The perfect Christmas dessert doesn’t have to stop at cookies. Mix things up with an array of chocolatey, pepperminty, and unique sweet treats the whole family will love!
Even though my family prepares a huge Christmas dinner every year (prime rib and beef tenderloin are my personal favorites), we somehow always have room for dessert. Sometimes we keep things simple with eggnog or hot chocolate simmering on the stovetop and a tray of freshly baked Christmas cookies. And other years we switch things up and make a fluffy chocolate mousse or a creamy custard topped with fresh fruit. Needless to say, there’s no one right way to celebrate the holidays when it comes to sweets. So, I’ve rounded up all the Christmas desserts I’ve made over the years, and hope you find some inspiration on what to make for you and your family!
No bake cookies: I almost always make a batch of these no bake cookies with my family. They’re chewy, chocolatey, and no oven is required. A true Christmas cookie staple.
Rice pudding: My mom always made us rice pudding for the holidays, so this is a special holiday dessert for me. It’s ultra-creamy, perfectly spiced, and we love ours topped with raisins or cranberries.
Affogato: If you have an espresso machine, affogato is the easiest dessert to serve for a crowd. Hot espresso meets cold vanilla ice cream for the dreamiest two-ingredient treat.
Flourless chocolate cake: This easy cake is always a winner for Christmas dessert. It’s rich and chocolatey, yet has a soft texture you won’t find in other recipes. A true Downshiftology special!
Custard: I love serving custard with an array of seasonal fresh fruit toppings. It’s also wonderful drizzled on my flourless chocolate cake.
Panna cotta: For another custardy dessert idea, my family LOVES this panna cotta with macerated strawberries. It’s silky smooth and melts right in your mouth.
Almond cake: When you don’t know what cake to make, this almond cake is always an amazing dessert option. It’s incredibly easy and lightly sweet, which leaves it open for any topping you’d like to add. You can even top it with my coconut whipped cream and berries.
Chocolate pots de creme: These little ramekins of chocolate pots de creme feel gourmet, but are surprisingly easy to make! Plus, you can prep these a day in advance, so no extra cooking is required on Christmas Day.
Gluten-free chocolate chip cookies: These gluten-free chocolate chip cookies are a must make Christmas dessert idea. And the good news is that they always come out soft yet crispy. They’ll fool anyone who’s not gluten-free!
Tapioca pudding: The kiddos will love this tapioca pudding! All you need are six simple ingredients to form the creamiest pudding with perfectly chewy tapioca balls. And yes, this dessert can easily be made ahead of time.
Healthy oatmeal cookies: If you have oatmeal cookie lovers around, you have to give these oatmeal cookies a try. They’re naturally sweetened, perfectly soft, and made with ingredients you can feel good about. Perfect after a hearty dinner!
Chocolate truffle tart: Think of this dessert as a rich Belgian chocolate truffle, in tart form! It’s made up of three delicious layers, including a crumbly chocolate crust, a smooth chocolate ganache filling, and a silky chocolate glaze.
Mint chocolate mousse cake: If you want to go all out, this mint chocolate mousse cake will surely steal hearts this Christmas. The layers of chocolate cake and mint chocolate mousse is SO good.
Vegan caramel cheesecake: This vegan caramel cheesecake or mint chocolate vegan cheesecake would be amazing Christmas dessert options. So delicious, no one would even know they’re completely dairy-free!
Paleo chocolate cake: Planning to make a chocolate cake? It has to be this chocolate cake, which is one of my top-rated desserts on the site—and for good reason! It’s a triple-layered chocolate cake with the best homemade chocolate buttercream frosting.
Brownie trifle: This brownie trifle is always a showstopper and great for a big party. It’s made from layers of rich chocolate brownies, blended chocolate chia mousse, and homemade whipped cream.
Chocolate chia pudding: If you want a healthy twist for dessert, this chocolate chia pudding is always a crowd favorite in my house. Plus, you can prep it several days in advance! Then, top it with fresh berries for a festive touch.
Peppermint truffles: Another great way to enjoy a Christmas peppermint dessert is with these peppermint truffles. They’re rich, creamy, and only require four ingredients!
Candied orange peel: Make the most of citrus season with these candied orange peels! I also love to make a batch of candied ginger, and give both out as edible gifts—hint, hint.
Eggnog chia pudding: If you have leftover eggnog, make this eggnog chia pudding! It’s a fun little way to enjoy eggnog, in dessert form.
Pear pomegranate crisp: It’s the perfect combination of sweet, fruity pomegranate and pears, and cinnamon, cardamom crunch. A holiday twist to a warm crumble! Just don’t forget to serve it with vanilla ice cream on top before serving.
Raspberry souffle: For a bright pop of red, this raspberry souffle is perfect. It’s light and fluffy, perfectly sweet, and a lot easier to make than you think. The only trick with a soufflé is to serve it up immediately, as it’ll start to deflate a minute or so after being removed from the oven.
If you make any of these Christmas desserts, I’d love to hear how they turned out in the comment box below! Your review really helps give confidence to other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Description
Enjoy this amazing list of Christmas desserts the whole family will love, including this chocolate pots de crème for the most luxurious (yet easy to make) dessert. Watch how it comes together in the video below!
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Heat the cream. Add the heavy cream and milk to a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk occasionally until it just starts to simmer with bubbles along the edges, then remove from the heat.
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Temper the eggs. Whisk the egg yolks in a medium bowl. While continuously whisking, very slowly pour half of the hot cream mixture into the bowl. Don’t pour too fast or the eggs will curdle. Return the tempered egg mixture to the saucepan and stir together over medium-low heat for about 2 minutes, or until the custard is slightly thickened. Turn off the heat.
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Add the chocolate. Add the chopped chocolate, espresso powder (if using), and salt to the custard. Let the chocolate melt for a minute, then whisk until it’s completely smooth.
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Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a separate bowl (or measuring bowl with a pour spout), to remove any clumps and bubbles.
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Pour and chill. Pour the custard into six 4-ounce ramekins and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
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Serve. When ready to serve, let the pots de crème stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, to soften slightly. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
- Because I’m using semisweet chocolate (around 64%), there’s no need for any extra sugar. If you prefer bittersweet chocolate (around 70%) I’d recommend whisking 2 to 3 tablespoons of coconut sugar (or any other granulated sugar) with the egg yolks before tempering with the hot cream.
- If your pots de crème aren’t firming up, it’s because you didn’t simmer the custard long enough on the stove before adding the chocolate. Two minutes on medium-low for me is perfect on a large burner, but if your heat is slightly lower or if you’re using a smaller burner, you may need a bit more time. Always go by texture—the custard should change from more liquidy with bubbles (leftover from whisking), to creamier and slightly thickened with almost no bubbles. Make sure to also watch the video above, where you can see the thickness of the custard when I add the chocolate on top of it. Hope that helps!
Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 213mg | Sodium: 133mg | Potassium: 279mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 879IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 2mg
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