Classic French Desserts and Pastries for Christmas

The first Christmas yule log cake or Buche de Noel was cleverly created in the late 1800s by a French pastry chef. This chocolate version of the original recipe showcases a light-as-air, vanilla genoise cake (sponge cake) rolled into a cylinder with the richest, homemade chocolate buttercream frosting.

Madeleines are a classic French small bake. The delightful little cakes deserve to be at every celebration. Include them with a little chocolate and you hit the jackpot.

There is no better way to truly celebrate than with a plate of delicious almond macarons. They are one of the prettiest confections and also utterly delicious. What is not to like?

French palmiers are buttery and flaky little morsels that can be served warm or at room temperature and are so lovely with tea, coffee, or a hot toddy for Christmas. 

This quince paste recipe or Cotignac d'Orléans is a specialty of the French city of Orléans since the 15th century. It is notably less sweet than similarly prepared pates de fruits, or fruit-paste candy. The paste is known in other countries as a quince cheese, and in Spain as membrillo. Serve slices of the prepared quince paste with a selection of cheese, nuts, and fruit on a cheese board. The paste is also delicious with cold game meats such as venison.

Most of the world’s supply of calissons—a unique almond-paste candy—comes from Aix en Provence. Most visitors to Aix come away with a penchant for the distinctive candy. They’re hard to find, but taking the time to make them from scratch is worth the effort.

Fougasse or pompe à l'huile, an olive-oil flatbread, is eaten with grape jam made during the last harvest season of the year. The tradition is to break the bread into individual servings with the fingers, rather than cut the bread with a knife. The legend goes that this protects your wealth from bankruptcy in the coming year.

Croquembouche is a traditional French wedding cake that also is served for special occasions and for the holidays. The traditional croquembouche recipe is made of cream puffs filled with vanilla pastry cream "glued" together in a tree shape with caramel and decorated with sugared almonds and spun sugar. Modern croquembouches are made with creative pastry cream flavors and decorated with flowers, sugar art, and even melted chocolate.

This opéra cake recipe is well worth the time investment. Layers of light almond sponge cake, coffee buttercream, and dark chocolate ganache make it a showstopping dessert.

Irresistibly fragrant, this speculaas recipe makes a crispy, not-too-sweet spice cookie that begs to be dipped in coffee. The varied blend of aromatic spices in this recipe creates the signature flavor by which Belgian speculaas cookies have been known for centuries.

Creme au caramel, also known as creme caramel, is a wonderful dessert recipe for dinner parties. Not only is the flavor mellow, sophisticated, and versatile, this bistro classic can be made up to one day in advance. Served in an impressive pool of homemade caramel, it needs no garnish other than an attractive plate.

Soft melting dark chocolate ganache lavishly dusted with cocoa powder is a decadent treat like no other. These dark chocolate truffles are so delicious, so flavorful, that they require eating slowly.

Lemon is the quintessential flavor in French tarts. They can be found at patisseries and cafes year-round and are especially good for holiday times. Cool, sharp lemon filling contrasts nicely with the flaky, slightly sweet pastry. A little dollop of chantilly cream served with the dessert makes the ideal treat.

If chestnuts roasting over a crackling fire are evocative of happy times and holidays, then these marrons glacés are their upscale cousins, served only as the most indulgent of treats. So beloved is the flavor in France, that the Berthillon Glacier in Paris usually sells out of their dreamy candied chestnuts within hours. 

Take one bite of this apple cider pound cake recipe and you'll be transported to the orchard country of Normandy. This deliciously spiced quatre quarts cake was, in fact, inspired by a drive on La Route des Cidres in Québec which, like Normandy, is dotted with apple orchards, cider houses, and picturesque inns. 

Among the best French recipes for a beginner to learn must be a simple chocolate soufflé. The soufflé is a magical, airy, delicious, confection with a complex flavor profile that is relatively easy to prepare. Served fresh out of the oven, they round out any meal and delight and impress your family and dinner guests.

Poached pears make for an exceptional, appealing dessert that couldn't be easier to prepare. This recipe showcases fresh pears poached in wine syrup until they turn buttery soft and a gorgeous, ruby-red color.

Oeufs à la neige, or eggs in the snow, make an elegant presentation for your holiday festivities yet are not overly heavy after a full meal.