The Ultimate Guide to Christmas Baking: Festive Recipes for Every Holiday Occasion
The scent of warm spices, melting chocolate, and sweet dough baking is the true essence of the holiday season. If you, like many of us, eagerly anticipate the arrival of Christmas baking season right after Halloween, then you’ve come to the perfect place! This comprehensive collection gathers all our family’s most beloved Christmas baking recipes into one convenient spot, designed for easy access and endless inspiration. From classic cookies that evoke childhood memories to impressive layer cakes, delectable squares, comforting pies, and delightful breads, this guide has everything you need to fill your home with holiday cheer. Whether you’re searching for stunning Christmas baking platter ideas, crowd-pleasing recipes for your next festive party, or simply the most irresistible Christmas dessert recipes, you’ll discover your new favorites right here.
Embrace the joy of the holiday season with these incredible baking recipes! If Christmas baking is your passion, prepare for a truly delicious and fun-filled experience. We’ve curated not only everything you’ll need to create an amazing festive baking tray or heartfelt edible gifts for loved ones but also an impressive array of show-stopping Christmas desserts. These aren’t just any recipes; they are, in our humble opinion, the absolute best Christmas baking recipes you’ll find, guaranteed to bring smiles and satisfy every sweet craving.
Irresistible Christmas Cookies & Treats for the Holidays
Get ready to indulge! This section is dedicated to all things sweet and small – from classic Christmas cookies to delightful festive treats that are perfect for gifting, sharing, or simply enjoying with a warm cup of cocoa. If you’re on the hunt for cookies and Christmas treats to bake, you are absolutely going to adore these cherished recipes from our kitchen.
📋 Christmas Almond Pinwheel Cookie Recipe
These visually stunning Pinwheel Christmas Cookies are truly the epitome of festive baking! Featuring vibrant red, white, and green swirls that perfectly capture the holiday spirit, combined with a distinct and delightful almond flavor, they are sure to be a standout. These Christmas Pinwheel cookies are an exceptional addition to any holiday baking platter, make a charming and memorable contribution to a cookie swap, or serve as an elegant edible Christmas gift that will impress friends and family alike.
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📋 Raspberry Jam Cookie Recipe
These delightfully simple yet incredibly delicious Raspberry Jam Cookies are a true classic, reminiscent of treasured childhood memories. They feature tender, buttery thumbprint cookies generously filled with vibrant raspberry preserves and baked to golden perfection. What sets this recipe apart is the inclusion of brown sugar, which imparts a rich, deep flavor profile that elevates these jam cookies beyond any you’ve tasted before. Each bite is a sweet trip back to simpler times, making them a comforting holiday treat.
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📋 Gingerbread Yule Log Cookies Recipe
Featured in Taste of Home’s “Ultimate Cookie Swap,” these soft and chewy Gingerbread Yule Log Cookies are a truly innovative holiday delight. This unique recipe artfully combines the warm spice of gingerbread with creamy Nutella and a bright hint of lime, all rolled up into an enchanting Yule Log shape – and best of all, no molasses is needed! They are not only perfect as a festive edible Christmas gift but also an ideal and impressive choice for any Christmas cookie exchange.
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📋Chocoholic Chocolate Squares Recipe
For every true chocolate connoisseur, these utterly irresistible Chocoholic Chocolate Squares are a dream come true! Imagine a super-rich, intensely chocolatey, elevated brownie experience, perfect for gracing your holiday baking tray or delighting guests at any festive gathering. Crafted with readily available pantry ingredients, these squares are not only bursting with flavor but are also incredibly quick and simple to prepare, making them an ideal last-minute holiday treat.
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📋 Lime Christmas Squares Recipe
Discover a surprisingly delightful flavor combination with these delicious Gingerbread Lime Squares, where the warm spice of gingerbread meets the zesty brightness of lime in perfect harmony. These festive squares are a fantastic departure from traditional holiday flavors. Adorned with vibrant green sprinkles, these Christmas squares become even more festive and eye-catching, making them an excellent and unique addition to your holiday baking tray that guests will remember.
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📋 Gingerbread Almond Snowball Cookies Recipe
Also affectionately known as Mexican wedding cookies or Russian Tea Cakes, these Easy Gingerbread Snowball Cookies are a simple yet utterly delectable holiday treat. These light, buttery, and cake-like ball-shaped cookies are generously coated in a sweet blanket of powdered sugar, resembling freshly fallen snow. Exceptionally quick to prepare, they truly are the ultimate snowball Christmas cookie, making them both a perfect edible gift and an essential, elegant addition to any festive holiday baking tray.
