36 christmas cake recipes

Cherry and almond Christmas cake: maraschino cherries, apricots, ginger, and almonds macerated in amaretto and brandy, baked into a lighter apple-puree batter, then soaked in more amaretto. A boozy, fruit-packed festive cake that keeps for a month.

Granny's boiled fruit cake: an old-fashioned eggless, butterless loaf made by simmering raisins with sugar and shortening, then folding into spiced flour. Plump, moist and Christmas-ready.

Flaky baking powder biscuits use the cold shortening cut-in method for tender layered biscuits. Six pantry ingredients and ready in 30 minutes for breakfast or dinner.

Soft gumdrop cookies made with buttermilk and brown sugar. The gumdrops stay chewy while the cookies bake up tender with slightly crisp edges.

Classic Christmas cut-out sugar cookies with clean edges that hold their shape. A simple butter-and-shortening dough that rolls thin, bakes crisp, and takes royal icing like a dream.

Traditionally baked during 'Sinterklaas', a feast on 5 December (6 December in Belgium and Germany) on which little children receive gifts from the holy St. Nicholas, the partial inspiration for Santa Claus. In Germany, Pfeffernüsse are traditionally made during the Christmas season.

Rich flavor from brown sugar and molasses, these gingersnaps are so buttery and flakey. Ginger, cinnamon and cloves spice them up, giving the cookies delicious flavor. Use them to make crust for pie or cheesecake, or just eating these yummy treats is a joy thing to do.

Just in time for Christmas, these delicious cookies made with molasses and brown sugar are full of the holiday spirit.

Lemon snowflake cookies with a tender lemon-zest dough rolled thin, cut with fluted cutters, and decorated with lemon royal icing piped into snowflake patterns. A beautiful holiday cookie.

This recipe makes soft, fat sugar cookies. Great big ones too.

Lighter pumpkin pie with a gingersnap-graham crust, evaporated skim milk, and mostly egg whites for a lower-fat take. Molasses adds depth, cinnamon and nutmeg do the holiday work.

Date-pecan pinwheel cookies, delicious with a cup of coffee or tea.

Molasses not only gives the pumpkin pie a darker and richer color, but it also lends a tangy flavor to the pie. Rum adds extra yumminess, and it's a great pair with molasses. Nobody wants to resist one slice of this delicious pumpkin pie.

Swedish spice cookies. Very close to the authentic recipe. See reviews for more information.

Sugarplum cookies with dried or candied fruit hidden inside each ball of vanilla sugar cookie dough. Topped with creamy frosting and colored sugar for Christmas cookie trays.

Magic window cookies are sugar cookies with stained glass centers made from crushed hard candy that melts during baking. A holiday favorite for tree ornaments and gifts.