23 Festive Sweets And Treats For When You Want An Extension of the Holidays

If you’re not quite ready to break up with holiday treats yet, you’re in the right place. These festive sweets and snacks let you stretch that cozy, twinkly-season feeling a little longer without wrecking your budget or chaining you to the oven all day. You’ll get easy, crowd-pleasing recipes that work for quiet nights in, lunchbox treats, or “just because” cravings, so you can keep enjoying holiday-level comfort while real life slowly kicks back in.

Peppermint Patties

Peppermint patties bring back childhood candy-aisle memories in a homemade, feel-good way. A cool, minty center is tucked inside a thin chocolate shell so each bite feels refreshing and just sweet enough. Keep a chilled container in the fridge, grab one after dinner, then call dessert done.
Get the Recipe: Peppermint Patties

Angel Pie

Lemon angel pie feels like a little slice of winter sunshine after all the heavy holiday desserts. With a crisp meringue crust, silky lemon center, and fluffy whipped topping, every bite feels light but still indulgent enough for a special treat. Serve chilled with coffee or tea to keep the cozy celebration vibe going well past the big day.
Get the Recipe: Angel Pie

Crustless Cheesecake

Crustless cheesecake gives you all the creamy goodness you crave without the extra fuss of a crust. A silky filling with a tangy sour cream layer on top feels fancy enough for guests but easy enough for a low-key night in. Cut yourself a chilled slice straight from the fridge when you need a gentle, sweet break from real life.
Get the Recipe: Crustless Cheesecake

Old Fashioned Fudge

Old fashioned fudge is the classic square of comfort that belongs in every tin on the counter. The creamy texture and deep chocolate flavor make each bite feel rich enough for special occasions yet easy enough for any random weekday. Nibble a piece after dinner to keep that holiday mood hanging around just a little longer.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Fudge

3 Ingredient Shortbread

Three-ingredient shortbread keeps cookie season alive with almost zero effort. Butter, sugar, flour bake into crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth cookies that look right at home on any winter tray. Stack a few beside your mug for a simple little ritual that makes January feel just as cozy as December.
Get the Recipe: 3 Ingredient Shortbread

Poached Pears

Poached pears are the elegant dessert you reach for when you want something light but still special. They gently simmer in red wine, honey, citrus, warm spices until the fruit turns tender, fragrant, and deeply flavorful. Plate them with a dollop of cream to bring a soft, restaurant-style moment to your quiet winter evenings.
Get the Recipe: Poached Pears

Puff Pastry Apple Pie Pockets

Puff pastry apple pie pockets keep that cozy holiday apple-pie smell going long after the big dinner is over. Flaky layers wrap around soft, spiced apples so you get all the homemade pie vibes without wrestling with pie crust. Warm one up, add a scoop of ice cream, then settle in with a fork plus your favorite show.
Get the Recipe: Puff Pastry Apple Pie Pockets

3 Ingredient Fudge

Three-ingredient fudge is what you make when a chocolate craving hits but you’re done with complicated recipes. Chocolate, condensed milk, butter melt into a rich, velvety slab that tastes like childhood candy shop visits. Wrap up squares in little bags to tuck into lunchboxes or share with neighbors after the decorations come down.
Get the Recipe: 3 Ingredient Fudge

Hot Chocolate Cookies

Hot chocolate cookies turn your favorite winter mug into a soft, gooey dessert you can hold in your hand. Each cookie bakes up rich and cocoa-filled with a melty marshmallow on top plus a drizzle of chocolate for extra coziness. Bake a batch on a chilly evening, stack a few on a plate, then curl up under a blanket with one still warm.
Get the Recipe: Hot Chocolate Cookies

3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Blossoms

Three-ingredient peanut butter blossoms bring serious holiday energy with hardly any effort. Soft, chewy peanut butter cookies hug a chocolate kiss in the center so every bite feels like a tiny present. Keep a tin on the counter, grab one after dinner, then let that peanut-butter-plus-chocolate combo stretch the season a little longer.
Get the Recipe: 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Blossoms

M&M Cookies for Christmas

M&M cookies for Christmas are the playful treat that makes your cookie jar look like it’s still December 24th. Soft, chewy dough hugs melty chocolate bits plus red and green candies for instant festive color. Keep a stash on hand so you can sneak a warm one whenever you miss twinkle lights or those cozy movie nights.
Get the Recipe: M&M Cookies for Christmas

