Heavenly Holiday Desserts

By Southern Living
Photo: Iain Bagwell

No Southern table is complete without these holiday dessert recipes from our Test Kitchen. Of course when it comes to Christmas desserts, we’re known for our Big White Cakes, but we also have charming cheesecakes, crowd-pleasing pound cakes, and layer cakes from coconut to gingerbread with buttermilk frosting. If you’re looking for holiday desserts that stop the show, look no further than our Praline Cream-Beignet Tower or Mexican Hot Chocolate Trifle. We also have you covered on holiday desserts that we like to call “easy wow” perfect for toting to a cookie swap–like white chocolate chip cookies–or holiday party from Ambrosia Streusel Bars to Layered Eggnog Blondies. These fabulous holiday dessert recipes taste divine and will absolutely dazzle on your Christmas dessert table. Prepare to impress!

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Holiday Mocha Fudge

This Holiday Mocha Fudge is a decadent treat for the Christmas season.

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Cherry-Spice Cake Trifle

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Cherry-Spice Cake Trifle

Thaw Holiday Spice Cake layers and prepare the recipe through Step 3. Assemble trifle in the morning, and refrigerate. Remove 1 hour before serving.

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Praline Cream-Beignet Tower

Photo: Linda Pugliese

Recipe: Praline Cream-Beignet Tower

Make the praline filling and dough up to two days ahead.

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Cranberry Dreamsicle Trifle

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Cranberry Dreamsicle Trifle

Effortless to pull off? Check. Tastes better the longer it sits? Check. Make this beauty up to one day before company arrives.

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Chocolate-Peppermint Cheesecake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Chocolate-Peppermint Cheesecake

Don't worry if your cheesecake cracks; the light and fluffy layer of whipped cream will cover it.

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Gingerbread Baked Alaska

Photo: Linda Pugliese

Recipe: Gingerbread Baked Alaska

The mixing bowl from a heavy-duty stand mixer makes a perfect mold for assembling the cake and ice cream. Be sure your plastic wrap extends well beyond your bowl to completely cover your cake and ice cream mixture.

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Triple Chocolate Brownie-Mousse Stacks

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Triple Chocolate Brownie-Mousse Stacks

Allow plenty of time to make fillings, and immediately assemble stacks. You can chill the assembled stacks up to 24 hours ahead of time.

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Coconut-Macadamia Nut Pound Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Coconut-Macadamia Nut Pound Cake

Lightly toasting the macadamia nuts brings out their rich, buttery flavor.

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Pecan-Cranberry Shortbread

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Pecan-Cranberry Shortbread

Making shortbread with melted butter skips the wait for it to soften.

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Pumpkin-Espresso Tiramisu

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Pumpkin-Espresso Tiramisù

Make Ahead: Loosely wrap baked and cooked tiramisu in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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Red Velvet Fudge

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Red Velvet Fudge

If you like red velvet cake, you'll love this fudge.

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White Cake with Bourbon Buttercream

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: White Cake with Bourbon Buttercream and Seven-Minute Frosting

Top this cake with Sugar-Coated Orange Slices and Sparkling Cherries.
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Ambrosia Streusel Bars with Shortbread Crust

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Ambrosia Streusel Bars with Shortbread Crust

Use the foil as a handle to remove the cooled batch from the pan for easy slicing.

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Gingerbread Cake with Buttermilk Frosting

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Gingerbread Cake with Buttermilk Frosting

Warm spices and molasses blend beautifully with tangy buttermilk frosting.

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Hidden Kiss Cookies

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Hidden Kiss Cookies

We love using mint kisses and candy cane kisses for the holidays.

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Coconut Pudding

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Coconut Pudding

Try unsweetened coconut flakes for a not-too-sweet topping.

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Cookie Press Sandwiches

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Cookie Press Sandwiches

Pick your favorite filling for this classic sandwich cookie: We tested with peppermint, orange, and lemon extracts and used food coloring to match each flavor.

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Milk Punch Tres Leches Cake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Milk Punch Tres Leches Cake

Bake this a day before serving so it soaks up the creamy syrup. Make mini cakes with a round cutter. Top with whipped cream and a grating of nutmeg.

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Wreath Macaroons

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Wreath Macaroons

Use your fingers to make a small hole in the center of each cookie.

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White Cake with Cranberry Filling and Orange Buttercream

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: White Cake with Cranberry Filling and Orange Buttercream

This cake will be the star of your holiday meal. Your guests will be begging for the recipe.

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Mexican Hot Chocolate Trifle

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Mexican Hot Chocolate Trifle

Top this rich trifle with a sprinkle of chocolate curls.

