22 Christmas Party Desserts That Travel Well and Disappear First

Someone asked you to bring dessert again, and the last thing you need is a pie that slides off the seat on the way over. Bars, bites and anything that fits in a jar survive a car ride a slice never will.

Most of what follows bakes once, sits in the fridge or a tin for a day or two, and looks like you tried without the nerves of a last-minute whisk. Dairy, egg, gluten and (in the pecan bars) tree nuts show up often, so flag that to the host if anyone at the table has an allergy.

Two recipes use a splash of rum or coffee liqueur; both are easy to leave out if the guest list skews younger or dry. If the rest of the evening still needs a shape, 20 Christmas Party Ideas and Games for an Unforgettable Night covers what happens after the plates come out.

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Peppermint Brownies

Fudgy, dark, and flecked red and white, these look like effort for about twenty minutes of actual work. The candy cane on top does the decorating for you.

They cut into neat squares that stack in a tin, no frosting to smear on the drive over.

Prep: 15 min | Total: 45 min | Yield: 16 brownies

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter
• 6 oz (170 g) semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes, divided
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment.
2. Melt butter and chocolate together over low heat, stirring until smooth.
3. Whisk in sugar, then eggs one at a time, then vanilla, until glossy.
4. Fold in flour, cocoa powder and salt just until no streaks remain.
5. Stir in white chocolate chips and half the crushed candy canes.
6. Pour batter into the pan and scatter the remaining candy canes on top.
7. Bake 28 to 32 minutes, until the center sets but a toothpick still comes out fudgy.
8. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 16 squares.

Eggnog Cheesecake Bars

Cheesecake that slices into bars solves the one problem cheesecake has: nobody wants to carry a springform pan through a doorway. This version tastes exactly like the carton in the fridge door, just set.

The rum is optional, and nobody will flag its absence.

Prep: 20 min | Total: 5 h (includes chilling) | Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 16 oz (450 g) cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup eggnog
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp dark rum (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment.
2. Mix graham crumbs, melted butter and sugar, then press firmly into the pan.
3. Bake the crust 8 minutes, then let it cool slightly.
4. Beat cream cheese and sugar until completely smooth.
5. Add eggs one at a time, then eggnog, vanilla, nutmeg and rum if using.
6. Pour filling over the crust and bake 32 to 35 minutes, until the center barely jiggles.
7. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 4 hours before slicing.

Gingerbread Trifle Cups

Layers read as more effort than they are, and a spoon through gingerbread, pudding and cream is the kind of first bite nobody rushes. Little jars mean no slicing at the party at all.

Build them the night before and the flavors only settle in further.

Prep: 25 min | Total: 25 min (plus optional chill) | Yield: 8 cups

Ingredients

• 3 cups crumbled gingerbread cake (store-bought or homemade)
• 2 cups vanilla pudding, prepared
• 1 1/2 cups whipped cream
• 1/2 cup crushed gingersnap cookies
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Spoon crumbled gingerbread into the bottom of 8 small cups or jars.
2. Add a layer of vanilla pudding over the gingerbread.
3. Top the pudding with a layer of whipped cream.
4. Repeat the layers once more, ending with whipped cream on top.
5. Sprinkle crushed gingersnaps, dried cranberries and a dust of cinnamon over each cup.
6. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to one day ahead.

Cranberry White Chocolate Blondies

A blondie needs no ganache and no fuss, just a pan, a pantry and a tart little cranberry against all that butterscotch sweetness. It is the dessert for the week she has no time left to give it.

They keep in a tin for five days, no refrigeration required.

Prep: 15 min | Total: 40 min | Yield: 16 blondies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (170 g) melted butter
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment.
2. Whisk melted butter and brown sugar together until glossy.
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla until the mixture turns pale.
4. Fold in flour, baking powder and salt until just combined.
5. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.
6. Spread batter evenly into the pan.
7. Bake 22 to 25 minutes, until the top turns golden and the center sets.
8. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Hot Cocoa Cupcakes

A cupcake with marshmallows melting into the frosting is the one dessert that gets a genuine laugh at the table, not just a nod. Chocolate cake, cocoa buttercream, done.

Pipe the frosting flat if the drive is bumpy, the marshmallows still do the work.

Prep: 20 min | Total: 38 min | Yield: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 1 cup cocoa buttercream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with 12 liners.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together.
3. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in eggs and vanilla.
4. Alternate adding the dry mix and milk, then stir in the hot water last.
5. Divide batter among the liners and bake 16 to 18 minutes.
6. Cool completely, then pipe cocoa buttercream on top.
7. Press a few mini marshmallows into the frosting on each cupcake.

Christmas Tree Brownies

A plain brownie slab feels like an afterthought on a dessert table dressed in red and green. Cut into triangles and piped with stars, the same batter reads as the centerpiece instead.

If piping is new to her, a scrap of parchment is a free practice run before the real thing.

Prep: 30 min | Total: 55 min | Yield: 12 trees

Ingredients

• 1 batch fudge brownies, baked in a 9×13 pan and cooled
• 2 cups green buttercream
• 1/4 cup red and gold sprinkles
• 12 small star sprinkles or white chocolate stars

Instructions

1. Bake brownies in a 9×13 pan and cool completely.
2. Cut the slab into 12 triangles to look like small trees.
3. Fit a piping bag with a star tip and fill with green buttercream.
4. Pipe overlapping rows of stars from the base of each triangle up to the tip.
5. Scatter red and gold sprinkles over the frosting like ornaments.
6. Press a star sprinkle onto the top of each tree.
7. Chill briefly to set the frosting before packing for travel.

Yule Log Roll

It looks like the one dessert nobody expects a guest to make, which is exactly the point of bringing it. Underneath the ganache bark it is just a sponge, rolled while warm so it never cracks.

If a roulade sounds like too much nerve for one evening, the brownies above use the same oven and half the patience.

Prep: 30 min | Total: 1 h 42 min | Yield: 10 slices

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• powdered sugar, for the towel
• 1 1/2 cups whipped cream, for filling
• 1 cup chocolate ganache
• powdered sugar snow, for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 10×15 inch jelly roll pan with parchment.
2. Whisk egg yolks with half the sugar until thick, then fold in cocoa, vanilla and salt.
3. Beat egg whites to soft peaks, add remaining sugar, then fold into the yolk mixture.
4. Spread batter in the pan and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until it springs back.
5. Turn the warm cake onto a towel dusted with powdered sugar and roll it up with the towel inside.
6. Let the rolled cake cool completely, about 1 hour.
7. Unroll gently, spread with whipped cream, then roll back up without the towel.
8. Cover with ganache, drag a fork through for bark texture, and dust with powdered sugar before slicing.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

Half cake, half cookie, these hold a cream cheese filling that stays put between two soft red rounds, no fork required. That alone makes them the easiest thing on this list to actually eat standing up.

No buttermilk in the house: a splash of milk with a little lemon juice stirred in does the same job.

Prep: 25 min | Total: 37 min (plus cooling) | Yield: 12 pies

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tbsp red food coloring
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups cream cheese filling

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
3. Cream butter and sugar, then beat in the egg, buttermilk, food coloring and vanilla.
4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until smooth.
5. Drop rounded tablespoons of batter onto the sheets, spaced well apart.
6. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops spring back, then cool completely.
7. Spread cream cheese filling on the flat side of half the cakes and sandwich with the rest.

Pecan Pie Bars

All the pecan pie flavor without the custard filling that refuses to set in a cold car. A shortbread base holds it together through a doorway and a long table.

Flag these to the host if anyone at the party carries a nut allergy, pecans are not optional here.

Prep: 20 min | Total: 1 h | Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3/4 cup cold butter, cubed
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup corn syrup
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13 pan with parchment.
2. Pulse flour, powdered sugar and cold butter until it looks like coarse crumbs.
3. Press the crumbs firmly into the pan and bake 15 minutes.
4. Whisk eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter and vanilla together.
5. Stir in the chopped pecans and pour over the warm crust.
6. Bake 25 to 28 minutes, until the filling sets with a slight jiggle in the center.
7. Cool completely before lifting out and slicing into bars.

Chocolate Peppermint Bark

No oven, no mixer, nothing to transport but a flat tin of shards in dark, white and candy cane red. This is the one that costs almost nothing and still looks finished.

It keeps for two weeks in a tin somewhere cool, so it can be made whenever there is a free half hour.

