Top 44+ show-stopping Christmas dessert recipes to make for your festive spread

You can’t beat this stunningly decadent take on a traditional trifle! A homemade chocolate case is filled with white chocolate custard, sponge, fruit, jelly and nuts – what’s not to love?

Pavlova cheesecake best christmas dessert with fruit on top and passionfruit

There are so many ways to make pavlova, but if you’re after a show-stopping dish to impress your guests, look no further.

Christmas fruitcake with sparkler in it and icing on outside

Give your traditional fruitcake a speccy makeover. Decorate with sparklers and pretty sprigs from the garden, wrapping the stems in foil.

choco-caramel popcorn ice cream cake with lit sparkler in it and dripping caramel dessert recipes

Cake-it-away with this ice-cream dream. Turn a tub of yum into lolly-filled layers of amazing – and it’s so easy!

christmas dessert recipe wreath made of biscuit pudding and cherries on top

If making a traditional Christmas pudding or fruitcake is too time consuming, this incredibly simple but delicious dessert is the answer to your seasonal prayers.

christmas tree pavlova dessert recipe with strawberries on top and icing sugar

If you normally opt for a classic circular-shaped pav, how about giving the Christmas centrepiece a merry, tree-shaped makeover?

NO BAKE MANGO CHEESECAKE with mango twirled into circles on top

When you’re looking for an easy dessert to bake this Christmas… don’t. Bake, that is! You should definitely make dessert, just don’t turn on the oven, as it’s not needed for this terrific mango tart.

Berries and cream mille-feuille best christmas dessert recipes

Give your Christmas cake a summer makeover with berries, ice-cream and flaky pastry.

steamed pudding with dripping icing and joy decoration sticking out of the top

Love a traditional Christmas pudding? Your search is over. Serve your perfectly turned-out pudding drizzled with creme anglaise – which is the fancy way to say homemade pouring custard.

christmas dessert recipe pavlova with star shaped watermelon and gold honeycomb

This modern twist on the classic pav will be the crowning glory of your dessert table. Cut watermelon slices into stars using different-sized cutters for a nice festive touch.

Rum-soaked fig, ginger and white chocolate ice-cream

Serve up this sophisticated sweet this year that takes ice‑cream to dizzying new heights.

pina colada trifle with swirls of jam scrolls and tropical fruit on top of best christmas dessert

Give your favourite dessert a pina-colada cocktail-inspired taste twist with coconut-flavoured cream, pineapple jelly, fresh fruit and toasted coconut flakes.

choc cake on cooling rack with chocolate dripping down sides and shards of chocolate

Coffee and fig fruit cakes on dessert plates with icecream and a fig on the side

Get in quick! These rich, snowflake-shaped cakes won’t last long.

best dessert christmas recipe semifreddo made of chocolate and raspberries on top

Ice-cream lovers will devour this decadent chilled dark-chocolate semifreddo.

Chocolate cherry brand yule log on white plate

Layered with cake, jam, cream, icing and chocolate bark. We’re drooling.

Easy pavlova with crushed honeycomb and lots of fruit on the top

Create your own masterpiece on a shop-bought meringue base. Talk about minimal effort, maximum impact!

Dark chocolate, fig and spiced rum cakes

Shards of chocolate resembling tree bark surround cakes full of spiced, rum-soaked prunes, raisins and figs. 

Grand marnier ganache-filled Christmas pudding

Bake a ganache ball – made with chocolate and cream – in your Guinness-flavoured pud for a rich, gooey, to-die-for dessert.

Mango ice cream cake with cream and swirl of mango on the top

Divinely decadent, this Weiss Bar-inspired cake uses mango sorbet and macadamia ice cream – made by you – topped with Rafaello balls. Wow!

Luxe dessert platter with crackers, fruit, chocolate, nuts and mini desserts

A divine dessert spread is as easy as fresh fruit, nuts and indulgent choccies, teamed with sweet cheat’s tarts and pavs. Amazing!

Summer fruit cheesecake with lemon ginger crust

It may look elaborate, but this no-bake cheesecake is easy to make and exciting to decorate.

best christmas dessert recipes paris-brest with halo of spun sugar

An elegant addition to your Christmas table, this dessert will have everyone talking.

Mini lime pies with white tempered chocolate shards sticking out of it

Add your own festive flair to this famous dessert. You just add white chocolate swooshes to custard-filled, cream-topped pies to give them wings!  

strawberry bundt cakes with fairy floss decorations

Piled with fairy floss and rose petals, these bite-sized bundt cakes have all the grace and style of beautiful swooshing dancing dresses.

best christmas desserts cakes shaped as drums with choc cherry filling

These luscious mini drums make for the most delicious beats around! The tiny drumsticks are edible, too.

Choc-caramel rocky road pavlova

Loaded with classic rocky road flavours and textures, this is your most divine pavlova ever. The choc-caramel shard toppers look super fancy but are a cinch – just melt, swirl, roll and crack.

peach trifle in glass trifle container with nuts sprinkled on top

The hero ingredients for a luxe trifle with a twist could be hiding in your fridge and pantry! 

Christmas ice-cream sandwiches made to look like mince pies

These bite-sized beauties are styled for a white Christmas but designed for warm-weather festivities.

Berry tiramisu with pumpkin seeds, strawberries and cream on top

Serve your guests a very merry and berry Christmas with this decadent dessert, layered up with bikkies, berries, jam and cream. Flavour with Chambord for adults only, or go PG with cherry juice.

christmas kahlua chocolate tart with cherries

A naughty but oh-so-nice Noël tart that chocolate lovers will rejoice over! Make the crust from store-bought bickies for a smart shortcut.

mini pavlovas in the shape of christmas trees with cashous and a raspberry on top

Turn your Christmas dessert into a whimsical masterpiece with these mini pavlova Christmas trees.

Ice cream pie sprinkled with mint leaves and cashous

Put a twist on lemon meringue and turn it into an ice cream pie.

ginger-mango-cheesecake in long log with mango strips on top and christmas tablescape

A dreamy dessert to star on your table topped with ribbons of mango and crumbled pistachios!

burnt-butter-christmas-pudding

Scoop your way to the coolest dessert of the season with brandy-infused fruit, ice-cream and shards of toffee and honeycomb!