Best Christmas desserts 2023 tried and tested: M&S, Tesco and more

Close up of classic Christmas dessert chocolate Yule log decorated with cranberries

(Image credit: Getty Images)

last updated 6 December 2023

From Yule log to sticky toffee pudding, from M&S to Tesco - here are the best Christmas desserts for 2023 and where to buy them this year.

Each pudding has been blind-taste tested as part of this year's Christmas foods taste test that attracted more than 500 entries. So if you're looking for an easier option than making your own Christmas dessert take a look at these shop-bought choices that certainly give the Hairy Bikers’ Yule Log and our popular Maltesers Christmas pudding a run for their money.

Our expert testers for this year include Group Food Director Jen Bedloe, Food Editor Jess Meyer, Deputy Food Editor Rose Fooks, Food Writer Amanda James, and Junior Food Writer Georgia Sparks. With years of experience working in the food industry, they are certainly well-equipped when it comes to finding the best Christmas desserts on the market for 2023.

This year the category of the best Christmas dessert included many hot contenders with predominantly supermarket entries reigning supreme. The M&S White Chocolate & Passion Fruit Yule Log scooped first place, with entries from Tesco and Waitrose nabbing the other spots on the podium.

For those of you who are true traditionalists, we have also rounded up the best Christmas puddings as well as shortlisted the best turkey if you want some savoury inspiration or stick with the sweet and explore the best Christmas cake and best mince pies.

Recent updates

This article was updated on the 20th of December. We checked the prices of all the products featured in the article and updated some of the deals for accuracy.

Where to buy Christmas desserts for 2023

Tried and tested Christmas desserts

Why you can trust GoodtoKnow. Our experienced Consumer Editor & parent reviewers spend hours testing products to help you make the best choice. Find out how we test and review products.

1. M&S White Chocolate & Passion Fruit Yule Log - View at Ocado

Best Christmas dessert overall

RRP: £15 | Delivery: available via Ocado or in-store | Available: 18th December | Servings: 8-10

The complimentary flavours of sweet white chocolate and sharp passion fruit paired with an airy sponge give this Christmas dessert a refreshing light feel. Meaning it’s the perfect finale to a rich meal, such as Christmas dinner. It serves 8-10, and the generous size makes it an easy crowd-pleaser.

Food Editor Jessica Meyer was enamoured with the M&S White Chocolate & Passion Fruit Yule Log, and says: "It’s refreshing and moist, looks nice, and is something different and not overly sweet."

White Chocolate & Passion Fruit Yule Log - £15 - Ocado

2. Tesco Finest Dark Chocolate and Honeycomb Ganache Bar - View at Tesco *ONLINE PRE-ORDER CLOSED*

Best chocolate Christmas dessert

RRP: £13 | Delivery: Online and in-store | Available: 11th November | Servings: 6

Chocolate lovers rejoice! This ultra-chic dessert combines a rich mousse with a crisp biscuit and honeycomb base. Each bite treats you to a crunch followed by melt-in-the-mouth satisfaction. Topped with a single chocolate curl (or cigarillo if you will), this dessert is certainly patisserie-worthy. Food Director Jen Bedloe suggests serving it with a dollop of cream and some luscious mulled berries to make it extra fancy!

Deputy Food Editor Rose Fooks says: "This chocolate dessert is deliciously rich, a slither served with a coffee would make for a classy end to the meal."

Finest Dark Chocolate and Honeycomb Ganache Bar - £13 - Tesco

3. Waitrose Christmas Deer-Licious Sticky Toffee Pudding - View at Waitrose & Partners

Best alternative to Christmas pudding

RRP: £7.50 | Delivery: Waitrose delivery available and in-store | Available: Order now | Servings: 6

The love child of sticky toffee and Christmas is this deliciously festive pudding: a moist sponge pudding laced with warming spice, stem ginger, and dates, it comes with a luscious toffee sauce and for good festive measure, gingerbread antlers to adorn the top.

If you’re on the fence about a classic Christmas pudding then this a great way to go that will appeal to all ages.

