Christmas dessert recipes to sweeten your festive table
From festive cakes to classic puddings and cookies, discover Christmas dessert recipes by top chefs like Elizabeth Hewson, Lennox Hastie, and David Herbert to make your holiday truly special.
Looking to sweeten your Christmas celebrations? Whether you’re craving the comforting nostalgia of Christmas pudding or the elegance of a perfectly spiced cake, this curated collection of recipes has something for every festive table. Featuring creations from our top food contributors, these desserts are as memorable as the season itself. Explore our complete Christmas recipes collection for more inspiration.
Christmas dessert recipes to try this festive season
Elizabeth Hewson’s Christmas tree cake
This Pandoro Christmas Tree Cake feels wonderfully festive. Pandoro, an Italian Christmas cake like panettone but without the fruit, is soft, buttery, and perfect for adding your favourite toppings. Inspired by the classic Victorian sponge, the golden Pandoro is layered with vanilla custard-mascarpone cream and a luminous red raspberry sauce.
Find the full recipe for Elizabeth Hewson’s Christmas cake here.
Lennox Hastie’s eton mess
This Eton mess is a showstopper. If you want to miss the baking altogether, store-bought meringues do the trick.
Get the recipe for Lennox Hastie’s vanilla, clove & cherry Eton mess.
David Herbert’s classic shortbread biscuits
These classic biscuits should be satisfyingly crumbly and dry, with a melt-in-the-mouth texture. They’re the perfect Christmas party favours.
Get the recipe for David Herbert’s classic shortbread.
Tessa Kiros’s gingerbread
Enjoy this not-too-sweet gingerbread with molasses. The cake will keep in the tin and it is so wonderful to have it in the house – Christmas or not.
Get the recipe for Tessa Kiros’s gingerbread.
Lennox Hastie’s sherry trifle
A traditional trifle would be incomplete without a generous splash of sweet sherry soaking the layers of sponge, custard and fruit. Sherry adds a boozy touch that brings this dessert to life.
Get the recipe for Lennox Hastie’s trifle.
Elizabeth Hewson’s prosecco and ginger beer jelly
This recipe is a prosecco and ginger ale jelly, a wobbly, fun centrepiece dessert filled with seasonal berries. Prosecco, an affordable Italian sparkling wine, is much lighter than champagne. While the prosecco’s flavour shines in this dessert (since it isn’t cooked), a more affordable, slightly sweeter prosecco will also work well as the ginger ale with its mellow heat does help to balance it.
Get the recipe for Elizabeth Hewson’s prosecco and ginger beer jelly.
David Herbert’s boozy cherry and passionfruit parfait
For Christmas, serve up one of David Herbert’s festive recipes like this boozy cherry and passionfruit parfait.
Get the recipe for David Herbert’s boozy cherry and passionfruit parfait.
Colin Fassnidge’s creme caramel
Colin Fassnidge puts a christmassy spin on this old timer by adding ginger and cinnamon. It’s a luscious and indulgent dessert that really brings back memories of the sweets trolley from childhood.
Get the recipe for Colin Fassnidge's creme caramel.
Mat Lindsay’s salted caramel semifreddo
The combination of salt and caramel has become a classic for very good reason. This semifreddo is very good served just as it is, but also works well with a poached pear, and is surprisingly excellent served with a dollop of honey and a drizzle of tahini.
Get the recipe for Mat Lindsay's salted caramel semifreddo.
Sean Moran’s candied peel tart
This candied peel tart by Sean Moran is an innovative Australian version of sweet American pies, many of which are served around the holiday period. For a summery twist, serve this to your guests with a side of ice cream.
Get the recipe for Sean Moran’s candid peel tart.
Strawberry gum and lillypilly pavlova
Using native ingredients gives this classic Aussie pav a real taste of the bush. Nothing screams summer Christmas like this recipe does.
Get the recipe for Mindy Woods’s strawberry gum and lillypilly pavlova.
Mango, macadamia and coconut bars
A classic mango and coconut recipe to scratch the itch for a sweet and frozen treat this summer. Perfect for days lazing by the pool.
Get the recipe for these mango, macadamia and coconut bars.
Alice Zaslavsky’s wattleseed tiramisu
Tiramisu and affogato are Italian desserts that need not be messed with, but if you’re up for a twist or two try these native ingredient and plant-based alternatives.
Get the recipe for Alice Zaslavsky’s wattleseed tiramisu.
Gareth Whitton’s vanilla custard tart
With buttery pastry and a creamy filling, it’s no wonder this dish has become a classic. ‘There’s something so satisfying about a vanilla custard that cannot be surpassed,’ says Tarts anon author Gareth Whitton. To nail this recipe you need two things - the texture of the custard and that taste of the vanilla.
Get the recipe for Gareth Whitton’s vanilla custard tart.
Raspberry marshmallows
Once you start on these raspberry marshmallows you’ll find it hard to stop. Luckily, this recipe makes 30 pieces. For bigger Christmas parties, double the recipe.
Get the recipe for Sean Moran’s raspberry marshmallows.
Alice Zaslavsky’s lemon thyme posset
When life gives you lemons, make dessert. If you’re looking to brighten up a dish, the citrus family is your answer: lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits will supercharge the aroma of a dish with their fragrant juice and zest (even lemon thyme, which is actually a mint, is useful here).
Get the recipe for Alice Zaslavsky’s lemon thyme posset.
David Herbert’s passionfruit panna cotta
Panna cotta is a summer favourite for good reason. Showcase the best of passionfruit flavour with this silly season showstopper.
Get the recipe for David Herbert’s passionfruit panna cotta.
Looking for recipes to cover the whole Christmas feast? Try our best Christmas recipes including starters, roasts and side dishes. For more food ideas, go to theaustralian.com.au/life/food-drink. For weekly recipes, sign up to our weekly food and wine newsletter.