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Matrimonial Cake Recipe (Date Slice)
This comforting Matrimonial Cake recipe, cherished by many and also known as Date Slice or Date Square, is a true Canadian classic. It features a wonderfully delicious, creamy, and perfectly balanced sweet date filling nestled generously between a wholesome, crumbly oatmeal base and a matching topping. Its rustic charm and delightful flavor make it a perfect addition to a holiday spread, offering a taste of tradition and warmth during the festive season.
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📋 Red Velvet Christmas Brownie Balls Recipe
Add a splash of vibrant color and decadent flavor to your holiday spread with these festive and utterly delicious Red Velvet Christmas Brownie Balls! These delightful treats can be whipped up effortlessly from scratch, or for ultimate convenience, you can easily use a red velvet brownie mix. Their rich, moist texture and beautiful red hue make them the perfect festive addition to your holiday baking tray, guaranteed to be a hit at any Christmas celebration.
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📋 Thumbprint Butter Tart Cookies
Experience the iconic flavors of a classic butter tart in a delightful cookie form with these amazing Butter Tart Thumbprint Cookies! Each tender pecan sugar cookie cradles an ooey-gooey, rich butter tart filling that is simply irresistible. If raisins aren’t to your taste, you can easily substitute them with more pecans in the filling for an equally scrumptious result. For anyone who adores traditional butter tarts, these scrumptious cookies, featuring an easy-to-make filling, are an absolute must-try this holiday season.
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📋 Terry’s Chocolate Orange Wedge Cookies recipe
For those who adore the classic Terry’s Chocolate Orange, these unique Terry’s Chocolate Orange Cookies are an absolute holiday dream! Made with both dark and original Terry’s chocolate oranges, they offer a delightful double dose of rich chocolatey flavor. Cleverly shaped like a chocolate orange wedge, these cookies are not only incredibly delicious but also visually charming, making them the ideal festive cookies for any chocolate orange enthusiast to enjoy or share during the holiday season.
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📋 Christmas Biscotti Recipe (with cranberry and pistachio)
This Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti recipe crafts the ultimate Christmas Biscotti, boasting a beautifully festive appearance that’s as delightful to look at as it is to eat. The vibrant red cranberries and green pistachios are perfectly baked into a crisp, satisfying cookie. Not only does this make a wonderfully easy and elegant edible gift, but it’s also absolutely perfect for contributing to a holiday cookie exchange. As an added bonus, these delicious biscotti are also Weight Watchers friendly, making them a guilt-free pleasure!
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📋 Mocha Eggnog Cheesecake Bar Recipe
Indulge in the harmonious flavors of the season with these exquisite Mocha Eggnog Cheesecake Bars. They offer a truly delicious and unique combination of classic eggnog, delightful toffee bits, rich coffee, and creamy cream cheese, all perfectly balanced atop a scrumptious Oreo cookie crust. These bars are not only incredibly decadent but also boast a festive flair that makes them the ideal addition to your holiday baking tray, guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
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📋 Whipped Shortbread Cookies (with cornstarch) recipe
Prepare to fall in love with these incredibly simple, melt-in-your-mouth Whipped Shortbread Cookies! Made with just four essential ingredients, including a secret touch of cornstarch, these cookies achieve an unbelievably tender texture that dissolves deliciously on your tongue. They are exceptionally quick and easy to prepare, making them a stress-free addition to your holiday baking list. These classic Christmas cookies are a perfect holiday treat and an absolute essential for any festive cookie tray, cherished by all who taste them.
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📋 White Chocolate Raspberry Jam Cookies Recipe
These White Chocolate Raspberry Jam Cookies are a truly delectable masterpiece, offering a perfect union of creamy white chocolate and bright, fruity raspberry jam. Each cookie is beautifully finished with an elegant drizzle of more white chocolate, adding both visual appeal and an extra layer of sweetness. They are wonderfully easy to make, making them a stress-free yet impressive addition to your holiday baking platter. These cookies are ideal for adding a touch of sophistication and sweet indulgence to any festive occasion.
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📋No Chill Gingerbread Cookie Recipe
Say goodbye to waiting with these fantastic No Chill Gingerbread Cookies! This recipe eliminates the need for any chilling time – simply roll out the dough, cut your festive shapes, and bake immediately. This is truly an easy gingerbread cookie recipe, making it the ideal choice for baking with preschoolers and younger kids, or whenever you’re short on time. With no waiting around for cookie dough to chill, you can enjoy the delightful aroma and taste of freshly baked gingerbread men (and women, and reindeer!) in no time.
