Holiday Baking Beyond Cookies

Let's talk about holiday baking that goes beyond cookies! These are the festive winter bakes to try. The list includes an ultra fragrant gingerbread cake, a bright citrus loaf, and the perfect flourless chocolate cake.

Few people love baking holiday cookies more than me, but a good amount of my favorite December baking happens outside the cookie platter. Think fragrant spice cakes, all things citrus, buttery, and bright - or deep, melty chocolate on the frostiest nights. Here are some good December bakes beyond the cookie plate.

10+ Holiday Baking Ideas

1. Coconut Rum Cake: With a streak of festive red raspberry this special rum cake is baked with equal parts coconut, sugar, and flour, along with a good amount of rum. Imagine a toasted coconut macaroon in cake form and you've got the idea.

2. Black Sticky Gingerbread Cake: This black sticky gingerbread cake recipe makes an outrageously dark, dense, flavorful and delicious cake. The burnt caramel-esque crust that forms on the top of the cake is part of what makes this recipe a keeper.

3. Cranberry Cake: A charming, ultra-festive buttermilk cranberry cake topped with a flood of vanilla-flecked buttermilk icing.

4. Cinnamon Rolls: Classic, homemade cinnamon rolls made from a favorite cardamom-flecked, buttery, yeast dough with a generous cinnamon-sugar swirl.

5. Flourless Chocolate Cake: A classic. Nearly every great baker I know has a version of a flourless chocolate cake in their repertoire. Likely because it’s relatively simple to make, uses a short list of ingredients, and is a legit showstopper. This one is A+.

Winter Citrus Bakes

6. Glazed Lemon Cake: Lemons are seasonally peaking around the holidays and this easy lemon cake is moist, fragrant and topped with a salted lemon glaze. It's made with lots of lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice. You don’t need a mixer, the olive oil based batter comes together quickly, and you’re not much longer than an hour from having a beautiful cake to share.

7. Almond Cake: An understated but unforgettable holiday bake, this almond cake is dense and golden with rich almond flavor, citrus zest, and a tender crumb. Top it with lots of powdered sugar and sparkling cranberries for peak holiday vibes.

8. Shaker Lemon Pie: The defining detail of this lemon Shaker pie is the use of whole lemons for the filling. It's a legit show-stopper. Every holiday table welcomes a bright citrus boost like this pie!

Bakes For Christmas Morning

9. Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole: Breakfast casseroles are a thing for good reason. You can prep them the day before. They’re great for serving a crowd, and they’re endlessly adaptable. This is my take on the popular Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole. It’s a deep-dish merging of grated cheese, bagels, eggs, plant-based sausage along with the crunch and savoriness of everything bagel seasoning.

10. Deep Dish Quiche: The deep dish quiche of your dreams. It’s made with a flaky all-butter crust. The filling is silky smooth and creamy, while still being perfectly sliceable. Switch up the add-ins based on the seasons - roasted cherry tomatoes in summer, winter squash later in the year.

More Christmas Morning recipes //

More Holiday Recipes

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