Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Quick & Easy Dessert Recipes 15 Easy, Festive Holiday Baking Recipes for When You're Short on Time Simple to make and perfect for any occasion. By Rebecca Morris Rebecca Morris Rebecca is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 5, 2022 Close Photo: Alpha Smoot Looking for quick homemade baked goods to gift or to serve this Christmas? Our collection of easy baking recipes includes options with a short ingredient list, ones to make ahead, and sweets that don't require any special equipment at all. Plus, we rounded up desserts that are suitable for every occasion, whether it's a dinner party or a family meal. There are cakes to pair with tea, cookies to share with friends, and confections that make perfect edible gifts. Not only are these sweets simple to make, they are sure to be enjoyed throughout the festive season. 01 of 15 Spiced Snacking Cake Lennart Weibull Not the usual gingerbread, this lighter-spiced snacking cake includes spices like cinnamon and cardamom. View Recipe 02 of 15 Apple-Raspberry Pandowdy Dana Gallagher A pandowdy is the perfect alternative to a cobbler or crumble if you're looking for something a bit different for the holidays. This one-pan recipe is just as easy as those other apple desserts, but the delicious batter-like topping spread over apple wedges and raspberries is what really sets it apart. View Recipe 03 of 15 No-Bake Chocolate Eggnog Crème Brûlée Lennart Weibull You'll need to make these easy custards ahead of time, so they can chill and set—the payoff is that you won't be tempted to leave everything to the last minute! View Recipe 04 of 15 Butter-Pecan Cookies These melt-in-your-mouth cookies use little more than a handful of ingredients and don't require any complicated shaping techniques. They're a great holiday recipe to make with kids since they will be able to help with pressing the cookie dough into discs. View Recipe 05 of 15 Cinnamon-Sugar Ragamuffins Kate Sears A simple biscuit dough is transformed into individual swirls of sugar-and-spice treats; they're a great choice for a brunch dessert or afternoon snack with a warming cup of tea. View Recipe 06 of 15 Spice-Cookie Parfaits Dana Gallagher Parfaits combine all of our favorite treat textures (jammy, creamy, crunchy, etc.) into one delicious dessert. Here, seasonal fruit is turned into a compote and layered with whipped cream and store-bought spice cookies. View Recipe 07 of 15 Plum Skillet Cake Tara Donne Looking for an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert for a cozy dinner? Try this Plum Skillet Cake. If you can't find plums, use apples or pears for this simple cake that's baked in a cast-iron skillet. View Recipe 08 of 15 Rustic Apple Tart Christina Holmes The base for this elegant dessert is made from frozen puff pastry. All that's needed from you is a few turns with a rolling pin and you'll have the perfect foundation for layering sliced apples on top. View Recipe 09 of 15 Pound-Cake Tiramisu It isn't just easy—this decadent dessert is also make-ahead. Carve out just 15 minutes to assemble the tiramisu-flavored layers of store-bought pound cake, coffee, a light cream-cheese mixure, and a touch of rum. Then refrigerate—you can enjoy it up to a week later. View Recipe 10 of 15 Easy Fudge Bites Alpha Smoot These one-bite-wonders are a cinch to make and yield enough for a whole neighborhood's worth of edible gifts. Decorate with an array of festive toppings like crushed peppermints, chopped pistachios, and shredded coconut. View Recipe 11 of 15 Spiced Fruitcake Bars Johnny Miller This recipe is very versatile; you can use whatever dried fruits and nuts you like. Plus, the bars can be made up to a week ahead. You'll have about four dozen, so there's plenty for sharing. View Recipe 12 of 15 Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramel Cereal Bars Nico Schinco Easy and fun to make, rice cereal forms the base for these crunchy-and-creamy dessert bars. View Recipe 13 of 15 Cranberry-Swirl Cheesecake Justin Walker Simple cheesecake gets decked out for the holidays with a ruby red cranberry sauce. Make it extra festive by adorning the cake with sugared cranberries. View Recipe 14 of 15 Granola Bark Lennart Weibull Skip the chocolate bark this year and gift your loved ones a healthier treat that can be eaten all day long. This granola is specially designed to break apart into large clumps (so it's easier to grab a handful as you pass by the jar, of course.) View Recipe 15 of 15 Lemon-Ginger Bundt Cake Brett Stevens Bundt cakes may look hard to make, but they aren't. They're as easy as a basic sheet cake and way easier than a layer cake. The intricate Bundt pan creates a pretty presentation, no decorating needed. All that will be left for you to do is dust a thin layer of powdered sugar over the top before serving. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit