Things are bound to get a little bit hectic as the holidays draw near. There are cookies to bake for the Santa, appetizers to make for cocktail get-togethers and a special meal to plan for your family and friends, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or another special day. That’s why we always keep a few shortcuts in our back pocket, especially when it comes to holiday desserts. From easy cookies (including no-bake options) and homemade candies to Christmas-worthy cakes and more—you’ll find everything you need to treat your guests to a dazzling display of desserts, right here.

One of the easiest places to start? Katie's no-bake treats. Her great-aunt Pat used to make something similar every Christmas—and she always looked forward to them. Better yet, these festive little treats are easy to pack up and gift to friends and family.

Marzipan (or maçapão) was introduced to India by Portuguese colonizers who settled in Goa. What makes the Goan version special is the use of cashew nuts, which are grown locally and less expensive than the traditional almonds. The cashew marzipan is delicately flavored with rose water and just a hint of almond extract. It can be used in many ways and during the holidays, like Christmas, New Years and Easter, the marzipan is tinted and pressed into molds to make these fun and colorful little treats.

These cookies are perfect during the holidays when oven space is at a premium! Just be sure to keep them cool so that they stay nice and firm and hold their shape.

No-bake cookies get a holiday twist with the addition of Yuletide favorite: toffee. Nancy says, “My grandchildren love these cookies — and they can make them too!”

Ree's gives super-simple cereal treats a festive twist by adding some green food coloring and forming them into indvidual wreaths.

No time to make dessert? No problem! Ree dunks chocolate sandwich cookies in minty white chocolate and then tops each one with a sprinkle of crushed candy cane for a peppermint bark-inspired treat that’s ready fast!

These chocolate pecan slice-and-bake cookies are buttery, nutty and packed with rich chocolate flavor—perfect for easy holiday baking.

This quick and easy peppermint fudge by Ree Drummond is a creamy, minty holiday treat that comes together fast and disappears even faster.

With their crunchy cereal exteriors and creamy peanut-butter-and-chocolate-hazelnut centers, these wintery pinecones are a delicious and easy way to serve your guests adorable holiday treats—without turning on your oven.

What could be better than a festive, holiday dessert that’s ready with just 15 minutes of prep work — and 5 simple ingredients? These haystacks make a nice parting gift for dinner guests too; simply package them up in a cellophane bag or decorative tin.

Ree turns store-bought pie dough and canned filling into an extra-special treat by making her pies bite-size. The decorative top crust is simple too — all you’ll need is a small Christmas tree cookie cutter.

Believe it or not, you can make this elegant Italian custard with just three ingredients: egg yolks, sugar and espresso. And, since it only takes 10 minutes to whip up a batch, you can easily make it to order after dinner.

Low on ingredients but big on cake? This recipe needs only three ingredients to produce a tender, flavor-packed treat. The best part is you can use any flavor of cake mix and ice cream you want, and in any combination. Our top pick? Devil's food cake and mint chocolate chip is epic. The only requirement is that you use a high-quality ice cream—standard ice creams have more air churned into them and won't melt sufficiently.

These festive cookies have chocolatey interiors, but the stars of the show are the walnuts, which are both ground fine and hand chopped for extra nutty flavor.

A buttery syrup made with cocoa, cinnamon and cayenne pepper gets tossed together with popcorn and marshmallows. Shape into balls and roll in cinnamon sugar for your next movie night!

Giada makes quick work of dessert by using a handful of shortcut ingredients like store-bought sugar cookie dough and orange marmalade. Paired with nuts and chocolate chips they make a sweet treat that’s good enough for company — with just 15 minutes of prep work.