The holidays are the perfect time to share the warmth of family, the laughter of friends, and a wonderful meal with those we cherish most. And perhaps the most delicious part of a big holiday meal is the decadent desserts. While dessert might be a beloved part of a big dinner, it’s not always the easiest thing to make for a big group. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or a beginner in the kitchen, we suggest these five traditional yet easy holiday desserts you can make at home.
Save time with Frost’s holiday cookie decorating kits!
Cookies
Making and decorating cookies for the holidays is a beloved pastime for a reason. Classic sugar cookies, gingerbread cookies, and shortbread cookies have straightforward recipes that even novice bakers can perfect and adjust with ease. After rolling out your dough, use holiday-themed cookie cutters shaped like trees, stars, stockings, or dreidels and bake into celebratory shapes. Then, whip up some icing or crack open your favorite frosting to decorate your cookies with festive colors and toppings.
Dessert Bars
Dessert bars are a really easy and delicious dessert to bring to any holiday table. Crush up graham crackers or your favorite kind of cookie and mix them with sugar and melted butter to form a crust. Pack the crust into an oven-safe dish and then top with a mixture of sweetened condensed milk and mix-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruits, or candies. For a little bit of holiday flavor, use spices or extracts like cinnamon or vanilla in your mixture. Once baked, simply cut into squares or rectangles and your dessert bars are ready to be shared.
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Pies
The holidays wouldn’t be the same without a pie (or two or three) to share. These traditional holiday desserts are a must-have at every holiday gathering. Of course, not all pies are simple to make. For beginner bakers, using pre-made pie crusts and simple fillings like pumpkin and chocolate are just as delectable as they are easy to make since they require minimal ingredients and preparation. If you have some baking experience, apple, pecan, and cranberry pies are guaranteed crowd-pleasers.
“There’s always a lot going on around the holidays. If you can’t find the time to bake or don’t feel confident enough in the kitchen, Frost is a great place to find a pie to share. We take pie orders every Thanksgiving and Christmas season. It’s a really busy time for us, but we love getting to help families across Buffalo enjoy the holidays together with something sweet,” said Jasmine Hidalgo, head pastry chef at Frost Artisan Bakery.
Yule Log Cake
Yule log cakes are very traditional Christmas desserts that have a reputation for being stunningly beautiful but hard to make. However, even beginner bakers can make an excellent Yule log. These are sponge cakes with a creamy filling that are rolled and decorated to look like a log covered in bark. Bakers just have to remember to fold their sponge cakes when the sponge is slightly warm and have an even layer of smooth filling to create the log shape. Then, frost the outside of the cake with a flavor that compliments the sponge and filling, and top everything off with powdered sugar “snow.”
No-Bake Cheesecake
Traditional cheesecakes are baked in an oven, and they usually need a water bath to keep the crust from cracking. They also rely on a couple more ingredients, including eggs, to get that rich, dense texture. No-bake cheesecakes don’t require as many ingredients or any oven time and taste very similar. Instead of using eggs, bakers only need to fold in cream cheese or a whipped topping to the other ingredients and let the mixture set on the crust in a fridge. For a holiday touch, try flavoring your no-bake cheesecakes with eggnog, white chocolate, peppermint, or cranberry and orange.
Order Traditional Holiday Desserts in Buffalo
At Frost Artisan Bakery, we love bringing people together over good food and sweet treats. If you’re looking for easy Christmas desserts for a crowd this holiday season, stop by our bakery. We take custom orders for pies and cakes, as well as offer holiday pie specials and cookie decorating kits. Plus, our shop is stocked with cheesecakes, cupcakes, cream puffs, and much more. Let’s talk dessert soon!
