Get your kids excited for the holidays with these 13 fun dessert recipes. They're simple to make together, no fancy skills needed. From no-bake treats to cute cookies, each one bursts with festive flavors and shapes that'll spark joy.
You'll find easy ingredients you probably have at home, plus tips to avoid common slip-ups like overbaking. Perfect for parties, gifts, or cozy family nights.
13 Fun Holiday Dessert Recipes for Kids
These recipes are kid-approved and holiday-ready. Whip them up in under an hour each, and watch the magic happen as you decorate side by side.
1. Reindeer Chocolate Pretzels
These salty-sweet reindeer pretzels are a hit with kids for their goofy faces. The chocolate melts smoothly, pretzels add crunch, and they're ready in minutes—no oven required.
Ingredients
- 24 mini pretzels
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips or melts
- 24 chocolate-covered pretzels (for antlers)
- 24 red candy-coated chocolates (like M&Ms)
- 48 mini candy eyes
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Melt the Chocolate
Melt chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth (about 1-2 minutes total). Use a spoon or fork for dipping.
2. Dip the Pretzels
Dip half of each mini pretzel into chocolate, place on parchment-lined baking sheet. While wet, add pretzel pieces as antlers on top.
3. Add the Faces
Press on candy eyes and red nose right away. Refrigerate 10-15 minutes until set. Serve chilled.
2. Snowman Oreo Balls
No-bake snowmen Oreo balls roll into creamy, chocolatey bliss. Kids love shaping them, and the crumbly cookie center contrasts the smooth coating perfectly.
Ingredients
- 36 Oreo cookies
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 12 oz white chocolate candy melts
- Orange mini M&Ms (for noses)
- Chocolate chips (for eyes/buttons)
- Pretzel sticks (for arms)
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Crush the Cookies
Pulse Oreos in a food processor until fine crumbs. Or seal in a bag and crush with a rolling pin.
2. Mix the Filling
Beat in softened cream cheese until dough forms. Roll into 1-inch balls, chill 30 minutes on a tray.
3. Coat and Decorate
Melt white chocolate per package. Dip balls, add faces and arms while wet. Refrigerate until firm.
3. Gingerbread Cookies
Spicy, chewy gingerbread cookies let kids cut fun shapes and decorate wildly. The molasses gives deep holiday warmth without being too intense.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup molasses
- Royal icing and sprinkles for decorating
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Mix Dry Ingredients
Whisk flour, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
2. Cream Wet Ingredients
Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and molasses, mix well.
3. Form Dough and Bake
Combine wet and dry. Chill 1 hour. Roll out, cut shapes, bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. Cool, then decorate.
4. Peppermint Bark
Crunchy peppermint bark layers white chocolate with candy cane bits for minty freshness. Break it into shards for easy kid snacking.
Ingredients
- 12 oz white chocolate chips
- 12 oz dark chocolate chips
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
- 1 cup crushed candy canes
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Melt Dark Chocolate
Melt dark chocolate in double boiler or microwave (30-second intervals). Spread evenly on parchment-lined 9×13 pan.
2. Chill First Layer
Refrigerate 15 minutes until firm.
3. Add White Layer
Melt white chocolate with extract, spread over dark. Sprinkle candy canes, press lightly. Chill 1 hour, break into pieces.
5. Sugar Cookie Cutouts
Buttery sugar cookies hold shapes beautifully for kid decorating. Crisp edges meet soft centers, topped with their favorite icings.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Icing and sprinkles
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Combine Dry Ingredients
Whisk flour, baking powder, salt.
2. Cream Butter Mixture
Beat butter and sugar fluffy. Add egg and vanilla.
3. Bake and Decorate
Mix in dry. Chill dough 1 hour. Cut shapes, bake 375°F 7-9 minutes. Cool, ice.
6. Hot Chocolate Bombs
Fill these chocolate spheres with mix and marshmallows—they "explode" into hot cocoa. Kids adore assembling the surprises.
Ingredients
- 12 oz milk chocolate candy melts
- 6 tbsp hot chocolate mix
- ½ cup mini marshmallows
- Optional: crushed candy canes
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Mold the Halves
Melt chocolate, spoon into silicone half-spheres, tap out excess. Chill 10 minutes, pop out.
2. Fill Halves
Add 1 tbsp mix and marshmallows to 6 halves.
3. Seal Bombs
Warm edges of filled halves on plate, attach empty halves. Dust with cocoa, chill until set.
