These chic Christmas dessert recipes will make hosting a breeze
Christmas dessert doesn't just mean Christmas pudding; there's a host of delicious desserts you can create to finish any festive feast on a high note.
If you're planning a no-holds-barred big day this year, offering a couple of different (equally chic) desserts is key. Pair a no-chocolate option like our limoncello lemon meringue pie with an indulgent yet ridiculously easy mince pie tiramisu to make feeding a crowd with varying tastes easy.
For Christmas parties, a cocktail-inspired pavlova with plenty of make-ahead elements is a go-to for us. Or, for even more drama, try a sky-high croquembouche with our cheat's tips to make it easy.
If you're of the mind that Christmas isn't really Christmas without mince pies and Christmas cake, we've got stellar recipes for these festive mainstays too. Read on for more festive pudding inspiration...
Looking for more Christmas recipes? Try our collection of the best Christmas starters.
Best Christmas dessert recipes
Cheat's croquembouche
If a show-stopping centrepiece requiring surprisingly little effort is what you're after this Christmas, our cheat's version of an impressive croquembouche is what you need. We've used chocolate gold stars and caramel for decoration, but you could use white chocolate and cranberries for a frostier look.
Homemade Viennetta
This homemade version of everyone's favourite retro dessert is a real crowdpleaser and the perfect make-ahead pudding option. Just remember to take it out of the freezer around 15 minutes before you want to serve it to ensure the ice cream isn't too hard to eat.
Mince pie tiramisu
Looking for a last-minute festive pudding idea? This easy mince pie tiramisu is just the thing. Made with ready-made mince pies, mascarpone and a touch of rum, it's easy to throw together for Christmassy dinner parties or as an alternative to more traditional puddings on the big day.
Panettone bread and butter pudding
Give a festive twist to traditional bread and butter pudding by using slices of fragrant panettone. We've added a sprinkling of milk chocolate chunks for extra indulgence, but you could replace these with raisins, cranberries or white chocolate if you prefer.
Passionfruit martini pavlova
A cocktail-inspired pavlova is the ultimate festive party pudding. It looks gorgeous on the table and the zesty flavours provide some much-needed freshness after a rich meal. For extra pizzazz, serve alongside some actual passionfruit martinis.
Chocolate orange tiramisu pudding
Swap traditional Christmas pudding for this Italian-inspired chocolate orange tiramisu. There's plenty of table-side drama with this pudding – crack through the dark chocolate shell with a spoon to reveal layers of fresh mandarin, mascarpone cream and mocha-dipped sponge fingers.
Mini cinnamon doughnuts
A joy for both grown-ups and any smaller guests this Christmas, these dinky cinnamon sugar-dipped doughnuts are an easy win for feeding a crowd. They're delicious on their own, but for that Christmas market feeling they're fabulous dunked into a hazelnut chocolate sauce.
Ferrero Rocher cake
Finish any meal in style with layers of velvety chocolate cake and moreish hazelnut icing. Inspired by Ferrero Rocher chocolates and topped with the quintessential Christmas treat, it's perfect for the season's party atmosphere.
Irish cream liqueur, gingerbread and chocolate tart
This pretty chocolate tart involves no cooking whatsoever, making it a great choice if you're after an easy, indulgent pudding idea. Made with spicy ginger nut biscuits, chocolate and Irish cream liqueur, it's ideal for grown-up celebrations alongside a little digestif.
Limoncello lemon meringue pie
Inspired by London restaurant Gloria Trattoria's famous lemon meringue pie with its towering mound of fluffy meringue, this fun pudding is far easier to achieve than it looks. To amp up the Christmas vibes, we've added a lick of limoncello into the curd.
Chocolate orange yule log
In our experience, a chocolate yule log is always welcome in the festive pudding line up. This one is pretty classic with the delicious addition of chocolate orange in the ganache, and candied orange pieces for a pop of bright citrus sweetness in the garnish.
Aperol Christmas cake
Update a classic Christmas cake by switching out the usual brandy with peppy Aperol and maraschino cherries. If you're looking to get prepared ahead of the big day, you'll need to mature the cake for two weeks to get the most out of this simple, flavourful recipe.
Espresso martini ice cream
Our espresso martini ice cream is the perfect sweet morsel to finish a meal. It's no-churn, which means it's really easy to make and you can prep it ahead of time. For extra flair, add a shot of espresso to make a delicious affogato.
Homemade mince pies
Is it really even Christmas without a batch of mince pies? Warm them in the oven and serve with dollops of brandy butter or fresh double cream for the simplest of festive puddings.
Spiced chocolate tart with whisky caramel
This no-bake tart is made with a moreish spiced coconut chocolate filling with a grown-up whisky caramel. Use your creative side to decorate – we love drizzled milk chocolate with flecks of gold.
Espresso martini cake
Take inspiration from the Italian post-meal espresso tradition with this coffee-laden espresso martini cake. The sponge is spiked with a coffee liqueur syrup, making it extra moist and delicious.
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