Last-Minute Christmas Dessert Recipes

Christmas is only a few days away, which probably means you will be heading to a couple Christmas feasts. You don’t have to worry about the turkey and the stuffing and the mashed potatoes, so how about bringing a sweet, bite-sized dessert to take some of the pressure off the hostess? These recipes are quick and perfect for nibbling after dinner has almost put you in a food coma.

Microwave Peanut Brittle (allrecipes.com)

Ingredients:

– 1 cup white sugar
– ½ cup light corn syrup
– 1 cup salted peanuts
– 1 tsp butter
– 1 tsp vanilla extract
– 1 tsp baking soda

Directions:

1. Butter a cookie sheet.
2. Combine sugar and corn syrup in a 2 quart glass bowl and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Stir in peanuts and microwave on high for 3 ½ minutes. Stir in butter and vanilla and microwave for 1 ½ minutes.
3. Stir in baking soda until light and foamy.  Pour onto cookie sheet and spread thin. Cool completely, break into pieces and serve.

Candy Cane Brownies (canadianliving.com)

Ingredients:

– 2/3 cup (150 mL) butter
– 8 oz (227 g) semisweet chocolate, chopped
– 4 oz (113 g) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
– 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) granulated sugar
– 4 Eggs
– 2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
– 1 cup (250 mL) all purpose flour
– 1 tsp (5 mL) salt

Topping:

– 1/2 cup (125 mL) crushed candy canes
– 2/3 cup (150 mL) mini chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Line 13- x 9-inch (3.5 L) metal cake pan with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In saucepan over medium-low heat, melt together butter and semisweet and unsweetened chocolates. Let cool for 10 minutes. Whisk in sugar, then eggs, 1 at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Using wooden spoon, stir in flour and salt. Scrape into prepared pan.
3. Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging, 25 to 30 minutes.
4. TOPPING: Sprinkle with candy canes, then chocolate chips; return to oven for 30 seconds (do not let topping melt). Let cool in pan on rack. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

Egg Nog Fudge (therecipecritic.com)

Ingredients:

– 1 1/2 cups egg nog
– 4 cups sugar
– 2 (12 ounce) packages white chocolate chips
– 1 cup butter, cut into pieces
– 1 (7 ounce) container marshmallow cream
– nutmeg for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Line a 9×13 inch pan with aluminum foil and lightly sprinkle with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a large pot over medium heat combine eggnog and sugar. Bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Once it comes to a boil, stir constantly for 10 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and add in white chocolate chips, marshmallow cream, and butter. Stir until completely melted and incorporated.
4. Pour into your foil lined 9×13 pan and spread evenly until smooth. Sprinkle the top with nutmeg. Let completely cool to room temperature and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Gingerbread Cheesecake Bites (tablespoon.com)

Ingredients:

– 1 30 oz Pillsbury Gingerbread Cookie dough chub
– 4oz cream cheese
– 2 cups powdered sugar
– 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Roll two teaspoons of cookie dough into a ball for each cookie.
2. Place balls of dough into paper lines mini cupcake/muffin pan.
3. Make a well/indentation into each ball of dough with a flour dipped mini rolling pin or the back of a measurement teaspoon.
4. Beat room temperature cream cheese with powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla. Place filling into a piping bag, cut off edge of bag. Place one teaspoon or so of filling into each area of cookie dough.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes or until cookie tested with tooth pick comes out almost clean.
6. Don’t over fill the cookies with filling as they will rise when baked.

Shortbread Bites (delish.com)

Ingredients:

– 1 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
– 3 tablespoon(s) sugar
– 1/2 cup(s) (1 stick) butter (no substitutions), cold, cut into pieces
– 1 tablespoon(s) red and green nonpareils or sprinkles or 1/2 cup mini baking bits

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In food processor with knife blade attached, pulse flour and sugar until combined. Add butter and pulse until dough begins to come together. Place dough in medium bowl. With hand, gently knead in nonpareils or baking bits until evenly blended and dough forms a ball.
3. On lightly floured waxed paper, pat dough into 8″ by 5″ rectangle; freeze 15 minutes. Cut dough into 1/2-inch squares. Place squares, 1/2 inch apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet.
4. Bake cookies 18 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned on bottom. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Store cookies in tightly covered container at room temperature up to 1 week, or in freezer up to 3 months.