Annie G Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 We do not, so I'm looking for inspiration. Just four of us here this year, and we're pretty low key. But I'd like to make something yummy for dessert. We made cookies over the weekend, but I want something different. So what is your Christmas dessert? Something that will be good for a few days would be excellent since we'll all be here (no work for any of us!) from tomorrow through the weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 No traditions, but I can tell you what I'm making this year, as I'm in charge of dessert at two different dinners. (Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) English Trifle (my husband's request, his late mother made this often) Mini Pies in muffin tins - mincemeat, pecan, maybe pumpkin mini gingerbread whoopie pies cupcakes - some decorated with a reindeer decorating kit I got at walmart, some decorated with min christmas trees Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 For dh it is pecan pie. We are taking one for Christmas Eve, but I will save a piece out for him at home. We often have pumpkin pie too, but dd wants to make apple pie this year. Nice to have kids who can cook! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I know you're not looking for cookies...but my kids have to make peanut butter blossoms every year (peanut butter cookie with a Hersheys kiss in the middle). That's the only real constant in this house. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemom Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Red Velvet cake or cupcakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 We usually make red velvet cupcakes with white chocolate peppermint cream cheese frosting. It's a Cake Mix Doctor recipe, and it comes out better than any of the scratch red velvet cakes I've tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 My mom makes this peppermint/chocolate icecream cake with crushed Oreo crust that is to die for. I have no idea what her recipe is, but it's got two layers of peppermint icecream, crushed candy canes, chocolate syrup, and as I said, an Oreo crust, and she makes it in a Springform pan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joyofsixreboot Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 My kids each have a favorite cookie so I serve a tray with 8 kinds of cookies/cake. When I was a child my grandma's mincemeat pie was a must but at my house I'd have to eat it alone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carriede Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 We call it Jesus' Birthday Cake. It's a white round cake, poked, and red and green jello poured in, iced with cool whip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 We have White Christmas Pie with sliced/sugared strawberries on top. Neither my sisters or I are all that fond of coconut but this is one of the few things we will eat it in. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/White-Christmas-Pie/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acadie Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Cranberry Christmas Pie! It's really more of a cake with cranberries and walnuts, and sooo good with vanilla ice cream. The sweet/tart/buttery/nutty combo is more than the sum of its parts, plus the cranberries make it look festive. Below is my mom's recipe. The past couple years I've just bought a golden cake mix to pour over the cranberries, walnuts and sugar in a deep dish pie plate, and it's just as good. Cranberry Christmas Pie Grease 10 " pie plate. Completely cover bottom with cranberries. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup walnuts. Beat 2 eggs and 1 cup sugar. Beat again and add 1 cup flour and 1 stick melted butter. Beat, then pour overcranberries. Bake 325 degrees for 45-60 min. Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Christmas pudding of course! Something like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 I know you're not looking for cookies...but my kids have to make peanut butter blossoms every year (peanut butter cookie with a Hersheys kiss in the middle). That's the only real constant in this house. :) That's what we made Sunday- there are three cookies that we must make and those are #1. The other two are the Andes cookies and jamborees made with apricot preserves. We love those peanut butter blossoms!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 We have White Christmas Pie with sliced/sugared strawberries on top. Neither my sisters or I are all that fond of coconut but this is one of the few things we will eat it in. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/White-Christmas-Pie/ I would love that! But alas, I'm the only one who eats coconut. It's a beautiful pie!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 Cranberry Christmas Pie! It's really more of a cake with cranberries and walnuts, and sooo good with vanilla ice cream. The sweet/tart/buttery/nutty combo is more than the sum of its parts, plus the cranberries make it look festive. Below is my mom's recipe. The past couple years I've just bought a golden cake mix to pour over the cranberries, walnuts and sugar in a deep dish pie plate, and it's just as good. Cranberry Christmas Pie Grease 10 " pie plate. Completely cover bottom with cranberries. