Christmas: Quick & Easy Desserts to Save Your Time Baking

Christmas: Quick & Easy Desserts to Save Your Time in Baking
Credit: Monica Schipper / Stringer / Getty

Christmas 2016 is officially four days away, and many people are wondering what they should bring to their holiday parties. Oftentimes, baking can be a sweet gesture, and Christmas dessert recipes are plentiful.

The problem is many of them take a considerable amount of effort to make—something that many people are tight on. So, here are a couple of easy desserts you can make for the holidays.

Easy Desserts for Christmas 2016

Here is a simple recipe that is totally Christmas—everyone knows the story of the Grinch. This recipe takes 15 minutes and there is no baking involved. It’s a great alternative to traditional Christmas cookies.

Grinch Kranky Treats:

Ingredients

  • 8-9 drops green food coloring
  • 1 bag mini M&Ms
  • 1 can chocolate frosting
  • 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1 package mini marshmallows (10 oz)
  • 5 1/2 c. crisped rice cereal

Directions

  1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium to low heat. Stir in the food coloring and marshmallows, mixing until combined (approx. 2 mins). Remove from heat and stir in the cereal.
  2. Spread mixture onto sheet of wax paper. Let cool for 3-4 minutes.
  3. Spritz your hands with cooking spray/grease with vegetable oil so the treats don’t stick to your hands. Mold the treats into the shape of the Grinch’s head, (looks like the curved base of a violin). Press two yellow M&Ms into each treat, in the area where eyes would be.
  4. Place the frosting in a piping bag or a re-sealable bag with the corner snipped off. Use the frosting to draw the Grinch’s mouth and nose on each treat, and also a pupil on each M&M “eye”, plus add eyebrows on top. Draw a squiggle for the hair on top of his head. Voila!

Tiramisu Pie

Forget about Christmas fudge – try this Tiramisu pie instead and wow your guests with the taste of an Italian classic.

Ingredients

  • 2 c. cold milk
  • 1 1/2 c. heavy cream
  • 1 packet vanilla pudding mix
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1 8-oz. container mascarpone
  • 3 c. brewed espresso or coffee
  • 34-40 ladyfingers (depending on size of springform pan)
  • Cocoa powder, for dusting
  • 3 tbsp. rum (more if you want it boozier!)
  • Chocolate shavings, for garnish

Directions

  1. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8″ or 9″ springform pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, use a whisk or hand mixer to beat together the vanilla pudding mix and the milk. Set aside.
  2. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the vanilla pudding into whipped cream until it is completely combined and then fold in the sugar and mascarpone.
  3. Cut lady finger cookies to match the height of your springform pan.
  4. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the rum and espresso. Working quickly, gently dip each cut ladyfinger into the espresso/rum mixture for 1 second, then stand them around ring or perimeter of springform pan and layer on bottom of pan, cutting ladyfingers to make one even layer.
  5. Pour half the pie filling over the ladyfinger layer and top with another layer of espresso-dipped ladyfingers.
  6. Finally, pour over remaining half of pie filling.
  7. Refrigerate the pie until filling is firm, 6 hours.
  8. Unmold springform pan. Dust top of pie with cocoa powder and garnish it with chocolate shavings.

 


Sources:

Fantozzi, S., “66 Awesome No Bake Desserts” Delish; December, 14, 2016; http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/g2887/50-no-bake-desserts/?slide=1; last accessed December 20, 2016.