The Best Holiday Desserts for Christmas

Leave your holiday party without the leftovers!

When it comes to the holidays, the food we prepare and love tends to be outstanding (or so we hope). Guests at our holiday parties should leave feeling full and satisfied (and begging for our recipes--right!?). Empty plates or serving dishes are satisfying for every cook/baker! Leaving with almost as much as you brought is never fun! You want to shine! If you're looking for a dessert that meets fits the bill plus some, we've got you covered!

Finding Good Dessert Recipes

A whole slew of recipes is available at the tips of your fingers! From Pinterest to blogs, there's no shortage of ideas. But, how do you know if a recipe is worth making? The internet is FULL of ideas that don't quite "pan" out (pun intended). Here's a few suggestions to ensure you're picking a good recipe.

What do the reviews say?

Reviews on a recipe are one of the best places to find honest feedback. Did the recipe turn out as expected? Did a lot of the reviewers have trouble with the instructions? How was the taste? Was the recipe lacking something? Or, did the reviewers tweak the recipe a bit to get better results? All of these answers can typically be found in reviews of a recipe. But, when it comes to a recipe posted recently, you may have trouble getting answers. But, keep reading for more tips on how to spot the good ones!

Have you had success from this source before?

When you find a good recipe on a blog, for example, you are more likely to return for more recipes and ideas, right?! Other bakers and cooks are no different! Look for blogs with high traffic and high numbers of comments on posts. Ask your friends and neighbors about their favorite cooking and baking blogs! You'll be sure to get honest feedback from experienced sources! And most important of all, if you find a good blog, bookmark it! Return and try other recipes. Yes, some sites may be a one hit wonder when it comes to the recipe department, but more often then not this method of searching for delicious dessert recipes will lead to a plethora of delicious delectables!

How much experience does the author have?

Is the author of this recipe new to baking or cooking? You might want to think twice. Yes, this recipe could be a diamond in the rough or the best thing since sliced bread, but without reviews from others, we recommend looking for other tried and true options before trying an unverified experiment. When you're crunched for time around the holidays, you don't have time to start a new recipe if the first one doesn't turn out! Don't put yourself in a bind, find a source that has had a lot of experience! Find a source that is known and loved by many!

Top 5 Routes for "The Best Holiday Desserts for Christmas"

1. Our Best Bite's Sticky Toffee Pudding This recipe is sure to impress your holiday guests! Traditionally found on tables in Great Britain, this dessert is reminiscent of a warm, rich caramel or brown sugar flavor! Serve it as is or with ice cream! Our favorite is serving the sticky toffee pudding warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. The ice cream gets just a little melty (and who can resist that!?).
2. Mel's Kitchen Cafe White Velvet Sugar Cookies This recipe definitely made our list! What's a more traditional holiday recipe than sugar cookies? Trust us when we say that this recipe will knock your socks off! The smooth texture of this cookie combined with the perfect (not too sugary) frosting will have you forgetting that other sugar cookie recipes exist! Our favorite way to serve this recipe? Use this sugar cookie recipe for mini fruit pizzas! Add mandarin oranges, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, or other fruits to the top! Get creative and put the fruit in the shape of Christmas trees or wreaths (kiwi is an excellent choice if you need a green fruit!).
3. Pioneer Woman's Apple Dumplings This recipe will impress even the toughest critics and require very little effort! Forget complicated apple dumpling recipes, this recipe is an award winner in our books because it tastes like you made if from scratch but can be accomplished by even the most "unseasoned" (yes, pun intended--again) novice. This dessert choice is also AMAZING served with vanilla bean ice cream! And lemon-lime soda (like Sprite or 7-up) can be substituted for the Mountain Dew for those who would rather skip the caffeine.
4. Taste and Tell's Turtle Cheesecake Cookie Bars These bars combine chocolate, cheesecake, and decadent caramel which will leave your guests wishing you had made more! And, what's more holiday-esque than turtles?
5. The Girl Who Ate Everything's Fruit Salsa with Baked Cinnamon Chips This salsa is absolutely addicting! And you can feel free to indulge because it's fruit (Mostly. We're going to just forget about the sugar because the fruit cancels it out, right?!). A light dessert like this can be the perfect addition to a holiday table. The holidays bring plenty of heavy fare (which is absolutely delicious--and we're not complaining) but sometimes you just need something lighter to cleanse your pallet!