It serves six and is made up of three elements: a sponge that can be heated in the microwave or steamed, a sauce sachet that is warmed in boiling water, and the antler biscuits that are pressed into the sponge before serving.

Junior food writer Georgia Sparks says: "We’re onto a winner here - the moist and rich toffee sponge with glossy toffee sauce would be a great alternative to Christmas pudding that would appeal to the whole family. The gingerbread antlers are a fun novelty, something the kids are sure to adore."

Waitrose Christmas Deer-Licious Sticky Toffee Pudding - £7.50 - Waitrose & Partners

4. Sainsbury's Taste The Difference Home For Christmas - View at Sainsbury’s *ONLINE PRE-ORDER CLOSED*

Best for a buffet

RRP: £12 | Delivery: Next day delivery available | Available: 20th December | Servings: 10

This edible scene is made from a rich chocolate mousse with a salted caramel surprise running through the center and crisp biscuit chunks in the base. Adding to the cuteness are two hollow chocolate trees and a glittery icing snow dusting. But don’t be deceived by the look - this is a dessert for the grownups, the mouse is indulgently rich with a perfect light and bubbly texture. Food Editor, Jess Meyer points out that this option is easy to portion so would make a spectacular centerpiece for the Christmas buffet table.

Group Food Director, Jen Bedloe says: "This is a fab looking showstopper dessert, a great alternative to the trad pud."

Taste The Difference Home For Christmas - £12 - Sainsbury’s

5. Patisserie Valerie Traditional Yule Log - View at Patisserie Valerie

Best family-friendly Christmas dessert

RRP: £52.95 | Delivery: Next day delivery available | Available: 1st November | Servings: 12-14

This log was a hot fave with all the judges. Price-wise this is at the high end of the desserts that we tasted, however, it’s also massive, so great for a big celebration as it could serve up to 14. It looks the part too, and the addition of jelly figurines is totally charming. The chocolate sponge is filled and coated with a silky smooth Swiss meringue buttercream, but it’s not overly sweet and because of the fudgy sponge texture, it felt like more of a dessert option than a classic Yule log would.

To transport this cake without any damage it’s delivered frozen and required defrosted. This takes about 8hrs so you might want to consider this if you’re ordering it for a party.

Deputy Food Editor, Rose Fooks says: "This cake tasted great, but it was the adorable jelly decorations that transported me to the festive celebrations of my childhood - they come packaged separately in the box so you can arrange them as you like."

Traditional Yule Log - £52.95 - Patisserie Valerie

6. Tesco Finest Winter Orange Cheesecake - View at Tesco *ONLINE PRE-ORDER CLOSED*

Best for a classy option

RRP: £10 | Delivery: Online and in-store | Available: 11th November | Servings: 6

Every element of this high wall cheesecake from Tesco has the wow factor, coming together to create a pretty perfect pud. The case is made from a ginger-spiced digestive crumb, the balance of spice complements the rich creamy orange cheesecake filling. The filling is laced with orange sauce for an extra citrus zing that cuts through the creaminess. While the glittery orange jelly top adds a polished look.

Food Writer, Amanda James says: “I particularly liked the fiery ginger base. It almost gave the dessert a boozy feel that reminded me of an old fashioned cocktail.”

Tesco Finest Winter Orange Cheesecake - £10 - View at Tesco

Best Christmas desserts from last year

1. Gianduja Cake, 700g - View at Melt Chocolates

Best Christmas dessert

RRP: £65 | Delivery: Next day delivery available | Available: Order now

Incredibly rich and luxurious tasting, this is one for the chocolate-obsessed. It has a modern, minimalist design that looks chic and understated and would make the perfect pairing to an after-dinner espresso. Judges loved the crunchy whole roasted hazelnuts scattered throughout the cake.

Senior Food Writer Jessica Ransom says: "If you wanted to make this feel more like a dessert you could scatter with some more nuts and serve in slices with a scoop of ice cream. The different textures would work brilliantly together but it’s also delicious on its own."