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup walnuts. Beat 2 eggs and 1 cup sugar. Beat again and add 1 cup flour and 1 stick melted butter. Beat, then pour overcranberries. Bake 325 degrees for 45-60 min. Amy Oh my, I MUST make this. If not this week, then when dd comes to visit next month with the grands. I've never heard of this- sounds like something I would LOVE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barnwife Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I am no help. Our family just does cookies...lots and lots of cookies. I have crisp graham cookies (PB, M&Ms, and graham cracker crumbs), peppermint eggwhite cookies, another peppermint cookie, molasses cookies, chocolate chip cookie dough truffles, and I might be missing some. My mom and sister have about the same number of varieties. Christmas dessert is cookies galore in our family! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 Christmas pudding of course! Something like this. I would love to make this if I thought my clan would even try it. I love traditional recipes and we've been playing with some lately. Lefse and potato pancakes made from scratch...both were winners. I think they might taste the Christmas puddling, but not sure they would appreciate the effort. Wow- that list of ingredients would take some time to locate in our small town. I wish we had some special Christmas tradition like this, but alas, the kids are grown and we never found a special favorite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuanitaL Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 We have White Christmas Pie with sliced/sugared strawberries on top. Neither my sisters or I are all that fond of coconut but this is one of the few things we will eat it in. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/White-Christmas-Pie/ I was looking for something different this year and decided to make this. We all love coconut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 butter tarts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 My extended family grew up with Yule log cakes and brandy fruit cakes for Christmas. I like tiramisu so sometimes we get the tiramisu log cake. There was a Harrods as well as a Marks & Spencer back home. Christmas pudding of course! Something like this.A male ex-colleague does the traditional Christmas pudding and brings to office. He went to Bath, UK for BEng. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleEJ Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 For us it's what DH calls four-layer dessert. I know is goes by other names as well. Basically, it is a walnut, flour, butter crust. Then a layer of cream cheese, sugar and cool whip. Next a layer of butterscotch pudding and lastly a topping of cool whip. This is DH very favorite thing ever and it's really grown on me too. The only thing is, I wish I could make it more from scratch. But, apparently, it MUST be made with box pudding and Cool Whip. Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMommy Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I make a chocolate peppermint cake every year for after church on Christmas Eve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 It might not help you in your search for ideas, but ours is cannoli. :D It's the perfect dessert to top off our Italian-American Christmas food, and goes well with the coffee we always have with dessert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Kolacky. It's one of the few things that I have from my Eastern European roots. LOL! (My grandma always made a more complex version with yeast in the dough, but I make a cream cheese kolacky with apricot filling because it's easier! http://www.food.com/recipe/grandpas-hungarian-kolacky-76441 ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 For us it's what DH calls four-layer dessert. I know is goes by other names as well. Basically, it is a walnut, flour, butter crust. Then a layer of cream cheese, sugar and cool whip. Next a layer of butterscotch pudding and lastly a topping of cool whip. Can you share this recipe? It sounds like something my dh would LOVE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 You guys have some really good ideas! I think I'm going to play around with that four layer dessert thing for dh's birthday in February. He likes to take a dessert to work to share and this would be perfect. But I also think making it from scratch is worth a try, especially since nobody here is hung ho on Cool Whip. The chocolate cake with more than a cup of peppermint schnapps? Oh, if my extended family was here that would be so yummy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I've made this a number of times for christmas dinner in the last 13 years. I'm making it this year too. it has trumped every other dessert we've ever done. (including dh's chocolate cheesecake - for which he gets raves, and a niece and nephew used as their wedding cakes - seems ordinary.) chocolate hazelnut christmas tree stump. ('cause it's too fat to be a yule log) from Celebrate with Chocolate" by Marcel Desaulniers don't let the name decieve you. it's extremely rich - and will easily serve 20. sorry I can't find a picture of it (though pictures of other stuff comes up when doing an image search, they're not it.) here's a picture of mine - I finished it so it can chill overnight. we eat christmas eve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMommy Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 You guys have some really good ideas! I think I'm going to play around with that four layer dessert thing for dh's birthday in February. He likes to take a dessert to work to share and this would be perfect. But I also think making it from scratch is worth a try, especially since nobody here is hung ho on Cool Whip. The chocolate cake with more than a cup of peppermint schnapps? Oh, if my extended family was here that would be so yummy!! It really is! And it's just one of many variations on "booze soaked cakes" that I've tried! