7 of our favourite festive biscuits, pies and puddings for Christmas

If you’ve got family coming round for Christmas and want the children to do something more wholesome than stay glued to their phones or the TV, a big biscuit baking session is perfect (plus, there’ll be something tasty to eat at the end of it). These ginger-flavoured treats from Sally Abé don’t just look the part – they’re also easy to make and taste quintessentially festive. With just nine ingredients mixed together to form a dough before being rolled out, cut into shape and baked, these kid-friendly biscuits mean everyone can get involved in the kitchen.

Sweet steamed puddings aren't a common sight outside Christmas, which is why unveiling one at the table feels like such a seasonal occasion. This fine example offers something a little lighter than the traditional figgy pudding, eschewing the dense, doughy texture for a lighter syrup-soaked sponge flavoured with orange, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. The prunes and dates result in a beautifully moist finish, and it requires very little active cooking time – perfect when you’ve got a whole host of other kitchen tasks to attend to.

Sometimes only the classics will do, and no matter how many updates, alterations or twists you put on a Christmas pudding, they can never beat the original. Dominic Chapman’s glorious recipe contains all those traditional festive flavours – dried fruit, mixed spice, a good glug of booze and toffee-like brown sugar – as well as a generous dollop of brandy butter on the side. Compared to ready-made Christmas puddings you can buy in the shops, it’s in a totally different league; just be sure to make it a week in advance to allow the flavours to develop.

Whether you’re a vegan or catering for someone who doesn’t eat meat or dairy at the dinner table this Christmas, don’t assume all those rich, indulgent festive desserts are off the menu. This vegan version of sticky toffee pudding is given a seasonal twist thanks to the ground cinnamon, ginger and mixed spice in the batter, while the simple toffee sauce is made with vegan butter for drizzling over the top. Even the most carnivorous, dairy-loving people around the dinner table will be going back for seconds.

Fancy a bit of baking but don’t have much of a sweet tooth? Then these shortbreads from Alyn Williams are the answer. Made just like their sweet counterparts (but with less sugar, naturally) these little baked trees boast a classic festive flavour thanks to that beloved combination of sage and onion. Once they’re baked, decorate them with little piped dots of cranberry-flavoured cream cheese and watch them get snapped up in an instant.

In Scandinavia, baking at Christmas is serious business, and these wreaths of buttery biscuits are a regular sight in the run-up to the big day. Another exceedingly simple recipe that requires just six store cupboard ingredients, the pretty finish is achieved by piping the mixture with a star nozzle, before baking and tying each biscuit together with ribbon.