Prep: 15 min | Total: 45 min (includes chilling) | Yield: 20 pieces

Ingredients

• 12 oz (340 g) dark chocolate, chopped
• 12 oz (340 g) white chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 tsp peppermint extract, divided
• 3/4 cup crushed candy canes

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Melt the dark chocolate, stir in half the peppermint extract, and spread it evenly on the sheet.
3. Chill until just set, about 10 minutes.
4. Melt the white chocolate, stir in the remaining peppermint extract, and pour it over the dark layer.
5. Scatter crushed candy canes over the white chocolate while it is still soft.
6. Refrigerate until completely firm, about 20 minutes.
7. Break into irregular shards to serve.

Tiramisu Cups

Coffee and mascarpone in a small glass cup reads as the dessert she ordered at a restaurant, not the one she made in forty minutes on a Tuesday. It needs no baking at all, only patience in the fridge.

The liqueur is traditional but entirely optional, leave it out and nobody notices at the table.

Prep: 25 min | Total: 4 h 25 min | Yield: 8 cups

Ingredients

• 1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
• 2 tbsp coffee liqueur (optional)
• 16 ladyfinger cookies
• 1 cup mascarpone
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder, for dusting

Instructions

1. Mix the cooled coffee with the coffee liqueur, if using, in a shallow dish.
2. Whip heavy cream, sugar and vanilla to soft peaks, then fold in the mascarpone until smooth.
3. Dip ladyfingers briefly in the coffee mixture and break them to fit the bottom of 8 small cups.
4. Spoon a layer of mascarpone cream over the ladyfingers.
5. Repeat with another layer of dipped ladyfingers and cream.
6. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight.
7. Dust with cocoa powder just before serving.

Cinnamon Roll Wreath

Canned dough arranged in a circle turns into something that reads as a wreath from across the room, cranberries and mint standing in for holly. Ten minutes of assembly, the oven does the rest.

This one is cheap and fast, two cans of dough and a glaze most kitchens already have.

Prep: 30 min | Total: 52 min | Yield: 1 wreath, 12 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cans (8 ct each) refrigerated cinnamon rolls
• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• fresh mint leaves, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a round baking sheet with parchment.
2. Unroll the cinnamon rolls and arrange them in a circle, slightly overlapping, to form a wreath.
3. Brush the tops lightly with beaten egg.
4. Bake 20 to 22 minutes, until golden and cooked through in the center.
5. Whisk cream cheese, powdered sugar and milk together until smooth and pourable.
6. Drizzle the glaze over the warm wreath.
7. Scatter dried cranberries and mint leaves over the top to finish.

Mini Cheesecakes

A whole cheesecake is a liability in a hatchback. Twelve small ones in a muffin tin are not, and each guest gets a clean, individual portion with no server needed.

If the host adores cherries over cranberries, the compote swaps without touching anything else in the recipe.

Prep: 15 min | Total: 3 h 33 min | Yield: 12 mini cheesecakes

Ingredients

• 12 vanilla wafer cookies
• 16 oz (450 g) cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup cranberry or cherry compote, for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C) and line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
2. Drop a vanilla wafer into the bottom of each liner.
3. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth, then add eggs one at a time.
4. Mix in vanilla and sour cream until fully combined.
5. Divide the batter evenly over the wafers.
6. Bake 16 to 18 minutes, until the centers are just set.
7. Cool completely, then chill at least 3 hours.
8. Top each cheesecake with a spoonful of compote before serving.

Caramel Apple Dip

This is the one you make while the kettle boils, a bowl with no oven time at all. Cold cream cheese against warm caramel, with apple for crunch, feels richer than the ten minutes it took.

Toss the apple slices in lemon water before leaving so they stay pale in the bag.

Prep: 10 min | Total: 10 min | Yield: about 2 cups, serves 8

Ingredients

• 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup toffee bits
• 4 apples, sliced, for serving

Instructions

1. Beat the cream cheese and brown sugar together until smooth and fluffy.
2. Swirl in half the caramel sauce and the vanilla extract.
3. Spread the mixture into a shallow serving bowl.
4. Drizzle the remaining caramel sauce over the top.
5. Scatter toffee bits over the dip.
6. Slice apples just before leaving and pack separately so they do not brown in transit.

Cookie Dough Truffles

Edible cookie dough rolled into balls and dipped in chocolate is the dessert people pretend is for the kids and then eat three of themselves. Heat-treating the flour is the one step that matters here.

Freeze the whole batch dipped and they thaw on the counter in under an hour.

