35 Easy Christmas Desserts With 5 Ingredients or Less
Christmas baking doesn’t have to mean complicated recipes or a long list of ingredients! In fact, there are so many delicious Christmas desserts you can make with only a handful of ingredients.
I’ve gathered some of the best easy Christmas desserts that use 5 ingredients or less. You’ll find plenty of Christmas cookies, bars, candy, fudge and no-bake treats – all with short ingredient lists.
These are perfect recipes for Christmas parties, cookie trays, homemade gifts or simply enjoying at home with your family. And when December is already busy enough? I’m all for keeping Christmas baking as simple as possible!
Ready? Let’s get baking!
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. You can read more in my disclosure policy.
Easy Christmas Cookies With 5 Ingredients or Less
You can’t have Christmas without Christmas cookies! Thankfully, you don’t need a long list of ingredients to fill up a cookie tray.
Here are some easy Christmas cookie recipes that use only 5 ingredients or less.
Christmas Funfetti Shortbread Bites
How cute are these little Christmas shortbread bites? With only 5 ingredients, including the Christmas sprinkles, these buttery little cookies are perfect for filling cookie tins or adding to a Christmas cookie tray.
Get the full recipe from Cooking Classy.
Chocolate Christmas Kiss Cookies
Chocolate cookies topped with peppermint Hershey’s Kisses? Yum! These 4 ingredient Christmas cookies start with a devil’s food cake mix, which makes them extra easy to mix up.
Get the full recipe from Your Cup of Cake.
3 Ingredient Shortbread Cookies
Can you really make shortbread with only 3 ingredients? Yes! All you need is butter, sugar and flour, and you can always add chocolate or Christmas sprinkles if you want to dress them up a little.
Get the full recipe from Cookies & Cups.
Sugar Cookie Truffles
Here’s a fun way to turn sugar cookies into something completely different! These 4 ingredient sugar cookie truffles are covered in white chocolate and can easily be decorated with Christmas sprinkles.
Get the full recipe from I Heart Naptime.
White Chocolate Peppermint Sugar Cookies
If you need a Christmas cookie in a hurry, try this one! These 3 ingredient cookies start with prepared sugar cookie dough and add white chocolate and crushed candy canes for an easy Christmas twist.
Get the full recipe from Chelsea’s Messy Apron.
Pecan Snowball Cookies
Snowball cookies are such a classic Christmas cookie! These buttery pecan cookies use only 5 simple ingredients and are rolled in powdered sugar for that pretty snowball look.
Get the full recipe from Fantabulosity.
Chewy Coconut Macaroons
If you love coconut, these easy macaroons are a fun addition to a Christmas cookie tray! You only need 5 simple ingredients to make these chewy coconut cookies with perfectly golden edges.
Get the full recipe from Chew Out Loud.
Italian Butter Christmas Cookies
These pretty piped cookies look like they require a lot more work than they actually do! You only need 4 ingredients to make the buttery cookie dough, and you can serve them as is or add Christmas sprinkles if you choose.
Get the full recipe from Emma Fontanella.
No-Bake Peppermint Bark Christmas Cookies
No oven needed for these easy Christmas cookies, since they start with chocolate wafers (or Oreo Thins)! With 4 ingredients, you can make a festive chocolate and peppermint cookie that’s especially handy when your oven is already full with other Christmas baking.
Get the full recipe from Your Cup of Cake.
Avalanche Cookies
Have you ever tried avalanche cookies? I haven’t yet, but they look delicious! These easy 4 ingredient no-bake cookies combine white chocolate, peanut butter, marshmallows and crispy rice cereal for a sweet and crunchy Christmas treat.
Get the full recipe from Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog.
Cake Mix Christmas Cookies
Here’s another easy cake mix cookie recipe that is perfect for Christmas! These 5 ingredient cookies use red and green M&M’s to make a simple cookie look instantly festive.
Get the full recipe from Six Sisters’ Stuff.
