exact make-up of les treize desserts is not prescriptive.

What is the history of the 13 desserts? ›

This tradition goes back centuries, in Provence, where locals have long enjoyed a laundry list of fruits, nuts, and cakes on Christmas Eve; the number thirteen, it seems, was only imposed in the 1920s, an amalgam, perhaps, of a tradtiton of baking thirteen small loaves of bread (representing Jesus and the twelve ...

How many desserts do French people have on Christmas? ›

Another celebration, in some parts of France, is that 13 different desserts are eaten!

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