We all love Christmas for different reasons. Maybe it's the freezing snow that warms your heart, or the Noel music that puts a grin on your face mid-way through your grocery haul. If you've got a massive sweet tooth, though, it's the seasonal treats that are the highlight of this festive month.
December sweets are the best and will see you decorating gingerbread houses and whipping up peppermint frosting for a lush chocolate cake. We've compiled some of the desserts you have to look forward to and included some ideas for those with dietary restrictions. As far as we're concerned, December couldn't come fast enough.
Apple pie
Enjoy the season's bounty with a scrumptious warm dessert served with ice cream. The trick to a good apple pie is to pre-cook the filling before you let it cool completely and combine it with pastry for baking. Crunchy apples have no place, we repeat, no place, in a melt-in-the-mouth apple pie.
Baked Alaska
Baked Alaska is just what it sounds like: winter wonderland on a plate. Colored ice creams, including sorbets, sit on pound cake, and the whole thing is encased in white meringue peaks before it's popped in the oven.
Creating the layers and maintaining the structural integrity of this dessert is a labor of love, but it's a classic with some die-hard fans. Many folks also flambée their baked Alaska at the end for that wow factor.
Yule log
The Yule log is especially popular in French-speaking countries and colonies. It's a sweet roulade—a rolled-up cake that looks like a mini version of the yule log meant for burning during Christmas.
Chocolate buttercream or ganache covers the cake and is sandwiched between it too, and you can add espresso to take that chocolate flavor to a whole new level. Use a fork to create a bark pattern and nature-inspired decorations for added drama.
Creme caramel
If there was ever a dessert made for the 2022 TikTok song Jiggle Jiggle by Duke and Jones, it'd be this one. Creme caramels do indeed jiggle. They also wiggle, and your taste buds will have you dribbling, as per the lyrics.
This is the pièce de résistance on special occasions—a dessert that wobbles with promise and couldn't be easier to eat for anyone from a gap-toothed child to a false-toothed granny. You'll always have room for the well-made creme caramel in your overstuffed belly.
Trifle
Love 'em or hate 'em, the trifle is probably going to make an appearance at your next Christmas feast and will disappear into welcoming bellies. This nostalgic dessert is full of custard or pudding, jam, whipped cream, juice-soaked pound cake, and fresh fruit, preferably strawberries for their tartness.
You can decorate with grated chocolate for a delicious first mouthful. If you're not keen on the trifle, coffee-laden tiramisu is its more sophisticated cousin.
Red velvet cake
Red velvet cakes fit right into the Christmas theme. Between the scarlet sponges and fluffy, snowy white cream cheese or ermine frosting, this dessert conjures up images of Santa having tea and Rudolph moseying on up to the plate for a bite.
You can garnish with green candy canes to go all out with the festive color palette.
Bread and butter pudding
Bread pudding is comfort in a bowl. Whether you like them crispy on top or soft and silky throughout, this dessert made by many a grandma and her converts is a winner. Customize the flavors to your liking with warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger, as well as chocolate chips and fresh or dried fruit.
You can make a vegan version with dairy-free margarine, and you'll feel extra proud of putting leftover bread to good use.
Mince pie
Mince pies aren't everyone's favorite, but there's a reason they're still all over the place come Christmas. These English desserts are filled with spiced fruits and nuts and don't contain actual minced meat—fillings include cherries, apples, and satsumas.
The pastry in store-bought versions may have suet in it, which might not meet strict dietary restrictions. You can swap with butter when making your own or easily create a vegan version by using chilled coconut oil.
Butterscotch pie for everyone
You can make a butterscotch pie if you're catering to folks who don't eat dairy, eggs, or gluten. Those are a lot of boxes to check these days, but it's totally doable. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top if allergies aren't an issue.
Coconut milk and coconut yogurt bring creamy dreaminess, and vanilla extract, brown sugar, and golden syrup add a delicious sweetness that just about screams "gimme more."
Keto snowball cookies
Round snowball cookies are so festive and cute. They're simple, too, and you can get children involved to get the Christmas spirit going. Walnuts and coconut flour create a moreish flavor, and you can use zero-calorie sweeteners for the cookie and the powdered coating.
Also very cool: these cookies can be mailed to friends and family members around the country to show you're thinking of them—a handmade gift that will go down a treat.
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