90+ Last-Minute Christmas Cookie and Dessert Ideas

Author:
Stephen Kelly
Updated date:
Dec 19, 2022 1:25 AM EST

Christmas-themed decorated sugar cookies

The Best Christmas Desserts for the Holiday Season

It's that time of year when families come together for the holidays, and holiday baking is one of those classic pastimes that everyone loves and enjoys! Whether you're decorating sugar cookies, baking gingerbread men or creating clever and festive gifts for friends and loved ones, this visual guide has all the ideas you need to make your Christmas season complete. Read on for inspiration, recipes and more!

To kick things off, check out the video recipe below for the most delicious sugar cookie recipe ever. Then, scroll on for decorating inspiration!

Check out these lovely Christmas tree sugar cookies! Bake and cool sugar cookies. With royal icing, pipe a dam around the edges, then fill with icing and smooth. When set, pipe a royal icing or gel tree. Add star. Let set. Looks easy!

These easy, soft and chewy sugar cookies are so easy and so delicious, you may never want to go through the fuss of classic sugar cookies again! | Collected from Pinterest

Snowman and Christmas lights sugar cookies

Make Christmas Cupcakes for a Delightfully Festive Treat

Cupcakes are a delightful treat to enjoy throughout the year, and cupcakes decorated for the Christmas season are a fun and festive way to celebrate.

Below is a video recipe for Christmas cupcakes (16–18 total per batch) with vanilla buttercream.

Gorgeous Christmas cupcake with buttercream frosting and half wreath decoration

Christmas Cake Pops

Cake pops are a fun twist on the real thing, and the flavor can be modified and the pops decorated to suit your holiday needs.

The cake pops in the video recipe below are made with a yellow cake box mix and white chocolate chips melted with heavy cream (yum!).

Classic Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread cookies are a classic holiday staple. The ginger flavor reminds us of winter, decorating gingerbread houses and enjoying time with family. Making fun shapes (including gingerbread men) only adds to the fun!

The cookies in the video recipe below are made with a delicious combination of brown sugar, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla, molasses and more!

Gingerbread and candy cane sugar cookies

A selection of Christmas cookies – Santa Claus, snowmen and candy canes

Angels and candy cane gingerbread cookies

Gingerbread cocoa cookies with candy canes

Gingerbread, Santa Claus and snowman cookies

Yummy Scandinavian-style gingerbread cookies

Melted Snowman Cookies

These melted snowmen are almost too cute to eat! The marshmallow's placement on top makes the snowman appear to be 'melting', although the cookies themselves can be baked to the desired consistency (crunchy or melting in your mouth).

Keep scrolling for more adorable and festive snowman dessert ideas!

Elegant snowman cookie with black and white scarf

Snowman mitten cookie ornaments for the Christmas tree

Rudolph Reindeer Bark and More Fun Reindeer-Themed Ideas

Reindeer bark is a simple and delicious holiday treat that's easy to make without the hassle of other holiday snacks and baked goods. The video recipe below uses chocolate almond bark, mini pretzels, M&M's, candy eyeballs and a candy cane.

You can also make Rudolph cupcakes and cookies – keep scrolling for more inspiration!

Christmas treat made from reindeer cookie cutter

Here's a super quick tutorial to learn how to make these gorgeous Oreo cookie ornaments! All you need are Oreo cookies (obviously!), white melted chocolate, sprinkles and a Hershey's top!

Keep scrolling for more fun ways to use Oreo cookies this Christmas season!

Even More Fun and Simple Christmas-Themed Treats

To round out this list of awesome Christmas treat ideas, I've included some simpler (but still adorable) desserts, such as cocoa cones, festive marshmallows, Christmas donuts and more!