'Tis the season to go all out. Whether you're putting together hostess gifts, attending a cookie swap, or trying to impress at the school bake sale, Christmas is the time to pull out all the stops. However, we get that not everyone has the time to spend hours on a cupcake. Whether you're a once-a-year baker or confectionary connoisseur, here are our best sweet and savory recipes for holiday treats so cute they'll delight even the most staunch Christmas cranks! Plus, we've ranked them by difficulty so you can pick your perfect recipe to spread holiday cheer, with no added stress.
01of 21
Mini Strawberry Santas
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/235722-Mini-Strawberry-Santas-72dpi-9bfbd6c4c37e488083fbe73686dbd21e.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (1)")
Starting off strong with the big man himself, in strawberry form. These Strawberry Santas are as cute as they are easy to make—just combine some fresh strawberries and lightly sweetened whipped cream. Chocolate sprinkles or poppy seeds make perfect eyes!
02of 21
Grinch Kabobs
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Grinch-Kabobs-re-Photo-by-Snacking-in-the-Kitchen-4e7402a3b93641cead052ad731231b89.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (2)")
Another fruity holiday treat, this one is perfect for a kids holiday party or classroom celebration. Green grape 'Grinch' kabobs are easy to assemble and require zero fiddling with finicky decorations. Try serving these cute kabobs with white chocolate fondue 'snow' or brownie batter dip AKA chocolate hummus (don't knock it 'til you try it!).
03of 21
Parmesan Puff Pastry Stars
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/4570935-3462ef3ba81f4eb48731550fc7c6a44f.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (3)")
For a simple savory treat, it doesn't get easier than these two-ingredient puff pastry stars. Simply use a cookie cutters to cut out star shapes (or any holiday shape you like!) of varying sizes, sprinkle with a little parmesan, then bake to golden brown perfection. These will take any holiday charcuterie platter from basic to show-stopping.
04of 21
Nutella Pastry Christmas Tree
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/4118476-nutella-pastry-christmas-tree-Allrecipes-International-4x3-1-7bbc9bd11c6b4ff495fbab6d12aaed14.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (4)")
Another puff pastry masterpiece, this show-stopping desserts is (shockingly) simple to make. If you're looking for a dessert that also doubles as a centerpiece, look no further. No one has to know it only a few ingredients and under an hour to make.
05of 21
Cream Cheese Penguins
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/580469-0f7143518af14bb492e314882d92a9e4.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (5)")
If you're not typically one for food crafts, give these easy penguins a shot. Black olives, cream cheese, carrot slices, and roasted red peppers come together to create adorable Antarctic bites—no cooking required!
06of 21
Christmas Cornflake Wreath Cookies
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/10070-christmas-cornflake-wreath-cookies-VAT-hero-4x3-1-1ed1bfd412e14b27b23dcdd810325b69.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (6)")
The cornflake wreaths make the perfect addition to any cookie platter or atop a holiday cake. Even better? The easy, no-bake process means they make a great holiday activity to do with the little ones. "Been making these for years with my mother-in-law," says reviewer kimberlee. "They are a wonderful way to have the kids and grandkids make something fun in the kitchen and they love to eat them!"
07of 21
Cheesy Pesto Roll Wreath
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/9429292-5602b3421b094537afb19741ec7eb17d.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (7)")
No offense to the cute cornflake cookies, but this wreath really tastes as good as it looks, if not better! With crescent roll dough and a few more ingredients, you can churn out this gorgeous pull-apart wreath for your next holiday party, even at the last minute.
08of 21
Easy Polar Bear Cupcakes
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/9426833-8c3e250f86e44a45ab6002a90a4702fc.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (8)")
Speaking of last minute, you can even turn store-bought cupcakes into cute polar bears with this recipe and technique from Allstar Kim Shupe. Shredded coconut 'fur', mini marshmallow ears and noses, and black sprinkle details make these polar bears (almost) too cute to eat.
09of 21
Christmas Tree Cupcakes
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/4557733-849044d23fdb4f7a84b347fd031c6405.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (9)")
Continuing on the cupcake train, these Christmas Tree Cupcakes are so simple to make and perfect for a tree-trimming party. Tip: buy a few different sizes and colors of pearl sprinkles and let the kids decorate their own trees with these sprinkle 'ornaments'.
10of 21
Reindeer Cookies
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/4606759-reindeer-cookies-Laurie-4x3-1-fbb65a15b1654b65943cac87aa64d6ad.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (10)")
An Allrecipes classic, these reindeer cookies have been a staple on the site for years. While this peanut butter cookie recipe is delicious, if you have a nut allergy, you can use sugar cookies (including store-bought) instead for these adorable Rudolphs. All you'll need are some chocolate chips, mini pretzel twists, and red cinnamon candies—for that signature red nose, of course.
11of 21
Christmas Reindeer Cupcakes
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/4561717-9570860e025d46519357473ccfa443c1.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (11)")
For even more bright noses to guide Santa's sleigh, try these adorable reindeer cupcakes. For a fun holiday party activity, let kids assemble their own reindeer with frosted chocolate cupcakes and the rest of the toppings on the table. You'll have Prancer, Dancer, Donner, Blitzen, and more!