 

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Peppermint Meringue Cookies

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Peppermint Meringue Cookies

Use food coloring gel in a squeeze bottle or a food-safe paintbrush to make lines in the piping bag. Once meringues are cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.

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Mississippi Mud Medallions

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Mississippi Mud Medallions

You can substitute mini marshmallows for espresso beans.

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Mocha Balls

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Mocha Balls

Coat in chocolate two at a time. Put these confections on the table and they'll be going, going, gone.

Watch: How To Make Mocha Balls

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Minted White Chocolate Balls

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Minted White Chocolate Balls

These festive nibbles are the perfect giftable treat.

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Layered Eggnog Blondies

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Layered Eggnog Blondies

These treats have a split personality: 1 part blondie, 1 part eggnog cheesecake. Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container up to one week.

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Triple Gingersnappers

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Triple Gingersnappers

You can chill the dough for these gingersnappers up to three days before baking. 

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Peppermint-Pretzel Bark

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Peppermint-Pretzel Bark

Make even larger quantities for gifting this easy microwave treat by skipping the jelly-roll pan and covering your counter with parchment. It'll take longer to harden at room temperature, but you can make large batches without pans or the refrigerator.

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Pecan Linzer Cookies

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Pecan Linzer Cookies

Use your favorite jams to vary the flavor and color of these beauties.

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Red Velvet-White Chocolate Cheesecake

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Red Velvet-White Chocolate Cheesecake

Whimsy meets elegance in all five layers of this red velvet-white chocolate wonder.

Watch: Assembling Our White Layer Cake

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Layered Eggnog Cream with Puff Pastry

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Layered Eggnog Cream with Puff Pastry

Any seasonal berry works with this dessert.

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Banana Brownie Sticky Toffee Puddings

Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Banana Brownie Sticky Toffee Puddings

Any remaining sauce makes a great topping for ice cream.

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Red Velvet Marble Bundt Cake

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Red Velvet Marble Bundt Cake

The trick to creating looping swirls is to gently layer the batter around the Bundt pan with a small cookie scoop. No need to swirl with a knife; it will marble as it bakes. Finish it off with a Snowy White Vanilla Glaze.

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Gingerbread Soufflés

Photo: Jim Franco

Recipe: Gingerbread Soufflés

This impressive dessert isn't difficult, but do plan ahead. Preheat the oven, and just before sitting down to dinner, pop the soufflés in. When done, serve them all puffed up and gorgeous.

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Milk Punch Frozen Custards

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Milk Punch Frozen Custards

For a formal fête, freeze the custards in elegant wine glasses or brandy snifters. For a casual gathering, use small milkshake glasses or punch cups.

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Charlotte Russe

Photo: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Recipe: Charlotte Russe

Chill any remaining custard, and serve it with the remaining ladyfingers for dipping.

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Cherries Jubilee Cakes

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Cherries Jubilee Cakes

Santa's secret: No one will ever guess these elegant little cakes came from a box of white cake mix and a can of cherries.

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Peppermint Ice-Cream Cake

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Peppermint Ice-Cream Cake

This is a towering peppermint-lover's dream. Clear about 14 square inches of room in your freezer before you begin.

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Coconut Snowballs

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Coconut Snowballs

If the melted white chocolate is too firm after it is heated, stir in about 1/4 tsp. coconut oil.

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Glazed Fruitcake Bars

Photo: Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Glazed Fruitcake Bars

These dense, chewy fruitcake bars are a fresh version of the kind passed around at holiday parties. We love raisins and dried cherries in this recipe, but use your favorite combinations.

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Ambrosia Coconut Cake

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Ambrosia Coconut Cake

Make the Ambrosia Filling and Vanilla Buttercream frosting up to 2 days ahead. Then, build the cake, and chill up to 24 hours.

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Red Berry Pavlova Tower

Photo: Iain Bagwell

Recipe: Red Berry Pavlova Tower

Layer and fill this meringue turret up to one hour before serving for the best contrast of crunchy, chewy, and creamy textures. The irresistable Cheesecake Icing sets this over the top.

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Caramel Cream Cake

Recipe: Caramel Cream Cake

This three-layer butter cake has a pecan-pie filling in between the cake layers, a rich cream cheese frosting, and a topping of sweet coconut and chopped pecans. It's a great dessert for holiday entertaining.

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Pecan Squares

Recipe: Pecan Squares

If you like the taste of pecan pie, you'll love this easy alternative. Serve the squares with vanilla ice cream for an over-the-top dessert.