Best Christmas Dessert Ideas from Around the World

Christmas desserts are a fun way to spoil your family and friends on Christmas Day. Choosing the best dessert will help you feel relaxed, organised and ready to celebrate! From cakes to cookies, meringues to tortes, this list has you covered for a relaxing and flavour packed Christmas Day.

Tips to Decide on the Best Christmas Dessert

When choosing your Christmas dessert recipe, it’s a good idea to consider the style and setting for your gathering. This will ensure you and your guests have the best and tastiest experience on the day!

• What season does Christmas fall in in your country? Will you be eating indoors or alfresco? In Australia, our Christmas season is summer, so we often enjoy cooling recipes like our pavlova meringue with whipped cream and fruit as a great way to cool down. If you’re used to a winter White Christmas, you and your guests might enjoy a warming dessert, such as our French pain d’epices, full of holiday spices instead.
• How many people will you be serving? For large groups, it might be easier to make a large dessert you know will feed a crowd. It might be even easier to make it in advance so you have more time to prepare the main course or socialise on the day. See below for more delicious ideas!
• What style of meal will you be having? Will it be for lunch or dinner? A traditional roast or something more modern? Heavy or light? Will you and your guests have room for a big and lavish dessert or prefer something light and refreshing?
• How much time (or energy) will you have on the day to prepare? Sometimes you’ll have plenty of time and helping hands to bring a more intricate dessert together on the day. Other times you might prefer to get the prep and cooking/assembling done the day before, or whip together a 5 minute recipe like eton mess, so you can spend more time relaxing with your guests.

No matter what you’re planning, we’ve sorted this amazing collection of Christmas desserts into categories to help you choose the best one to suit your Christmas Day plans!

Christmas Desserts from Around the World

Serve a crowd:

Easy Australian Pavlova Recipe

This EASY Australian Pavlova recipe is all about that crunchy, chewy meringue shell and soft, pillowy marshmallow centre. Have the meringue base in the oven in just 15 minutes! Includes recipe video, step-by-step instructions and creative topping ideas.

Check out this recipe

Bolo Rei (Portuguese Christmas Kings Cake)

A lightly spiced, fluffy Christmas cake filled with fruit and nuts. A speciality in Portugal, Bolo Rei or Portuguese Kings Cake, is super easy to bake at home, so get ready to make your Kings Cake "crown" this holiday season!

Check out this recipe

Chocolate Spice Meringue Pavlova Torte

Meringue pavlova torte is an impressive holiday dessert recipe, made with layers of chocolate spiced meringue, whipped cream, and mulled cranberry compote.

Check out this recipe

Super Easy Australian Trifle with Custard

A simple, traditional trifle for busy cooks. Perfect for celebrations or Christmas, we've made this quick, easy and hassle free. Loaded with custard, cream and iconic port wine jelly for an Australian trifle to impress!

Check out this recipe

Make in advance:

Coconut Milk Pumpkin Pie

Enjoy this dairy-free take on a classic American Thanksgiving dessert. Made with fresh pumpkin and warming spices, Coconut Milk Pumpkin Pie is deliciously easy to make, ready to pop in the oven in 10 minutes!

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Strawberry Shortcake cake – Japanese version

Japanese typically have Strawberry Shortcake on Christmas Eve. Japanese strawberry shortcake is fluffy sponge cake with whipped cream.

Check out this recipe

The Best Christmas Gingerbread House

The ultimate guide to making the best Christmas gingerbread house, using a custom gingerbread house recipe and template tips on how to make a gingerbread house the best way!

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Tres Leches Cupcakes (Mexican 3 Milk Cake)

These Mexican Tres Leches Cupcakes are the meltiest, tastiest, fluffiest little cupcakes ever. Top these gorgeous little 3 milk cakes with whipped cream and strawberries for an afternoon indulgence or delightful dessert. Just 15 minutes prep time!

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Christmas Tree Cake

This Christmas Tree Cake delicious, spectacular and totally no bake! Do you need a great dessert for Christmas? Look no further. You will have this dessert made in less than 30 minutes.

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English Christmas Trifle

English Christmas Trifle. Layers of almond pound cake, poached pears, fresh raspberries and amaretto make this an elegant addition to your holiday buffet!

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Bavarian Cream

This easy-to-make Bavarian cream is light, airy and delicious and can be flavored with hazelnut liqueur or served with a fruity raspberry coulis.

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Christmas Pudding Recipe – Easy Fruit Cake

Christmas pudding is one of all time favourite desserts to serve on the holiday table. This pudding is moist and sticky and best served hot with ice cream or whipped cream.

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Risalamande – Danish Rice Pudding

If you want to try something new and incredibly delicious this holiday season, try Risalamande. It’s a creamy, soft and melt-in-your-mouth Danish rice pudding with almonds and topped with a flavourful cherry sauce.