Christmas Icebox Cookies
I love the pretty red and green colors from cherries in these Christmas icebox cookies! With only 5 ingredients, you can make the dough ahead of time and then simply slice and bake the cookies when you’re ready.
Get the full recipe from Kitchen at Hoskins.
Almond Candy Cane Cookies
How fun are these candy cane cookies? They use only 4 ingredients (with no butter or eggs) and are shaped into candy canes for a Christmas cookie that will definitely stand out on a cookie tray.
Get the full recipe from The Conscious Plant Kitchen.
Spritz Cookies
Spritz cookies are another classic Christmas cookie – and this version needs only 5 ingredients! Use a cookie press to make all sorts of fun Christmas shapes and add sprinkles for an extra festive touch.
Get the full recipe from Gonna Want Seconds.
Jam Thumbprint Cookies
I love a classic jam thumbprint cookie at Christmas! These buttery cookies need only 5 ingredients, including the jam, and that pretty red center adds plenty of Christmas color without any extra decorating.
Get the full recipe from Fifteen Spatulas.
Easy Christmas Bars, Bark and Toffee With 5 Ingredients or Less
Bars, bark and toffee are some of my favorite recipes when I need to make a lot of treats at once. They’re easy to cut or break into smaller pieces, which makes them perfect for Christmas dessert trays and homemade gifts.
Here are some easy Christmas bars, bark and toffee recipes that use 5 ingredients or less.
Easy Pretzel Toffee Bark
This 4 ingredient pretzel toffee bark is one of my favorite easy Christmas treats. The salty pretzels, buttery toffee and chocolate are such a good combination – plus, one batch makes plenty to share! Even better, you can make it ahead of time and freeze it for whenever you need a quick Christmas treat.
Get the full recipe at Joyfully Thriving.
Double Delicious Cookie Bars
Chocolate and peanut butter chips together in an easy cookie bar? Yes, please! These chewy cookie bars use only 5 ingredients and start with a simple graham cracker base.
Get the full recipe from Bake or Break.
No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
A good peanut butter bar is always a hit, especially when you add chocolate on top. This version is completely no-bake, topped with chocolate and uses only 5 ingredients.
Get the full recipe from Chef Savvy.
Shortbread Cookie Bars
If you like shortbread but don’t want to shape individual cookies, make bars instead! These buttery shortbread bars use just 5 ingredients and can easily be cut into small pieces for a Christmas dessert tray.
Get the full recipe from The Modern Nonna.
Graham Cracker Toffee
Here’s another easy toffee option using only 5 ingredients. Graham crackers are covered with buttery caramel and chocolate for a simple treat you can dress up with Christmas sprinkles or chopped nuts.
Get the full recipe from Gimme Some Oven.
Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark
It doesn’t get much easier than a 2 ingredient Christmas dessert! Dark chocolate and crushed peppermint candies are all you need to make this simple peppermint bark.
Get the full recipe from Iowa Girl Eats.
Cranberry Bliss White Chocolate Bark
This one is so pretty for Christmas! You only need 4 ingredients to make this white chocolate bark with tart cranberries and citrus – and the red cranberries against the white chocolate look naturally festive.
Get the full recipe from Cupcakes & Kale Chips.
Peppermint Mocha Chocolate Bark
If you love peppermint mochas at Christmas, here’s a dessert version to try! This 5 ingredient chocolate bark combines chocolate, coffee and peppermint into one easy Christmas treat.
Get the full recipe from Cupcakes & Kale Chips.
Easy Christmas Candy and Fudge With 5 Ingredients or Less
I make several different kinds of homemade candy every Christmas. The good news is that homemade Christmas candy doesn’t have to be difficult!
These easy Christmas candy and fudge recipes all use 5 ingredients or less, and many can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or freezer until you need them.
