Delicious Christmas dessert recipes (2024)

Add some Michelin starred magic to your festive dinner party with this dessert from Gordon Ramsay. With a surprise frozen creamy filling dotted with sweet festive ingredients, it not only looks impressive but it can be made well in advance and kept in the freezer for up to a month. For a speedy cheat’s version, you could replace the creamy meringue filling with good-quality ready-made ice cream.

Try Gordon Ramsay's Christmas Bombe

This impressively stacked dessert is the centrepiece to the party table.

Try Pip McCormac's apricot and almond meringue recipe

This deliciously spiced dessert is the ultimate quick and easy dinner party centrepiece – perfect if you’re looking for a less indulgent pud.

Try Clementines in Red Wine

This soufflé contains all the flavour of traditional festive gingerbread, but is much lighter - perfect for a dinner party pud.

Try Hot Gingerbread Soufflé

This heavenly cheesecake won’t disappoint. White chocolate can be tricky to use when melted, so don’t allow it to get too hot (otherwise it becomes grainy). To avoid a really deep crack on the surface of the cheesecake, loosen the tin around the edge before it becomes cold.

Try Mary Berry's White Chocolate Cheesecake

The beautiful jewel colour of these juicy pears will transform this fruity dessert into a show-stopping centrepiece. They can either be prepared the night before and served cold, or removed from the oven and served with cream.

Try Pears Baked Slowly in Red Wine

This fruity bread and butter pudding is a very light alternative Christmas dessert for those who don’t like the dark richness of Christmas pudding.

Try Apple, Marmalade and Whisky Bread-and-butter pudding

These chocolate pleasure pots have the perfect proportions to round off a meal, the cream nicely offsetting the bitter coffee, and the crunch of pistachio complementing the softened biscuit base.

Try Chocolate, Biscotti and Pistachio Pots

Calling all chocoholics. The combination of buttery sponge filled and iced with a chocolaty filling in this easy Yule log recipe from Queen of cakes Mary Berry is perfect for the festive season. The apricot jam will help the icing to stick to the cake too.

Try Mary Berry’s Christmas Chocolate Log

This delicate cream puff tower is delicious and a real show-stopper. Too pretty to hide in the kitchen, make it a table centrepiece to entice your guests.

Try Cream Puff Christmas Tree

A Christmas pudding is hard to beat when it comes to a festive dessert and this moist and fruity version, decorated with a piece of holly and flaming with brandy, is sure to make the ultimate centrepiece.

Try this rich Christmas pudding recipe

Chocolate and pears go beautifully together in this delicious roulade. A lighter alternative to a Yule log, it makes for the perfect, easy dinner party dessert.

Try this chocolate and pear meringue roulade recipe

If you’re not a fan of Christmas pudding, then this indulgent chocolate layer cake is sure to go down well with the whole family. Decorate with festive cake toppers and serve with a good scoop of ice cream.

Try this Christmas chocolate cake recipe

If you’re looking for a twist on the traditional mince pie, impress your guests with this recipe which includes a light and fluffy meringue top.

Try meringue topped mince pies recipe

The combination of juicy clementines and sweet, indulgent caramel makes this easy fruity dessert delicious.

Try Silvana Franco’s 1970s Christmas clementine recipe

Christmas wouldn't be complete without a traditional trifle. Beautifully presented in individual glasses, guests will find the indulgent layers of moist sponge, tart fruit and creamy custard hard to resist.

Try this luxury individual trifle recipe

These little chocolate tarts from Gordon Ramsay are ideal for a post dinner or afternoon tea treat, combining smooth ganache and crunchy peanuts - if you're short on time, skip a step by using shop bought pastry for an end result that looks just as impressive.

Try Gordon Ramsay’s indulgent mini chocolate tarts recipe

If you have mastered the apple strudel then start experimenting with your filling. Opt for this creamy, sweet pumpkin and cinnamon combination for a twist on a festive classic.

Try this pumpkin and cinnamon strudel recipe

Nothing is more comforting or warming than a traditional steamed pudding and this sticky, moist orange and butterscotch version from Valentine Warner will not disappoint.

Try Valentine Warner’s orange butterscotch pudding recipe

This ice cream bombe, packed full of berries and dried fruit, will make a stunning dinner party centrepiece and a great option for children.

Try this Christmas ice cream bombe recipe