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    Home » Recipes » Sweets

    Holiday Sweets and Treats (That Aren't Cookies!)

    Published: Dec 14, 2021 Modified: Dec 14, 2021 by Candice

    Collage of desserts with title text.

    While I love holiday cookies, this year I'm giving you some options that are not cookies, but are just as delicious and just a little more special. This is perfect for you if you're looking for no-bake easy options, or for something that will look really impressive on your table.

    The holiday season is the perfect time to show your appreciation for your loved ones, and sharing some special sweet treats are a great way too!

    Collage of desserts with title text.
    TABLE OF CONTENTS hide
    1 Desserts with Holiday Flavors
    2 Baked Sweets
    3 No-Bake Desserts
    4 Small Treats and Nibbles
    5 So dessert is covered, what about the main dish?
    6 More Roundups & Recipe Ideas

    Desserts with Holiday Flavors

    There are some delicious flavors that can come out to play during the holidays like eggnog, ginger, cinnamon spices...yum! I'm sharing the holiday themed recipes I like to make this time of year.

    Feel free to get cozy with one of these desserts and your favorite hot and cozy holiday drink.

    Eggnog Gelato

    You heard it right, eggnog in ice cream form! This is the perfect light dessert after a heavy family dinner. It's creamy, smooth, and the nutmeg and rum come through beautifully.

    1.

    Eggnog Gelato Ice Cream
    This Eggnog Gelato is the holiday heaven you've been waiting for, and only takes 6 ingredients: eggs, sugar, milk, cream, nutmeg, and rum.
    Check out this recipe
    Three scoops of ice cream in a pedestal glass with a stick of cinnamon.

    Cardamom Krumkake

    Krumkake are these amazing Norwegian waffle cookies shaped into cones and filled with a scrumptious filling of your choice. I make them with mascarpone filling, and also with matcha! They're best for arranging on a plate and snacking at leisure throughout your day.

    2.

    Cardamom Krumkake Recipe with Filling
    Cardamom krumkake with mascarpone filling are the perfect, special sweet for your next baking project. The Norwegian version of a pizzelle, these waffle cookies can be made in advance, but don't fill them until just before serving. Plus, I'm sharing how to take the filling to another level by adding (optional) matcha!
    Check out this recipe

    Ginger Root Cake

    This cake is packed with fresh ginger and spices that will zing your tastebuds. It's a recipe that my husband created – serve a homemade slice of this with a huge pot of tea, and the compliments will come rolling in.

    3.

    Fresh Ginger Root Cake
    An entire cup of freshly grated ginger gives this cake the incredible spice and zing that you love about ginger cake. This cake is intensely gingery, and if you're a ginger lover, this cake is a dream come true!
    Check out this recipe
    Brown cake being sprinkled with powdered sugar.

    Chocolate Ginger Cake

    If you like a little bit of crunch and pizazz on top of your cake, this chocolate ginger cake topped with coconut and pecans is just the thing. It's a great way to get your friends and family on board with ginger cake if they're not so sure about it!

    4.

    Chocolate Ginger Cake with Coconut & Pecans
    A spin on my fresh ginger cake, this time with chocolate, coconut, & pecans. Decadent, heavenly, and made with olive oil instead of butter.
    Check out this recipe
    Two pieces of chocolate cake with coconut and nuts stacked on top of each other.

    Cranberry Orange Scones

    Scones are a great recipe to master because they are so versatile – serve hot, cold, or halved with jam and clotted cream. The flavors in these scones are to die for, and make me feel festive without fail every year. It's another great way to use the cranberries you may have bought for cranberry sauce.

    5.

    Cranberry Orange Scones with Orange Honey Butter
    Cranberry & orange is a classic combination for the holidays, & these scones make a scrumptious treat. This recipe makes the fluffiest scones ever!
    Check out this recipe

    Baked Sweets

    The smells of delicious things baking always make me think of the holidays. Fill your kitchen with tasty aromas by baking these goodies this year.

    Apple Slab Cake

    This is a special recipe – it's my friend Molly's Nana's recipe, and it works with olive oil or vegetable oil. Olive oil cake is moist and delicious, plus it's great for anyone with dairy restrictions. This cake has a layer of crisp, sweet apples and can be decorated with an apple slice design for extra flair.

