Christmas 2024: 3 easy no-bake dessert recipes to sweeten your festive celebrations
This Christmas, skip the oven and try these 3 delicious no-bake desserts that are perfect for celebrating the festive season with family and friends.
Christmas is almost here, and with it, the indulgence in desserts begins, whether it is Christmas cakes or cookies. The process of making desserts is also invigorating, as friends and family join together to create the ultimate Christmas meal. Truly, it is a celebration of togetherness and bonding. In a way, Christmas desserts, warm and cosy, symbolize the snuggly feeling of the festive season.

Most desserts generally require an oven to prepare. However, if you don’t have an oven or simply wish to try something new, you can explore these no-bake Christmas desserts. After all, desserts don’t follow a one-size-fits-all recipe approach. Christmas desserts bring joy, and it shouldn’t be gatekept by an oven. So, oven or not, get ready to prepare an amazing dessert menu this Christmas.
ALSO READ: Christmas 2024: Celebrate the festive season with these three decadent bread recipes
Here’s all you can include in the no-bake dessert menu:
Cheesecake
Do you think there can be no cake without baking? This amazing cheesecake will make you gasp in wonder (and rethink for sure). No-bake cheesecake is a creamy, luscious dessert that's incredibly easy to make and perfect for Christmas celebrations. It has a crunchy biscuit base with velvety cream cheese atop, this dessert is a definite conversation starter.
Recipe by Debbie Clark-
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
- 226.8 gm cream cheese
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 475 ml heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 1 can cherry pie filling or fresh berries
Method
- Mix graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Now to it, add melted butter and combine. Press the mixture into the bottom of an 8- or 10-inch springform pan. Let it chill until the mixture becomes firm.
- Whisk cheese cream and lemon together until it becomes very soft. To it then add whipping cream and use an electric mixer to beat. Add sugar till the mixture becomes stiff.
- Next pour atop the chilled base that was kept aside earlier then again refrigerate for hours or overnight.
- You can serve with the toppings of your choice- from fresh fruits to biscuit crumbs.
Tiramisu
Mouth already start to water? Tiramisu is no doubt a crowd-pleaser dessert. Yes, it may require some effort but at least it's fuss-free from all that baking and balancing the temperature. The smooth coffee flavour with cheese texture is heavenly.
Recipe by Tarla Dalal
Ingredients
- 20 tiramisu biscuits
- ½ mascarpone cheese
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup soft beaten whipped cream
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder for dusting
- 2 tsp coffee powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ½ cup warm water
Method
- Mix 2 tsp coffee powder, 1 tbsp sugar, and ½ cup warm water to make coffee.
- In a bowl, whisk together ½ mascarpone cheese, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and ¼ cup powdered sugar until smooth.
- Fold in 1 cup whipped cream to the mascarpone mixture.
- Quickly dip 20 tiramisu biscuits in the coffee mixture and layer them in a dish.
- Spread half of the cream mixture over the biscuits.
- Repeat with another layer of soaked biscuits and the remaining cream mixture.
- Refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight.
- Dust with 2 tbsp cocoa powder before serving.
Panna Cotta
If you want to impress everyone with your culinary skills at the dinner table, Panna Cotta is surely the one for you (almost gives you Masterchef vibes!) Panna Cotta is a smooth, creamy Italian dessert known for its delicate texture and subtle flavour. The creamy dessert will melt in your mouth. It's very simple and easy to make, exuding high-end gourmet food energy.
Recipe by Mimi
Ingredients
- 2 ½ teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 2 ½ cup whipping cream
- ½ cup full fat milk
- 45 grams granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Method
- In a small cup, add 3 tablespoons of milk and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let it sit to bloom.
- In a small saucepan,add the rest of the milk, cream, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Do not allow it to boil.
- Once small bubbles appear at the edges, remove from heat and whisk in the bloomed gelatin. Stir in vanilla extract and mix gently.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Before pouring, stir again to ensure it’s well combined.
- Pour the mixture into shot glasses or silicone moulds.
- Place the containers in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Once set, top with fresh berry sauce before serving. Alternatively, even chocolate ganache goes well with this.