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Really quick...hopefully I'll be back to copy that cranberry cake recipe! Yum! No consistent tradition. But I've made carrot cake in a 13 x 9 pan that holds up well in the refrigerator for days. And I've heard the 4 layer thing called "Slush Cake" but I've only had it with chocolate pudding. I've wanted to try it with pistachio pudding, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I made the mistake of making a Yule Log one year - and now it is expected! Pain in the butt to mess with rolling and filling that thin sponge etc. etc. And I do not even like to eat it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Thank you. I'm going to make this for a party next week. I think it would be too much for our smaller gathering on Christmas Day. allow yourself time to make it. I never make the bark the same day as the rest. (you can make the syrup ahead, but it's really fast.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UncleEJ Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Can you share this recipe? It sounds like something my dh would LOVE! Of course! Layer 1: 1cup flour 1/2 cup melted butter 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (I always use walnuts) Combine ingredients and press into 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Cool completely. (I tend to up this mixture by half, so 1 1/2 cups flours,1 cup butter and 1 cup nuts. I like crust:) ) Layer 2: 1 8oz brick of cream cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 1 cup Cool Whip Beat cream cheese and sugar. Stir in Cool Whip. Spread on crust. Layer 3: 2 3oz boxes instant butterscotch pudding (can use other flavors) 3 cups cold milk 1 tsp vanilla Whisk and spread over layer 2. It is easiest to pour the pudding before it starts to thicken. Chill well, at least an hour. Layer 4: Spread with remaining Cool Whip and sprinkle with a few chopped nuts. Keep and serve chilled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewber Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I want to make that cranberry cake as it sounds perfect - but no cranberries at the grocery store. :cursing: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeWillSoar Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Ours is not exciting but DH has to have apple pie and I like pecan. I'm also doing a berry topped cheesecake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I made the mistake of making a Yule Log one year - and now it is expected! We buy ours from hotel bakeries. Part of my childhood fun was grabbing the reindeer and Santa ornaments off the top of the Yule logs. My extended family are big cake eaters. I forgot how many we end up buying every year. We have strawberry filled, durian filled, chocolate filled, the tiramisu kind. We bought some with the chocolate frostings and some with white frostings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 We buy ours from hotel bakeries. Part of my childhood fun was grabbing the reindeer and Santa ornaments off the top of the Yule logs. My extended family are big cake eaters. I forgot how many we end up buying every year. We have strawberry filled, durian filled, chocolate filled, the tiramisu kind. We bought some with the chocolate frostings and some with white frostings. Shoot, no nice hotels with bakeries around here, and the local bakeries and stores just do not make nice yule logs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 We buy ours from hotel bakeries. Part of my childhood fun was grabbing the reindeer and Santa ornaments off the top of the Yule logs. My extended family are big cake eaters. I forgot how many we end up buying every year. We have strawberry filled, durian filled, chocolate filled, the tiramisu kind. We bought some with the chocolate frostings and some with white frostings. Durian filled? Does durian filling smell better than fresh durian? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Durian filled? Does durian filling smell better than fresh durian? What the heck is a Yule log, and durian? What in the world? These must be Yankee desserts. My constants are banana pudding and apple pie. Proper desserts that are in no way similar to a tree or any part thereof. