Make-ahead Christmas dessert recipes
No one wants to be stuck in the kitchen making pudding after a massive Christmas lunch – use one of our best make-ahead Christmas dessert recipes so that you can relax on the big day. Many of the options we’ve included are decadent, but still really easy to make, like this Bailey’s chocolate trifle, and we’ve also got some more budget Christmas dessert ideas to inspire you as well.
If you want to go classic, take a look at our Christmas yule log or our dramatic (but easy!) black forest ‘forest’ trifle.
A chilled chestnut parfait makes the most of chestnut purée, while this mince pie treacle tart serves 12. It’s sticky, spicy and unashamedly festive – and perfect to share.
Need help narrowing it down? Here’s our separate collections for trifles, chocolate tarts, Christmas puddings and cheesecakes.
Showing 1-16 of 114 recipes
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Parfait recipes
Maple-peanut parfait with peanut brittle and boozy prunes
Parfait is the ultimate make-ahead dessert. This parfait recipe amps things up with crunchy peanut brittle and rum-soaked prunes.
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Rhubarb recipes
Rhubarb and pink grapefruit possets with poppy seed and pistachio shortbread
These possets make the most of winter’s citrus and the pleasant tang of rhubarb. An impressive make-ahead dessert for Christmas entertaining.
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Medium
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Dark chocolate recipes
Dark chocolate mousse with blood orange gel and hazelnut crumb
Dark chocolate mousse is a delight with toasted hazelnut crumb and sweet-sharp blood orange gel in this festive make-ahead dessert.
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Christmas air fryer recipes
Air fryer eggnog cheesecake
Cheesecakes are brilliant baked in the air fryer. The top is less likely to crack, providing a cheesecake that looks as good as it tastes.
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Easy
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Frozen dessert recipes
Mini baked alaskas
Introducing our failsafe mini baked alaskas: chocolate no-churn ice cream, sturdy sponge base, no-cook jam and silky torched swiss meringue.
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Italian dessert recipes
Bonet (Italian chocolate and amaretti pudding)
Bonet is a classic Piedmontese dessert showcasing two of the Italian region’s favourite things – chocolate and amaretti biscuits.
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Easy
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Almond recipes
Almond cheesecake meringue nests
Scoops of pillowy amaretto-spiked mascarpone top golden sugar meringue nests to make these individual festive desserts.
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Easy
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Christmas baking recipes
Tres leches eggnog cake
This tres leches eggnog cake puts a festive spin on the Mexican milk-soaked cake. The snowy bake is light, fluffy and subtly spiced.
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Trifle recipes
Coconut pannacotta and raspberry trifle
Dreamy layers of coconut cake, pannacotta, cream and a surprise layer of raspberry compote make this trifle extra special.
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Show-stopping Christmas dessert recipes
Triple chocolate baubles
With a triple-threat of white chocolate shell, milk choc truffle and dark choc mousse, these baubles are a stunning make-ahead Christmas pud.
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Medium
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Ice cream recipes
Spiced fruit and mascarpone ice cream sandwiches
These ice cream sandwiches are inspired by our popular Christmas pudding semifreddo. A delight to have on hand in the freezer this Christmas.
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Show-stopping Christmas dessert recipes
Black forest ‘forest’ trifle
This dramatic Christmas dessert embraces the elements of a black forest gateau – cherries, chocolate and kirsch – using trifle-like layers.
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Chocolate dessert recipes
Ravneet Gill’s gianduja chocolate tart
Ravneet Gill's rich gianduja chocolate tart has a velvety-smooth filling and wonderfully crisp pastry. Serve with chilled pouring cream.
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Pavlova recipes
Caramelised walnut and coffee pavlova
Chetna Makan's coffee pavlova is topped with cream and beautifully caramelized walnuts, then drizzled with chocolate ganache.
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Chestnut recipes
Chestnut parfait with chocolate bourbon caramel
Creamy chestnut purée is perfect for making into all sorts of wonderful desserts, including this decadent parfait, drizzled with boozy caramel
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Easy
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Meringue recipes
Snow eggs with almond crumb, mango sorbet and passion fruit
This snow eggs recipe by Elainea Emmott is a simple showstopper dessert packed with tropical flavour. Meringues float on crème patissière.
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