Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (2024)

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Simple to make and perfect for any occasion.

By

Rebecca Morris

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (1)

Rebecca Morris

Rebecca is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com.

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Updated on December 5, 2022

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Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (2)

Looking for quick homemade baked goods to gift or to serve this Christmas? Our collection of easy baking recipes includes options with a short ingredient list, ones to make ahead, and sweets that don't require any special equipment at all.

Plus, we rounded up desserts that are suitable for every occasion, whether it's a dinner party or a family meal. There are cakes to pair with tea, cookies to share with friends, and confections that make perfect edible gifts. Not only are these sweets simple to make, they are sure to be enjoyed throughout the festive season.

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Spiced Snacking Cake

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (3)

Not the usual gingerbread, this lighter-spiced snacking cake includes spices like cinnamon and cardamom.

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02of 15

Apple-Raspberry Pandowdy

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (4)

A pandowdy is the perfect alternative to a cobbler or crumble if you're looking for something a bit different for the holidays. This one-pan recipe is just as easy as those other apple desserts, but the delicious batter-like topping spread over apple wedges and raspberries is what really sets it apart.

03of 15

No-Bake Chocolate Eggnog Crème Brûlée

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (5)

You'll need to make these easy custards ahead of time, so they can chill and set—the payoff is that you won't be tempted to leave everything to the last minute!

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04of 15

Butter-Pecan Cookies

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (6)

These melt-in-your-mouth cookies use little more than a handful of ingredients and don't require any complicated shaping techniques. They're a great holiday recipe to make with kids since they will be able to help with pressing the cookie dough into discs.

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05of 15

Cinnamon-Sugar Ragamuffins

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (7)

A simple biscuit dough is transformed into individual swirls of sugar-and-spice treats; they're a great choice for a brunch dessert or afternoon snack with a warming cup of tea.

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06of 15

Spice-Cookie Parfaits

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (8)

Parfaits combine all of our favorite treat textures (jammy, creamy, crunchy, etc.) into one delicious dessert. Here, seasonal fruit is turned into a compote and layered with whipped cream and store-bought spice cookies.

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07of 15

Plum Skillet Cake

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (9)

Looking for an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert for a cozy dinner? Try this Plum Skillet Cake. If you can't find plums, use apples or pears for this simple cake that's baked in a cast-iron skillet.

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08of 15

Rustic Apple Tart

The base for this elegant dessert is made from frozen puff pastry. All that's needed from you is a few turns with a rolling pin and you'll have the perfect foundation for layering sliced apples on top.

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09of 15

Pound-Cake Tiramisu

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (11)

It isn't just easy—this decadent dessert is also make-ahead. Carve out just 15 minutes to assemble the tiramisu-flavored layers of store-bought pound cake, coffee, a light cream-cheese mixure, and a touch of rum. Then refrigerate—you can enjoy it up to a week later.

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10of 15

Easy Fudge Bites

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (12)

These one-bite-wonders are a cinch to make and yield enough for a whole neighborhood's worth of edible gifts. Decorate with an array of festive toppings like crushed peppermints, chopped pistachios, and shredded coconut.

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11of 15

Spiced Fruitcake Bars

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (13)

This recipe is very versatile; you can use whatever dried fruits and nuts you like. Plus, the bars can be made up to a week ahead. You'll have about four dozen, so there's plenty for sharing.

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12of 15

Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Cereal Bars

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (14)

Easy and fun to make, rice cereal forms the base for these crunchy-and-creamy dessert bars.

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13of 15

Cranberry-Swirl Cheesecake

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (15)

Simple cheesecake gets decked out for the holidays with a ruby red cranberry sauce. Make it extra festive by adorning the cake with sugared cranberries.

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14of 15

Granola Bark

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (16)

Skip the chocolate bark this year and gift your loved ones a healthier treat that can be eaten all day long. This granola is specially designed to break apart into large clumps (so it's easier to grab a handful as you pass by the jar, of course.)

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Lemon-Ginger Bundt Cake

Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (17)

Bundt cakes may look hard to make, but they aren't. They're as easy as a basic sheet cake and way easier than a layer cake. The intricate Bundt pan creates a pretty presentation, no decorating needed. All that will be left for you to do is dust a thin layer of powdered sugar over the top before serving.

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Short on Time? Turn to These Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes All Season Long (2024)

FAQs

How many people bake during the holidays? ›

Motivated to Bake This Holiday Season

According to a 2019 survey by Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, 87% of millennials and Gen Xers will likely bake during the holidays.

How far in advance can you make Christmas cookies? ›

You'll find that most of your favorite Christmas cookie recipes can be made anywhere from a month to six months before the 25th of December. (Consult this handy how-to guide to the matter.) Generally, most recipes will be best if baked and then frozen.

Why do we bake for the holidays? ›

It is a way to show love and appreciation, and it is a fun activity for the whole family – a great way to bond with loved ones. Baking also allows people to be creative and express their holiday spirit through decorated cookies, cakes, and other festive treats.

How many people cook for Christmas? ›

This year, approximately 81 percent of U.S. adults intend to have a home-cooked holiday dinner. The younger generations do not only plan to participate but increasingly make dinner themselves. Among Millennials, 88.9 percent intend to cook a holiday dinner, and so does the majority of Generation Z.

Can you leave Christmas cookies out overnight? ›

How to Store Cookies at Room Temperature. Unrefrigerated cookies stay fresh for two or three days. If your cute cookie jar isn't airtight (or if you don't know) and you'd still like to use it to store cookies on the counter, put cookies in a sealable plastic bag to keep air out before storing them inside the jar.

Can you freeze cookies with powdered sugar on them? ›

You can freeze filled cookies, such as thumbprint cookies and cookies that are coated in powdered sugar, such as Mexican wedding cookies either after they are baked or freeze the cookie dough. If you're freezing the baked cookies, wait to fill them or roll in powdered sugar until you're ready to serve.

Do you decorate Christmas cookies before or after baking? ›

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating. I like to decorate cookies directly on baking sheets so I can stick the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator to help set the icing. So place the cooled cookies back on baking sheets.

How many contestants are on the Holiday Baking Championship? ›

Eight bakers compete in making delicious and innovative holiday treats for a chance to be named the Holiday Baking Champion and win $50,000.

What percent of people enjoy baking? ›

Americans are motivated to bake when inspired by a recipe (52 percent), the results taste so good (52 percent), they enjoy making others happy with baked goods (50 percent), and they have fun baking (48 percent).

How many people have baking as a hobby? ›

When it comes to the most popular hobbies in the United States, cooking / baking tops the list. Around 41 percent of the respondents in our survey like to cook or bake, followed by another 37 percent of the consumers who like to read.

How many people apply to bake off each year? ›

Over 12,000 people apply to the show each year.

Of those 12,000 applicants, 300 to 400 people get a first-round audition, and 50 to 60 applicants make it to the second round. The final 12 are picked after the filmed technical challenge.

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