Recipes Holidays and Events Recipes Christmas Desserts I Asked 5 Pro Bakers for Their Favorite Holiday Dessert—These Are The 9 They Swear By You’ll want to save these for the upcoming holiday season. By Victoria Soliz Victoria Soliz Victoria Soliz is an Editorial Apprentice at Allrecipes. They are a talented writer with a personal connection to Hispanic culture and food. She has a wide range of experience from working at Drake Magazine and previous internships. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Published on November 29, 2024 Close Photo: ALLRECIPES / DIANA CHISTRUGA The holidays are in full swing! Whether you’re hosting the family or heading out of town for the festivities, we're sure there is some baking happening along the way. While we're big proponents of using store-bought shortcuts to make holidays easier, there's something special about making a homemade dessert for—and with—your family members. Even professional bakers who spend all day in the kitchen swear by homemade treats. I asked five professional bakers for their favorite holiday desserts. Here are the nine they're always bringing to get-togethers. Our Panel of Baking Experts Juliana Hale, a recipe tester and developer at Dotdash Meredith Emily Nienhaus, a culinary specialist and recipe developer at Dotdash Meredith Julia Levy, a recipe tester and developer at Dotdash Meredith Susan Reid, a chef and wrtier of The Well Plated Life Laura Kanya, a freelance recipe developer and tester 01 of 10 Crusted Cinnamon Walnuts If you're in need of an easy holiday gift, Hale recommends our Crusted Cinnamon Walnuts recipe. While she usually uses lavender spices for her candy-coated walnuts, she says, "Any spiced nut recipe would be great for gifting, or to put out for nibbling when you have family and guests." View Recipe Save 02 of 10 Quick Cinnamon Rolls ALLRECIPES / ABBEY LITTLEJOHN Imagine: it's Christmas morning and everybody is gathered around to open their presents while the smell of warm cinnamon wafts through the air. What could it be other than a batch of ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls? With our quick recipe, you'll spend more time with your family and friends rather than in the kitchen. View Recipe Save 03 of 10 Hot Cocoa Mix Oana Ennis/Allrecipes "I like to give homemade hot cocoa mix as gifts during the holidays," Levy says. This recipe makes 15 cups of hot cocoa mix, so you can divide it into Mason jars, add a festive bow, and give the gift of warm, creamy hot chocolate all season long. View Recipe Save 04 of 10 Saltine Cracker Toffee ALLRECIPES / DIANA CHISTRUGA Kanya swears by our Saltine Cracker Toffee recipe—and with more than 1,100 5-star reviews, she's not the only one. "I have made this for two years now at Christmas time. I am a lazy baker/candy maker. This is the EASIEST recipe and it is delicious just like what you buy at a department store. Wonderful toffee," says reviewer gtollinda. View Recipe Save 05 of 10 Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Dianne Sometimes, you just can't beat the classics, which is why Kanya loves to add these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies to her holiday cookie plate. They're deliciously chocolatey and are sure to disappear in minutes. View Recipe Save 06 of 10 Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Sure, you could make regular sugar cookies that everybody will know and love, but Reid recommends trying out this version that adds fluffy cream cheese to the dough. They'll have a soft and chewy texture when baked and the dough makes them perfect for cutting out those festive shapes. View Recipe Save 07 of 10 Best Brownies Kim If you want to elevate your regular ol' brownie and get into the festive spirit, Reid recommends making peppermint patty-stuffed brownies. Simply layer peppermint patties into the center of your brownie mix. Then, once baked, top the decadent dessert with crushed candy canes for an extra bit of mintiness. View Recipe Save 08 of 10 Gingerbread Cookies Nika Oh, gingerbread. The magnum opus of holiday bakes. Kanya loves to bake these traditional cookies, but she also recommends swapping out the spices for pumpkin pie spice and decorating with candied ginger for a new flavor. View Recipe Save 09 of 10 Lemon Meringue Cheesecake Dotdash Meredith Food Studios "I think cheesecake is the unsung, surefire holiday dessert," Reid says—and Kanya can't help but agree. While this lemon meringue-topped cheesecake may be slightly unconventional for the holidays, it's a nice way to bring a tart flavor to the otherwise sweet dessert table. View Recipe Save 10 of 10 More Inspiration Allrecipes Magazine 15 No-Bake Christmas Desserts for When Your Oven is Tired 15 Make-Ahead Christmas Desserts to Sweeten Your Holidays Our 20 Best Christmas Pie Recipes of All Time Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit