Easy Christmas desserts

Quick and easy Christmas desserts

These speedy recipes are ideal for when guests arrive at short notice. If you can spare 10 minutes you can whip up our Black Forest Christmas fool with boozy cherries, rich fruitcake and dark chocolate. Simply assemble six ingredients in one step.

Give the classic Eton mess a wintry twist with our Christmas mess – a splash of blackcurrant liqueur and cinnamon-spiced berries make this the perfect tipsy after-dinner treat. Or, for something more nostalgic, whip up our Irish cream banana trifles. Just swap the Irish cream for toffee sauce if you're catering for kids.

Turn your hand to these Christmas pud chocolate coins for a charming dinner treat or stocking filler. With dark and white chocolate and glacé cherries, they're super easy to make, with only 10 minutes of prep required.

Need a Christmas pudding at the eleventh hour? Try our last-minute Christmas pudding using shop-bought mincemeat. Prep for 10 minutes, then simply microwave it.

Easy Christmas cakes

It wouldn't be Christmas without unexpected guests dropping in for tea. But what to serve with a cuppa? Whether you're a fan of traditional fruitcake or whimsical wintry creations with modern flavours, we have an easy bake for you. Try our Black Forest loaf cake with cream and boozy cherries. You can make it in an hour-and-a-half and refrigerate it for up to three days ready for visitors.

You could get the kids involved in baking our easy winter wonderland cake, with a bright white frosting that evokes a snowy scene. The dark chocolate sponge sandwiched with strawberry jam provides a stunning contrast slathered with our delicate vanilla icing.

If you're a stickler for tradition, try our lighter version of a classic Christmas fruitcake. Bursting with juicy fruit and festive spices, our easy peasy fruitcake will look the part for a festive spread. Or, spend just 25 minutes prepping our last-minute Christmas loaf cake stuffed with mixed fruit and laced with a generous amount of brandy.

Find even more fabulous Christmas cake recipes in our best ever collection.

Easy Christmas cheesecakes

Try crossing a traditional pudding with a cheesecake and what do you get? Christmas pudding cheesecake, of course. It makes a less stodgy and more stunning alternative to a conventional Christmas pud with a crunchy ginger base and luxurious filling that is totally irresistible. Play it even safer with our double chocolate cheesecake, guaranteed to be a hit with your dinner guests. Using coffee-flavoured chocolate and a dash of coffee liqueur adds great depth of flavour and works perfectly with the cocoa.

For a more sophisticated end to a meal, the crunch of amaretti biscuits and a dose of almond liqueur is just the thing in our amaretti & sultana cheesecake. It can be made in three easy steps and is best served with a chilled glass of amaretto.

Partial to a mince pie? Take your love of the festive staple further by adding it to a cheesecake base in this mince pie cheesecake. It's a real crowd-pleaser, and a savvy way to beat Christmas waste by using up leftovers.

Explore even more ideas with our collection of best ever cheesecake recipes.

Easy Christmas biscuits

If someone else is hosting the party and you need a gift to take, our sensational snowflake biscuits deliver a sprinkling of Christmas magic. Decorate with white fondant icing and plenty of silver balls – and be sure to keep some for yourself. Of course, no festive biscuit tin would be complete without our easy gingerbread men. Let the kids decorate them for a simple winter's day activity.

If you're looking for a recipe to get the kids involved, see these chocolate Christmas biscuits and Christmas biscuits – these cinnamon-spiced morsels double up as edible tree decorations too!

You could venture beyond the traditional to make honey & spice cookies using our special seasonal spice mix. They're finished by dipping into dark chocolate and ideal with an after-dinner coffee. To impress the little ones, grab a pack of marshmallows and transform them into melting snowman biscuits. We have another take on snowman biscuits, too, that are topped off with colourful bobble hats.

Enjoy more of our best Christmas biscuit recipes.

Christmas brownies

How about a recipe mash-up that combines two puds in one? Our incredible mince pie brownies are moreish, squidgy, chocolatey and fruity. Brew a cup of coffee or mulled wine and indulge in one of those, or a gooey Christmas brownie. For these beauties, you need to pile on chocolate truffles, crunchy amaretti biscuits and other festive flourishes.

If you're after a simplified recipe for kids to follow, try these fun and festive Christmas brownie lollipops. The recipe requires just four ingredients and uses shop-bought brownies to cut corners.

For something more subtly festive, try our recipe for mulled wine brownies. Red wine and chocolate is a combination that works perfectly here with spices like cinnamon and ginger counterbalancing the richness. Bake them and fill your home with the aroma of Christmas.

Watch a video and learn how to make our next level mulled wine brownies.

Easy mince pies

Put on your apron and crank up the Christmas playlist – it's time for mince pies. Start with our unbelievably easy mince pies – no pastry rolling required. Simply press your crumbly pastry into the tin for a short, biscuity finish. Alternatively, err on the generous side and make our deep-filled mince pies, or jazz things up with extra texture and bake our hazelnut crunch mince pies. Add grated apple and orange zest to the mincemeat to liven up the flavour, too.

Watch our quick tutorial and make our easiest ever mince pies or experiment and try our five ways with mince pies.

Easy Christmas cupcakes

Want something small, cute and nostalgic? Our favourite biscuit cupcakes will go down a storm. Top the sponge with a swirl of buttercream, then add mini gingerbread men or your favourite shop-bought mini biccies. An ideal project for little hands to get involved with.

To keep the Christmas theme, have a go at making our chocolate Rudolph cupcakes, complete with pretzel antlers and button eyes. Little elves will enjoy releasing their creativity on these bakes, too. Want something a little classier? Try our mixed spice Christmas cupcakes with dark rum and marzipan.

Watch a video and learn how to make our easiest ever Christmas cupcakes.

Need more Christmas inspiration?

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What's your go-to easy Christmas dessert? Leave a comment below...