Home / Food Bites & Articles / Janet's Notebook

Sweet & Indulgent Homemade Christmas Dessert Recipes

Grandma's Bread Pudding

When the Christmas meal is finished and leftovers are packed in the fridge, it’s time for the next “meal” in my house… dessert. I like to have options out since everyone might want something different. There are always so many delicious desserts on our table we could feed a crowd of 20. Plus, the more desserts I make the more leftovers I have while still indulging during the holidays.

Not only is Joan Penney’s (Platte City, MO) Chocolate Pie easy to make, it’s also super delicious. “There is a rich butter taste and slight crunch to the top,” is how Joan describes her pie.

While the top is slightly crunchy, the inside is soft and creamy. I tried this when it was slightly warm with a dollop of whipped cream and it was perfect. Full of chocolate flavor. But, then I tasted it again after cooling in the fridge and I loved it that way too. You can’t go wrong with this lovely chocolate pie.

Eggnog is the quintessential holiday flavor and Bre Van Patten’s (Vale, OR) Mini Eggnog Pies will be a delicious addition to your table. These little bite-sized pies are fabulous.

“For Christmas, I wanted to make an eggnog pie but when looking for a recipe I didn’t find too many so I decided to make my own,” shares Bre. “Everyone who tried them said they were beautiful and amazingly delicious!”

The chili in the crust mixed with the gingersnaps adds a bit of spice, but it’s not overpowering. With all the right spices, the filling is just eggnog-goodness! The chocolate shavings on top make the mini pies adorable and add a slight chocolate flavor.

Lynn Socko (San Angelo, TX) puts her tasty twist on a classic Christmas cookie with her Snowball Surprise recipe.

At Christmastime when all the treats tend to be super sweet, it’s nice to have a lightly sweet cookie. I love snowballs with their buttery shortbread, pecan flavor and a dusting of powdered sugar. Putting chocolate chunks in the center is a yummy surprise. I’m pretty sure Santa (plus your family and friends) will love these.

“I don’t know what it is with grandmas and bread pudding,” says Jane Louise (Clarkston, MI). “But, when I have a grandma over for dinner and say I have bread pudding I see a big smile on their face.”

Her Grandma’s Bread Pudding recipe will put a smile on everyone’s face – not just grandmas. I loved the flavors of cinnamon and raisin that permeate the bread pudding. Once baked, the top is nice and crunchy. The homemade caramel sauce is the perfect complement to this comforting dessert.

Sip on Teressa Drenth’s (Kalamazoo, MI) Hot Cranberry Orange Cider throughout the night. It’s so good!

“I developed this for all the different guests we had over the holidays,” explains Teressa. While this simmers in the Crock Pot, your house will be filled with all the smells of the holidays.

Tartness from the cranberries is balanced by the sweetness of apple and orange juice. Add a cinnamon stick when serving and your guests will be in love.

I hope your holidays are filled with sweet memories. If any of these easy holiday desserts are on your table, I know you’ll have a sweet ending to the day. Happy Pinching!