With Christmas right around the corner and the holidays in full swing, I wanted to put together a list of some of my favorite dessert goodies.
The holiday season is packed full of family gatherings, work potlucks, school parties, and more. At each of these events, guests are usually required to bring a dish or two to pass.
At least in our family, everyone knows that the star of the feast is the Christmas dessert table! Cookies, candies, and finger foods galore are normally the best part of the holiday meal. If you don’t leave the celebration with a sugar high, then that’s your own fault!
Usually, there are nieces and nephews and grandkids running around, swiping a sweet treat or two from the table long before the dinner even takes place. (Or maybe it’s the ornery uncle who is usually sampling the dessert table!)
Whoever might be enjoying your desserts, why not try something new this Christmas season? Think outside the traditional sugar cookie, chocolate-covered pretzels, and gingerbread house!
I’ve put together a list showcasing some of my favorite Christmas goodies that I like to include for our holiday celebrations. Some of them are a bit more traditional, while others go outside of the holiday box. Hopefully, the list can inspire you to find something sweet to make and take to your next get-together!
My Top 8 Christmas Goodies
1. Divinity
If there is one dessert that is a must-have on the dessert table during the holiday season, it’s old fashioned divinity. This is a sweet treat that I grew up swiping when we visited my Grandmother’s house on Christmas Eve.
Picture what it might be like to bite into a sweet, pillowy cloud. The texture and consistency of divinity is light and fluffy. It is kind of a mix between fudge, nugget, and marshmallow. It basically melts into your mouth.
Divinity has a bad rap with some people saying it is extremely difficult to make. However, I’ve put together a step-by-step guide that will walk you through the entire process one step at a time. The result is perfection every time!
2. Chocolate Fudge
Next up on my holiday tray is fudge. Now I’ve been to Mackinac Island plenty of times, and there is nothing that will ever top their homemade fudge. However, this recipe comes close!
This chocolate fudge recipe is simple to make using only 6 ingredients. The result is a rich and creamy fudge that holds its shape well but melts the moment it hits your mouth.
One of my favorite parts of this fudge is that you can make a huge batch and freeze some for future enjoyment. Once it thaws out, it tastes almost as good as freshly made fudge.
3. English Toffee – Christmas Goodies
One of my favorite candy bars to eat is a Heath Bar. The combination of buttery-like toffee with a sweet, chocolaty surrounding is a perfect mix. Heck, I even like to use the Heath toffee bits in baking and cooking (and snacking).
These English Toffee Bars take the same flavor profiles but put them in a homemade candy that you can share with family and friends. (And maybe a few lucky coworkers!) Add a few slivered almonds, and you’ve got a delicious addition to your holiday dessert table or tray.
The main key to this recipe is to use a candy thermometer. It allows you to get to just the right temperature so the toffee sets up perfectly without being too chewy or too hard. (This is the newer version of the one I have. I also use it with my divinity recipe – Product Link: Taylor Stainless Steel Candy and Deep Fry Thermometer.)
4. Cinnamon Sugar Almonds
Candied Cinnamon Sugar Almonds are one of my brother’s favorite desserts during the holidays. Toss a few into a few paper cones, and they are the perfect hostess gift or addition to the dessert table.
You can often find these candied nuts at fairs, carnivals, and festivals. I’ve often walked around at these events snacking on the warm, sweet almonds. However, with this recipe, you can enjoy them whenever you want!
There is both an oven-baked version as well as a slow cooker method. Both cooking methods involve a bit of babysitting to get the candied almonds just right, but the outcome is more than worth it! Try both cooking methods and see which one you prefer.
5. Chocolate Chip Cookies – Christmas Goodies
You can’t have a holiday dessert table without having a good ol’ classic chocolate chip cookie. In fact, they are Santa’s favorite around this household!
However, this chocolate chip recipe isn’t just a simple one that you can find on the back of a chocolate chip bag. Instead, it’s one that takes the cookies a bit further by incorporating brown butter as well as sourdough discard.
If you are a sourdough baker, then chances are you are left with a ton of discard that needs to be used up. Turn that gooey mess into delicious holiday chocolate chip cookies. Santa will thank you!
6. Oreo Balls
Oreo Balls (also called truffles, even though they aren’t technically truffles since there is no cream involved) were one of the first sweet treat recipes I have ever made. I was first introduced to them in college and haven’t looked back since.
They feature all of the best flavors of Oreo cookies with a delicious hard white chocolate coating. The best part is that you can decorate the tops to make them as festive as you want.
Top them with red and green sprinkles or colored melting chocolate for a dessert that will look great on any tray you serve. Just don’t be surprised if they are one of the first items to disappear!
7. Peanut Butter Cookies
If chocolate chip cookies aren’t really your thing, then why not try Peanut Butter Cookies? This is my late grandma’s recipe, and it is very simple to make. The result is thick and chewy cookies that pretty much melt in your mouth.
The best part is that they only require a few simple ingredients and just a few minutes to make. Unlike some peanut butter cookie recipes, this dough doesn’t require chilling, so they can be made in a flash.
While peanut butter cookies aren’t maybe the most traditional Christmas sweet treat, they are still a great addition. Just maybe make sure there is no one with peanut allergies at your gathering!
8. Oatmeal Cream Pies – Christmas Goodies
Another non-traditional dessert to add to your holiday dessert table is Oatmeal Cream Pies. They ditch the huge ingredient list that is on processed store-bought oatmeal cream pies by sticking mostly to pantry staple ingredients.
These can be made ahead of time and stored in your refrigerator until you are ready to serve. This helps the cream to set up without turning it hard and stiff. Enjoy the homemade oatmeal cream pies cold or at room temperature when the time comes for serving.
A great part of this recipe is that you can make the oatmeal sandwich cookies as large or as small as you want by varying how much batter you add to the cookie sheet. In addition, you can fill the sandwich cookies as much (or as little if you are a party pooper) as you want!
Hopefully, this list gave you a few ideas to try for your Christmas celebration this holiday season!
Until next time, thanks for stopping by!
– Chelsea
*This post may contain affiliate links. These are products I have used personally and highly recommend. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases if you purchase items through my links. These links and the ads on this page help to support my family and our semi homestead, so Thank You!
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