The easiest way to get ahead on holiday baking is to start with the treats that set in the fridge or freezer, then bake the brownies and cookies once those are chilling. Chocolate bars and clusters hold their shape for days, so they can be done this weekend. Warm desserts like a skillet cookie are the ones to save for the night you serve them.
I picked 12 recipes from the blog that work for a cookie tray, a gift tin, or a weekend of baking with the kids. Every one is tested and already on the site, so tap any title for the full ingredients and steps.
Brownies, cookies, and muffins
- Peppermint Patty Brownies (4g protein) Mini peppermint patties get tucked into the middle of a fudgy brownie batter, so every square has a cool mint stripe running through it.
- Nut-Free Snowball Cookies (2g protein) Soft, buttery cookies made with ground sunflower and pumpkin seeds instead of nuts, rolled in powdered sweetener twice for that thick white coat.
- Snickerdoodle Cookies (3g protein) Light, airy snickerdoodles rolled in cinnamon before baking, made with sunflower seed meal so there are no nuts at all.
- Birthday Brownies (5g protein) A fudgy brownie layer topped with a sprinkle-packed cookie cake, all baked in one pan and cut into 9 bars for a party tray.
- Cream Cheese Pumpkin Muffins (4g protein) Soft pumpkin muffins with a sweet cream cheese swirl, made with coconut flour and baked in about 30 minutes.
- Skillet Chocolate Chip Cookie (7g protein) One big cookie with crispy edges and a gooey center, baked in a single pan with no chilling or scooping, best served warm with ice cream.
Chocolate treats that set in the fridge or freezer
- Chocolate Truffle Fat Bombs (2g protein) Cream cheese, butter, and SunButter come together in one bowl, chill until firm, and get rolled in cocoa to make 24 truffles.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls (Peanut-Free Option) (2g protein) Four ingredients, no baking, and 16 balls dipped in melted chocolate, with SunButter as an easy peanut-free swap.
- No-Bake Sunflower Seed Butter Chocolate Bars (4g protein) A thick sunflower seed butter base topped with melted chocolate sets in the freezer in 20 minutes and slices into 9 bars.
- Milk Chocolate Sunflower Seed Clusters (3g protein) Toasted sunflower seeds coated in milk chocolate with flaky sea salt on top, ready in about 30 minutes from three ingredients.
- 2-Ingredient Chocolate and Sunflower Seed Bites (3g protein) Toasted sunflower seeds stirred into melted chocolate and frozen in a silicone mold, making 10 crunchy bites in about 30 minutes.
- Marshmallow Fluff Fat Bombs (2g protein) Homemade marshmallow made with gelatin, egg whites, and monk fruit sweetener, cut into 24 soft squares.
Frequently asked questions
Which holiday treats can I make ahead?
Start with anything that sets in the fridge or freezer, like chocolate bars, clusters, and truffles, because they hold their shape and slice cleanly days later. Bake brownies and cookies closer to the day you need them, and save warm desserts like a skillet cookie for the night you serve them.
What can I make without turning on the oven?
Chocolate bars, clusters, peanut butter balls, and truffles all set in the fridge or freezer. Most take about 30 minutes of hands-on time plus chilling.
Are there nut-free options for a holiday tray?
Yes. Sunflower seeds and sunflower seed butter stand in for nuts in the snowball cookies, the snickerdoodles, and the chocolate bars, and the peanut butter balls work with SunButter.
How should I plan a holiday baking day?
Make the chilled treats first so they can set while the oven is busy. Then bake the brownies and cookies, and roll anything that gets a powdered coating while it is still warm.
Every recipe here lives on Real Balanced already, tested in my kitchen and ready to go. Tap any title for the full ingredients, steps, and photos.
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