Holiday season is notorious for holiday cheer – and of course delectable treats. One the highlights of any festive gathering is the array of holiday desserts that grace the table, enticing everyone with their sweet aromas and tempting flavours.

Let’s explore some classic and innovative desserts that are sure to elevate your dinner parties and spread joy. You can also find all the following recipes in Co-op’s Festive Table Magazine!

Butter Tart Pie

A gooey pie with some crunch and a flaky crust! This recipe was created by Chef Dale Mackay.

INGREDIENTS
¼ cup raisins
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup corn syrup
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp Clubhouse Pure Vanilla
¼ cup Co-op Gold Chopped Walnuts, toasted
⅛ tsp salt
1 Tenderflake 9-inch Deep Dish Pie Shell

DIRECTIONS
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 8

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place raisins in hot water for 10 minutes to soften. Drain well.
2. Whisk melted butter, sugar, corn syrup, maple syrup and eggs together in a large bowl.
3. Add vinegar, vanilla, walnuts and salt to the bowl and mix well.
4. Pour mixture into the pie shell. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until it is just set. Let cool fully before cutting.

Devil's Food Mud Pie

Mud Pie is a delicious yet playful dessert, and Chef Dale Mackay’s version is exceptionally so.

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 box (432 g) Betty Crocker Super Moist Devil’s Food Cake Mix
1 bottle (428 mL) Co-op Gold Chocolate Topping
1 bag (350 g) Co-op Gold Chocolate Covered Almonds, chopped
1 container (1.5 L) Co-op Gold Fudge Sundae Supreme Ice Cream
5 candy canes
¼ cup Hershey Chipits Butterscotch Chips

DIRECTIONS
Prep time: 45 minutes plus 4 hours freezing
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 5½ hours
Serves: 8

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of two 9-inch springform or cake pans. Tap out any extra flour. Follow instructions on the box to prepare and bake cake for two 9-inch round pans. Let fully cool.
2. Remove cakes from the pans and place on a cutting board. Use a serrated knife to slice one cake into two even layers.
3. Carefully lift one round and place it in a 9-inch springform pan.
4. Drizzle chocolate topping and sprinkle around 15 chopped almonds on top, then add an even layer of ice cream scoops, using half of the container.
5. Place other cake round on top and lightly press down to make sure there are no air gaps. Repeat the layering process of chocolate topping, almonds and ice cream.
6. To make garnish, place candy canes in large Ziploc Freezer Bag. Seal the bag, place flat on work surface and use a rolling pin to crush the candy canes. Drizzle chocolate topping and sprinkle crushed candy cane, butterscotch chips and almonds over the ice cream. Cover pan with plastic wrap and foil without letting it touch the surface. Freeze for at least 4 hours or until fully frozen.
7. To serve, release and remove the springform pan, and immerse a large knife in hot water between making each slice. Cut into 8 portions. Serve while frozen.

Hot Cocoa Pumpkin Pie

Created by baker, Megan Stasiewich this pie combines the cozy feeling of having a slice of pumpkin pie while sipping on hot chocolate into one delicious dessert.

INGREDIENTS
Crust
1½ cups Honey Maid Graham Crumbs
2 tbsp cocoa powder
¼ cup + 2 tbsp butter, melted

Filling, Ganache, and Topping
1 package (250 g) Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese, room temperature
½ cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
3 medium eggs, room temperature
1 can (540 mL) E.D. SMITH Pumpkin Pie Filling
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
⅓ cup whipping cream
1¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

DIRECTIONS
Prep Time: ½ hour + 4½ hours chilling time
Cook and Bake Time: 1 hour
Total time: 6 hours
Serves: 8