Cinnamon Palmiers

Cinnamon palmiers bring all the cozy sugar-and-spice vibes with almost no effort from you. Puff pastry gets rolled with cinnamon sugar into cute little swirls that crisp up in the oven and make your kitchen smell like a bakery. A plate of them on the counter turns coffee breaks into something to look forward to.
Get the Recipe: Cinnamon Palmiers

Almond Crescent Cookies

Almond crescent cookies bring major holiday magic in the most delicate, buttery way. Each crescent has an airy crumb, nutty flavor, powdered sugar coating that feels straight out of an old-school bakery. Bake a batch on a quiet afternoon to fill the house with that soft, nostalgic smell you never want to end.
Get the Recipe: Almond Crescent Cookies

White Chocolate Mousse with Raspberries

White chocolate mousse with raspberries feels fancy enough for New Year’s but comes together in minutes. Silky white chocolate mousse meets bright, juicy berries so every spoonful lands in that perfect rich-meets-fresh balance. Spoon it into small glasses, chill until set, then top with extra berries for a soft, elegant finish to the day.
Get the Recipe: White Chocolate Mousse with Raspberries

Reindeer Chocolate Bark

Reindeer chocolate bark is pure holiday fun in candy form. Melted chocolate, pretzels, candies, and a bit of creativity come together to make the cutest little reindeer faces kids and grown-ups both love. Break it into pieces, tuck some into tins, then keep a stash for cozy movie nights.
Get the Recipe: Reindeer Chocolate Bark

Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut butter fudge is what you make when you want something rich and nostalgic without a lot of steps. Creamy peanut butter, butter, vanilla team up to create smooth squares that taste like the center of your favorite candy cup. Cut it into little bites, pass a plate around after dinner, then hide a few pieces in the fridge just for you.
Get the Recipe: Peanut Butter Fudge

Christmas Popcorn Balls

Christmas popcorn balls bring back childhood memories in the most fun, sticky way. Buttery popcorn gets coated in a sweet, gooey mixture then shaped into colorful balls that kids love to help roll. Wrap them in little bags, tuck a few into lunchboxes, then keep one aside for yourself as a late-night treat.
Get the Recipe: Christmas Popcorn Balls

Tiramisu

Tiramisu turns your kitchen into a tiny Italian café without asking you to touch the oven. Espresso-soaked ladyfingers, mascarpone cream, cocoa powder layer up into a cool, dreamy dessert that tastes grown-up yet comforting. Make it a day ahead, pull the dish from the fridge after dinner, then serve generous scoops while everyone lingers at the table.
Get the Recipe: Tiramisu

Matcha Brownies

Matcha brownies are what you reach for when you want something rich but not heavy. Chewy green squares topped with white chocolate frosting strike a lovely balance between sweet and earthy. Cut them small, stack them on a plate, then let everyone find their new favorite bar.
Get the Recipe: Matcha Brownies

Saltine Toffee

Saltine toffee turns simple pantry crackers into a crunchy holiday candy people talk about all year. A layer of caramel bubbles over the salty base, gets topped with chocolate plus nuts, then cools into shattery, sweet-salty shards. Break it into irregular pieces, pile them in a tin, then snack straight from the fridge whenever you miss twinkle lights.
Get the Recipe: Saltine Toffee

Stuffed Dates

Stuffed dates with goat cheese feel fancy but secretly take just a few minutes to put together. Soft, caramel-like Medjool dates get filled with tangy goat cheese and finished with crunchy walnuts for that sweet-meets-salty bite. A couple on a little plate turn an ordinary afternoon into something special.
Get the Recipe: Stuffed Dates

Simple Pecan Pie Recipe

Simple pecan pie keeps that nostalgic holiday smell floating through your kitchen with hardly any effort. The no-roll crust, gooey caramel-like center, and toasty pecans deliver everything you love about the classic dessert in one easy bake. Warm up a wedge with a scoop of ice cream whenever you miss the sound of family gathered around the table.
Get the Recipe: Simple Pecan Pie Recipe

Matcha Sugar Cookies

Matcha sugar cookies bring a hit of color to the cookie tin with their pretty green hue. The buttery dough carries gentle matcha flavor so every bite feels both familiar and just a little bit new. Bake a batch, make some tea, then treat yourself to a quiet moment at the table.
Get the Recipe: Matcha Sugar Cookies