25 White Christmas Dessert Ideas

Red Velvet Cheesecake-Vanilla Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe: Red Velvet Cheesecake-Vanilla Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Whimsy meets elegance in all three layers of this red velvet cheesecake wonder. Make sure not to skip the crumb coat of frosting—it keeps the deep red cake from showing through.

02 of 25

Red Velvet Cake Balls

Recipe: Red Velvet Cake Balls

These festive nibbles are the perfect giftable treat. A box of cake mix helps these bites come together quickly with a luscious cream cheese frosting. Cover them with white chocolate and decorate.

03 of 25

White Chocolate Poinsettia Cake

Recipe: White Chocolate Poinsettia Cake

For a stunning centerpiece or finale, this is the cake of holiday buffet dreams. White chocolate cake is layered between white chocolate mousse and buttercream. The cookie poinsettia topping makes this dessert almost too pretty to cut.

04 of 25

Chocolate Peppermint Cake

Recipe: Chocolate Peppermint Cake

Fluffy Italian meringue frosting tops three peppermint layers. Add crushed peppermints for simple, festive decoration and crunch.

05 of 25

Sparkling Snowflake Shortbread Cookies

Recipe: Sparkling Snowflake Shortbread Cookies

With just four ingredients, a batch of these cookies whips up quickly. Test Kitchen Tip: When you make shortbread or other sugar cookie cutouts, omit the leavening or choose recipes without it so the cookies keep their shape during baking.

06 of 25

Coconut Cake with Coconut Cream Frosting

Recipe: Coconut Cake with Coconut Cream Frosting

This cake was Southern Living's 2020 White Cake, as well as the cake celebrating its 25th anniversary. This dessert is a star, and it has three different fillings to suit your gathering and your tastes: lemon curd, chocolate ganache, or cranberry. Top this decadent coconut dream with cookie toppers, and everyone will leave happy.

07 of 25

Almond Snowballs

Recipe: Almond Snowballs

A variation of Blackberry Thumbprints, these fragrant, nutty cookies are finished with a coating of powdered sugar. These snowy cookies add cheer to any holiday assortment.

08 of 25

Homemade White Cake

Best White Cake — Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christina Lane; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Homemade White Cake

This is the white cake you need in your holiday baking repertoire. Dress it up for more formal gatherings, or make it fun for a casual get-together. Fun gingerbread cookie toppers help create a snowy winter scene.

09 of 25

White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Dark Chocolate Sauce

Recipe: White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Dark Chocolate Sauce

These creamy individual desserts need to be made ahead, giving you time to focus on the holiday meal. They come together with just a few minutes of prep. Served in stemmed glasses, these silky smooth Italian custards make an elegant ending to any meal.

10 of 25

Coconut-Almond Cream Cake

Recipe: Coconut-Almond Cream Cake

The coconut lovers in your life will love this dessert with coconut in the cake, filling, and frosting. Decorate by pressing toasted flaked coconut into the frosting, and garnish with kumquats, currants, and mint.

11 of 25

Spice Cake with Citrus Filling

Recipe: Spice Cake with Citrus Filling

It's anyone's guess as to how Japanese fruitcake became such a huge holiday hit in the fifties, or why it was called that in the first place. We decide to cash in on its retro charm with a fresh, delicious version of the traditional by Test Kitchen pro Pam Lolley.

12 of 25

Mrs. Floyd's Divinity

Recipe: Mrs. Floyd's Divinity

What better way to show your appreciation of friends and family than by giving packages of these delicious holiday confections. With chopped pecans added into this classic, they are even more divine.

13 of 25

Lemon-Coconut Cake

Recipe: Lemon-Coconut Cake

With its creamy white frosting and luscious citrus filling, Lemon-Coconut Cake is three layers of heaven. It's a must for your holiday dessert table.

14 of 25

Pecan Snowball Cookies

Recipe: Pecan Snowball Cookies

Also called Russian tea cakes, these vanilla shortbread cookies feature toasted pecans and buttery flavor. Two dustings of powdered sugar provide plenty of sweetness.

15 of 25

Sugar-and-Spice Cake

Recipe: Sugar-and-Spice Cake

Readers have told us over and over that they like the convenience of cake mixes, but when we doctored a mix for the revered cover cake, we received a barrage of phone calls and emails. How dare we take a shortcut? What was the world coming to when the Southern Living Christmas cake was made from a mix? Lesson learned.

16 of 25

Homemade Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes

Recipe: Homemade Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes

This homemade version of a Christmas favorite will have guests raving. Tree-shaped sponge cakes filled with Swiss meringue buttercream are dipped into white chocolate. Decorate with red frosting and sprinkles for a jolly sweet treat.

17 of 25

Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies

Recipe: Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies

Wrapped in Christmas sprinkles of red and green, these nutty cookies will brighten your holiday cookie tray. Kids can help roll and decorate.

18 of 25

Peppermint Meltaway Cookies

Recipe: Peppermint Meltaway Cookies

You'll get a minty kick when these cookies melt away in your mouth. Easy to make, these cookies are topped with a peppermint glaze and crushed candies.

19 of 25

Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream

Recipe: Eggnog Spice Cake with Bourbon Custard Filling and Eggnog Buttercream

Enjoy your cake and eggnog too with this delightful dessert. Spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, eggnog layers are filled with a creamy custard. Pipe the frosting in a zigzag pattern for an eye-catching presentation.

20 of 25

Potato Candy

Recipe: Potato Candy

This old-fashioned candy originated during the Great Depression when ingredients were limited. Similar to other traditional candies, this Southern gem adds a peanut butter swirl. Roll up jelly-roll style to create a layered look.

21 of 25

White Christmas Pavlovas

Recipe: White Christmas Pavlovas

Whip up these light, fluffy pavlovas for a change of pace to holiday meals. Airy meringues are the base for an array of toppings like whipped cream, bananas, flaked coconut, and white chocolate.

22 of 25

White Chocolate Peppermint Blondies

Recipe: White Chocolate Peppermint Blondies

Turn basic bar cookies into a holiday star with mint icing and crushed peppermint candies. This recipe makes plenty for a party or to freeze for later.

23 of 25

Peppermint Divinity

Recipe: Peppermint Divinity

For a playful holiday twist on traditional divinity, this recipe uses crushed peppermints. Sprinkle the top with additional candies to hint at the minty surprise inside.

24 of 25

Peppermint Cake with Seven-Minute Frosting

Recipe: Peppermint Cake with Seven-Minute Frosting

Cut open this white peppermint-studded cake to reveal a pink buttercream filling. This minty cake is as delicious as it is beautiful. Save precious holiday cooking time by making the cake layers and buttercream in advance.

25 of 25

White Cake with Peppermint Frosting

Basic White Cake — Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Recipe: White Cake with Peppermint Frosting

Here's a pretty package guests will want to open right away. A pretty fondant bow neatly ties up this white cake covered in smooth peppermint frosting.

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