The holidays are a baking marathon for a lot of us. From cookies to cakes, we’re making holiday desserts to share as gifts or simply enjoy with loved ones. It can be stressful to get all that baking done, but with some foresight and a freezer you can make your life a lot easier.
Here, we have collected 30 recipes that freeze well so you can ramp production and stock the freezer with tons of sweet treats to have at the ready. You can get a jump start on Hummingbird Cake, fill the fridge with brownies, or try one of the many more make-ahead holiday desserts recipes that we turn to each year.
Although red velvet cake layers also freeze well, we love that you can freeze this brownie version of the classic cake in individual portions and defrost as needed.
It never hurts to have a pound cake stocked in the freezer. The cake is a blank canvas for any of your favorite seasonal toppings, from a cranberry compote to a citrus glaze.
Our Test Kitchen raved about flavor and texture of this silky chocolate pie. What makes it even better is that you can make it months ahead of the holiday and defrost it when ready to wow a crowd.
This perfectly pink pie features a four-ingredient chocolate wafer crust and a creamy peppermint filling (that only requires 6 ingredients). It captures one of the signature flavors the season with little effort and prep time. With the added bonus that it can be frozen in advance for even more ease.
The layers for this cake can be prepared in advance, wrapped, and frozen for up to three months. Then all you have to do is thaw the cake for 30 minutes at room temperature before filling and frosting.
Part of what makes these brownies the “best-ever” is that they can be baked and then frozen for up to three months in advance, so you can have a sweet treat at the ready all holiday season long. Pro-Tip: Reheat gently in the microwave before serving to recreate that “fresh out of the oven” brownie texture.
Did you know that fudge freezes well? Well now you do. This recipe, when stored in an airtight container, can last for three months in the freezer.
Get ahead on Christmas baking with this classic cake. You can freeze it for up to three months and then when ready to serve, all you have to do is bring it to room temperature, and top with whipped cream or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Rum balls are an excellent make-ahead dessert for the holidays. Not only do they last for up to one month in the fridge if stored properly, but they can be frozen for up to three months. If frozen, you will need to thaw them in the refrigerator for at least two hours before serving, so plan accordingly.
Cream Cheese Christmas Cookies
You can freeze these cookies two ways. You can form the dough into logs, and freeze them to slice and bake later, or you can freeze the already baked cookies for up to one month.
You can freeze these holiday-themed brownies for up to two months. Just make sure to let the brownies sit at room temperature for about an hour before you dig in.
Easier to make than pecan pie, these adorable and portable bars happen to freeze beautifully.
You’ll want to freeze this sweet treat before dipping them in chocolate. Then when ready to enjoy, simply remove them from the freezer and proceed with Step 4 of the recipe as directed.
Sure, you could always just buy the store-bought version of this treat but when our homemade recipe not only tastes better, but can be made-ahead and frozen, why would you?
To freeze these cookies in advance, all you need to do is form them on a baking sheet and freeze them until firm. Transfer them into a freezer-friendly bag or container and store until ready to bake.
This recipe makes a bunch of little cookies by design, and since they freeze so well after baking, you can get a good jump start on all your Christmas cookie tins.
While browning butter takes a little extra time and effort, it’s well worth it for the flavor it imparts in these cookies. And since you can make the dough and freeze it, you can get that light prep work out of the way well in advance of when you’re going to serve them.
You can freeze theses cookie before baking or after, but if you do go with after, just know that they’ll need a fresh dusting of powdered sugar before serving.
You can certainly make these bars ahead of time, but we recommend freezing them unfrosted (the frosting’s texture suffers when it thaws). Then once defrosted you can throw together the easy icing, spread, and serve.
All you need for these cookies is a box of cake mix, and four additional ingredients (all of which are pantry staples). It’s also a super flexible formula that allows you to freeze the dough or the cookies after baking, but either way, it will help you get a jump on holiday baking.
A snowy coconut cake is perfect for the winter holiday season, but building one can be quite time consuming. The good news is that the cake layers can be baked and frozen months in advance and the filling and frosting can be prepped up to three days in advance to make it all a little easier to manage.
These cookies are a Christmas classic and what makes them even better is that you can freeze them (fully baked) for up to two months.
The magic of these oh-so tender Snickerdoodle Cookies is that whether made fresh or baked from frozen, they stay soft and pillowy.
Although the frosting on this cake does not do well in the freezer, you can bake and freeze the cake layers up to two months in advance. Then the only work you will have left yourself on the day of serving is the fun part: frosting and decorating.
With a cream cheese base, you already know this cake is going to be good. What makes it even better is that you can freeze it, sliced or whole, for up to three months.
This Southern Living staple is not only the best Hummingbird Cake recipe out there, but it’s also one that freezes wonderfully for stress-free entertaining. In the freezer, the cake will last up to three months.
Not only does this cake make a stunning holiday centerpiece, but it’s a centerpiece you can cross off your to-do list as much as three months in advance. To do so, wrap the baked cake tightly in plastic wrap, cover with aluminum foil, and freeze. You’ll just have to remember to let it thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
No matter the holiday, you can’t really go wrong with a classic buttermilk cake. It also happens to freeze beautifully. Simply skip the icing step, remove it from the pan after cooling, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and store it in the freezer.
Not only can you freeze these festive cookies, but you can bake them straight from freezer when needed, no thawing required! (The baking time may need to be adjusted though.)
“Easy peasy! By adding almond extract, the flavor really is enhanced,” wrote one Southern Living reader of these cookies. To make them even easier, prepare the dough in advance and freeze for up to two months.