Top Christmas Baking Recipes to Delight Family & Guests

If you start Christmas baking the moment the calendar flips from Halloween, you’re in the right place. I’ve gathered my family’s favorite holiday baking recipes all in one convenient collection. You’ll find everything from classic cookies and festive squares to cakes, pies, breads, muffins and more. Whether you need ideas for a Christmas baking platter, treats for a party, or desserts for holiday dinner, these recipes will make your season sweeter.

If holiday baking is your thing, get ready for a season full of fun and delicious smells. These recipes will help you build an impressive baking tray, create thoughtful edible gifts, or finish a holiday meal with a memorable dessert. They’re tried-and-true family favorites that work well for cookie exchanges, gift tins, and festive gatherings.

Christmas Cookies & Treats

Here are a variety of cookies and small treats perfect for holiday baking and sharing.

📋 Christmas Almond Pinwheel Cookie Recipe

Festive red, white, and green pinwheel cookies with a distinct almond flavor—great for cookie platters, swaps, and edible gifts.

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📋 Raspberry Jam Cookie Recipe

Classic thumbprint cookies filled with raspberry preserves and brown sugar for extra depth—comforting and nostalgic.

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📋 Gingerbread Yule Log Cookies Recipe

Soft gingerbread rolled with Nutella and lime for a festive yule log cookie—perfect for exchanges and edible gifts.

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📋 Chocoholic Chocolate Squares Recipe

Ultra-chocolatey squares that taste like an elevated brownie—easy to make and always a crowd-pleaser.

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📋 Gingerbread Lime Christmas Squares Recipe

Spicy gingerbread squares balanced with bright lime and a festive sprinkle of green for holiday trays.

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📋 Gingerbread Almond Snowball Cookies Recipe

Also called Mexican wedding cookies or Russian tea cakes—light, buttery balls rolled in powdered sugar for a wintery touch.

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Matrimonial Cake Recipe (Date Slice)

A Canadian classic: creamy date filling sandwiched between an oatmeal crumble base and topping—perfect for holiday platters.

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📋 Red Velvet Christmas Brownie Balls Recipe

Festive red velvet brownie bites—make from scratch or from mix for a quick, pretty addition to any dessert tray.

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📋 Thumbprint Butter Tart Cookies

Pecan sugar cookies filled with a gooey butter tart filling—swap raisins for pecans if you prefer.

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📋 Terry’s Chocolate Orange Wedge Cookies recipe

Wedge-shaped cookies made with dark and original chocolate orange—great for chocolate orange lovers.

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📋 Jewelled Holiday Biscotti recipe (with cranberry and pistachio)

Cranberry and pistachio biscotti that look and taste festive—perfect for gifts and cookie exchanges.

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📋 Mocha Eggnog Cheesecake Bar Recipe

Eggnog, toffee bits, coffee and cream cheese on an Oreo crust—rich bars ideal for holiday trays.

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📋 Whipped Shortbread Cookies (with cornstarch) recipe

Four-ingredient shortbread made with cornstarch, melt-in-your-mouth and quick to prepare.

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📋 White Chocolate Raspberry Jam Cookies Recipe

White chocolate and raspberry jam combine for an elegant, easy cookie—great for holiday platters.

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📋 No Chill Gingerbread Cookie Recipe

A quick gingerbread recipe that requires no chilling—ideal for kids and last-minute baking.

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📋 Best Butter Tart Recipe

An easy butter tart with a gooey filling, ready in under 20 minutes when using store-bought shells, with an optional pecan variation.

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Best gingerbread house recipe

A sturdy, delicious gingerbread house recipe that’s easy to build and holds up well for decorating.

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Christmas Baked Desserts

📋 Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake (with leftover cranberry sauce) Recipe

A show-stopping coffee cake made with leftover cranberry sauce, pecans, sour cream and a vanilla coffee glaze topped with candied cranberries.

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📋 Black Forest Yule Log Cake recipe

A classic black forest bûche de Noël with cherries, whipped cream and a chocolate swiss roll, finished with rich ganache.

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📋 Gingerbread Fruit Christmas Wreath recipe

A gingerbread cookie base layered with chocolate cream cheese, topped with fresh fruit and nuts—beautiful as an edible gift.

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📋 Cranberry Bread Pudding Cheesecake Recipe

A hybrid dessert combining bread pudding, cranberry cheesecake, ricotta and cream cheese with a citrus caramel and toffee crunch.

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📋 Blueberry Gingerbread Cake (with Cookie Butter Filling) Recipe

Layers of gingerbread cake with cookie butter whipped cream, lime zest and fresh berries—an impressive holiday centerpiece.

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📋 Cranberry Christmas Bread Pudding Recipe

A decadent bread pudding with condensed milk, dried cranberries and toffee bits, topped with caramel and orange zest.

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📋 Grand Marnier Cheesecake Recipe

A baked cheesecake flavored with Grand Marnier and chocolate, finished with a glossy chocolate glaze—elegant and rich.

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📋 Maple Pecan Pie Recipe (with Bourbon Whipped Cream)

A rich maple pecan pie paired with bourbon whipped cream—perfect for holiday dinner.

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📋 Butter Tart Cake Recipe

A bundt-style cake swirled with butter tart filling and finished with brown butter maple glaze—an inventive holiday dessert.

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📋 Sweet Potato Pie with Marshmallows Recipe

An easy sweet potato pie that uses mashed sweet potato alternatives for convenience, topped with marshmallow whipped cream.

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📋 Old Fashioned Chocolate Pie Recipe

A classic chocolate pie with a rich pudding filling and whipped cream—simple, timeless and satisfying for chocolate lovers.

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Christmas Breads, Cupcakes & Muffins

📋 Butter Tart Cupcakes recipe

Cupcakes filled with gooey butter tart filling and topped with maple brown butter frosting—decadent and festive.

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📋 Blueberry Gingerbread Loaf Recipe

An award-winning loaf with blueberry and gingerbread flavors finished with a lime glaze—comforting and bright.

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📋 Strawberry Gingerbread Pancake Cupcakes Recipe

A playful breakfast cupcake that combines pancake batter with gingerbread spices and a strawberry Greek yogurt topping.

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📋 Bread Machine Kolach (Ukrainian Bread) Recipe

Traditional braided Kolach made in a bread machine—three stacked loaves are a meaningful part of Ukrainian Christmas Eve supper.

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📋 Cranberry Cornbread Muffins (with leftover cranberry sauce) Recipe

Sweet-and-savory muffins that make great breakfasts, brunches, or make-ahead freezer snacks using leftover cranberry sauce.

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Christmas Baking Snacks

📋 Savory Christmas Snack Mix Recipe

A festive Chex-style mix with red tortilla chips, green pistachios and dill sprinkles—great for parties and edible gifts.

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Food safety

• Don’t use utensils that touched raw eggs on cooked food without washing them first.
• Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw eggs.
• Avoid leaving perishable foods at room temperature for long periods.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Choose oils with a suitable smoke point to reduce harmful compounds.
• Ensure good ventilation when using a gas stove to minimize indoor air pollutants.

Follow local food-safety guidelines for additional details and best practices.

These holiday baking recipes are some of my family’s favorites—whether you’re making cookie trays, edible gifts, or a show-stopping dessert, I hope they bring joy to your holiday baking.