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📋 Best Butter Tart Recipe
Prepare to discover what many consider the absolute best Canadian Butter Tart recipe you’ll ever encounter! This recipe stands out for its incredible ease and its truly delicious, perfectly gooey filling that defines a classic butter tart. The filling comes together effortlessly in under 20 minutes and pairs beautifully with either convenient store-bought tart shells or our reliable homemade no-fail pastry. And for those who prefer their butter tarts without raisins, we’ve included a fantastic pecan butter tart option too, ensuring everyone can enjoy this iconic Canadian holiday treat!
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Best gingerbread house recipe
Embark on a delightful holiday tradition with what we believe is the best gingerbread house recipe out there! This recipe is uniquely formulated to yield gingerbread that is not only remarkably sturdy and nearly unbreakable, perfect for constructing impressive architectural feats, but also incredibly delicious. Unlike many traditional recipes, it thoughtfully omits cloves and molasses, ensuring a flavor profile that appeals to a broader audience while still delivering that comforting gingerbread warmth. It’s the ideal choice for creating a show-stopping and edible centerpeice for your holiday decor.
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Exquisite Christmas Baked Desserts for Festive Feasts
No holiday meal is complete without a grand finale, and our collection of Christmas baked desserts promises to deliver just that. From elegant cakes to rich cheesecakes and comforting pies, these recipes are designed to impress and satisfy, making your festive gatherings truly unforgettable. Prepare to create show-stopping sweet treats that will be the highlight of your holiday table.
📋 Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake (with leftover cranberry sauce) Recipe
Transform your holiday leftovers into something spectacular with this exceptional Cranberry Sauce Coffee Cake! This recipe smartly utilizes leftover cranberry sauce, infusing a delightful tang into a moist cake, complemented by crunchy pecans, rich sour cream, and a decadent vanilla coffee glaze. The finishing touch of sparkly candied cranberries elevates this into a truly show-stopping holiday dessert that is as beautiful to behold as it is delicious to eat. Perfect for a festive brunch or a post-dinner treat!
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📋 Black Forest Yule Log Cake recipe
Bring a touch of classic elegance to your Christmas table with this magnificent Black Forest Yule Log Cake, also known as Bûche de Noël. This festive dessert features the iconic black forest combination of tart cherries and light, airy whipped cream, all beautifully encased within a tender chocolate Swiss roll cake. The entire creation is then lavishly smothered in a smooth, creamy, and irresistibly rich chocolate ganache, making it a truly luxurious centerpiece for your holiday celebrations.
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📋 Gingerbread Fruit Christmas Wreath recipe
Impress your guests with this unique and healthy holiday Gingerbread Fruit Christmas Wreath! This visually stunning dessert combines a flavorful gingerbread cookie base, generously layered with a smooth chocolate cream cheese frosting, and adorned with an abundance of fresh, colorful fruits and crunchy nuts. It not only makes a wonderful and thoughtful edible holiday gift but also serves as a beautiful and delicious centerpiece for any festive gathering. Plus, it’s Weight Watchers friendly, allowing for a lighter holiday indulgence!
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📋Cranberry Bread Pudding Cheesecake Recipe
Why choose between bread pudding and cheesecake when you can have both? This magnificent Cranberry Bread Pudding Cheesecake offers a truly unique and decadent fusion. It artfully combines the comforting flavors and textures of traditional bread pudding with a vibrant cranberry cheesecake, further enriched by creamy cream cheese and ricotta cheese. A luscious citrus caramel sauce ties it all together, while an unexpected and welcome toffee crunch provides a delightful textural contrast. This is truly a bread pudding lover’s cheesecake dream, perfect for a memorable holiday dessert.
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📋 Blueberry Gingerbread Cake (with Cookie Butter Filling) Recipe
This extraordinary Blueberry Gingerbread Cake is the ultimate dream for any gingerbread enthusiast and stands as an ideal Christmas cake! It features moist layers of classic spicy gingerbread, generously filled with a velvety cookie butter whipped cream, brightened by a hint of fresh lime zest, and studded with juicy fresh berries. Topped with even more fresh blueberries and charming gingerbread cookies, this cake is a textural and flavor masterpiece, making it every gingerbread fan’s perfect holiday indulgence.