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch pie pan.
2. To make the crust, combine graham crumbs, cocoa and melted butter. Spread into prepared pan. Press down on bottom and up sides of pan to create the crust. Bake 6 minutes, remove from oven and cool.
3. While crust is cooling, make filling. Beat cream cheese with Splenda until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs one at a time with mixer on low speed. Add pie filling, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Mix on medium low until combined, making sure to scrape sides and bottom of mixing bowl.
5. Pour filling into the crust. Bake for 40–45 minutes, until set. Cool at room temperature for 1 hour.
6. While the pie chills, make ganache by heating whipping cream in a heavy-bottomed medium pot over low heat. Place 1 cup of the chocolate chips in a separate bowl. Once the cream starts steaming and forming little bubbles on the surface, pour over the chocolate chips. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth. If ganache is too thick, add a bit more cream.
7. Pour ganache over the pie. Chill in fridge for 3–3½ hours.
8. Once the pie has fully cooled, melt remaining chocolate chips and drizzle over the pie, or chop/shave chocolate chips and sprinkle over top.

Apple and Feta Hand Pies

This easy and delicious puffy pastry recipe was created by Chef Dale Mackay.

INGREDIENTS
6 tbsp butter, melted
½ cup brown sugar
6 tbsp Robin Hood All-Purpose Flour
½ tsp cinnamon
1 cup crumbled Saputo Feta Cheese
4 Pink Lady apples
400 grams Co-op Gold Puff Pastry Sheets
1 egg
½ cup Co-op Gold Pure Natural Honey

DIRECTIONS
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Serves: 12

Note: Keep the puff pastry in the fridge until you are ready to use it, then use it quickly while it’s still cold.

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with Paperchef culinary parchment non-stick paper. Toss butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon and ¾ cup feta cheese in a bowl and mix well.
2. Cut off each side of apple around the core, giving you four pieces per apple. Cut each piece into ¼-inch slices.
3. Lay two pastry sheets out on a lightly floured counter and cut each sheet into six rectangles, for 12 rectangles in total. Transfer each rectangle to the baking sheet, leaving room between so they can rise and spread while baking.
4. Beat egg in a small bowl, then brush lightly on outer edges of pastry rectangles.
5. Divide brown sugar mix evenly in the middle of each rectangle, leaving a ½-inch border of uncovered dough. Fan apple pieces out on top of pastry, gently pressing to set in pastry.
6. Drizzle honey over each hand pie before placing into the oven. (You can liquefy the honey if it is solidified by placing it over hot water or briefly microwaving.)
7. Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden brown on all sides. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet before serving. Garnish with remaining feta cheese and drizzle with additional honey if desired.

Cookies and Cream Pie

Cookies and cream pie is truly the best of both worlds. This recipe was created by Chef Dale Mackay.

INGREDIENTS
Pie crust
¼ cup Tenderflake Lard
1 Duncan Hines Epic Cookies and Cream Kit cookie mix, remainder reserved

Filling
1¼ cup whipping cream
½ cup Duncan Hines Epic Cookies and Cream Kit icing
1 8oz. (225 g) package Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Duncan Hines Epic Cookies and Cream Kit sprinkles pack

DIRECTIONS
Prep time: 10 minutes + 3 hours chilling
Cook time: 12 minutes
Total time: 3 hours 25 minutes
Serves: 6–8

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt lard in microwave at medium heat or on stovetop and add to cookie mix in a large bowl. Mix well with a spoon or fingers until evenly moistened.
2. Spread the mix on the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Press down until evenly thick and to eliminate any cracks.
3. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
4. Use a stand or hand mixer to whip cream until stiff peaks form and hold their shape. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
5. Use the mixer and mixing bowl to whip cream cheese and icing together for 1 minute on high speed.
6. Fold in the whipped cream by hand until it’s all incorporated.
7. Once the pie crust is fully cooled, use a rubber spatula to add the filling to the pie crust, spreading it evenly. Garnish with sprinkles on top.
8. Chill for at least 3 hours in the fridge until completely set, then freeze for 30-60 minutes to make cutting easier.

This holiday season, let your dessert table speak for itself. Whether you’re a fan of classic treats or looking to introduce new flavours, these recipes are bound to help you out. Share these desserts with your loved ones and fill your festivities with sweetness and cheer! And make sure you tag us on social media so we can see how it turned out @ottercoop on Facebook and Instagram!