12of 21
Melted Snowman Cookies
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/1123097-f0002d96fa044907a2db0659dcd2e00d.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (12)")
Melted snowmen may sound a little sad, but these animated cookies are guaranteed to put a smile on your guests' faces! Super cute and creative, they're also incredibly simple to make and can—again—be made with store-bought cookies if you're tight on time. Take a time-saving tip from reviewer BakingBot who suggests, "Ice the cookie, plop on marshmallow and microwave the entire cookie for 10 seconds. [It's] FAR easier than heating marshmallow separately."
13of 21
Christmas Santa Cupcakes
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/4557731-ba47f4f47ec2425eaae772a1f66c388b.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (13)")
Raid your pantry for some white chocolate chips, red sprinkles, and coconut shavings to make these adorable Santa cupcakes. You can make them with any cupcakes from a boxed mix (we won't tell!) but to keep the Christmas colors consistent throughout, opt for red velvet cake.
14of 21
Santa Leg Cupcakes
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/5983444-bc25688835124011b5f50026a5722ec6.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (14)")
If you're really trying to impress, mix it up by making half Santa's face cupcakes and the other half these adorable "Santa Leg" cupcakes that mimic going down the chimney to deliver gifts. This recipe calls for fondant, but if you can't find that at the store, you could use red licorice for legs, frosting for trim, and black jelly beans for Santa's boots.
15of 21
Polar Bear Cheesecake Truffles
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/1669586421DSC_0495202-2000-1a2e82070a8343f4a8ca39e8a01d3a84.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (15)")
Another polar bear-inspired treat from Allstar Kim, we just couldn't resist adding these new cheesecake truffles to the list. As is the case with all of Kim's confections, they taste amazing, with everything you love about rich, creamy cheesecake and graham cracker crust, all wrapped up into one (big) bite.
16of 21
Candy Cane Cookies
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/4590950-81c31956b8274f408b1386b9e55eecc4.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (16)")
A Christmas classic, these candy cane cookies are a welcome addition to any cookie platter! Reviewer AOLGUIN05 shares a great tip to take some of the stress out of decorating, "Instead of rolling the hot cookies in the crushed candy cane, we've always mixed a little bit of water with confectioner's sugar and brushed it on the tops of the cooled cookies and then rolled them in the crushed candy cane. Works great!"
17of 21
Hedgehog Cookies
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Hedgehog-Cookies-fd8f823376bc44faae8fbdcf52f4354b.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (17)")
Now we're getting into the seriously adorable, albeit more time-intensive recipes. Recipe author Kitty Johnson says she, "needed something else to decorate a tree trunk cake, so baby hedgehogs seemed to be the perfect match." Add a little raspberry or red berry candy on top with a drop of white frosting, and you've got the cutest Christmas cookies on the block guaranteed.
18of 21
Brown Butter Maple Shortbread Bear Cookies
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/1664142208DSC_3122203-2000-fca3d834a2014f29886850088da479dd.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (18)")
If you're looking for a sweet treat that tastes as good as it looks, these brown butter and maple-flavored shortbread will certainly do the trick. You can even make brown bears by adding a few tablespoons of cocoa powder to the dough (shoutout to reviewer andrewshilogmailcom for that tip). These bear cookies are so darn cute, they may just steal the show and overshadow any other cookies on the platter. Don't say we didn't warn you!
19of 21
Best Soft Christmas Cookies
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/56142-soft-christmas-cookies-MDarling-1x1-1-e79e509c88e64ee6811a5558d722c729.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (19)")
Sometimes you can't beat the classics, and with well over 1000 5-star ratings, these soft Christmas cookies are as classic as they come. Reviewer BakingFun notes they're great for making with kids, as you can roll and re-roll them as many times as you need to get all those fun cut-out shapes with no waste. "This recipe is wonderful! Baked them today with my 4.5 year old. You can re-roll these and there is no problem - first cookies as great as last cookies." Browse for decoration inspiration here, or tips on how to decorate cookies with royal icing here.
20of 21
Yukon Cornelius Pull-Apart Cupcake Cake
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/7436725-e84bab4510be4acab9093e61042023d7.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (20)")
This one is expert-level, but if you're ever going to spend hours on a pull-apart cupcake 'cake' inspired by a beloved childhood character, now is the time to do it! And you do not have to make the cupcakes and filling from scratch to get the same effect, but we must admit, we are particularly drawn to this recipe's pairing of dark chocolate cake with peppermint-white chocolate ganache. So, throw on a Christmas movie (specifically Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer) and lose yourself in the process—'tis the season!
21of 21
Christmas Tree Surprise Cake
View Recipe
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/christmas-tree-surprise-cake-side-view-of-finished-cake-photo-by-jessica-furniss-2000-5039314a97d54410b86c953753074135.jpg "Our 21 Cutest Christmas Recipes (21)")
For the ultimate show-stopper, try your hand at this holiday bundt cake. Slice to reveal a green Christmas tree, or use the same technique with another shape like yellow stars or red hearts. Just be prepared to wow the crowd and explain just how you got that surprise in there. The sugared cranberries and rosemary are just the cherry (or cranberry) on top.