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📋Cranberry Christmas Bread Pudding Recipe
Embrace the warmth and indulgence of the season with this incredibly decadent and easy-to-make Cranberry Christmas Bread Pudding. This delightful holiday dessert is crafted with rich condensed milk, plump dried cranberries, and crunchy toffee bits, creating a symphony of textures and flavors. It’s then crowned with a simple store-bought caramel sundae sauce, a hint of bright orange zest, and a swirl of whipped cream, making it the perfect stress-free yet impressive Christmas dessert that everyone will adore.
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📋Grand Marnier Cheesecake Recipe
Elevate your holiday dessert spread with this sophisticated baked Grand Marnier Cheesecake, crowned with a luscious Chocolate Glaze. This rich and utterly delicious cheesecake offers an exquisite combination of smooth milk chocolate, intense dark chocolate, bright orange zest, and the elegant warmth of Grand Marnier liqueur. All these luxurious flavors rest upon a crunchy chocolate Oreo crust, creating a dessert that is both decadent and perfectly balanced. It’s an ideal choice for a celebratory Christmas dinner or any special occasion.
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📋Maple Pecan Pie Recipe (with Bourbon Whipped Cream)
Indulge in the rich, comforting flavors of this exquisite Maple Pecan Pie, featuring a decadent and creamy maple pecan filling that’s perfectly sweet and nutty. What truly elevates this pie is the generous topping of homemade Bourbon whipped cream, adding a subtle yet distinct hint of warmth and sophistication. This pie is not just a dessert; it’s a holiday experience, making it the perfect and most satisfying finale to your festive meal, sure to delight every guest at your Christmas table.
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📋 Butter Tart Cake Recipe
Experience the beloved flavors of a Canadian butter tart in a whole new form with this incredible Butter Tart Cake! This exquisite bundt cake features a rich, gooey butter tart filling swirled directly into a moist, tender butter cake. The entire creation is then decadently smothered in a creamy brown butter maple glaze, adding an extra layer of nutty sweetness. It’s truly a butter tart transformed into an impressive cake, making it the perfect and most unique dessert to grace your Christmas dinner table.
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📋 Sweet Potato Pie with Marshmallows Recipe
Simplify your holiday baking without sacrificing flavor with this incredibly easy Sweet Potato Pie with Marshmallows! This clever recipe bypasses the tedious steps of peeling, cooking, chopping, or pureeing sweet potatoes by utilizing convenient baby food purees or canned sweet potatoes/yams. The rich, spiced sweet potato filling is perfectly complemented by a glorious crowning layer of Marshmallow Whipped Cream, which adds a light, fluffy, and perfectly sweet finish. This delightful pie is an ideal Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert, offering classic comfort with modern ease.
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📋 Old Fashioned Chocolate Pie Recipe
Indulge in timeless comfort with this Old Fashioned Chocolate Pie, a truly classic dessert that’s ideal for all chocolate lovers and perfect for holidays and special occasions. It features an incredibly rich and creamy chocolate pudding filling, which pairs absolutely perfectly with a flaky, golden pie crust. A generous topping of light and fluffy whipped cream adds a delightful texture that beautifully balances out the richness of the chocolate. Made with simple pantry ingredients and requiring minimal effort, this is a quick and easy dessert to whip up, promising pure satisfaction with every bite.
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Warm & Hearty Christmas Breads, Cupcakes & Muffins
Beyond cookies and grand desserts, the holiday season calls for comforting baked goods that can be enjoyed at breakfast, brunch, or as a delightful snack. This section features our favorite Christmas breads, charming cupcakes, and wholesome muffins, perfect for sharing with family or as a warm treat on a chilly winter morning. These recipes infuse festive flavors into everyday favorites, adding a special touch to your holiday routine.
📋 Butter Tart Cupcakes recipe
Indulge in the nostalgic taste of butter tarts, expertly transformed into these irresistible Butter Tart Cupcakes! These decadent cupcakes feature a moist, tender crumb with a surprise gooey butter tart filling nestled within, capturing the authentic flavor of the Canadian classic. Each cupcake is generously topped with a rich Maple Brown Butter Whipped Cream Frosting, adorned with extra raisins (or pecans, if you prefer!) and a delicate slice of butter tart. These unique cupcakes are absolutely ideal for your Christmas celebrations or any festive Canadian gathering.
