Get baking with my line up of Holiday Cookies & Desserts to Eat, Share & Enjoy! You’ll love my Cookies, Bars, Special Cakes and Ice Creams. 38 Delicious Creative Holiday Desserts Recipes.

For the holidays don’t miss: More Holiday Party Nibbles & Hors d’oeuvres for 2025 

NEW! Coconut Chocolate Chip Sorbet with Fresh Coconut… it’s Vegan!

I love serving this sorbet for the Holidays! Light, smooth, creamy and refreshing.

Fresh coconut adds divine flavor and texture. Chocolate chip shards are mixed in at the end of churning.

NEW! Karen’s Mini Amazing Almond Joy Bars

Fun to make with minimal ingredients! Delicious creamy not overly sweet centers with a chocolaty shell. Natural Almonds add crunch and an authentic look. Just amazing almond joy bars to enjoy at home! A wonderful candy without all the store bought preservatives.

These are just amazing!
They are super quick to make, and once you get the hang of the technique… beautiful French cookies are born in your kitchen. And they look very impressive!

Crunchy, light and crispy – an Elegant French Cookie that is baked then draped in a stylish, curved shape. Buttery, nutty and delicious! Perfect for and Holiday!

• The 2″ cakes are gluten free and dairy free with extraordinary citrus, spice and nut flavor with subtle hints of fruity olive oil and a tender crumb
• Similar to Petit Fours glacés but which are usually layered miniature cakes that are layered and iced ~ and very labor intensive!
• In many Mediterranean countries, including Italy and Greece, olive oil cake is a customary treat during the festive Christmas season

WOW your guests with my selection of Cookies, Squares, Ice Creams Pies & Cakes!

~ Many creative recipes, and new techniques to learn at home this holiday season.

Cookies and Bars:

A Creamy and Glossy Zesty Filling sits on top of a Press- In Shortbread Crust. Orange together with Lemon naturally flavors the bars with the happiness and look of sunshine!
My Orange-Lemon Bars features a Press-In Buttery Shortbread Crust with a Tangy & Zesty Curd with a smooth creamy consistency.

The Ultimate Pick-Up Bar ~ Perfect for the Holidays! 
A press-in shortbread crust with a pour-on-top filling enriched with a crunchy pecan topping. Delish!
These bars have it all! Quicker to bake than pecan pie with a high, creamy rich filling that’s sweet, but not cloyingly sweet.

Two Varieties: Chocolate Dipped and Dried Apricot & Cherry Pyramids. My favorite version has a crispy exterior with a chewy and tender interior.

– Includes “almond paste” you make

Delicious Soft Pine Nut Cookies with a Crispy Exterior ~ Perfect for any party or Holiday. Naturally Gluten Free.

An easy press-in dough recipe that produces a Crispy, Light & Buttery Shortbread. (You would never detect they are gluten free.)
Cut into easy squares ~ eat & enjoy … drizzle them with chocolate, or crumble them into my Rocky Road Candy the way the Brits do!

WOW your guests with my selection of Cookies, Squares, Ice Creams Pies & Cakes!

~ Many creative recipes, and new techniques to learn at home this holiday season.

These addictive melt-in-your-mouth cookies are getting a flavor revamp with crushed freeze dried strawberries.
Enjoy these powdered sugar-dusted, crunchy, nut-filled cookies ~ a true holiday treat!
I have named these cookies “Mexican Wedding Cookies” yet similar cookies called Snowball Cookies, Russian Tea Cakes and sometime Mexican Wedding Cakes.

Enjoy these Gluten Free powdered sugar-dusted, crunchy, nut-filled cookies filled with walnuts, cocoa powder and chopped dark chocolate. Melt-in-your-mouth texture! Crispy yet tender with loads of chocolaty flavor.
Gluten free never tasted so good!

A crispy exterior gives way to a chewy & fudgy interior ~ and the flavor… reminiscent of a brownie.
A wonderful dark chocolate cookie that are naturally gluten free – there is no flour in these!

Filled with healthy ingredients and not too sweet – THE Cookie to make and give this holiday season.

Want to explore Vegan Baking? These cookies pack flavor and crunch… and yes – a little zesty!
Fill “dots” with raspberry jam or orange marmalade.

A crispy exterior gives way to a chewy & fudgy interior ~ and the flavor… reminiscent of a brownie.
A wonderful dark chocolate cookie that are naturally gluten free – there is no flour in these!

Delicious Soft Pine Nut Cookies with a Crispy Exterior ~ Naturally Gluten Free.
These are EASY and FUN to Make! A light and airy texture coated with sweet & crunchy pine nuts.

A delicious melt-in-your-mouth shortbread you will love! And wouldn’t Rebecca from the Ted Lasso television series approve?
Here are traditional British Biscuits, in America they are Shortbreads – revived with nuts & spice.

The nutty taste of the toasted sesame seeds (benne), a hint of sea salt, and the caramel sweet flavor from the coconut brown sugar sugar – a crunchy mélange of flavors in these easy to prepare treats… low in fat too!

Light and crunchy with lots of zesty flavor! Here is your go-to recipe with healthful ingredients.
Crisp and not-too-sweet – these biscotti are the ultimate snack, dessert and great for gift giving!