Gianduja Cake - £65 - Melt Chocolates

2. DukesHill Sticky toffee pudding, 400g - View at DukesHill

Best comforting Christmas dessert

RRP: £7.95 | Delivery: Free delivery for November | Available: Order now

While not traditional to the festive season, there’s no denying that a sticky toffee pudding is comforting and decadent. Especially if you serve it alongside thick clotted cream or a ball or two of vanilla ice cream.

Senior Food Writer Jessica Ransom says: "While this doesn’t look like a showstopping pud, it absolutely delivers bucketloads of decadent flavour. It is moist, rich, and swimming in a sweet luxurious sauce."

DukesHill Sticky toffee pudding - £7.95 - DukesHill

3. Morrisons The Best Passion Fruit Panna Cotta Star, 651g - View at Morrisons

Best fruity Christmas dessert

RRP: £8 | Delivery: Collect in store | Available: From 21st December

Described as light and luscious, the passion fruit is tangy and refreshing in contrast to the creamy panna cotta. It serves 10 and is available from the 21st of December.

Deputy Food Editor Rose Fooks says: "Judges liked the appearance of this star and said not only was it festive, but it was also a nice change from rich chocolate options."

Morrisons The Best Passion Fruit Panna Cotta Star - £8 - Morrisons

4. Taste the Difference Triple Chocolate Praline Winter Forest, 650g - View at Sainsbury's *ONLINE PRE-ORDER CLOSED*

Best chocolate Christmas dessert

RRP: £12 | Delivery: Collect in store | Available: Pre-order now

This tastes as good as it looks and is perfect for those who love the popular hazelnut chocolate spread. It has layers of rich white, milk, and dark chocolate mousse all on top of a chocolate-biscuit base, which provides a satisfying crunch. Plus, inside there is a hidden layer of hazelnut ganache which is an exciting discovery when you slice it open.

Senior Food Writer Jessica Ransom says; "You could serve it with a sprinkle of roasted, chopped nuts for a finishing homemade touch or a scattering of blackberries or pomegranate seeds for some fruity sharpness but it’s equally tasty as it is."

Taste the Difference Triple Chocolate Praline Winter Forest - £12 - Sainsbury's

5. Finest Caramel Cascade pudding, 850g - View at Tesco *ONLINE PRE-ORDER CLOSED*

Best microwavable Christmas dessert

RRP: £13 | Delivery: Collect only | Available: Coming soon

This pudding contains a mix of Belgian milk and blonde chocolate and is part of Tesco’s Festive Food to Order collection. Although you can’t order in for home delivery, you can pre-order it online for Click+Collect. You must do this by 14 December at 11.45 pm.

Junior Food Writer Georgia Sparks says: "This has a lovely moist sponge and a pleasant smooth sauce. It looks attractive and would make a great alternative for those who don’t like Christmas pudding but still want something with a sponge for dessert. The bronze crunchy pieces are fun and add an element of theatre to the dessert. Once you’ve poured over the sauce you cut in to reveal a wonderfully marbled sponge. This is a lovely easy option as it warms in the microwave in minutes."

Tesco Finest Caramel Cascade pudding - £13 - Tesco

How did we test the best Christmas desserts?

The Goodto Christmas taste tests are conducted at The Future Test Kitchen. In the summer supermarkets and independent brands deliver an array of products to be considered for the best in each category. As products arrive they are assigned a number so the testing can be completed blind. This enables the judges to assess each product based on merit alone and ensures there is no bias or brand favouritism.

When testing the Christmas dessert category the entries are laid out side by side, and any that require heating are cooked as per the pack instructions. The judges consider the look, taste, and texture of each, as well as how appropriate each dessert would be served on Christmas day. Based on these criteria each judge will independently assign a score from 1-5 to every product. Scoring alone is vital so opinions aren’t swayed by those of the other judges. The average score is taken to find the Best Christmas foods.

Meet the experts: Tried and tasted by...

