34 holiday dessert recipes

This recipe comes from Italy by way of Argentina. Maxwell Mowry of Charleston got this recipe when he lived in Buenos Aires in the early l970s. Since there are more people of Italian ancestry in Argentina than of Spanish ancestry, it is not surprising to find panettone there, where it is called in Spanish pan dulce, meaning 'sweet bread.' At Christmas in Argentina, pan dulce is eaten accompanied by sparkling apple cider. Houseware shops in Argentina sell special tall cylindrical springform pans to bake the pan dulce, but an empty, greased 1-pound coffee can may be used.

Pumpkin layer cake with cooked fresh pumpkin, warm cinnamon, and a tender, moist crumb. A two-layer Thanksgiving and Christmas cake that's lighter than spice cake but just as comforting.

Feel too lazy to bake any cookies or cake for Easter. Make these crispy Easter nests that will for sure satisfy everyone. They are easy to make, and taste delicious.

Vanilla wafer walnut rum balls combine crushed cookies, ground walnuts, honey, and golden rum into bite-sized no-bake holiday treats rolled in powdered sugar. Five-ingredient Christmas classic.

These cookies are soft-cake like because of the pumpkin and applesauce. Dried cranberries and chocolate chips give the cookies additional deliciousness.

Cranberries and pears are a great pair. They make this deliciously fruity filling, and it tastes great with the buttery and flakey pastry. It's as delicious as an apple pie.

I made these cookies and they came out perfectly. They did not stick to the pan or spread while baking. I did drop batter with a spoon to keep them on the small side.

Pumpkin nut cake (a.k.a. pumpkin dump cake) layered with spiced pumpkin custard, dry yellow cake mix, chopped nuts and melted butter on top. Bakes into a gooey-bottom, crisp-top fall classic.

Cocoa sponge cake hearts cut from a sheet pan, dusted with powdered sugar, and plated with pools of raspberry sauce and chocolate syrup. A stunning Valentine's Day or special occasion dessert for 8.

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.

Frozen cranberry souffle with Italian meringue and whipped cream, garnished with spun sugar cranberries. A showstopping holiday dessert that's made ahead and served frozen.

No-bake holiday apricot balls: ground dried apricots and shredded coconut bound with sweetened condensed milk, rolled into bites and coated in chopped nuts. Chewy, tangy-sweet, and ready with no oven.

Little fruit cake squares packed with chopped dates, candied cherries, and pecans, baked in a 9-inch pan and rolled in powdered sugar. Bite-sized holiday treats.

Carolina Dream frosting with bourbon-spiked egg yolk custard, candied cherries, pecans, raisins, and coconut. The Southern fruitcake topping that's almost a layer in itself.

Chocolate dessert cups shaped over balloons and filled with airy raspberry mousse. No molds needed, just melted semisweet chocolate and a clever balloon trick for an edible Valentine's showstopper.

Holiday fruit cake bakes candied pineapple, red and green cherries, golden and dark raisins, pecans, and oats into a nutmeg-mace spiced loaf. Wraps and keeps for weeks.