26 Holiday Desserts & Gift Ideas

26 Holiday Desserts & Gift Ideas! Here are some great ideas from our Holiday Baking List and some easy gift ideas. It’s that special time of the year when you typically bake up a storm and share favorite treats with family, friends, and neighbors. We offer many options from delicious gluten-free confections to low-calorie, no-bake, and more. These are all easy to make during the holiday season!

26 Holiday Desserts & Gift Ideas…

Choose any of these 26-holiday desserts and gift ideas! They lend themselves perfectly to serving at any holiday gathering, luncheon, brunch, or dinner party.

So many ideas and recipes to choose from.

Perfect to gift for teachers, neighbors, and friends.

So take a look and enjoy!

QUICK NOTE: Be sure to select the “highlighted colored titles” of the recipe you want, which will bring you to it.

Easy Holiday Cookies – even for beginners…

• These Snow Ball Christmas Cookies are soft buttery cookies that will melt in your mouth!

• Easy Coconut Orange Macaroons are gluten-free and loaded with chocolate and orange flavors. YUM! These are delightful little treats and a crowd-pleaser.

• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies are the most popular cookies in cafes and coffee shops and are loved by everyone who tries them.

• Dulce de Leche Butter Cookies are mouthwatering soft buttery cookies filled with a caramel filling. These cookies are pure heaven in your mouth!

Fabulous Cheesecakes…

• Our Creamy Italian Cheesecake has a lovely light and fluffy filling. Loaded with ricotta cheese, cream cheese, orange zest, and lemon juice. Best of all, the filling is beaten in ONE bowl, for easy cleanup.

• Holiday Cranberry Cheesecake (No-Bake!) happens to be one of our most popular cheesecakes, simply because it’s flavorful, contains two layers (and 2 flavors), and has a festive presentation for the holidays.

• Have you ever tried an Eggnog flavored cheesecake? This Eggnog Cheesecake with Candied Pecans is amazingly creamy with a delicious flavor, that is created with spices, not with real eggnog.

• Pear Maple-Pecan Cheesecake is made with freshly diced pears and topped with a delicious maple-pecan pear topping, making this cheesecake unique and delicious!

Festive Bars…

• These Dark Chocolate Magic Cookie Bars have a chewy filling, along with a subtle peppermint undertone in every bite. So good, everyone will ask for more!

• Cheesecake Cranberry Bars are made with cranberry sauce, oats, and white chocolate chips to make them scrumptiously delicious!

• These Quick & Easy Toffee Bars are gluten-free, nut-free, and made with only 6 ingredients. It resembles the “toffee candy bar” – but with a cookie-like texture. Ideal treat for everyone!

• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Magic Bars are also gluten-free and nut-free. Plus, they can even be dairy-free with just one simple swap!  Chewy, gooey bars that are simply delicious!

• Love fruit-filled bars? Try our Strawberry Pineapple Crumble Bars… they are filled with strawberries and pineapple tidbits, making these delightfully sweet, with a buttery crust and a crumble topping.

Easy and Favorite Crumble Pie and Crisps…

• Love a streusel? Maple Walnut Apple Crisp combines all the fall flavors in this one delicious dessert. Made with rolled oats, walnuts, apples, and maple syrup.

• Our 2 classics: apple pie and apple crisp combined in one Easy Apple Pie Crisp! Fabulously easy and a crowd-pleaser.

• Apple Cherry Pecan Crisp is a dessert similar to an apple crumble only this one is a combination of frozen cherries and chopped apples with an oat-cinnamon topping. Delish!

Classic Holiday Desserts…

• Easy Peppermint Tiramisu (No-Bake) is made easily without eggs, skipping a few steps to make it quick, yet amazingly delicious and festive for the holidays!

• Hummingbird Cupcakes and Christmas is a cozy flavor in a cupcake! Made with banana, pineapple, chopped pecans, and warm spices, then baked and topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting.  So yummy!

• Cranberry Buttercream Chocolate Cake is a beautiful and colorful cake, with a buttercream made easily with frozen cranberries and layered inside and on top of a moist chocolate cake. (It’s the best!)

• Our Best Tiramisu (No-Bake!) happens to be everyone’s all-time favorite dessert. This is a fabulous dessert and it won’t disappoint!

Homemade Confections, Gift Ideas, and more…

• Get crafty with some of these Easy Homemade Holiday Gift Ideas from your kitchen. These are easy ideas, budget-friendly, and perfect for gift-giving. 😉

• Marinated Olives Recipe is ideal to Place these flavorful olives into a mason jar, wrapping a holiday bow, and attaching a small gift tag to make them pretty and festive.

• Our Most Popular Bread Recipes are for “quick breads” that are perfect for giving as holiday gifts! No kneading and No rising – just mix the ingredients and bake!

• These easy Chocolate-Dipped Apricots make the ideal confections to gift. Dipped in white and dark chocolate, covered with a variety of toppings.

• Peppermint Bark & Dark Chocolate Kisses are super easy to make, chill and place them into gift bags! No baking is required.

• S’mores Dark Chocolate Bark is made with 3 ingredients and ready in 15 minutes. They make simple, yet popular gifts for everyone. Who doesn’t like S’mores?

Tips and Guidelines for Make-Ahead…

All these desserts can be prepared in advance and baked ahead. No-bake desserts also can be made ahead and chilled or placed in the freezer. If frozen, allow the desserts to thaw on your counter for at least 30 minutes or more, if needed.

Guidelines for Storing…

1. For Cookies and Bars: Store cookies and bars in an airtight container and at room temperature for 2 days (on a cool counter). Store in the refrigerator for more than 1 week.

2. Holiday Cakes and Apple Crisps: All cakes can be stored on the counter and at room temperature in a cake container, or on a plate, covered with a clear wrap for up to 3 days.

3. For Cheesecakes: All cheesecakes should be kept chilled in the refrigerator, and covered with clear wrap. They will stay fresh for up to 3 to 4 days.

Tips for Freezing…

1. Cookies and Bars: Try to separate the layers of cookies and bars using wax or parchment paper in between layers in an airtight container. They will freeze beautifully for up to 2 months.
2. Holiday Cakes and Apple Crisps: Allow them to cool completely before covering with aluminum foil, or transferring them to a sealed container. Freeze up for one month.
3. Cheesecakes: Best to double-wrap them before freezing. Covered with clear wrap then cover with aluminum foil, then freeze. Freeze cheesecakes for up to 2 months.

If you make any of these delicious 26 Holiday Desserts & Gift Ideas, let us know and leave a comment with a star rating!  We’d love to hear from you.  Sharing your insights and experiences helps everyone who reads them, and helps us too!  

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Happy Baking… 😉

…and thanks for stopping by!

xo anna and liz