Holiday Dessert Collection
A delightful collection of holiday desserts perfect for festive gatherings, featuring classic treats like Chocolate Peppermint Bark, Apple Cranberry Crumb Pie, Gingerbread Cookies, Cranberry Orange Trifle, Sugar Cookies, Snowball Cookies, and Chocolate Fudge.
Equipment
- baking sheet
- double boiler or microwave
- 9-inch pie plate
- cookie cutters
- trifle dish
- 8x8 inch baking pan
- large bowl
- heavy-bottomed saucepan
Ingredients
Chocolate Peppermint Bark
- 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 10 oz white chocolate chips
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/2 cup crushed candy canes
Apple Cranberry Crumb Pie
- 1 pie crust store-bought or homemade
- 6 cups sliced apples Granny Smith or Honeycrisp
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
For the crumb topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
Gingerbread Cookies
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup molasses
For the icing (optional)
- powdered sugar
- milk
- vanilla extract
Cranberry Orange Trifle
- 1 store-bought pound cake, cubed
- 1 can (14 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1 orange, zested and segmented
- 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 container (12 oz) whipped topping, thawed
Sugar Cookies (for decorating)
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For decorating
- icing
- sprinkles
- food coloring
Snowball Cookies
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar plus more for rolling
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup finely chopped pecans
Chocolate Fudge
- 3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Optional
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts or mini marshmallows
Instructions
Chocolate Peppermint Bark
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt semi-sweet chocolate and spread evenly on the baking sheet.
- Let the chocolate cool until set but still slightly soft (15-20 minutes).
- Melt white chocolate with peppermint extract and spread over the semi-sweet layer.
- Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, then break into pieces.
Apple Cranberry Crumb Pie
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Combine apples, cranberries, sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour in a large bowl and mix.
- Place the pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate and pour in the apple mixture.
- For the crumb topping, combine flour, sugars, and cold butter in a separate bowl until crumbly.
- Sprinkle the crumb topping over the fruit.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden brown.
Gingerbread Cookies
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar; beat in egg and molasses.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, mixing until combined.
- Divide dough, flatten into discs, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface and cut out shapes.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, then cool completely before decorating.
Cranberry Orange Trifle
- In a medium bowl, combine cranberry sauce, orange juice, and orange zest; gently fold in orange segments.
- In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Fold half of the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture.
- In a trifle dish, layer one-third of cubed pound cake, cranberry mixture, then cream cheese mixture.
- Repeat layers twice more, ending with the cream cheese mixture.
- Garnish with remaining whipped topping and extra orange zest or segments.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Sugar Cookies (for decorating)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and granulated sugar; beat in egg and vanilla extract.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, mixing until combined.
- Divide dough, flatten into discs, wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface and cut out shapes.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes, then cool completely before decorating.
Snowball Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar; beat in vanilla extract.
- Gradually add flour, then stir in pecans.
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden on the bottom.
- While warm, roll cookies in extra powdered sugar; roll again once cooled.
Chocolate Fudge
- Line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
- Combine chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or microwave-safe bowl.
- Heat until fully melted and smooth, then remove from heat.
- Stir in vanilla extract and salt; fold in nuts or marshmallows if using.
- Pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours until firm, then lift out and cut into squares.
Notes
This collection offers a variety of timeless holiday treats. For best results, allow adequate chilling time for doughs and barks to ensure proper setting. Feel free to customize decorations for cookies and trifles to match your holiday theme. Always ensure ingredients are at room temperature where specified for optimal mixing and texture.