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44 of the best Christmas dessert recipes

All your festive favourites including trifle, pavlova, puddings and more!
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The festive season is upon us, and what better way to unwind after a long, arduous year than with a decadent spread of Christmas desserts. Following the mains and sides, were you planning to serve up a show-stopping trifle or is a classic pavlova more up your ally?

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If you’re planning your baking now and want some more Christmas dessert ideas, we’ve got you covered. Here are our 44 best recipes for Christmas desserts that will impress all your guests, from boozy Christmas puddings to decadent cheesecakes and more.

Our top 41 Christmas desserts

(Credits: (Photography Tim Roberts; styling Lucy Busuttil; recipes Jessica Brook and Sarah Murphy; food preparation Ismat Awan and Tamika O’Neill))

Inspired by candy cane lollies, these shortbread cookies are the perfect gift to give this Christmas. With a hint of mint, it’s perfect with a cup of tea or on its own!

white chocolate mousse cake
(Credits: (Photography Tim Roberts; styling Lucy Busuttil; recipes Jessica Brook and Sarah Murphy; food preparation Ismat Awan and Tamika O’Neill))

Bring a white Christmas into your home with this delicious white chocolate Christmas mousse cake. It tastes as good as it looks!

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(Credits: (Photography Tim Roberts; styling Lucy Busuttil; recipes Jessica Brook and Sarah Murphy; food preparation Ismat Awan and Tamika O’Neill))

Everybody loves receiving sweet treats for Christmas and these santa hat and bauble cupcakes are sure to be a hit!

Macadamia and chocolate are a match made in heaven, so add them into a flourless torte with honeycomb pieces and you have a dessert to marvel at!

roulade dessert

There’s a reason this sour cherry and almond roulade was the Editor’s pick from the December issue! Encased by a deliciously sweet and crispy meringue is a fluffy amaretto (or cointreau) cream and fresh berry compote. It’s like a flavour explosion in your mouth and an absolute winner at the dinner table.

wreath dessert

Create this ahh-worthy marvel for a show-stopping moment at the Christmas table this year with this deliciously gorgeous wreath dessert.

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(Photography Tim Roberts; styling Lucy Busuttil; recipes Jessica Brook and Sarah Murphy; food preparation Ismat Awan and Tamika O’Neill)

Make your Christmas desserts an absolute showstopper this year with these gorgeous mini coconut Christmas trees. They’re easy to make and would look so cute as a present.

christmas crack
(Photography Tim Roberts; styling Lucy Busuttil; recipes Jessica Brook and Sarah Murphy; food preparation Ismat Awan and Tamika O’Neill)

This chocolate caramel Christmas crack will win over even the pickiest eaters. Made with a perfect combination of crispy salada biscuits, chocolate and caramel, they’ll make perfect gifts for loved ones.

mini fruit cakes christmas
(Photography Tim Roberts; styling Lucy Busuttil; recipes Jessica Brook and Sarah Murphy; food preparation Ismat Awan and Tamika O’Neill)

One of the most popular Christmas desserts is fruit cake, and making these mini versions as gifts for your guests is an idea that they’ll thank you for. Spread cheer with these moist, delicious and fun mini fruit cakes.

Chocolate mousse trifle in half log of tempered chocolate with fruit on top
(Photography: Rob Palmer)

10

Double chocolate mousse trifle

You can’t beat this stunningly decadent take on a traditional trifle! A homemade chocolate case is filled with white chocolate custard, sponge, fruit, jelly and nuts – what’s not to love?

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Pavlova cheesecake best christmas dessert with fruit on top and passionfruit

11

Pavlova cheesecake

There are so many ways to make pavlova, but if you’re after a show-stopping dish to impress your guests, look no further.

Christmas fruitcake with sparkler in it and icing on outside

12

Christmas fruitcake

Give your traditional fruitcake a speccy makeover. Decorate with sparklers and pretty sprigs from the garden, wrapping the stems in foil.

choco-caramel popcorn ice cream cake with lit sparkler in it and dripping caramel dessert recipes

13

Choco-caramel popcorn icecream cake

Cake-it-away with this ice-cream dream. Turn a tub of yum into lolly-filled layers of amazing – and it’s so easy!

christmas dessert recipe wreath made of biscuit pudding and cherries on top

14

World’s easiest Christmas pudding wreath

If making a traditional Christmas pudding or fruitcake is too time consuming, this incredibly simple but delicious dessert is the answer to your seasonal prayers.

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christmas tree pavlova dessert recipe with strawberries on top and icing sugar

15

Pavlova Christmas tree

If you normally opt for a classic circular-shaped pav, how about giving the Christmas centrepiece a merry, tree-shaped makeover?

NO BAKE MANGO CHEESECAKE with mango twirled into circles on top

16

Mango no-bake cheesecake tart

When you’re looking for an easy dessert to bake this Christmas… don’t. Bake, that is! You should definitely make dessert, just don’t turn on the oven, as it’s not needed for this terrific mango tart.

Berries and cream mille-feuille best christmas dessert recipes

17

Berries and cream mille-feuille

Give your Christmas cake a summer makeover with berries, ice-cream and flaky pastry.

steamed pudding with dripping icing and joy decoration sticking out of the top

18

Classic steamed pudding

Love a traditional Christmas pudding? Your search is over. Serve your perfectly turned-out pudding drizzled with creme anglaise – which is the fancy way to say homemade pouring custard.

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christmas dessert recipe pavlova with star shaped watermelon and gold honeycomb

19

Watermelon star pavlova with rosewater cream

This modern twist on the classic pav will be the crowning glory of your dessert table. Cut watermelon slices into stars using different-sized cutters for a nice festive touch.