The Best Homemade Buckeyes
Buckeyes are a Christmas tradition in our family, and this is the recipe I make multiple batches every single Christmas. You only need 5 ingredients to make the creamy peanut butter balls before dipping them in chocolate – and I promise, they’re easier than you might think!
Get the full recipe at Joyfully Thriving.
Peanut Cluster Candies
This is one of the easiest candies I make every Christmas! You only need 4 ingredients – peanuts, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and peanut butter chips – and one batch makes a huge amount of candy.
Even better? These peanut clusters freeze wonderfully, so they’re a great Christmas treat to make ahead of time.
Get the full recipe at Joyfully Thriving.
Candy Cane Fudge
White chocolate and candy canes make this fudge look perfectly festive for Christmas. This easy 5 ingredient fudge doesn’t require a candy thermometer either, which makes it even simpler.
Get the full recipe from The Girl Who Ate Everything.
Christmas Crack
Have you ever made Christmas crack? This 5 ingredient Christmas candy layers saltine crackers with buttery toffee and chocolate for that perfect sweet and salty combination.
Get the full recipe from Crayons & Cravings.
Easy Cream Cheese Mints
Cream cheese mints are another simple candy you can make ahead of time for Christmas. This recipe uses only 4 ingredients, and you can make the mints red, green or white to match your Christmas dessert trays.
Get the full recipe at Joyfully Thriving.
Nutella Truffles
These chocolate truffles look impressive, but you only need 5 ingredients to make them. If you love Nutella and hazelnuts, this would be a fun candy to add to your Christmas treat trays.
Get the full recipe from Completely Delicious.
Nutter Butter Balls
Here’s another easy chocolate and peanut butter combination! These 4 ingredient no-bake truffles start with Nutter Butter cookies and peanut butter before being dipped in chocolate.
Get the full recipe from The BakerMama.
Christmas Cookie Truffles
Have extra Christmas cookies – or just want to turn cookies into something new? These easy 4 ingredient Christmas truffles turn cookies into creamy chocolate-dipped bites that you can finish with colorful Christmas sprinkles.
Get the full recipe from Broken Oven Baking.
Easy No-Bake Christmas Desserts and Festive Christmas Treats
Finally, here are a few more easy Christmas desserts that didn’t quite fit into the other categories. From a simple no-bake cake to some really cute pretzel treats, these recipes are all easy to make with 5 ingredients or less.
Chocolate Eclair Cake
I love an easy no-bake dessert like this one! This 5 ingredient chocolate eclair cake layers graham crackers with a creamy vanilla filling and chocolate frosting. Make it ahead of time and let it chill until you’re ready for dessert.
Get the full recipe from Belly Full.
Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Chocolate covered pretzels are so simple, but they’re always good! You need only 3 ingredients – pretzels, chocolate and sprinkles – and red and green sprinkles make them perfect for Christmas.
Get the full recipe from Dinner at the Zoo.
Holiday Poinsettia Pretzel Bites
How cute are these little poinsettias? With only 3 ingredients, you can turn pretzels, candy melts and M&M’s into a unique Christmas treat that will look so pretty on a dessert tray.
Get the full recipe from Two Sisters.
Christmas Rolo Pretzels
These are such a fun and easy Christmas treat! You only need 3 ingredients – pretzels, Rolos and red and green M&M’s – to make these sweet and salty little bites that are perfect for Christmas treat trays.
Get the full recipe from Lil’ Luna.
Want More Easy Christmas Desserts?
There you have it! 35 easy Christmas desserts, all made with only 5 ingredients or less. Now the hardest part is deciding which one to make first!
If you’re looking for even more easy Christmas recipes, here are some of my other favorite Christmas dessert collections:
40 Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes with 10 Ingredients or Less.
33 Traditional Christmas Cookies Like Grandma Would Make.
50 Easy No Bake Christmas Candy Recipes.
60 Easy 3-Ingredient Desserts.
I hope these recipes make your Christmas baking a little easier – and give you plenty of delicious treats to share with the people you love!
