15 Warm Winter Desserts for Cozy Nights
I don’t know about you, but as soon as the weather turns cold, I start craving warm desserts. There’s just something so lovely about having a bowl of something warm and sweet when it’s dark and miserable outside. I especially love making a proper dessert on a Sunday when we’re all at home, although I definitely don’t need much of an excuse to make one during the week either!
I’ve always had a soft spot for old-fashioned desserts like apple pie and rice pudding, but I love a good chocolate dessert too. Give me a warm, gooey chocolate pudding with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and I’m happy! I’ve put together some of my favorite warm winter desserts here, with a good mix of fruity desserts, chocolate treats, and a few other lovely recipes that I think you’ll enjoy.
Some of these are really easy to throw together, which is always a bonus when you’ve already spent time making dinner and don’t fancy being in the kitchen for much longer. Others are the kind of desserts I like to make when I’ve got a bit more time at the weekend. Either way, I think winter is the perfect excuse to make dessert a little more often!
Why You’ll Love These Recipes
- They’re lovely on a cold winter evening. Sometimes you just want to curl up on the sofa with something warm and sweet, especially when it’s miserable outside!
- There’s a good mix of desserts. I’ve included everything from warm chocolate desserts to apple pies and some old favorites that never seem to go out of fashion.
- Most of them are pretty easy to make. I don’t always want to spend ages in the kitchen, so I love having a few simple desserts I can throw together without too much fuss.
- They’re great for the whole family. There’s plenty here to keep everyone happy, and a few that are really good when you’ve got people coming over too.
- You don’t need a special occasion. Sometimes it’s just nice to have a proper dessert after dinner, especially at this time of year!
1. Apple Crisp
You really can’t beat a good apple dessert when it’s cold outside. I love how the apples go lovely and soft underneath that buttery, crunchy topping. We usually have ours warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, although it’s just as nice with custard!
GET THE RECIPE2. Oreo Dump Cake
If you’re a fan of Oreos, you’ll love this one! It’s ridiculously easy to make, with hardly any prep involved, and comes out of the oven all warm, chocolatey, and gooey. It’s quite a rich dessert, but that’s all part of the appeal!
GET THE RECIPE3. Mini Peanut Butter Chocolate Lava Cakes
Chocolate and peanut butter are one of my favorite combinations, and these little cakes are such a treat! They’re lovely and soft on the outside with a warm, gooey center that oozes out when you cut into them. I love that everyone gets their own little dessert too, and they look much more impressive than they are difficult to make!
GET THE RECIPE4. Caramel Apple Sheet Cake
This is the kind of cake I love making when we’ve got family coming over, as there’s plenty to go around! The apple and caramel go so well together, and it’s lovely served slightly warm. You can have a slice on its own, but I think it’s even nicer with a little custard poured over the top.
GET THE RECIPE5. Crockpot Rice Pudding
Rice pudding always reminds me of the kind of desserts we used to have when I was little. It’s so lovely and creamy, and making it in the slow cooker means you can just leave it to do its thing without having to keep an eye on it. I like mine with a little cinnamon sprinkled over the top, especially on a cold evening.
GET THE RECIPE6. S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet
This is one of those desserts that’s meant to be eaten while it’s still warm! You’ve got a big chocolate chip cookie with melted chocolate and gooey marshmallows, all baked together in one skillet. Just pop it in the middle of the table with a few spoons and let everyone dig in. It’s a bit messy, but that’s half the fun!
GET THE RECIPE7. Double Crust Honeycrisp Apple Pie
You can’t go wrong with a homemade apple pie. This one is packed with sweet Honeycrisp apples and has a lovely buttery pastry crust on the top and bottom. It’s one of those desserts that makes the whole kitchen smell amazing while it’s baking, and I think it’s at its best served warm with plenty of custard or vanilla ice cream.
GET THE RECIPE8. Banana Cinnamon Bun Cake
If you’ve got a few ripe bananas sitting in the fruit bowl, this is a lovely way to use them up! It’s soft, moist, and full of cinnamon flavor, a bit like a cinnamon roll but in cake form. I think it’s especially nice while it’s still slightly warm, and it’s just as good with a cup of coffee in the afternoon as it is for dessert.
GET THE RECIPE9. Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls
I know sweet potato might sound like a strange thing to put in cinnamon rolls, but it works so well! It helps make them lovely and soft, and you still get all that delicious cinnamon flavor. They’re especially good fresh from the oven when they’re still warm, and I wouldn’t say no to one with a cup of coffee on a cold afternoon!
GET THE RECIPE10. Blueberry Cream Cheese Pastries
These are a lovely change from all the chocolate and apple desserts! The flaky pastry goes so well with the creamy filling and juicy blueberries, and they’re really nice eaten while they’re still a little warm. I love that they’re not too heavy either, especially when you just fancy a little something sweet after dinner.
GET THE RECIPE11. Apple Hand Pies
I love these little individual pies because you get all the lovely flavors of a homemade apple pie without having to cut everyone a slice! They’re filled with sweet, cinnamon-spiced apples and wrapped in flaky pastry. They’re so nice eaten warm, and being able to just pick one up and eat it makes them even better!
GET THE RECIPE12. Pecan Pie
This is definitely one for anyone with a sweet tooth! The filling is lovely and rich, with plenty of crunchy pecans and that sticky, caramel-like sweetness. I think it’s especially nice served slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream to balance out all that sweetness.
GET THE RECIPE13. Upside Down Apple Tarts
I love how easy these are to make, especially considering how lovely they look when they’re done! The apples go nice and soft and caramelized in the oven, and the pastry turns golden and flaky. They’re a bit different from a traditional apple pie, and I think they’re really nice served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
GET THE RECIPE14. Sweet Potato Casserole
I know this is usually served as a side dish, especially around the holidays, but I think it’s sweet enough to count as a dessert too! The sweet potatoes are lovely and creamy, and that sweet topping makes it feel like a proper treat. It’s a nice change from all the usual cakes and pies, especially when you fancy something a little different.
GET THE RECIPE15. Lemon Meringue Pie Dip
I thought I’d include something a bit different from all the cakes and pies! I love anything lemony, and this has that lovely mix of sweet and tangy flavors. It’s really easy to put together, and you can just serve it with some cookies for dipping. It’s a nice one to have when you fancy something sweet but don’t want a big, heavy dessert.
GET THE RECIPEI don’t think you can beat a warm dessert on a cold winter evening, especially with a bit of cream or ice cream on the side! I hope this has given you a few ideas for the next time you fancy making something sweet. I know I’ll be making plenty of these over the winter!