Rum-soaked fig, ginger and white chocolate ice-cream

20

Rum-soaked fig, ginger and white chocolate ice-cream

Serve up this sophisticated sweet this year that takes ice‑cream to dizzying new heights.

pina colada trifle with swirls of jam scrolls and tropical fruit on top of best christmas dessert

21

Pina colada trifle

Give your favourite dessert a pina-colada cocktail-inspired taste twist with coconut-flavoured cream, pineapple jelly, fresh fruit and toasted coconut flakes.

choc cake on cooling rack with chocolate dripping down sides and shards of chocolate

22

Cranberry chocolate crunch bundt cake

This spectacular sweet is easy to achieve with a ring-shaped mould and shards of chocolate.

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Coffee and fig fruit cakes on dessert plates with icecream and a fig on the side

23

Coffee and fig fruit cakes

Get in quick! These rich, snowflake-shaped cakes won’t last long.

best dessert christmas recipe semifreddo made of chocolate and raspberries on top

24

Chocolate semifreddo with raspberries and honeycomb

Ice-cream lovers will devour this decadent chilled dark-chocolate semifreddo.

Chocolate cherry brand yule log on white plate

25

Chocolate cherry and brandy yule log

Layered with cake, jam, cream, icing and chocolate bark. We’re drooling.

Easy pavlova with crushed honeycomb and lots of fruit on the top

26

Cheat’s pavlova

Create your own masterpiece on a shop-bought meringue base. Talk about minimal effort, maximum impact!

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Dark chocolate, fig and spiced rum cakes

27

Dark chocolate, fig and spiced rum cakes

Shards of chocolate resembling tree bark surround cakes full of spiced, rum-soaked prunes, raisins and figs. 

Grand marnier ganache-filled Christmas pudding

28

Grand Marnier ganache-filled Christmas pudding

Bake a ganache ball – made with chocolate and cream – in your Guinness-flavoured pud for a rich, gooey, to-die-for dessert.

Mango ice cream cake with cream and swirl of mango on the top

29

Mango ice-cream cake

Divinely decadent, this Weiss Bar-inspired cake uses mango sorbet and macadamia ice cream – made by you – topped with Rafaello balls. Wow!

Luxe dessert platter with crackers, fruit, chocolate, nuts and mini desserts

30

Luxe dessert platter

A divine dessert spread is as easy as fresh fruit, nuts and indulgent choccies, teamed with sweet cheat’s tarts and pavs. Amazing!

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Summer fruit cheesecake with lemon ginger crust

31

Summer fruit cheesecake with lemon ginger crust

It may look elaborate, but this no-bake cheesecake is easy to make and exciting to decorate.

best christmas dessert recipes paris-brest with halo of spun sugar

32

Paris-Brest with plums and honey mascarpone

An elegant addition to your Christmas table, this dessert will have everyone talking.

Mini lime pies with white tempered chocolate shards sticking out of it

33

Mini lime pies

Add your own festive flair to this famous dessert. You just add white chocolate swooshes to custard-filled, cream-topped pies to give them wings!  

strawberry bundt cakes with fairy floss decorations

34

Mini strawberry yoghurt bundt cakes

Piled with fairy floss and rose petals, these bite-sized bundt cakes have all the grace and style of beautiful swooshing dancing dresses.

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best christmas desserts cakes shaped as drums with choc cherry filling

35

Mini spiced choc-cherry ripple cakes

These luscious mini drums make for the most delicious beats around! The tiny drumsticks are edible, too.

Choc-caramel rocky road pavlova

36

Choc-caramel rocky road pavlova

Loaded with classic rocky road flavours and textures, this is your most divine pavlova ever. The choc-caramel shard toppers look super fancy but are a cinch – just melt, swirl, roll and crack.

peach trifle in glass trifle container with nuts sprinkled on top

37

Fruit cake and peach trifle

The hero ingredients for a luxe trifle with a twist could be hiding in your fridge and pantry! 

Christmas ice-cream sandwiches made to look like mince pies

38

Festive ice-cream sandwiches

These bite-sized beauties are styled for a white Christmas but designed for warm-weather festivities.

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Berry tiramisu with pumpkin seeds, strawberries and cream on top

39

Berry tiramisu

Serve your guests a very merry and berry Christmas with this decadent dessert, layered up with bikkies, berries, jam and cream. Flavour with Chambord for adults only, or go PG with cherry juice.

christmas kahlua chocolate tart with cherries

40

Christmas kalua and chocolate tart

A naughty but oh-so-nice Noël tart that chocolate lovers will rejoice over! Make the crust from store-bought bickies for a smart shortcut.

mini pavlovas in the shape of christmas trees with cashous and a raspberry on top

41

Mini pavlova Christmas trees

Turn your Christmas dessert into a whimsical masterpiece with these mini pavlova Christmas trees.

Ice cream pie sprinkled with mint leaves and cashous

42

Tangy passionfruit and lemon meringue ice cream pie

Put a twist on lemon meringue and turn it into an ice cream pie.

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ginger-mango-cheesecake in long log with mango strips on top and christmas tablescape

43

Ginger, mango and honey cheesecake

A dreamy dessert to star on your table topped with ribbons of mango and crumbled pistachios!

burnt-butter-christmas-pudding

44

Frozen burnt brandy butter Christmas pudding

Scoop your way to the coolest dessert of the season with brandy-infused fruit, ice-cream and shards of toffee and honeycomb!

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