25 Christmas Dessert Recipes That Aren't Pumpkin Pie

When it comes to Christmas meals, desserts are usually the center of attention. Dessert tables at Christmas everywhere proudly displays an array of delicious holiday treats that make the celebrations even sweeter and more festive. But rather than hauling out the recipe book with the same old traditional recipes you've served in years past, why not jump into a new selection of sugary delights? 

From quick breads brimming with the blended zing of cranberries and citrus to creamy puddings topped with tropical fruits, your options for a Christmas dessert can be a unique gift that everyone in attendance will definitely treasure. Here are 25 Christmas dessert recipes that aren't pumpkin pie to impress your family with this holiday season — ones that they will never forget.

The simple decadence of a butter-filled cake is a comfort few dessert lovers can resist. It's a straightforward slice of sweetness that gets right to the heart of the matter, with unadorned vanilla-and-butter goodness that takes baking back to basics. With a little plain yogurt added to the mix, this classic bake becomes a super-moist sponge that stands alone as a delicious dish. You can also drizzle it with chocolate or caramel sauce to take the flavor profile up a notch. Cut into cubes and arrange with fruit and syrups for a charcuterie-style display with a sugary touch.

Recipe: Extra-Moist Butter Cake

With their crisp, tender texture and delicate pastry-like flavor, pizzelles are a flexible treat that let your guests customize their desserts. These gourmet waffle-like cookies are a great option for those who prefer something less sweet on their plate but still want to indulge in the festive holiday desserts. And for anyone in search of a more decadent treat, a pizzelle smeared with fruity jams, jellies or even a drizzle of chocolate ganache or caramel sauce will send you straight to the highest levels of a dessert heaven. Their embossed designs add a touch of elegance to every plate they grace.

Recipe: Classic Vanilla Pizzelle

This island treat is an addition to your Christmas dessert table that your guests won't see coming. Once they taste this creamy, spicy concoction, they'll definitely appreciate that you took your sweets selection a delicious new direction. Tender tapioca pearls share the dish with creamy coconut milk and warm waves of umami cardamom flavor. This pudding takes a bit of pre-cooking prep work, so make sure to factor extra time into your schedule. Top the pudding with fresh fruits for a burst of bright colors and delicious flavors. 

Recipe: Coconut-Cardamom Tapioca Pudding

Take the cranberries off the main table and add them to the dessert table with this easy-to-make sweet bread treat. This quick bread combines tangy cranberries and zesty orange juice to create sunshine in a dessert form. The orange juice does more than just add a happy kick to mix; the acid also helps bring out the flavor of the cranberries to create a finely balanced culinary alliance. A tablespoon of orange zest ensures that the flavor gets its own texture to complement the burst of cranberries your guests will find in every slice.

Recipe: Moist Cranberry Bread

The blend of orange and chocolate signals the holiday season in an elegant way. The base of this luscious loaf is a cocoa-centered batter brightened with the zing of orange zest scattered throughout. A silken vanilla glaze incorporates orange juice as the liquid base to kick up volume on the citrus tingle. The fusion becomes a celebration of rich flavor and dense texture that makes Christmas dessert even more special. And if you're hosting a holiday brunch that calls for a toast, serve this loaf with mimosas for an extra punch of orange.

Recipe: Orange Chocolate Loaf Cake

Craving for a pumpkin-based dessert that isn't a pumpkin pie? This best harvest spice bread has got you covered. A bit of pumpkin flavor on the dessert table will warm the happy hearts of holiday traditionalists in your crew. This harvest spice bread brings cake-like luxury to a quick bread recipe topped with chocolate chips and walnuts. The result is an autumnal delight that pairs perfectly with after dinner coffee or tea. Slice it thick to provide lavish servings of soothing spiced sweetness for your diners to savor. The only thing that would make this dessert taste even better is a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce.

Recipe: Best Harvest Spice Bread

Southern sweetness gets a seat at the table when you whip up a traditional derby pie. Think of this confection as a cookie baked in a pie shell, filled with walnuts and chocolate chips and boldly flavored with bourbon and brown sugar. A splash of almond extract balances the walnut and chocolate flavors, recalling the sweet goodness of your favorite childhood desserts. Need something on top to complete the dish? Try some homemade vanilla ice cream made with three simple ingredients and no churning for a fresh take on pie à la mode.

Recipe: Easy Derby Pie

Cinnamon is such a comforting autumn spice that having a traditionally breakfast-oriented sweet like cinnamon rolls on your dessert table won't faze anyone. And don't let the "from scratch" element intimidate you, either. These rolls use a simple dough that doesn't require proving, making for an easy Christmas dessert that you can prep a day before and refrigerate. Bake and glaze the rolls just before dessert is being served for a warm and gooey right-out-of-the-oven experience. Add a warm Irish coffee next to every plate and transform your final course into the start of something exceptional.

Recipe: From-Scratch Cinnamon Rolls

Creamy custard surrounding tender cubes of dense bread becomes a hearty bread pudding that will sends your Christmas revellers into dessert heaven. This traditional-style dessert includes chewy raisins to add intriguing texture to the gooey pudding base. With a dessert that is served warm like bread pudding, you'll want a topping that keeps its shape, something like stabilized whipped cream. Add a dollop to every plate and watch your guests dissolve into puddles of bliss. For a soothing drink to serve with it, brew a pot of ginger tea to add a complementary flavor without added sweetness.

Recipe: Classic Bread Pudding

A showstopper at any dessert occasion, a cheesecake made with authentic New York-style panache will be a sure winner when it graces your Christmas treat selection. This creamy winner features a graham cracker crust and all that creamy cheesecake goodness your guests know and love. It's a touch of cosmopolitan kitchen creativity that lends sophistication and style to your dinner's final course. Serve it with chocolate gravy for an extra indulgence that will have your guests asking for seconds. 

Recipe: Classic New York Cheesecake

Make your Christmas dessert whimsical with these indoor s'mores that don't require a campfire. Guests of all ages will love digging into their own personal s'mores pastries, a melty finger food filled with chocolate and marshmallows. Made with crescent roll dough, chocolate bars, mini-marshmallows, and graham cracker crumbs, these treats will turn your holiday dessert into a walk down memory lane as everyone recalls beloved s'mores moments from days past. You can prep them ahead of time and pop them into the air fryer for a six-minute cook-up that lets you serve them campfire-style hot.

Recipe: Air Fryer S'mores

Who says brownie-style treats have to include chocolate to be indulgently delicious? These blondies serve up a pan-baked variation of a Toll House cookie, packed with white chocolate chips for added creaminess and a generous helping of cinnamon to add some serious warmth. Adjust cooking time to them chewy or make them more cake-like, as you would with traditional brownies. A zigzag drizzle of white chocolate on top makes these bars a standout among other sweets. Turn the coffee maker on and offer your guests gingerbread latte to go with these unbeatable beauties.

Recipe: Cinnamon Blondies