Check out this recipe

Serve warm:

Spiced Red Wine Poached Pears

These Red Wine Poached Pears are an iconic Winter Dessert, and the beautiful colour makes them perfect for Christmas too! The super easy spiced fruit recipe is simply great way to end a dinner party!

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Pain d’epices Recipe – French Spice Bread

A classic French spice bread, this pain d'epices recipe is made with rye flour and a warming blend of ground spices sweetened with honey. Learn how to make your very own pain d'epice cake at home.

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Wheat Berry Dessert (Burbara)

A Middle Eastern dessert that’s usually enjoyed around December 4th to countdown for Christmas. It’s so easy to make, made with natural ingredients (don’t count the candy!), and it’s naturally vegan. This porridge-like dessert will definitely warm you up on a cold day!

Check out this recipe

Serve cold:

Blanc Manger with Blackberry Coulis

If you're looking for an impressive French dessert with minimal fuss, look no further than Blanc Manger. A delicate panna-cotta-like sweet pudding, topped with homemade blackberry coulis, and made with just six ingredients.

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Lemon and Blueberry Cheesecake Dessert Cups

Make this dessert for two in 15 minutes. This is a simple cheesecake cup that’s fresh and creamy, tangy and fruity.

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Easy Chocolate Mousse (Just 4 Ingredients!)

Craving a chocolate fix? You’re just 5 minutes and 4 ingredients away from this decadently Easy Chocolate Mousse. No stress, no mess, just light and fluffy dessert goodness!

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Haytaliyeh Recipe – Vegan Lebanese Milk Pudding

Creamy Haytaliyeh is an easy solid milk pudding Lebanese recipe for the whole family, only requiring 6 ingredients!

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Mulled apple cider popsicles

These mulled apple cider popsicles take the wonderful fall flavours of apple and mulled spices and turns them into a delicious and refreshing popsicles. Made with non alcoholic cider they are a treat the whole family can enjoy.

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Cranachan, A Lovely Scottish Dessert

A very traditional Scottish dessert made with oats, cream, whisky and raspberries. Very delicious, if you haven’t already guessed!

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Small Bites

Eton Mess Mini Pavlova

This effortless Eton Mess recipe features crumbly pre-made meringue nests topped with whipped cream, strawberries and mint for a deliciously festive dessert.

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Australian Fairy Bread Recipe

Fairy Bread is Australia’s favourite party snack for kids and nostalgic adults alike. Make this colourful treat in minutes with just three ingredients!

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Chester Squares (Irish Gur Cake)

A beloved bakery slice, Chester Squares or Gur Cake, is the king of cake leftovers. Mix old bread, cake or pudding with sultanas and you have a sweet mince meat filling crammed between two thick slices of pastry.

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Summer Berry Salad with Sumac Dusted Meringues

Add a touch of fun for to an otherwise simple Summer Berry Salad. This dessert salad with sumac dusted meringues will dissappear in seconds!

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Cookies & Biscuits

Koulourakia – Greek Celebration Cookies

Koulourakia are light and crumbly cookies like shortbread but not too sweet. They’re perfect as a sweet treat after a meal or with a hot cup of coffee or tea!

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Matcha Green Tea and Omija Cookies (Dasik)

Dasik are traditional Korean tea cookies that are no bake cookies that just melt in your mouth. This recipe includes using Christmas cookie cutters to celebrate the season.

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Hildabrötchen Shortbread Cookie with Jam

Hildabrötchen, or Hilda brotchen, is one of our traditional German Christmas Cookies! They are bright and festive and really spruce up a cookie platter!

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Chewy Italian Almond Biscuits

Hot baked biscuits in less than 30 minutes? Yes please! Here's a simple recipe for Italian almond biscuits. They are chewy, delicately sweet and packed with the rich flavour of roasted almond. 

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Easy Greek Cookies With Powdered Sugar

This recipe for Greek cookies with powdered sugar can be made with or without the use of a mixer. Great for giving as Christmas gifts or sharing at any special occasion.

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Classic Snowball Cookies Recipe

Snowball Cookies are rich, buttery & delicate shortbread cookies that melt in your mouth. Traditional Christmas cookie recipe & perfect for the holidays!

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Melomakarona Honey Spice Cookies

Melomakarona are traditional Greek Christmas cookies, made with olive oil, spices and soaked in honey syrup.

Check out this recipe

These Christmas dessert recipes are sure to bring new and exciting flavours to your celebrations. All you need to do now is decide: Which dessert will you try first? 

And if you’ve already tried one or more of these tasty dishes, let us know how it turned out in the comments!

Create your own Christmas Day feast with these dishes: