Food and Recipes Holiday and Occasion Food 66 Heavenly Holiday Desserts That Will Wow the Entire Family By Southern Living Editors Southern Living Editors Since 1966, the editors of Southern Living have been carrying out the mission of the brand: to bring enjoyment, fulfillment, and inspiration to our readers by celebrating life in the South. We inspire creativity in their homes, their kitchens, their gardens, and their personal style. We are a friend they can trust, a guide to the seasons, a helping hand during the holidays, and a relentless champion of the Southern way of life. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on April 14, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez 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 wows." They're perfect for toting to a cookie swap 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! 01 of 66 Snowy Vanilla Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Snowy Vanilla Cake with Cream Cheese Buttercream If you want a Christmas dessert that's Southern Living cover-worthy, top this classic white cake with our homemade Cake Ball Ornaments. 02 of 66 Christmas Tree Brownies Micah A. Leal Recipe: Christmas Tree Brownies These brownies have the soft texture you crave, but the best part is decorating them with the family. 03 of 66 Chocolate Peppermint Cake Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner Recipe: Chocolate Peppermint Cake Southerners know that mayonnaise is the secret to the best chocolate cake, and this layer cake starts with it. 04 of 66 Bourbon Ball Tart Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop styling: Lydia Pursell Recipe: Bourbon Ball Tart If you want to have the most fun dessert on the sideboard, bring this one that tops chocolate ganache with festive bourbon balls. 05 of 66 Peppermint Divinity Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer Recipe: Peppermint Divinity Since the South's hot, humid climate can extend well into winter, be sure to check the weather and pick a dry, sunny day as your "divinity day" to make this old-fashioned treat. 06 of 66 Eggnog Layer Cake with Bourbon-Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Torie Cox; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Eggnog Layer Cake with Bourbon-Vanilla Bean Buttercream Frosting If you're on the hunt for a showstopping finale for your Christmas celebration, consider it found. Our December 2021 cover star, boasts four layers of eggnog cake, homemade buttercream frosting, and piles of sweet present cookies. 07 of 66 Peppermint Cake with Seven-Minute Frosting Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Peppermint Cake with Seven-Minute Frosting Each element of this cake can be made ahead, so you can just decorate and serve the day of your gathering. 08 of 66 Buche de Noel Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Ana Kelly Prop Stylist: Kay Clarke Recipe: Buche de Noel It's a labor of love, but if you've never made a classic yule log cake for the holidays, this is the year to try. 09 of 66 Best-Ever Brownies Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Best-Ever Brownies This recipe from Test Kitchen Professional and Hey Y'all Host Ivy Odom yields two pans of gooey, fudgy perfection. We recommend keeping at least one batch on hand for drop-in holiday guests. 10 of 66 Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich Cookies Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich Cookies Chocolate cookie dough rolled in sparkling sugar with peppermint filling makes for a Christmas treat that's almost too pretty to eat. 11 of 66 Spiked Eggnog Bundt Cake Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Spiked Eggnog Bundt Cake Calling all eggnog lovers! You've got to make this pretty Bundt. A tip from the Test Kitchen: For the most tender crumb, don't overmix the wet and dry ingredients; stop stirring just after they are blended. 12 of 66 Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream Instead of drinking your eggnog this Christmas, serve it on a cake plate. 13 of 66 Christmas Fudge Micah A Leal Recipe: Christmas Fudge Every Christmas gathering needs a cake plate stacked high with perfect pieces of fudge. 14 of 66 Gingerbread Cake with Buttermilk Frosting Hector Sanchez Recipe: Gingerbread Cake with Buttermilk Frosting Warm spices and molasses blend beautifully with tangy buttermilk frosting. 15 of 66 White Chocolate-Peppermint Blondies Iain Bagwell Recipe: White Chocolate-Peppermint Blondies Since this festive recipe makes four and a half dozen bars, you'll have plenty to share with the neighbors. 16 of 66 Best White Cake Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christina Lane; Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Best White Cake Forget sprinkles or store-bought decorations, bake your own cake topper with our Gingerbread Cookies. 17 of 66 White Christmas Pavlovas Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke Recipe: White Christmas Pavlovas There's no prettier way to end a meal than with a fluffy pavlova. The mini portions are perfect for easy serving. 18 of 66 Old-Fashioned Gingerbread Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Old-Fashioned Gingerbread This year, we could use a little homemade comfort, and this old-school gingerbread recipe is like a hug in a pan. 19 of 66 Red Velvet Brownies Photography: Caitlin Bensel, Prop Styling: Audrey Davis, Food Styling: Rishon Hanners Recipe: Red Velvet Brownies Brownies get dressed up for Christmas with red velvet and snowy cream cheese frosting. 20 of 66 Cherry-Spice Cake Trifle 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. 21 of 66 Praline Cream-Beignet Tower Photo: Linda Pugliese Recipe: Praline Cream-Beignet Tower Make the praline filling and dough up to two days ahead. 22 of 66 Cranberry Dreamsicle Trifle 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. 23 of 66 Coconut-Pecan Truffles Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones Recipe: Coconut-Pecan Truffles We've found your go-to giftable treat for the holiday season. These eight-ingredient truffles look just as pretty in a cookie tin as they do on a gold platter. 24 of 66 Chocolate-Peppermint Cheesecake Hector Sanchez Recipe: Chocolate-Peppermint Cheesecake Don't worry if your cheesecake cracks; the light and fluffy layer of whipped cream will cover it. 25 of 66 Red Velvet Cheesecake-Vanilla Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Red Velvet Cheesecake-Vanilla Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Creamy red velvet cheesecake, soft white cake, and layers of tangy cream cheese frosting? Somebody pinch us. 26 of 66 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. 27 of 66 Pecan-Cranberry Shortbread Hector Sanchez Recipe: Pecan-Cranberry Shortbread Making shortbread with melted butter skips the wait for it to soften. 28 of 66 Red Velvet Fudge Alison Miksch Recipe: Red Velvet Fudge If you like red velvet cake, you'll love this fudge. 29 of 66 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. 30 of 66 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. 31 of 66 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. 32 of 66 Mexican Hot Chocolate Trifle Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: Mexican Hot Chocolate Trifle Top this rich trifle with a sprinkle of chocolate curls. 33 of 66 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. 34 of 66 Banana Brownie Sticky Toffee Puddings Photo: Alison Miksch Recipe: Banana Brownie Sticky Toffee Puddings Any remaining sauce makes a great topping for ice cream. 35 of 66 Coconut Snowballs 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. 36 of 66 Banana Pudding Trifle Recipe: Banana Pudding Trifle This classic English layered pudding dessert goes Southern with banana pudding and bourbon-soaked vanilla wafers. 37 of 66 Sugar-and-Spice Cake Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett Recipe: Sugar-and-Spice Cake Make a classic white cake for Christmas this year. This recipe starts with boxed mix, then adds a few key ingredients to make the end result light, fluffy, and totally delicious. 38 of 66 Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake Jim Franco Recipe: Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake We replicated the flavor profile of Mexican chocolate using semisweet chocolate and cinnamon. If you prefer to use Mexican chocolate, look for it with the hot drink mixes or on the Hispanic food aisle. This moist pound cake is equally delicious without the Mexican Chocolate Sauce. 39 of 66 Coconut Pudding Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: Coconut Pudding Try unsweetened coconut flakes for a not-too-sweet topping. 40 of 66 Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake Jim Franco Recipe: Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake Let this elegant chocolate cheesecake be the centerpiece of your holiday tablescape featuring a gorgeous white chocolate snowflake in the center. 41 of 66 Red Velvet Soufflés with Whipped Sour Cream Jennifer Davick Recipe: Red Velvet Soufflés with Whipped Sour Cream These snazzy red velvet soufflés are not only eye catching, but drool-worthy desserts that will dazzle any holiday table. 42 of 66 Buttermilk-Chocolate Cake Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas: Food Styling: Torie Cox Recipe: Buttermilk-Chocolate Cake If you really want to impress the crowd with your baking skills, top this soft chocolate cake with our Magnolia Flowers or Camellia Flowers. 43 of 66 Hot Buttered Rum Bread Pudding Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Hot Buttered Rum Bread Pudding We turned one of winter's favorite cocktails into an ultra-decadent dessert that will make your house smell amazing. 44 of 66 Hot Chocolate Brownies Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis Recipe: Hot Chocolate Brownies Rich, gooey brownies topped with a layer of homemade marshmallows—sounds like we just found your next baking project. 45 of 66 White Chocolate Poinsettia Cake Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: White Chocolate Poinsettia Cake Who knew a petal-shaped cookie cutter could create such a stunning holiday cake topper? 