Prep: 25 min | Total: 55 min | Yield: 20 truffles

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, heat-treated
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 12 oz (340 g) chocolate, melted, for coating

Instructions

1. Spread the flour on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 5 minutes to make it safe to eat raw.
2. Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy.
3. Beat in the cooled flour, vanilla and milk until a soft dough forms.
4. Fold in mini chocolate chips.
5. Roll the dough into 20 small balls and chill 30 minutes.
6. Dip each ball in melted chocolate and set on parchment to firm up.
7. Chill until the coating sets completely.

Cranberry Curd Tart

Cranberry curd is sharper than lemon and exactly the kind of red that belongs on a holiday table. A pre-baked shell means the only real cooking happens on the stovetop.

It slices cleaner cold, so make the whole thing the day before and let the fridge do the work.

Prep: 20 min | Total: 2 h 45 min | Yield: 8 slices

Ingredients

• 1 prebaked 9 inch tart shell
• 12 oz (340 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• whipped cream, for garnish

Instructions

1. Simmer cranberries, sugar and water together until the berries burst, about 10 minutes.
2. Blend the mixture until smooth, then strain through a sieve to remove the skins.
3. Return the puree to the pan, whisk in egg yolks, and cook gently until it thickens.
4. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter until glossy.
5. Pour the curd into the prebaked tart shell.
6. Chill at least 2 hours, until fully set.
7. Top with whipped cream just before serving.

Chocolate Orange Mousse

Dark chocolate and orange zest together taste like the inside of a chocolate orange, airy instead of dense. Six small cups set in the fridge while the rest of the evening gets arranged.

If raw egg worries anyone at the table, pasteurized eggs make the same mousse with no change to the method.

Prep: 20 min | Total: 2 h 20 min | Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients

• 6 oz (170 g) dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tbsp sugar
• candied orange peel, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Melt the chocolate gently, then stir in orange zest and orange juice.
2. Whisk egg yolks into the warm chocolate one at a time until glossy.
3. Whip the cream with sugar to soft peaks and fold half into the chocolate.
4. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and fold in gently, in two batches.
5. Divide the mousse among 6 small cups.
6. Chill at least 2 hours, until set.
7. Top with the remaining whipped cream and a curl of candied orange peel.

Holiday Trifle

A trifle in a bowl is a beautiful idea that falls apart the second it needs to travel. Split it into small jars instead and every guest gets a clean portion, cake and cream and berries in the right order every time.

Leave the almonds off entirely if a nut allergy is in the room.

Prep: 30 min | Total: 2 h 30 min | Yield: 8 jars

Ingredients

• 4 cups cubed pound cake or sponge cake
• 2 cups vanilla pudding or custard, prepared
• 2 cups whipped cream
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 cup fresh or thawed cranberries, lightly sweetened
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (optional)

Instructions

1. Divide half the cake cubes among 8 small jars or cups.
2. Spoon a layer of pudding over the cake in each jar.
3. Add a layer of whipped cream, then scatter a few raspberries and cranberries.
4. Repeat the layers once more, finishing with whipped cream on top.
5. Scatter the remaining berries and toasted almonds, if using, over the top.
6. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before the party, or overnight.

Gingerbread Cake Bars

Spiced and dark with molasses, this is gingerbread without the cookie cutter and the hour it usually takes. One pan, one pass of cream cheese frosting, sixteen bars.

Cheap, too, molasses and spices already sitting in most pantries.

Prep: 15 min | Total: 43 min | Yield: 16 bars

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 large egg
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup cream cheese frosting

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×13 pan with parchment.
2. Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, molasses and egg together until smooth.
3. Whisk flour, baking soda and spices in a separate bowl.
4. Alternate folding the dry ingredients and buttermilk into the wet mixture.
5. Pour batter into the pan and spread evenly.
6. Bake 25 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Cool completely, then spread with cream cheese frosting and cut into bars.

Eggnog Pudding Cups

For anyone who loves the carton of eggnog in the fridge door but never drinks a whole glass, this turns the same flavor into a small set custard with a nutmeg dusting. Nothing to bake, just a saucepan and six cups.

Press plastic wrap right onto the surface while it chills, it stops the skin forming nobody wants.