    6.

    Apple Slab Olive Oil Cake
    Get ready for the easiest apple cake recipe that uses ingredients and tools you already have in the house! This dairy-free apple cake recipe uses olive oil, adding a nuttiness that you will absolutely love. It is the perfect easy, weeknight dessert, and the leftovers are great for breakfast the next day!
    Check out this recipe
    Cake in a glass baking dish.

    Earl Grey Crème Brûlée

    I just had to turn my favorite winter drink into a silky smooth crème brûlée. Inspired by a London Fog latte, this creamy dessert is infused with earl grey and soothing lavender. Also, if you haven't had a London Fog yet, I highly recommend trying one! It's a unique twist on classic vanilla.

    7.

    Earl Grey Crème Brûlée
    My favorite London Fog Latte in Crème Brûlée form, this Earl Grey infused dessert uses only 6 ingredients and is as decadent as can be.
    Check out this recipe
    Close up of a bite of creme brulee on a spoon.

    Strawberry Cream Puffs

    Arrange these cream puffs into a tall tower for a stunning centerpiece dessert. These puffs are light and airy, filled with a delicate strawberry infused cream. It's a perfect sharing dessert for larger groups. I also have an amazing matcha version you can try if you love these.

    8.

    Strawberry Cream Puffs
    Strawberry mascarpone cream puffs with step by step instructions from the choux pastry to the strawberry cream filling so you can make them perfectly at home.
    Check out this recipe
    Stack of pink cream puffs next to strawberries.

    Lime Curd & Mascarpone Tart

    Not only is this tart so beautiful, but the filling is so light and sweet that it's always a winner for dessert. The zest of lime and creamy mascarpone are a match made in heaven for this tart filling.

    9.

    Lime Curd & Mascarpone Fruit Tart
    A fruit tart is a sophisticated dessert, and the tangy yet sweet lime curd and mascarpone filling is absolutely phenomenal in this tart. 
    Check out this recipe
    Fruit tart topped with strawberries.

    No-Bake Desserts

    Sometimes you just want something simple and no-fuss to serve for dessert. These recipes turn out perfectly every time and require only a small amount of prep.

    Chocolate Mousse

    Light, fluffy, and decadent – chocolate mousse is a classic dessert that everyone will enjoy and isn't stressful to make on busy days. I like to serve the chocolate mousse with a complementary mascarpone whipped cream. You could also add toppings to customize each dessert.

    10.

    Dark Chocolate Mousse
    A decadent and delicious dessert, this dark chocolate mousse is simple to make with only four ingredients. Plus, a sumptuous mascarpone whipped cream.
    Check out this recipe

    Matcha Matzo Icebox Cake

    If only just for the festive green color, I think matcha is an amazing dessert flavor for the holidays. This icebox cake is super simple to assemble, chill, and serve. It's a great no-fuss but impressive dessert option.

    11.

    Matzo Icebox Cake
    A Kosher for Passover Icebox Cake with an (optional) matcha twist! It's easy to make with delicious sweet layers of chocolate covered matzo. This recipe is made in a few steps: covering the matzo in chocolate, assembling the cake, freezing the cake, and adding more whipped cream just before serving.
    Check out this recipe
    Slice of green ice box cake.

    Banana Coconut Cream Pie Cups

    It's a good idea to have some vegan/dairy-free options in your dessert recipe book for anyone with diet restrictions. These cream pie cups have a delectable Biscoff Lotus cookie base, which have a sweet caramelized flavor, topped with light banana coconut pudding.

    12.

    Banana Coconut Cream Pie Cups
    Individual Banana Coconut Cream Pie Cups that just happen to be vegan. Biscoff Lotus cookie (or graham cracker) crumbs topped with banana pudding and a coconut whipped cream.
    Check out this recipe
    Close up of banana cream pie cup topped with a bruleed banana slice.

    Matcha & Chocolate French Silk Pie

    This layered dessert is a holiday showstopper and will be the dish of the night. It has a layer of rich chocolate mousse, topped with silky matcha mousse, and a hefty portion of whipped cream to finish. Silk pie is my husband's favorite, so I experimented with this version and am thrilled with it – I hope you will be too!

