435 holiday dessert recipes

Timing Tip: Can be frozen for up to 2 weeks. Decorate up to 8 hours ahead. Calorie Trimmer: Use reduced-calorie margarine, vanilla nonfat frozen dessert instead of the ice cream and 2 cups thawed frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping for garnish.

Classic gingerbread people cookies with molasses, brown sugar, and warm spices. Makes 30 crisp-tender cookies, perfect for decorating with kids for Christmas baking.

Patriotic layered parfaits with red gelatin, creamy vanilla pudding, and fresh blueberries. These make-ahead Fourth of July desserts look stunning in clear glasses.

Gingerbread Skeleton cookies that kids can make with you together, it is full of fun to make, and it is worth the efforts!

A delicious and rich dessert to let everyone indulge!

For as far as I can remember my Aunt made this custard filled cake that has what seemed like 100's of layers. Unbelievably good.

Layered chocolate torte with a dried sour cherry and Marsala filling, coffee-soaked cake layers, and a cream cheese whipped cream. A multi-component holiday showpiece that tastes like Black Forest cake's sophisticated Italian cousin.

Piped kiss-shaped meringues dried overnight in the oven, then dipped in melted semisweet chocolate. Light as a snowflake and stunning on a holiday cookie tray.

A rich and delicious dessert made with jello, angel food cake and juicy berries.

Old-fashioned Christmas fruit cake with boiled raisins, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. No eggs or butter needed, just cold water and shortening for a dense, spiced holiday cake.

Poppy seed bread with almond and vanilla, finished with a tangy orange-nutmeg glaze. Tender quick bread that doubles as a holiday gift baked in canning jars.

Caramel pecan pie with homemade caramel pastry cream, chopped pecans, and a golden meringue topping. Old-school holiday Southern pie tradition.

Fruity pineapple cake studded with golden raisins, candied cherries, and crushed pineapple, baked low and slow in a tube pan. A retro holiday loaf that ages beautifully and slices clean.

Halloween spiderweb cookies decorate sugar cookies with white flooded icing and black piped concentric circles, then drag a toothpick to create perfect web patterns. Show-stopping party cookies for kids and adults.

Chocolate peppermint pinwheel cookies swirl cocoa-rich chocolate dough with crushed peppermint candy dough into a spiral slice-and-bake Christmas cookie. A holiday tin classic with bracing mint and deep chocolate.

Traditional British Christmas plum pudding: a dense steamed pudding rich with suet, dried fruit, candied orange, and brandy. Made weeks ahead to mellow, then reheated and flamed for the holiday table.