46 of 66 Red Velvet-Raspberry Tiramisù Trifle Jim Franco; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell Recipe: Red Velvet-Raspberry Tiramisù Trifle Since this merry and bright trifle can chill for up to 24 hours before serving, it's an ideal make-ahead dessert to save you time this holiday season. 47 of 66 Butterscotch-Bourbon Lava Cake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Lydia Pursell Recipe: Butterscotch-Bourbon Lava Cake These single-serving cakes ensure nobody is fighting over the last slice this Christmas. 48 of 66 Red Velvet Peppermint Cake Caitlin Bensel Recipe: Red Velvet Peppermint Cake We can't think of a more festive combination than red velvet and peppermint. 49 of 66 Old-Fashioned Trifle Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Old-Fashioned Trifle If you're celebrating Christmas with an adults-only dinner party, try this tipsy trifle. Whiskey-soaked pound cake and tipsy cherries meet a rich custard and whipped cream. 50 of 66 Coconut Cake with Rum Filling and Coconut Ermine Frosting Hector Manuel Sanchez Recipe: Coconut Cake with Rum Filling and Coconut Ermine Frosting If you've never tried ermine frosting, you'll love this vintage frosting recipe for all your future Christmas cakes. 51 of 66 Bourbon-Chocolate Cake with Browned Buttercream Frosting Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop styling: Lydia Pursell Recipe: Bourbon-Chocolate Cake with Browned Buttercream Frosting This boozy dessert is a year-round delight, but it's definitely festive enough for Christmas. 52 of 66 Coffee Baba au Rhum Photo: Hector Sanchez Recipe: Coffee Baba au Rhum With this beautiful dessert, you have a great excuse to make it ahead: It tastes even better after a day or so when the flavors have fully melded. 53 of 66 Sprinkle Sandwich Cookies Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Sprinkle Sandwich Cookies Sprinkle haters need not apply! With colorful sprinkles included in the dough and added to the icing that's sandwiched between the two-bite treats, these Christmas cookies are ready to party. 54 of 66 Bourbon-Praline Cheesecake Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop styling: Lydia Pursell Recipe: Bourbon-Praline Cheesecake Not only is the praline topping a picturesque touch, but it takes the flavor of this cheesecake over the top. 55 of 66 Spice Cake with Cranberry Filling Linda Pugliese, Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Buffy Hargett Miller Recipe: Spice Cake with Cranberry Filling Surprise everyone when you cut this snowy white cake open to reveal a sweet cranberry filling. 56 of 66 Gingerbread Cake Roll with Eggnog Cream Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Gingerbread Cake Roll with Eggnog Cream This spice cake is a great make-ahead option for your holiday feast, and a snowy topping of powdered sugar makes for beautiful presentation. 57 of 66 Red Velvet Madeleines Jim Franco; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell Recipe: Red Velvet Madeleines This recipe makes two dozen, so you can leave a pretty madeleine on every plate. 58 of 66 Christmas Pudding Micah A. Leal Recipe: Christmas Pudding Bring this British dessert over the pond and start a new family tradition this year. 59 of 66 Chocolate-Gingerbread-Toffee Cake Jennifer Davick Recipe: Chocolate-Gingerbread-Toffee Cake One Test Kitchen Professional said this cake "tastes like all the wonderful flavors that come tumbling from a stocking: milk chocolate Santas, gingerbread men, and buttery toffee candy." 60 of 66 Vanilla Custard with Bourbon-Caramel Sauce Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop styling: Lydia Pursell Recipe: Vanilla Custard with Bourbon-Caramel Sauce Your friends will be stunned when you serve up this dessert that looks like it came from a five-star restaurant. 61 of 66 Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies Lee Harrelson; Styling: Mindi Shapiro Recipe: Rudolph's Chocolate Truffle Cake This rich chocolate cake has been a reader favorite for decades. 62 of 66 Spice Cake with Citrus Filling Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell Recipe: Spice Cake with Citrus Filling If you really want to make an impression, whip up this beauty with thick citrus and spice cake layers. 63 of 66 Raspberry Panna Cotta Iain Bagwell Recipe: Raspberry Panna Cotta Cardamom spice gives this silky custard its delicious flavor. Use any berry you wish, adjusting the sugar in the mixture to taste. 64 of 66 Sea Salt-Caramel Cake Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall Recipe: Sea Salt-Caramel Cake Update Mama's caramel cake recipe (no offense, Mama) with this sweet and salty concoction. 65 of 66 Red Velvet Cheesecake Photo: Jennifer Davick Recipe: Red Velvet Cheesecake If you love both red velvet cake and cheesecake, this perfect sweet-meets-rich-meets-creamy concoction is bound to be your new favorite dessert. 66 of 66 5-Ingredient Sugar Cookies Linda Pugliese, Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas, Buffy Hargett Miller Recipe: 5-Ingredient Sugar Cookies Yes, you can make an irresistible sugar cookie with just a few ingredients. Customize these party treats with your favorite cookie cutters and sprinkles. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit