30+ Mini Christmas Desserts That Have Massive Holiday Flavor

By Mary Shannon Wells
December 09, 2020
Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

It’s the holidays, and for us at Southern Living, that means it’s baking season. While we can appreciate a towering layer cake or elaborate Bundt (if you couldn’t tell from our past 25 December covers), there’s something special about a cookie tin full of tiny treats. These mini Christmas desserts will make for beautiful presentation on your favorite cake plates and serving dishes. Plus, mini desserts make incredible homemade Christmas gifts for neighbors, friends, and family members. Instead of cutting uneven slices of cake or spreading a bunch of germs with a big-batch dessert, these small creations are an easy, safe way to serve dessert this season. And do we even have to mention that personal portions mean no sharing is required? Try out a vintage mini dessert like our Peppermint Divinity or Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls. Make a lasting impression with our beautiful mini desserts like White Christmas Pavlovas and Butterscotch-Bourbon Lava Cakes. Occupy the kids before your Christmas movie marathon and bake a mini desserts that they can help with, like our Christmas Tree Brownies or Red Velvet Cake Balls. These easy mini desserts will be even more of a hit than your complicated layer cake was last year.

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Red Velvet Santa Hat Meringues

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Red Velvet Santa Hat Meringues

We’re not sure if there’s a cuter Christmas treat than these mini meringues! Our Test Kitchen recommends using concentrated red food coloring gel (not liquid food coloring) for the brightest results.

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Mini Cranberry-Cheesecake Pies

Credit: David Malosh; Prop Styling: Robyn Glaser; Food Styling: Maggie Ruggiero

Recipe: Mini Cranberry-Cheesecake Pies

Sugared cranberries and orange zest make the most festive topping for these mini cheesecakes.

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Christmas Tree Brownies

Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Christmas Tree Brownies

These Christmas Tree Brownies aren’t just delicious, but they’re the perfect baking project for your kids to help you bake. Get our guide for actually doing so without making a mess here.

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Candy Cane Cake Bars

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Candy Cane Cake Bars

These bright and cheerful cake bars start with a box of mix, so they come together quickly and easily.

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Mini Chocolate Chess Tarts

Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Recipe: Mini Chocolate Chess Tarts

This adorable mini dessert actually comes together with pantry staples you probably already have.

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Homemade Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Homemade Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes

Looking for a baking project that will delight the littlest helpers in your house? Try a homemade version of this store-bought favorite this season.

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Mini Red Velvet Cakes

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Mini Red Velvet Cakes

Instead of decorating and cutting an elaborate cake, give each family member a personal mini layer cake.

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Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley

Recipe: Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls

Bourbon balls are an old-fashioned favorite for the holidays, and this recipe makes two dozen of them to fill those pretty Christmas cookie tins.

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Peppermint Divinity

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Peppermint Divinity

We gave this old-fashioned candy a holiday makeover with peppermint flavor and a crushed candy topping.

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Crunchy Pecan Pie Bites

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Crunchy Pecan Pie Bites

Get all the flavor of your favorite pecan pie in this one-bite dessert that uses phyllo shells from your freezer.

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Red Velvet Crackle Sandwich Cookies

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Red Velvet Crackle Sandwich Cookies

Everything you love about red velvet cake, including the cream cheese frosting, is packed into these soft sandwich cookies.

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Key Lime Tassies

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Key Lime Tassies

Brighten up your Christmas spread with tart mini Key lime pies.

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Triple Chocolate-Brownie Mousse Stacks

Credit: Linda Pugliese, Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Buffy Hargett Miller

Recipe: Triple Chocolate-Brownie Mousse Stacks

This delightfully layered dessert is the ultimate make-ahead treat to finish your holiday meal.

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Snowy Tree Cookies

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Snowy Tree Cookies

Take your cutout Christmas cookies to new heights with this oh-so-fun stacked treat.

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Christmas Fudge

Credit: Micah A Leal

Recipe: Christmas Fudge

Fudge is the ultimate cookie-tin treat, and red, green, and white sprinkles make it holiday-ready.

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Snowball Cake

Credit: Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke

Recipe: Snowball Cake

These snowy treats are actually a sheet cake that’s cut into mini snowballs using your biscuit cutter.

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Peppermint Truffles

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Peppermint Truffles

These adorable no-bake treats are so fun for the kids to help you make while they’re waiting for Santa.

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Molten Red Velvet Cakes

Credit: HECTOR MANUEL SANCHEZ

Recipe: Molten Red Velvet Cakes

Ultra-decadent and just the right size, these cakes are topped with cream cheese whipped cream.

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White Christmas Pavlovas

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

Recipe: White Christmas Pavlovas

Test Kitchen Professional Ivy Odom created this fluffy pavlova recipe with an interactive toppings bar in mind.

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Hot Chocolate Brownies

Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Recipe: Hot Chocolate Brownies

Your go-to winter drink is now your go-to holiday dessert, too!

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Banana Brownie Sticky Toffee Puddings

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Banana Brownie Sticky Toffee Puddings

These tiny trifles look adorable in mini Mason jars for easy grab-and-go presentation from the dessert table.

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Cheesecake Cookies

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Cheesecake Cookies

These oh-so-tender cookies bring us back to holidays at Grandma’s.

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Butterscotch-Bourbon Lava Cakes

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell

Recipe: Butterscotch-Bourbon Lava Cakes

Butterscotch and bourbon? Now those are two flavors that are absolutely meant to be together.

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Holiday Mocha Coffee Fudge

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Holiday Mocha Coffee Fudge

Make your usual fudge Christmas-ready with coffee flavor and a bright cherry topping.

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Chocolate Cookie Cups with Caramel Filling

Credit: Photo: Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Chocolate Cookie Cups with Caramel Filling

These cookie cups add so much more to your dessert table than a stack of flat cookies, and they have the perfect balance of sweet and salty.

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Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Gingersnap Crust

Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Missie Neville Crawford

Recipe: Lemon Cheesecake Bars with Gingersnap Crust

For something different than your usual cookies, try these beautiful bars that are full of holiday pizazz.

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Chocolate-Pecan Tassies

Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

Recipe: Chocolate-Pecan Tassies

A shortbread cookie crust, gooey pecan pie filling, and ribbons of chocolate make the ideal bite after dinner.

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Red Velvet Cake Balls

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Red Velvet Cake Balls

We used boxed cake mix to make these tiny treats even easier to make.

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Triple-Chocolate-Covered Peanut Clusters

Recipe: Triple-Chocolate-Covered Peanut Clusters

These chocolatey bites come together with the help of your slow cooker to free up oven space for your holiday sides.

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No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars

Credit: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: No-Bake Fudgy Toffee Bars

Anything that has the words “no-bake” in the recipe title has our attention, and this sweet and salty creation has everything you need.

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Candy Cane Cookies

Credit: Joy Howard

Recipe: Candy Cane Cookies

Santa will be wowed by these festive treats.

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