Ina Garten’s 7 Best Christmas Desserts
Ina Garten has got you covered if you are on the hunt for delicious Christmas dessert recipes. From cookies to pies and everything in between, the Barefoot Contessa can make all of your sweet holiday dreams come true. Here are our picks for Garten’s seven best Christmas desserts.
7. Ina Garten promises her Peppermint Hot Chocolate will bring holiday cheer
One of Garten’s favorite holiday sweet treat traditions is making her Peppermint Hot Chocolate. She adds a dash of espresso powder to her mixture to bring out the chocolate flavor. Then, she kicks it up another notch by serving the beverage in a warm mug with peppermint candy sticks or whole candy canes.
“Make this for the people around you and I promise everything will feel a little warmer and more cheerful,” Garten wrote on Instagram.
6. ‘The Barefoot Contessa’s’ beginner Maple Pecan Pie recipe is ‘Foolproof’
We love easy dessert recipes, especially during the holidays. And you can’t go wrong with Garten’s Maple Pecan Pie from her cookbook Foolproof. This beginner recipe will have you making your own pie crust from scratch, but don’t be scared!
The only tools you’ll need to make the homemade crust are a food processor fitted with a steel blade, plastic wrap, a well-floured cutting board, a pie pan, and a sharp paring knife. The ingredients list includes unsalted butter, all-purpose flour, sugar, kosher salt, vegetable shortening, and ice water.
5. Old Fashioned Apple Crisp is perfect for holiday parties
From Garten’s cookbook Parties! comes her recipe for Old Fashioned Apple Crisp. The Barefoot Contessa recommends Mcintosh or Macoun apples, which must be peeled, cored, and cut into large wedges. The other ingredients required are oranges, lemons, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
For the topping, you’ll need flour, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, kosher salt, oatmeal, and unsalted butter.
4. Ina Garten says her Black and White Cookies are ‘more like tender little cakes than cookies’
Garten’s Black and White Cookies come from her latest cookbook Modern Comfort Food, which hit stores in October 2020. Before the book was published, she shared on Instagram that these cookies were one of her all-time favorite treats because “they’re really more like decadent, snack-sized cakes.”
“The best part is that they are glazed with both chocolate AND vanilla icing so you don’t have to choose between the two. And, once you’ve had them fresh out of the oven, you’ll never go back to store-bought cookies again!” Garten promised.
3. Ginger Shortbread comes in different shapes and sizes
It doesn’t get much easier than Garten’s recipe for Ginger Shortbread. The only tools required are a mixer with the paddle attachment, plastic wrap, and an ungreased baking sheet. To cut into different shapes and sizes, use holiday-themed cookie cutters.
Ingredients needed include a lot of unsalted butter, sugar, pure vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, and kosher salt. Garten also mixes in minced crystallized ginger (not in syrup) for a warm and spicy taste. And, she serves her Ginger Shortbread with ice cream.
2. Croissant Bread Pudding was featured in the original ‘Barefoot Contessa’ cookbook
One of the earliest holiday dessert recipes that Garten shared with her fans was her Croissant Bread Pudding from her first Barefoot Contessa cookbook, which was published in 1999. With just a handful of ingredients and a few kitchen skills, you’ll be able to wow your holiday guests with this delicious dish.
You’ll need extra-large whole eggs, extra-large egg yolks, half-and-half, sugar, pure vanilla extract, stale croissants, and raisins. You can make this dessert ahead of time to free up your kitchen on Christmas Day.
1. Ina Garten found inspiration for her Dark Chocolate Tart from another cookbook
Garten found inspiration for her delectable Dark Chocolate Tart from Erin French’s cookbook The Lost Kitchen. This dessert is so good, it might just inspire you to make it a staple of your holiday menu for years to come.
For the crust, you’ll need Nabisco chocolate wafers, sugar, and butter. For the filling Garten’s recipe calls for bittersweet chocolate, heavy cream, eggs, and pure vanilla extract.
Finally, for the glaze you’ll need more bittersweet chocolate (Garten recommends Lindt), heavy cream, coffee granules, and flaked sea salt. This beginner recipe looks amazing when displayed on a serving plate. Your guests never have to know that it was easy to make and took less than an hour.
The Barefoot Contessa: Modern Comfort Food airs Sundays on the Food Network.
