Is there anything better than winter dessert recipes that fill the whole house with the scent of cinnamon, ginger and warm chocolate? I don’t think so! When it’s cold and dark outside, I want something cozy on my plate.
This collection brings together 12 cozy winter desserts for every mood. You’ll find traditional winter desserts like sticky toffee pudding and bread pudding, simple bakes with only a few ingredients, fruity crumbles and a few showstoppers for the holiday table.
Grab a blanket, preheat the oven and let’s find your new favorite!
Winter Dessert Recipes – Table of Contents
Sticky Toffee Pudding – Traditional British Winter Dessert
This moist date sponge is baked in a jumbo muffin pan and drizzled with homemade English toffee sauce. The author lived in England for 7 years and calls it one of her most favorite desserts. Her husband was in absolute heaven when she finally made it at home.
Her tip for an even more caramelized cake is to add a little brown sugar and butter to each muffin mold before baking. It’s a strong contender for the best sticky toffee pudding recipe ever, especially with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Gingerbread Cake
Want your kitchen to smell like Christmas? This moist gingerbread cake relies on brown sugar, molasses and honey for deep, caramel-like flavor. Stirring in boiling water at the very end creates that soft, tender crumb.
It’s traditionally left unfrosted, so a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream is all you need. Thanks to the honey and molasses, it keeps for at least 3 days, and some say it tastes even better on day two.
Baked Apples
These old fashioned baked apples are stuffed with bits of dried apple, a little crystallized ginger, honey and a pat of butter, then basted with apple cider and honey while they bake. Dorie Greenspan was inspired by the baked apples her mother used to make.
She likes Cortlands or Rome Beauties, or Fujis and Galas when she can’t find them. Serve them warm with cold cream, whipped cream or ice cream and an optional dusting of cinnamon.
Cranberry Orange Cake
Jodi thinks cranberry and orange is a completely underrated holiday duo, and this soft, buttery cake proves her point. Fresh orange juice and zest meet juicy bursts of fresh cranberries, all under a crackly sugar top.
It’s an easy cranberry orange cake made from pantry staples, yet pretty enough for any holiday table. Use fresh rather than dried cranberries and fold them in gently. It keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Classic Apple Crisp
Don’t let the ingredient list scare you! PJ Hamel notes that many items are optional enhancements. At its core, this is apples, sugar and spice under a crumbly topping of flour, oats, butter and cinnamon, with diced pecans or walnuts as a nice extra.
This apple crisp recipe with oats bakes for about an hour until bubbling and golden. For the best texture, let it cool completely, then reheat individual portions briefly and serve with vanilla ice cream.
Hot Chocolate Cake Recipe
If you love sipping hot chocolate, this cake is for you! Janell Poulette turns a boxed devil’s food cake mix into a bakery style cake with a few secret ingredients like instant chocolate pudding and sour cream.
The layers are covered in a fluffy homemade marshmallow buttercream and finished with grated chocolate, just like a mug topped with marshmallows. A simple hot chocolate cake recipe that’s perfect for winter parties.
Pear Crumble
Adapted from a 1940s recipe called crumble for any fruit, this simple pear crumble recipe with oats layers cinnamon spiced pears under a buttery brown sugar topping. The author finds pears very underrated in baking, and they can taste a little sweeter than some apples.
Choose ripe but firm Bosc, Anjou or Bartlett pears so they hold their shape. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream or a drizzle of caramel or butterscotch sauce.
No Bake Eggnog Cheesecake
Jen made this as her potluck dessert for a family Christmas gathering, and even the guests who weren’t eggnog fans were won over. She had numerous requests for the recipe!
A graham cracker crust holds a fluffy filling of cream cheese, eggnog, whipped cream, rum extract, nutmeg and cinnamon. No oven needed: this easy eggnog cheesecake simply chills for a few hours, which is a lifesaver on busy holiday days.
Old Fashioned Rice Pudding Recipe
Bernice describes this stovetop pudding as tasting like creamy vanilla clouds and hugs from Grandma. It needs only milk, rice, sugar, cinnamon, salt and vanilla, plus a bit of old school elbow grease.
She uses jasmine rice for its delicate floral fragrance, a lovely refresh on a vintage classic. For the creamiest jasmine rice pudding, she recommends full fat milk, and adding raisins is entirely up to you.
Chocolate Orange Tartlets
One of my favorites here on Flavor Thoughts! These little French tartlets combine a homemade orange shortcrust pastry, or pâte sablée, with silky orange curd and a rich dark chocolate ganache.
They take a bit of patience while the dough chills, but I promise the effort is worth it. They’re perfect if you have leftover oranges and want an impressive bite-size dessert to bring to your next dinner party.
Mulled Wine Poached Pears with Chocolate & Cream – Fine Dining Winter Dessert
Inspired by wandering the Christmas markets in Manchester with a mug of mulled wine, Katie Rogers turned the festive drink into dessert. Firm pears simmer in red wine with cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, cloves and citrus.
Served with a smear of dark chocolate ganache and whipped cream, these easy mulled wine poached pears look elegant but are ready in about 25 minutes. As Katie says, the hardest part is waiting!
Best Ever Chocolate Fondue Recipe
Silky, creamy and a family favorite for years! The secret is a mix of milk, dark and white chocolate bars melted into warm cream and whole milk for perfect coatability.
This easy chocolate fondue recipe is ready in about 20 minutes and works for any occasion, from New Year’s Eve to family game night. Just prep your favorite dippers before you start.
Conclusion
From sticky toffee pudding to chocolate fondue, these winter dessert recipes cover everything from cozy weeknight treats to holiday showstoppers. Looking for simple winter desserts with few ingredients? Try the rice pudding, the baked apples or the pear crumble, since they all rely on basic pantry staples.
For popular December desserts, the gingerbread cake, eggnog cheesecake and cranberry orange cake bring instant holiday flavor. My tip: pair one make-ahead dessert, like the no bake cheesecake or the gingerbread cake, with something warm from the oven. For a lighter finish, the poached pears or baked apples are wonderful choices.
Which one will you bake first? Save this post, pick your favorite and treat yourself to something sweet this winter!