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📋Blueberry Gingerbread Loaf Recipe
Discover the award-winning taste of this exceptional Blueberry Gingerbread Loaf, recognized for its excellence in the California Berries Winter Baking contest! This delightful loaf is crafted with the convenience of a blueberry muffin mix and thoughtfully made without molasses, offering a lighter yet still wonderfully spiced gingerbread flavor. Finished with a bright and refreshing fresh lime glaze, each slice of this loaf is like a warm, comforting gingerbread hug on a crisp winter day, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon treat during the holidays.
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📋Strawberry Gingerbread Pancake Cupcakes Recipe
Who says cupcakes can’t be for breakfast, especially during the holidays? These innovative Strawberry Gingerbread Pancake Cupcakes, affectionately dubbed “pupcakes,” offer a kid-friendly pancake-cupcake hybrid recipe that’s both wholesome and incredibly fun! Topped with a creamy strawberry Greek yogurt, these treats are a clever way to enjoy a balanced yet festive breakfast. They’re perfect for surprising the little ones on Christmas morning or adding a playful touch to your holiday brunch spread.
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📋 Bread Machine Kolach (Ukrainian Bread) Recipe
Embrace a cherished holiday tradition with this fantastic Kolach Bread, a traditional braided Ukrainian bread that you can effortlessly prepare right in your bread machine! This recipe yields three beautiful loaves, typically stacked on top of each other, forming an essential and symbolic centerpiece for the Ukrainian Christmas Eve Supper. Beyond its cultural significance, this tender and subtly sweet bread is a wonderful addition to any festive table, offering a taste of history and homemade comfort during the holiday season.
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📋 Cranberry Cornbread Muffins (with leftover cranberry sauce) Recipe
Make the most of your holiday feast with these wonderfully sweet and savory Cranberry Cornbread Muffins, the perfect way to utilize any leftover cranberry sauce! These festive muffins come together quickly, making them ideal for a relaxed holiday morning. Even better, they can be prepared ahead of time and frozen, ensuring an easy and delicious breakfast or brunch whenever you need it. They also make a fantastic on-the-go breakfast option or a delightful lunchbox snack, bringing a taste of holiday cheer to any day.
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Savory Delights: Christmas Baking Snacks
While sweet treats often dominate holiday baking, a touch of savory can be a refreshing and welcome addition to any festive spread. This section highlights a beloved recipe perfect for balancing out all the sweetness, offering a delicious snack that’s ideal for entertaining or quiet holiday evenings.
📋 Savory Christmas Snack Mix Recipe
Elevate your holiday snacking with this exceptional Savory Christmas Snack Mix, truly the best Chex Mix recipe you’ll encounter, perfectly tailored for Christmas! This festive rendition incorporates vibrant red tortilla chips, bright green pistachios, and a sprinkle of fresh dill, adding both color and unique flavor to the classic savory blend. It makes a fantastic and thoughtful edible gift for friends and neighbors. While it’s exceptionally festive for the holidays, this versatile “nuts and bolts” recipe is so delicious it’s perfect for enjoying any time of the year!
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Important Food Safety Tips for Holiday Baking
Ensuring food safety is paramount, especially when preparing delicious treats for family and friends during the holidays. Please keep these guidelines in mind to maintain a safe and healthy kitchen:
- Always avoid using the same utensils on cooked food that have previously touched raw eggs or other raw ingredients.
- Thoroughly wash your hands with soap and warm water after handling raw eggs, raw meat, or any unbaked dough.
- Do not leave perishable foods or baked goods containing dairy or eggs sitting out at room temperature for extended periods. Refrigerate promptly.
- Never leave cooking food unattended on the stovetop or in the oven to prevent accidents.
- When frying or cooking at high temperatures, always use oils with a high smoke point to avoid generating harmful compounds and off-flavors.
- Ensure you always have good ventilation when using a gas stove to disperse any potential indoor air pollutants.
For more detailed information and comprehensive guidelines on food safety, please refer to USDA.gov.
We hope this expansive collection of Christmas baking recipes brings warmth, joy, and delicious moments to your holiday season. These cherished family favorites are truly special, and we sincerely hope you enjoy creating and sharing these sweet treats with your loved ones, making new memories one delicious bite at a time. Happy baking!
🎄More Festive Christmas Recipes!
Looking for even more ways to celebrate with delightful holiday dishes? Explore these additional Christmas recipes, perfect for adding extra sparkle to your festive table!
- Microwave Sugar Cookie Fudge Recipe
- Cranberry Christmas Brunch Punch (with ice ring)
- Mini Eggnog Trifle
- Gingerbread Cranberry Rice Pudding