Our best Christmas desserts

Use your favourite festive tipples in our boozy bake recipes.

2. Christmas meringue pies

Serve these Christmas meringue pies as individual desserts at your festive dinner party. The pastry is spiced with warming cloves and cinnamon, while the creamy clementine curd is full of zingy lemon and orange juices. Use a blowtorch to briefly toast the meringue for a golden finish.

See more stunning treats in our meringue collection.

3. Jamaican ginger sponge pudding

Take a break from traditional Christmas pudding and try this Jamaican ginger sponge pudding instead. The ginger sponge is loaded with festive spices and topped with a generous drizzle of rum caramel sauce. Serve with double cream for extra indulgence.

For more warming bakes, see our ginger cake collection.

4. Winter berry & white chocolate pots

Make these winter berry & white chocolate pots up to three days ahead for a stress-free Christmas dessert. Layer white chocolate cream with a berry mousse for a stunning result. Top the possets with chopped pistachios and fresh pomegranate seeds, then serve with chunky pistachio biscuits.

For more inspiration, see our festive dessert recipes.

5. White forest Christmas tree traybake

Add some sparkle to your table with this white forest Christmas tree traybake. The white chocolate sponge is spiced with warming cinnamon and ginger, then layered with sticky cherry jam and rich buttercream. Decorate with meringues, frosted bay leaves, ginger biscuits and gold leaf for a showstopping centrepiece.

For more impressive cakes, see our Christmas baking collection.

6. The ultimate Christmas brownies

Festive flourishes and edible add-ons make these brownies extra special. Sprinkle over crunchy amaretti biscuits and rich chocolate truffles then spritz with edible gold spray for a wow-worthy dessert. Dust with icing sugar to create a snowy effect.

For another Christmassy take on brownies, make our mulled wine brownie surprise served with vanilla ice cream.

7. Christmas pudding cheesecake

Serve family and friends our Christmas pudding cheesecake for all the flavours of a Christmas pud in a smoother, creamier package. A glug of brandy and a crunchy ginger base brightens up the rich vanilla filling.

Try a slice with a cup of our cinnamon butter rum or Christmas coffee.

8. White chocolate, orange & cranberry Christmas cake

If you're not a fan of traditional fruitcake, bake our white chocolate, orange & cranberry sponge topped with meringue kisses and gold leaf. Try any one of our three inspiring designs to decorate – whichever you choose, it's bound to be a hit.

Want more advice on festive finishing touches? See our guide on how to decorate a Christmas cake.

9. Salted caramel yule log

Salted caramel takes centrestage in this stunning Bûche de Noël topped with redcurrants and a dusting of icing sugar. With a soft sponge and smooth caramel icing, it's a decadent, delicious bake.

For a super-simple (but no less delectable) version, try our easiest ever no-bake chocolate yule log.

10. Mince pie baklava

Serve up these mincemeat-filled baklava bites with ice cream or coffee for a Christmas dessert with a difference. Create professional-looking pastries using ready-made ingredients and clever shortcuts, then box them up for an edible homemade gift, if you like.

Try our five ways with mince pies for more recipe makeovers.

11. Best ever tiramisu

Tiramisu is one of our most popular recipes every Christmas, with good reason. Make this creamy coffee-flavoured dessert a couple of days before Christmas for an even richer flavour. Watch our video for a quick demo of our best ever tiramisu recipe.

12. Gold Christmas drip cake

Bake a showstopping spiced sponge cake topped with a gingerbread tree to wow friends and family this Christmas. Use edible gold spray to achieve a festive shimmer, then drizzle over white chocolate for a snowy effect.

13. Malted milk melting snowman cake

You'll be walking on air after trying our snowman cake decorated with chocolate buttons, icing, ganache and a fondant nose. Get the kids involved in the creative side to keep little hands busy. You won't find a cuter Christmas cake out there.

Check out our Christmas cake collection for more fun, festive bakes.

14. Golden amaretti Christmas cake

Our amaretti Christmas cake is a mix of trend and tradition. An almost all-in-one method means it's easy to prepare, saving you stress in the kitchen. Scatter over some biscuits and candied almonds for a casual but creative finishing touch.

15. Chocolate orange bombe

We love a surprise at Christmas, and this chocolate orange bombe with a hidden cream cheese and cranberry filling doesn't disappoint. Impressive to look at and easy to execute, this stunning pud is one for impressing a crowd.

You could also make cake truffles with your unused cake crumbs and leftover chocolate. Simply scoop your mixture into balls and roll into truffles, dip in chocolate, dust with cocoa and chill until set.

16. Black Forest trifle

Trifle is a Christmas classic, but you can reinvent it in countless ways. James Martin's Black Forest trifle is a beauty, but it won't keep you tied up in the kitchen. It requires just a few key ingredients and careful assembly to achieve a creamy, kirsch-laced delight.

17. Mince pie brownies

Get the best of both worlds in this ultimate festive mash-up. Put mini mince pies into brownie mixture and surprise your friends and family. They're perfect for making ahead, as a batch will last up to a week in an airtight container.

18. Mince pie cheesecake

Mince pie and cheesecake join forces in this epic festive no-bake. It's an unlikely pairing – mince pies form the cheesecake base – but the flavours work brilliantly together. It's also the tastiest way to beat Christmas food waste and use up any leftover mince pies!

Check out our recipe for classic mince pies or find more delectable cheesecake recipes.

19. Christmas crumble

Bring the flavours of Christmas into a much-loved pud: the humble crumble. We've combined apples with cranberries and festive spices to keep it true to the season – make sure to serve with plenty of custard for the ultimate comfort dessert.

Browse through our collection of crumble recipes for more comforting crumble content.

20. Next level sherry trifle

Take your love of trifle further with this ultra-festive dessert. Shop-bought madeira loaf cake is soaked in orange juice and sherry, then layered with frozen raspberries, homemade custard and sherry-spiked cream. We've made the most important elements of this trifle from scratch, with a few shortcuts for the simpler parts.

If you like the look of this, check out our chocolate orang-tini trifle or find more trifle recipes in our trifle collection.

Enjoyed this? Read more Christmas dessert guides

Our ultimate festive dessert collection
Christmas chocolate recipes
5 ways with mince pies

What's your favourite Christmas treat? Leave a comment below...