10 Ultimate Christmas and Holiday Baking Recipes

Don't spend too much time agonizing over picking the perfect recipe. Instead, make one of our 10 ultimate Christmas baking recipes, including classic sugar cookies and creamy cheesecake.

Related To:

Photo By: Tara Donne ©Tara Donne

Sugar Cookies

Alton Brown's favorite sugar cookies can be stored for up to one week, so they're a great make-ahead option for your holiday party.

Get the Recipe: Sugar Cookies

Chocolate Cream Puffs

These magical little puffs are light, crisp and rich all at the same time. The dough is made on the stovetop, then piped into smooth mounds and baked into airy balloons.

Get the Recipe: Chocolate Cream Puffs

Ninjabread Men Cookies

Sneak more exciting cookies into your holiday platter this year to kick your party into high gear.

Get the Recipe: Ninjabread Men Cookies

Apple Pie

Michael Symon uses lard to acheive a super flaky crust and fills his pie with tart Granny Smith apples and a touch of heavy cream and butter to thicken the mixture.

Get the Recipe: Apple Pie

Sour Cream Cheesecake

This cheesecake is rich, creamy and has just the right amount of tang.

Get the Recipe: Sour Cream Cheesecake

Beatty's Chocolate Cake

Ina Garten's chocolate cake has a subtle mocha flavor thanks to the cup of freshly brewed coffee in the batter, but our favorite part of this recipe is the thick chocolate buttercream icing on the top of the cake and between its layers.

Get the Recipe: Beatty's Chocolate Cake

Panettone Bread Pudding with Amaretto Sauce

Use panettone loaf as the base of this bread pudding and spike it with almond-scented amaretto liqueur to lend a distinctly Italian note to your holiday dessert spread.

Get the Recipe: Panettone Bread Pudding with Amaretto Sauce

Yorkshire Gingerbread

The key ingredient for making this gingerbread in the "Yorkshire" style is black treacle, which is just a British name for a very dark molasses.

Get the Recipe: Yorkshire Gingerbread

Carrot Cake

Chuck Hughes goes above and beyond the usual carrots-and-spice combo for his carrot cake recipe. His batter is filled with fruits and nuts for flavor and texture, including pineapple, golden raisins, dried cherries and chopped walnuts.

Get the Recipe: Carrot Cake

Ginger Rum Balls

Chrissy Teigen's colored-sugar-flecked chocolate balls are as spicy as she is sassy, and with 1/4 cup of dark rum, are delightfully boozy –– perfect for holiday parties.

Get the Recipe: Spiced Ginger Rum Balls