Decadent and Delicious! These bake up crispy with a deep-chocolate flavor. Feel free to use any nuts you like. Gluten Free.. you would never guess.

They can be used to make a DELICIOUS easy crust for pies & cheesecakes! See the recipe: Lightened-Up Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Chocolate Biscotti Crust and Honey Peanuts

Look no further for the perfect recipe – for eating & gift giving!
These are gluten free! Or ~ use regular flour too.

Home made delectable Pecan Sandies with Baked Maple Pecans. Forget store-bought and use the best ingredients for a real treat.
Cut from a cylinder roll of dough.

Finally… the perfect chocolate chip cookie that’s deliciously gluten-free (you would never know they are!)
Chocolate Hazelnut Butter adds depth ~ add plenty of Bittersweet Chocolate Chunks. Better than Tate’s!!

A Perfect Shortbread Crust is topped with a toffee flavored topping rich with Natural Coconut, Crystalized Ginger & Sliced Almonds. Perfect for the Holidays, Entertaining and Gift Giving!

These irresistible bars are an updated version from vintage 1940 and 50’s recipes – when baking was simple. My Date & Walnut Bars are gluten free and vegan.

An easy “press-in” dough recipe! Learn how to make homemade Plum Jam for the bars as well.
Buttery, jam-filled bars based on the classic Viennese Linzer torte – dusted with confectioner’s sugar.
Can use any jam you like… I love a natural homemade one… more fruit flavor – less sugar.

Special Desserts:

A lightened-up recipe with creamy deliciousness – a crackled sugar top is complemented with a fruity roasted sauce.
These small sized Crème Brûlées are the perfect indulgent dessert with less fat than traditional recipes… and no heavy cream!  

A cracked caramel-sugar top with a creamy chocolate dessert underneath.
Made entirely with milk, not a drop of heavy cream!
Lightened-Up: Creamy, decadent and delicious… decadent but not too rich!

This classic Rocky Road recipe is studded with nuts and marshmallows ~ makes many sliced squares for eating, serving & gift giving.
I’m adding traditional Shortbread Chunks ~ see my Gluten Free delicious recipe!
I do not use ingredients with artificial coloring ~ so I add freeze-dried ground strawberries & raspberries and coated mini marshmallows for a pink glow… kinda cool

I LOVE serving Homemade Ice Creams at the Holidays: 

TIP: Offer Ice Creams in small ramekins and serve next to your Holiday Pies & Cakes!
I make lots of ice creams! see ALL of my: Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt and Sorbets

This recipe is a hit at every party I make! Rivals the best Vanilla Ice Creams, yet Vegan. 
Simple ingredients blend into a creamy, decadent yet light dessert, infused with Ginger and Pumpkin Spices – a nice natural vanilla flavor and caramel notes.

A creamy delicious ice cream with stirred in wet-walnuts! Flavored with real maple syrup for a natural flavor you will love.
A light and airy maple-walnut vegan ice cream with a hint of fresh banana.
Goes well with all your Holiday Desserts! 

Showstopper Desserts; Cake & Pies:

There is a lot to LOVE about this cake! Rose water (my recipe) adds a bloom of floral notes to this super-moist cake adorned with pistachios and dried rose petals.
Learn how to make simple Rose Water! 
Gluten Free… you would never know! 5 stars delicious! 

A Decadent Bittersweet Chocolate Indulgence with an Airy Easy Whipped Coconut Cream Topping with Crushed Raspberries. Gluten Free, Dairy Free & Parve.
Decadent but not overly sweet flourless chocolate cake ~ creamy luscious texture you’ll crave!

A wonderful not too sweet cake that is simple to make with great texture. Homemade Apple Butter recipe included. The perfect Honey Apple Butter Cake for any celebration, or a simple weekday treat.
See RECIPE: Easy Silky Macoun and McIntosh Apple Butter

Less fat… thank you!! A Creamy Cheesecake made with Cottage Cheese – no cream cheese here! You’ll fall in love with the lighter texture of this amazing cheesecake – without sacrificing flavor and mouthfeel. Explore other topping ideas, such as baked, sliced honeyed apples, blueberry compote – or mixed berry compote, fresh seasonal fruit or shaved chocolate.

A Creamy Cheesecake made with Cottage Cheese – no cream cheese here!
Decadent and creamy – Make my recipe: Chocolate Peanut Biscotti for the crust and pile on some Honey Peanuts on top ~ see that recipe too! 

Creamy Decadence – Lightened Up! Forget cream cheese and use blended cottage cheese for the perfect texture & flavor. Dollop apple butter in the center and swirl. My new special holiday dessert that is easy to prepare… gluten free too. You will love these apple butter cottage cheese cheesecakes!
AND, It’s fun to serve mini, individual portioned desserts at any party!

A wonderful decedent but not-too-rich pie with a press-in crust with a chocolate base and caramel top layer. Finished with coconut whipped cream, honey-sugared peanuts and toasted coconut flakes. Love at first bite! Gluten Free too!

A Buttery Crust holds a Creamy Custard with loads of Fresh Raspberries.
I have made this tart at the height of the Summer season with local raspberries – you can make anytime of year when raspberries are good and sweet!

Enjoy the holiday season – make it delicious!
Karen