17 Desserts That Make Your Home Smell Like the Holidays

Fill your kitchen with the warm, nostalgic aromas of the season with these easy, festive desserts.

By
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora Kaloudis
Theodora's passion for cooking began early on as a young girl, working in the kitchen at her father's Greek diner in Brooklyn, NY. Her recipes have appeared on Delish, Spruce Eats, Today.com, Martha Stewart & Marley Spoon, Dinnerly, Simply Recipes, and in various cookbooks.
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Published December 19, 2025
Theodora Kaloudis
A square piece of the Easy Jam Cake on a pnik an white plate, with a piece of the corner cut off with a fork, also on the plate with some frosting still attached to the fork

Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne

Baking is one of the best ways to make your home smell wonderful, especially the warm-spiced desserts brimming with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove, and citrus. It creates a fragrant atmosphere that’s synonymous with the holidays. We’ve handpicked a collection of recipes, like Eggnog Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding, Apple Pandowdy, and Pumpkin Gingerbread, that not only smell amazing but will also satisfy your sweet tooth. If you’re looking to fill your home with these cozy and festive scents, keep on scrolling!

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  • Apple Fritter Bread

    Slice of Apple Fritter Bread on a Plate with More on Parchment Paper Next to It

    Simply Recipes / Micah Siva

    “I almost always use Granny Smith apples for baking. I love the contrast between tart fruit and sweet batter. Additionally, they hold their shape while cooking and don’t turn to mush, so you can bite into distinct bits of apple in baked goods like this apple fritter bread.” —Micah Siva, Recipe Developer

  • Apple Pandowdy

    A white bowl with a serving of Apple Pandowdy topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Priscilla Montiel

    “We recommend a sweet baking apple for this dish, such as Honeycrisp or Gala, But feel free to experiment, especially if you like a more tart taste. Avoid a potentially mealy apple, like Red Delicious, as it won't hold up as well in this pandowdy.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Pear Cake with Cinnamon Sugar

    Sally Vargas

    “Bosc, Anjou, and French Butter pears keep their shape well when baked, while Bartlett pears are somewhere in the middle, and Comice pears tend to lose their shape. I usually use Anjou pears since they are easy to find and work well. Because this is such a rustic, simple cake, I don’t bother to peel them, which also saves time.” —Sally Vargas, Recipe Developer

  • Easy Jam Cake

    A square piece of the Easy Jam Cake on a pnik an white plate, with a piece of the corner cut off with a fork, also on the plate with some frosting still attached to the fork

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Julia Gartland / Food Styling by Samantha Seneviratne

    “The frosting is soft—easy to spread and creamy, but it doesn’t create super neat slices. It will set up some in the fridge, so if you’d like neat slices, I recommend chilling for 30 minutes to an hour before cutting.” —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

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  • 3-Ingredient Cinnamon Roll Bread Pudding

    Bread pudding with cinnamon rolls in a baking dish partially served with a spoon

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    “This bread pudding is an easy holiday dessert. You can easily double the recipe by doubling the ingredients and using two 9x9-inch baking dishes to make enough to feed a crowd if you’ve got lots of hungry visitors.” —Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

  • Baked Apples

    Baked Apples
    Elise Bauer

    “If you're short on time, you can ‘bake’ your apples in the microwave. Prep the apples as the recipe instructs. Put them in a deep, microwave-safe casserole with a cover, and microwave until they’re tender and a little slouchy, but not mushy.” —from the Editors of Simply Recipes

  • Persimmon Pudding Cake

    Elise Bauer

    “This pudding cake will keep at a cool room temperature for about three days. Refrigerate for longer storage, up to five days. For the best flavor, bring the cake to room temperature before serving. You can freeze the pudding cake for up to one month.” —from the Editors of Simply Recipes

  • Pumpkin Gingerbread

    Elise Bauer

    “I LOVE THIS RECIPE SO MUCH!!! It's such a wonderful texture, and the balance of spice and flavor is amazing. I have made it four times, twice in the standard loaf pan, once in a silicone mold pan, and once as muffins.” —Kristen P, Reader

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  • Melting Apples

    close up of Melting Apples on a small dessert plate with a fork

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    “Feel free to go crazy when apple picking and experiment with different varieties here. I recommend using firm, crisp apples, such as Jonagold, Fuji, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, or Granny Smith, in this recipe. They hold their shape once braised instead of falling apart.” —Amanda Luchtel, Recipe Developer

  • Baklava

    Slices of Baklava Topped with Crushed Pistachios

    Simply Recipes / Michelle Becker

    “Baklava can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two weeks. It will become chewier before it starts to dry out. Once it starts to dry out, it is near the end of its freshness. You can also store the baklava in the refrigerator to extend its life, but the texture will be harder once refrigerated.” —from the Editors of Simply Recipes

  • Red Wine Poached Pears

    Poached pear in small white bowl with ice cream.

    Simply Recipes / Hannah Zimmerman

    “The pears are poached in a red wine sauce made with cabernet sauvignon, orange juice and peel, honey, and warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and black peppercorns. I prefer it because it is full-bodied with a deep, complex flavor profile, and it results in a sauce that is rich and flavorful. If you do not like cabernet sauvignon, then use any full-bodied red wine you like to drink, like zinfandel, syrah, and merlot.” —Hannah Zimmerman, Recipe Developer

  • Chocolate Babka

    Side view of chocolate loaf bread on a cutting board and with the swirls showing on the cut side.

    Cambrea Gordon

    “Babka looks impressive, and it certainly is. Luckily, your stand mixer does most of the hard work, but you get to take all the credit. While it is an admittedly long process, a lot of the time is spent simply waiting for the dough to rise. You can even choose whether to let the dough rise overnight in the fridge, or bake it the same day, depending on your schedule.” —Mark Beahm, Recipe Developer

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  • Gingerbread Cookie Bars

    Irvin Lin

    “Just wonderful! I, too, love gingerbread cookies but hate rolling out and cutting the dough. These were easy and tasted simply divine. The cream cheese frosting was a delicious addition.” —Sallie, Reader

  • Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

    Cindy Rahe

    “This recipe works best if the butter for the dough is very soft. Take the butter out of the fridge a few hours before you want to make the dough to give it time to soften, or even the night before. If you forget or don't have time to let the butter soften, slice it into tablespoons and knead each piece between your fingers before adding it to the dough.” —Cindy Rahe, Recipe Developer

  • Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

    Elise Bauer

    “This recipe needs a 9-inch pan with a minimum of 2-inch sides. It’s important! Higher is better to hold all the batter. A 9 x 9-inch square pan also works.” —from the Editors of Simply Recipes

  • 3-Spice Brownies

    Spiced brownies dusted with cocoa powder.

    Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel

    “I keep dried edible rose petals in my pantry. You know what I love about them? They are not a single-use ingredient. You can use dried rose petals as a garnish on dips or hummus—your guests will be wowed! Sprinkle them on tea cakes with some icing sugar.” —Shayma Saadat, Recipe Developer

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  • Pear Pudding Cake

    A pear pudding cake in a baking dish with a spoon serving a portion showcasing a dessert with fruit filling

    Simply Recipes / Molly Allen

    “This cake is enhanced with a touch of cinnamon, but you could amp up the warm baking spices. Double the cinnamon or incorporate one teaspoon of cardamom or nutmeg.” —Molly Adams, Recipe Developer

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