    13.

    Matcha & Chocolate French Silk Pie
    A creamy, indulgent, match made in heaven - this pie takes a smooth-as-silk layers of dark chocolate & matcha mousse, and whipped cream.
    Check out this recipe

    Nutella Sufganiyot (Doughnuts)

    These doughnuts are stuffed with Nutella chocolate filling, fried lightly and dusted with confectioner's sugar. Its the perfect option if you need a dessert for all ages – children will love helping to fill these, and have fun squeezing the filling when they eat them.

    14.

    Nutella Sufganiyot
    Nutella Sufganiyot have a delicious, no-fuss filling inside warm fried doughnuts. Perfect for Chanukah with dairy-free and nut-free options!
    Check out this recipe
    Filled doughnuts in a box.

    Small Treats and Nibbles

    Whether it's nuts or chocolates or candies, holiday season is prime-time to leave enticing treats around the house for your loved ones to snack on. I'm giving you some fun ideas for sweet nibbles that are also easy to make.

    Chocolate Truffles

    These truffles are just so easy to make ahead. You can rustle up a big batch and leave them for casual sweet snacking. You can customize them however you like – they also make lovely gifts for friends and family, or as a thank you to anyone hosting you for the holidays.

    15.

    Chocolate Truffles
    Satisfy your chocolate craving with these easy and delicious 3-ingredient chocolate truffles.
    Check out this recipe

    Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

    Rich, nutty, crunchy... peanut butter cups are the perfect bite-sized sweet indulgence. You only need 4 ingredients to make these classic candies. This are also lovely to give as welcome/thank you gifts.

    16.

    Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
    A healthier version of one of my favorite treats, this dark chocolate peanut butter cup recipe is easy to make and uses only 4 ingredients: chocolate chips, peanut butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup.
    Check out this recipe
    Close up of one peanut butter cup.

    Matcha and Chocolate Dipped Candied Oranges

    Combine sweet matcha white chocolate with rich bitter dark chocolate and the tart sweetness of candied oranges, and you get this immensely satisfying treat. I use slices of blood oranges to make this treat, and they are always loved by all!

    17.

    Matcha Dipped Candied Oranges
    These matcha dipped candied oranges are such a treat! Not only do these dipped candied oranges look gorgeous, but they taste wonderful.
    Check out this recipe
    Orange slices dipped in chocolate and green chocolate.

    Churro Toffee (With Cinnamon Sugar)

    When I tried churro toffee at Disneyland, I just knew I had to make my own version at home. Toffee can be intimidating as you have to heat sugar with precision, but with a few steps you can easily master it. The layer of toffee is topped with melted white chocolate and a cinnamon sugar blend just like the one churros are dipped in. Make a tray of these and have bonus fun cracking them into pieces.

    18.

    Churro Toffee, Just Like Disneyland
    Buttery, crunchy toffee topped with a cinnamon sugar white chocolate, this Churro Toffee is the perfect way to enjoy my favorite Disneyland treat at home.
    Check out this recipe
    Top view of a sheet pan full of toffee.

    So dessert is covered, what about the main dish?

    Cook a spectacular main meal to go before your delicious desserts. Here are some of my tried-and-true winter dinner options.

    • Whole Roasted Chicken with Dried Fruit and Wine
    • Garlic & Herb Rack of Lamb
    • Spatchcock Cast-Iron Mustard Chicken
    • Spinach Mushroom Wonton Ravioli

    More Roundups & Recipe Ideas

    • The 6 Best Hot Holiday Drinks
    • 21 Best Matcha Dessert Recipes
    « Matcha Chip Cookies
    Sweet Potato Wonton Ravioli with Tarragon Brown Butter Sauce »
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    Meet Candice

    On this blog, I get to share the food that I love, and get to enjoy in my own home. My Persian Jewish heritage influences most of my recipes, and my travels inspire them. And I'm sure you'll notice my love for everything matcha. Welcome, and enjoy!

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    Woman with a flower.

    Meet Candice

    On this blog, I get to share the food that I love, and get to enjoy in my own home. My Persian Jewish heritage influences most of my recipes, and my travels inspire them. And I'm sure you'll notice my love for everything matcha. Welcome, and enjoy!

    READ MORE
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