7. Grinch Fruit Skewers
Healthy Grinch skewers mix green grapes, banana "hair," and strawberry hearts in yogurt dip. Fruity fun without the sugar overload.
Ingredients
- 2 bananas, sliced
- 2 cups green grapes
- 12 strawberries, heart-shaped
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt
- Wooden skewers
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prep Fruits
Slice bananas thickly. Cut strawberries into hearts with a small cookie cutter.
2. Assemble Skewers
Thread grape, banana slice, strawberry heart per skewer. Repeat.
3. Dip and Serve
Dip one end in yogurt for "fuzz." Chill briefly if needed.
8. Christmas Tree Rice Krispies Treats
Chewy green trees from Rice Krispies mix stack into festive shapes. Top with a star for that wow factor kids crave.
Ingredients
- 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
- 4 cups mini marshmallows
- 3 tbsp butter
- Green food coloring
- Yellow candy stars
- Sprinkles
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Melt Marshmallows
Melt butter and marshmallows in saucepan over low heat. Stir in green coloring.
2. Mix Cereal
Fold in cereal quickly. Press into greased pan, cool 10 minutes.
3. Cut and Stack
Cut into triangles, stack 3-4 per tree. Top with star, add sprinkles.
9. Elf Hat Cupcakes
Fluffy elf hat cupcakes use simple vanilla base with red swirl icing and donut "hats." Irresistibly cute and tasty.
Ingredients
- 1 box vanilla cake mix (or homemade equivalent)
- 16 oz vanilla frosting
- Red food coloring
- 12 mini plain donuts
- White sprinkles
- Gold candy balls
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Bake Cupcakes
Prepare mix per box, bake at 350°F for 18-22 minutes in liners. Cool fully.
2. Frost Hats
Tint frosting red, pipe swirl on each cupcake. Dip donuts in white frosting for brim.
3. Assemble
Place frosted donut on swirl, add sprinkles and candy ball pom-pom.
10. Santa Hat Brownies
Fudgy brownies become Santa hats with strawberry tops and fluff. Rich chocolate pairs with fresh berry tang.
Ingredients
- 1 box brownie mix (or 1 batch fudgy brownies)
- 12 strawberries, hulled
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- ½ cup vanilla icing
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Bake Brownies
Mix and bake brownies per package in mini muffin tin, 350°F 15-18 minutes. Cool.
2. Prep Hats
Slice strawberry bottoms flat.
3. Top and Decorate
Pipe icing border on brownie, add marshmallows around, top with strawberry.
11. Candy Cane Hearts
Twist candy canes into hearts, dip in chocolate for sweet peppermint crunch. Simple crafty treat kids make fast.
Ingredients
- 12 full-size candy canes
- 8 oz white chocolate melts
- Red and green sprinkles
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Form Hearts
Gently twist 2 candy canes together at top to form heart. Repeat.
2. Melt Chocolate
Melt white chocolate in microwave, 30-second stirs.
3. Dip and Sprinkle
Dip heart bottoms in chocolate, sprinkle while wet. Let set on parchment.
12. Snowflake Marshmallows
Puffy marshmallows cut like snowflakes toast golden for s'mores vibe. Dip in chocolate for extra fun.
Ingredients
- 1 bag large marshmallows
- 8 oz chocolate melts
- Snowflake cookie cutters
- Wooden sticks
- Powdered sugar
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Cut Shapes
Press snowflake cutters into marshmallows firmly.
2. Insert Sticks
Push stick into side of each.
3. Toast and Dip
Toast over open flame briefly. Dip half in melted chocolate, dust sugar.
13. Holiday Puppy Chow
Addictive puppy chow mixes chocolatey Chex with M&Ms for holiday crunch. Shake in a bag for mess-free kid help.
Ingredients
- 9 cups Chex cereal
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup holiday M&Ms
- ½ cup mini pretzels
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Melt Coating
Melt chocolate, peanut butter, butter in microwave (1-minute stirs).
2. Coat Cereal
Pour over cereal in large bowl, stir gently to coat.
3. Sugar and Mix-Ins
Add to zip-top bag with powdered sugar, shake. Mix in M&Ms and pretzels.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Dive into these recipes with your little ones—they'll create memories sweeter than the treats. Start with the no-bakes if you're short on time.
Every batch brings holiday cheer right to your kitchen. You've got this; tweak flavors to your family's taste.
Share your decorated masterpieces online and spread the joy. Happy holidays!
