Best Christmas desserts 2022 tried and tested: Morrisons, M&S and more

A selection of the best Christmas desserts to buy for 2022

(Image credit: Future / various brands)

Jump to category:

How did we test the best Christmas desserts?
Meet the experts: Tried and tasted by...

last updated 7 December 2022

Searching for the best Christmas dessert is easy thanks to our expert judges who have shortlisted the best options for 2022 and promise there’s something for everyone.

All of these shop-bought desserts have been tried and blind-taste tested for this year's annual taste test. So if you're looking for an easier option than making your own Christmas dessert (opens in new tab) this year take a look at this shop-bought, readymade collection that certainly gives the Hairy Bikers’ Yule Log (opens in new tab) and our popular Maltesers Christmas pudding (opens in new tab) a run for their money.

Our experts include Group Food Director Jen Bedloe (opens in new tab), Food Editor Jess Meyer (opens in new tab), Deputy Food Editor Rose Fooks (opens in new tab), Senior Food Writer Jessica Ransom (opens in new tab), and Junior Food Writer Georgia Sparks (opens in new tab). Collectively, the team has years of experience under their belts (or aprons!) and are very well-equipped when it comes to finding the best Christmas desserts.

This year we saw a mouthwatering Gianduja chocolate cake take the top spot and score the highest in the blind taste test. This elegant 700g chocolate delight has whole roasted hazelnuts throughout and is made using the finest ingredients.

Judges also highly recommend the Co-op’s Irresistible Nuts about Chocolate Star. It’s festive, fun, and tastes just like a classic cult favourite chocolate bar. Those who prefer a fruity Christmas dessert will enjoy the Best Passion Fruit Panna Cotta Star from Morrison’s or the Collection Hand Finished Berry Delice from M&S which is like a trifle but in slice form and with hand-finished fancy white chocolate decorations on top.

These products all scored highly during our blind taste tests for the woman&home Festive Food Awards (opens in new tab).

Where to buy Christmas desserts for 2022

Morrisons: From traditional Yule log to snowman ice cream lollies (opens in new tab)
Ocado: M&S favourites including sticky toffee pudding and mince pies (opens in new tab)
Sainsbury's: Christmas pudding, trifle, crumble and more (opens in new tab)

Tried and tested Christmas desserts

Why you can trust GoodTo Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

1. Gianduja Cake, 700g - View at Melt Chocolates (opens in new tab)

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 (opens in new tab)

2. Co-op Irresistible Nuts about Chocolate Star, 571g

Best nutty Christmas dessert

RRP: £6 | Delivery: In-store only | Available: December

The attractive star shape is festive and looks impressive. It is made up of rich Belgian milk chocolate and peanut mousse and has a crunchy peanut and caramel sauce within. It also comes with a dark chocolate sauce which you pour over the star to melt for some table theatre. This is sure to be a crowd favourite.

Senior Food Writer Jessica Ransom says: "While we can’t claim it’s an exact replica, judges said if you imagine a Snickers chocolate bar in dessert, this is what you’d get."

3. DukesHill Sticky toffee pudding, 400g - View at DukesHill (opens in new tab)

Best comforting Christmas dessert

RRP: £7.50 | 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 - £7.50 - DukesHill (opens in new tab)

4. Morrisons The Best Passion Fruit Panna Cotta Star, 651g - View at Morrisons (opens in new tab)

Best fruity Christmas dessert

RRP: £7 | 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 - £7 - Morrisons (opens in new tab)

6. Taste the Difference Triple Chocolate Praline Winter Forest, 650g - View at Sainsbury's (opens in new tab)

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 (opens in new tab)

7. Finest Caramel Cascade pudding, 850g - View at Tesco (opens in new tab)

Best microwavable Christmas dessert

RRP: £12 | 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 - £12 - Tesco (opens in new tab)

How did we test the best Christmas desserts?

All categories in the annual taste tests, including Christmas desserts, are judged blind by our team of experts. This means they are presented with a unique number but there are no other clues about where the product has come from. This enables judges to make an assessment of the product based on merit alone and ensures there is no bias or brand favouritism.

All of the desserts were tested at Future's Test Kitchen which is based in the Testing Centre of Excellence in Winnersh, Reading. To keep the results fair, the desserts were presented whole and cut into portions so that judges could all get the full picture of each dessert before it was devoured.

Judges took notes on a prepared tasting sheet. On this, they recorded the unique number assigned to the dessert and then wrote comments relating to the appearance, flavour, and texture of each product.

Meet the experts: Tried and tasted by...

Rose Fooks

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. She has a Diplome de Patisserie and Culinary Management at London’s Le Cordon Bleu. Career highlights have included interviewing the wonderful Mary Berry and working on Truth, Love and Clean Cutlery; a guidebook of sustainable restaurants in the UK.

Jessica Ransom

An enthusiastic, self-taught cook Jess adores eating out and sharing great food and drink with friends and family. She has completed the Level 1 Associate course at the Academy of Cheese and is continually building on her knowledge of beers, wines, and spirits. Career highlights for Jessica include chatting to one of her favourite food writers and chefs Sabrina Ghayour for an interview in Country Homes and Interiors and having the opportunity to meet the legendary Michel Roux Jr. and Raymond Blanc

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 and 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 the Group Food Editor at Future PLC, working across brands in the woman’s lifestyle group, including Woman and 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.

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.

Video of the Week

Explore More

Christmas Where to buy

Jessica currently works as a Senior Food Writer at Future. She writes food and drink-related news stories and features, curates product pages, tests, and reviews equipment, and also develops recipes that she styles on food shoots. An enthusiastic, self-taught cook Jess adores eating out and sharing great food and drink with friends and family. She has completed the Level 1 Associate course at the Academy of Cheese and is continually building on her knowledge of beers, wines, and spirits.