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Durian filled? Does durian filling smell better than fresh durian? No. I won't be able to smuggle a durian filled Yule log or any durian filled pastries into a hotel lobby. Malaysia's durian has a stronger smell compare to Thailand's durian. The ones sold at chinese supermarket is from Thailand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 We don't have a specific must-have recipe, but I do require that Christmas dessert be special and not the same old cookies we've been eating for days. (Not that there's anything wrong with cookies.) Whenever we would visit my in-laws, the entire 5-7 days of the visit she'd bring out the cookie tins after every lunch and dinner. Oh that drove me crazy. One year I suggested she leave one kind set aside for Christmas - oh my word, the scandal! :lol: So, this year my daughter and I are making chocolate layer cake with ganache filling and orange buttercream frosting. This probably doesn't seem like a very traditional Christmas dessert but everyone agrees we should do it, so we will. Now, I would never object to cookies as Christmas dessert - it's the repeat of the same dang cookies over and over that bugs me. One year we had a knock-off of Starbucks cranberry bliss bars. Yum (and surprisingly easy to make). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 What the heck is a Yule log, and durian? What in the world? These must be Yankee desserts. My constants are banana pudding and apple pie. Proper desserts that are in no way similar to a tree or any part thereof. a yule log** cake is a sponge cake that is rolled up around a filling to get a long log, and laid on it's side lengthwise. it is then frosted to look like a log. sometimes decorated with sprigs of holly (or candies to look like holly) it is of french origin, also known as "bûche de Noël", the earliest recipes date to the 1600's. I make a 'stump' 'cause it's too fat to lay on it's side! it uses four kinds of chocolate. it has a chocolate ganache buttercream filling/frosting. the bark is made from three kinds of chocolate and roasted hazelnuts. the recipe is upthread. and it is very yummy. (and very rich - so small pieces are very satisfying.) ** a yule *log* is a log that was decorated with cones/holly/etc. and sometimes sprinkled with salt and burned at the winter solstice. some records indicate the custom was in practice in parts of europe before the medieval period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 What the heck is a Yule log, and durian? What in the world? . Yule log is a European tradition. Long explanation and photo in link http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/the-delicious-history-of-the-yule-log Durian is a thorny fruit with strong smelling flesh from SE Asia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Yule log is a European tradition. Long explanation and photo in link http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/the-delicious-history-of-the-yule-log Durian is a thorny fruit with strong smelling flesh from SE Asia. I think those are imported here. we have a large asian population - and the pictures look familiar. just never knew what it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 butter tarts! You must be from Canada. My extended family grew up with Yule log cakes and brandy fruit cakes for Christmas. I like tiramisu so sometimes we get the tiramisu log cake. There was a Harrods as well as a Marks & Spencer back home. A male ex-colleague does the traditional Christmas pudding and brings to office. He went to Bath, UK for BEng. These were our traditions growing up also along with mince tarts. The fruitcake would be baked in October and soaked with brandy for a couple of months. Then it would be iced with marzipan and royal icing and decorated with little skiing and tobogganing figures, some fir trees and animals. The whole thing would then be wrapped in a red silk ribbon around the outside edge. It was magical and also delicious, dark and rich and redolent with brandy and love. Nowadays I often serve a rich vanilla bean ice cream sprinkled with crushed peppermint. Along with that is a plate of clementines, dark chocolates and shortbread. After a big meal the peppermint is refreshing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anmom Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 For us it's what DH calls four-layer dessert. I know is goes by other names as well. Basically, it is a walnut, flour, butter crust. Then a layer of cream cheese, sugar and cool whip. Next a layer of butterscotch pudding and lastly a topping of cool whip. This is DH very favorite thing ever and it's really grown on me too. The only thing is, I wish I could make it more from scratch. But, apparently, it MUST be made with box pudding and Cool Whip. Sigh. We have 4 layer too, but ours is with chocolate pudding. I am also making cheesecake, probably mini ones so I can make different kinds, peanut clusters, and dairy free fudge for DD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 My Batik cake And I'll be surprised if my aunt doesn't show up with a pavlova. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vera Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Key lime pie. We are weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abeille Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Pets de soeurs (roughly translated, "nuns' farts"), butter tarts, and Nanaimo bars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arctic Bunny Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Gingerbread trifle with cognac custard (Martha Stewart). Either that or chocolate cake with poured ganache. It's Dh's birthday, so he gets to decide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Birthday cake. My youngest was born on Christmas Day, so I take him to the bakery every Christmas eve morning to choose a "fancy" cake for his birthday. :) Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.