Jen Bedloe

An experienced recipe writer, editor, and food stylist, Jen is Group Food Director at Future plc where she oversees the food content across the women’s lifestyle group, including Woman & Home, Women’s Weekly, Woman, Woman’s Own, Chat, Goodto.com, and womanandhome.com. Jen studied Communications at Goldsmiths, then landed her first job in media working for Delia Smith’s publishing company on Sainsbury’s magazine. Jen honed her practical skills by combining courses at Leith’s cookery school with time spent in the test kitchen testing recipes and assisting food stylists on photoshoots.

Jess Meyer

Jess is Food Editor at Future plc, working across brands in the woman’s lifestyle group, including Woman & Home, Woman’s Weekly, Woman, Woman’s Own, Chat, womanandhome.com and Goodto.com. An experienced recipe writer, food stylist and home economist, Jess honed her skills in print and digital food media, working with well known brands such as Great British Bake Off, Tastemade US and UK, and Slimming World to name a few.

Rose Fooks

Rose Fooks is Deputy Food Editor at Future plc, creating recipes, reviewing products and writing food features for a range of lifestyle and home titles including GoodTo, Woman’s Weekly and Woman & Home. Our resident baking expert, Rose has a Diplome de Patisserie and Culinary Management at London’s Le Cordon Bleu. Her favourite time of year is Christmas as she loves nothing more than creating elaborate edible centrepieces such as her Gingerbread Cuckoo Clock to wow friends and family.

Amanda James

Amanda has clocked up experience in both digital and print working at brands including Olive, ASDA Good Living and Ocado becoming an expert food and recipe writer, reviewer and tester. At Future Plc Amanda has a busy schedule having taken on the health and Christmas specials. With a savoury tooth and discerning palate, Amanda enjoys testing the main categories, but secretly she loves a dessert with a novel twist, such as the Smash Nose Snowman Cheesecake from Tesco.

Georgia Sparks

Georgia Sparks is Junior Food Writer, working across Woman & Home, Woman’s Weekly, Chat and goodto.com. She's passionate about food and is most content knife and fork in hand around the table with family and friends. Georgia works within the Food Team at Future Plc where she can usually be found in the kitchen developing and testing recipes as well as assisting on shoots and writing food features.

Which supermarket has the best Christmas desserts this year?

This year our panel of judges unanimously awarded the White Chocolate & Passion Fruit Yule Log from M&S the best supermarket Christmas dessert. It was favoured because not only did it look splendid, but it also tasted great, and would be particularly appropriate served after Christmas dinner.

What is a popular dessert to serve on Christmas Day?

In the UK a flaming Christmas pudding is the traditional dessert to serve on Christmas day. However, as tastes change Yule Log and other fancy showtopping desserts are becoming much more popular.

What is the oldest Christmas dessert?

Many of the Christmas traditions that we are familiar with today in the UK come from the fashions of the Victorian era. Steamed Christmas pudding was epitomised in ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens as the dessert served at a Victorian Christmas.

However, unlike the Christmas puddings that we are used to blasting in the microwave, Christmas puddings of the time were wrapped and boiled in a cloth giving them a cartoon-like spherical shape. Or as Charles Dickens described “like a speckled cannonball”.

Christmas pudding is derived from plum pottage, a sort of stew that contains meat as well as nuts and fruit, this was typically served at Christmas but at the beginning of the meal. Dried fruits are a feature of many festive sweets such as Christmas fruit cake, or Twelfth Night cake which was popular with the Tudors.

Need a last-minute Christmas gift? You've still got time to bag yourself one of these tried and tested best Christmas food hampers recommended by our Food Editor.

And for those of you debating making your Christmas desserts this year - we give you the classic Christmas trifle and a mouthwatering Terry's Chocolate Orange fondant cake.

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Rose Fooks is Deputy Food Editor at Future Publishing, creating recipes, reviewing products and writing food features for a range of lifestyle and home titles including GoodTo and Woman&Home. Before joining the team, Rose obtained a Diplome de Patisserie and Culinary Management at London’s Le Cordon Bleu. Going on to work in professional kitchens at The Delaunay and Zedel.