The holiday season can be hectic, so save your sanity (and your time) by making these treats ahead and storing them in your freezer. From show-stopping baked Alaska to slice-and-bake icebox cookies, get ready to be the host with the most as you serve these delicious holiday desserts.
Baked Alaska
The combination of lavender honey ice cream and cake that is covered with meringue makes for one classic dessert. The key is keeping both cake and ice cream as cold as possible for the perfect hot-day treat.
Icebox Cookies
With three flavours to choose from — lemon, earl grey, and chocolate — these stunning (and delicious) icebox cookies will satisfy any craving.
Mocha Chocolate Icebox Cake
The Barefoot Contessa brings ease to decadent dishes like this fancy cake. The secret is good-quality ingredients (and a little love, too).
Nanaimo Ice Cream Cake
Turn that sweet tray favourite into a decadent True North dessert by layering the traditional base and custard filling with ice cream, then topping it off with chocolate.
Maple-Nut Wafflewiches
Enjoy these chocolate-y, red velvet treats, warm and right out of the waffle iron or make in advance and freeze for a quick and impressive dessert.
Triple Mint Choc Chip Ice Cream
Chocolate mints? Check. Smarties? Sure! The sky’s the limit with this super simple recipe for creating your own custom ice cream. Ree Drummond shows you how to turn a carton of plain old vanilla ice cream into your dream dessert with your favourite candies.
Spiced Pumpkin Icebox Cake
A cool twist on the Thanksgiving favourite, this creamy icebox cake is a delicious make-ahead dessert that’s sure to delight all the guests at your table.
Vanilla Icebox Cookies
Consider these cookies your saving grace for last-minute guests. Make the dough in advance and stash it in the freezer.
Peanut Crisps
Turn a box of crushed ice cream cones and puffed rice cereal into crunchy ice cream sandwiches. Make lots because you’ll always want a stash of these scrumptious treats in your freezer.
Checkerboard Icebox Cookies
Try making your own checkerboard cookies at home with Anna Olson’s simple, step-by-step recipe — it’s much easier than you think!
Gingerbread, 4 Ways
While gingerbread men are a classic cookie shape, there are tons of ways to customize your cookies without using cutters. We’ve got four new varieties to try: sugar-coated crackle cookies, jam-filled thumbprints, gift tags, and candy cane icebox cookies.
Get the recipe for 4 Delicious Alternatives to Gingerbread Men
Butter Tart Ice Cream
Sweet, buttery pecan swirls and pieces of butter tarts make this a splendid treat that tastes just like your favourite tart.
Make-Ahead Deep Dish Apple Pie
This warm and tender apple pie is so good, no one will know that you did all your holiday baking weeks before your big event. The secret ingredient in this freezer-friendly dessert is vodka, which makes for an extra flaky crust.
Gingerbread Cookies
This dough freezes very well so get your holiday baking out of the way now!
Hot Chocolate Sugar Cookie Sandwiches
You don’t need baking chocolate to whip up these fudgy sandwich cookies. A little leftover hot chocolate mix will give you all the rich, sweet flavours you desire. Bonus: the dough freezes super well, for convenient slice-and-bake cookies in a snap.
Chocolate Candy Pie
Chocolate cookie crust is filled with a whipped cream and pudding mixture, then topped with pieces of your favourite chocolate goodies.
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Believe it or not, you can make carrot cake ahead of time and freeze it. Just be sure to let it cool completely and wrap the unfrosted cakes tightly in plastic wrap before placing in the freezer. Then, just thaw, whip up your cream cheese icing and delight your family.
Maple Cinnamon Rolls
Yep, you can make your cinnamon rolls ahead of time and pop them in the freezer. Just like freezing cookies, prepare your rolls up until the point where you would put them in the oven, and instead, pop them in the freezer. Once solid, put them into a freezer bag for the long haul. To thaw, just put in a pan and defrost overnight before baking.