Prep: 15 min | Total: 2 h 15 min | Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients

• 2 cups eggnog
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• whipped cream and ground nutmeg, for topping

Instructions

1. Whisk eggnog, sugar, cornstarch and egg yolks together in a saucepan until smooth.
2. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
4. Divide the pudding among 6 small cups.
5. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of each pudding.
6. Chill at least 2 hours, until fully set.
7. Top with whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg before serving.

Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes

Coffee in the batter, peppermint in the frosting, this is the cupcake for anyone who drinks the holiday drive-through version by the dozen every December. A little bitterness under all that sugar keeps it from tasting one-note.

Pack them in a box with dividers so the piped frosting arrives looking the way it left the kitchen.

Prep: 20 min | Total: 38 min | Yield: 12 cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup peppermint buttercream
• crushed candy canes, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with 12 liners.
2. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together.
3. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in eggs one at a time.
4. Alternate adding the dry ingredients, coffee and buttermilk into the batter.
5. Divide batter among the liners and bake 16 to 18 minutes.
6. Cool completely, then pipe on the peppermint buttercream.
7. Finish with a scatter of crushed candy canes.

Cookie Dough Dip

The same heat-treated dough as the truffles above, spread into a bowl instead of rolled into balls, served with something sturdy for scooping. Ten minutes, no oven, and it disappears before the appetizers do.

Graham sticks or pretzels both work, pick whichever is already in the pantry.

Prep: 10 min | Total: 10 min | Yield: about 2 cups, serves 8

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup heat-treated flour
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• pretzels or graham sticks, for dipping

Instructions

1. Beat butter, brown sugar and cream cheese together until smooth.
2. Mix in the vanilla extract.
3. Fold in the heat-treated flour until the dip turns thick and even.
4. Stir in mini chocolate chips, saving a few for the top.
5. Spread into a serving bowl and scatter the reserved chips over the surface.
6. Serve with pretzels or graham sticks for dipping.

Frequently Asked Questions

What desserts can I make ahead for a Christmas party?

Bars, cheesecakes and anything layered in a jar hold up best, since they sit in the fridge or a tin for a day or two without losing texture. Making Christmas desserts ahead is such a timesaver on a busy day, and there are so many options, from frozen desserts to bread puddings that benefit from an overnight soak in custard. Eggnog cheesecake bars, pecan pie bars and the cranberry curd tart all fall into that category here.

What is the best dessert to bring to a Christmas party?

Something that slices or scoops cleanly without a server beats anything that needs careful plating on arrival. The best dessert for Christmas dinner depends on your preferences, but crowd-pleasing options include impressive layered cakes, trifles, rich chocolate peppermint desserts, make-ahead cheesecakes, traditional Christmas pudding, yule logs, or festive cupcakes and cookies. Mini cheesecakes and trifle cups solve the portion problem that a whole cake or trifle bowl does not.

What is the most popular Christmas dessert?

A handful of flavors show up on nearly every holiday table every year. The most popular Christmas desserts include gingerbread cookies, peppermint bark, sugar cookies, yule log cakes, pecan pie, Christmas pudding, trifles, and chocolate peppermint treats, along with newer favorites like cheesecakes, cupcakes, poke cakes, and layered cakes featuring festive flavors like eggnog, cranberry, and salted caramel. That list covers most of what sits above, from the yule log roll to the eggnog cheesecake bars.

Can you freeze Christmas desserts before the party?

Unfrosted bars, brownies and cupcakes generally freeze well, which spreads the baking over several weeks instead of one frantic evening. Rum balls are an excellent make-ahead dessert for the holidays, and not only do they last for up to one month in the fridge if stored properly, but they can also be frozen for up to three months. Add frosting, glaze and garnish after thawing rather than before, so nothing weeps in the freezer bag.

How do you transport desserts to a party without ruining them?

Anything flat and firm (bars, brownies, bark) travels better than a tall cake, and anything in a jar or cup travels better than a bowl that needs a spoon mid-transit. Pack soft items like trifle cups or mousse snugly in a box with sides, so nothing shifts on the floor of the car, and carry frosted items chilled rather than warm.

How far in advance should I make desserts for a Christmas party?

A little forward planning turns the whole dessert table into a non-issue on the day itself. If, like most, your festive to-do list is as long as your arm, choose your Christmas desserts wisely and invest a little time upfront to lighten the last-minute load. Most of what is above can be fully made the night before, with only slicing, topping or dusting left for the morning of.