Who knew dessert lasagna could steal the show at a holiday party? Last December, my daughter Emily walked into the kitchen while I was assembling this Christmas Lasagna, and she literally stopped mid-sentence. "Mom, that's not real lasagna, right?" (She was genuinely concerned I'd lost my mind!)
This dessert is hands-down one of my most requested recipes every year. I stumbled onto this idea three years ago when I wanted something festive, impressive, and honestly? Something I could make the day before so I wasn't stressed on Christmas Eve. The buttery red velvet shortbread base gets topped with peppermint cheesecake, bright green white chocolate pudding, fluffy whipped cream, and mini marshmallows. It's basically Christmas in a 9x13 pan.
The best part? You don't need any fancy skills to pull this off. If you can stir and spread, you're golden. Plus, it serves a crowd without you having to slice individual pieces of pie twenty times. If you're into show-stopping holiday treats, you'll also want to check out my Pumpkin Custard Pie - another make-ahead dessert that never disappoints.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Christmas Lasagna Recipe
- What You'll Need For Christmas Lasagna
- How To Make Christmas Lasagna Step By Step
- Storage & Reheating For Christmas Lasagna
- Tips And Variations For Christmas Lasagna
- Christmas Lasagna FAQs
- Recipes You May Like
- Ready To Make The Best Christmas Lasagna?
- Christmas Lasagna
Why You'll Love This Christmas Lasagna Recipe
- Super easy to make - No complicated techniques or special equipment needed
- Makes 24 servings - Perfect for big holiday gatherings without multiple batches
- Can be made 1-2 days ahead - Less stress on the actual holiday (trust me on this one!)
- Looks incredibly festive - Those red and green layers are Instagram-worthy
- Kids go crazy for it - The marshmallow topping and sweet layers are a hit with little ones
- No soggy bottom issues - The shortbread crust stays perfectly crisp
What You'll Need For Christmas Lasagna
Shortbread Cookie Layer:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Red food coloring (I use about 1 tablespoon for that deep red)
Peppermint Cheesecake Layer:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 8 oz. cream cheese (softened - don't skip this!)
- 1 ½ cup Cool Whip (thawed)
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Pudding Layer:
- 2 boxes (3.9 oz. each) white chocolate instant pudding
- 3 cups milk
- Green food coloring
For Topping:
- 1 ½ cups Cool Whip
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- Red and green sprinkles
- M&M candies (optional but cute!)
How To Make Christmas Lasagna Step By Step
Prepare The Red Velvet Shortbread Base
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Mix together the flour, salt, and cocoa powder in a small bowl.
- Beat the softened butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl until it's smooth and creamy (this takes about 2 minutes).
- Add your red food coloring to the butter mixture and mix well - I use about 1 tablespoon to get that gorgeous deep red color that really pops.
- Turn your mixer to low speed and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until everything comes together.
- Press the dough evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking dish (I use my hands, but a spatula works too).
- Bake for 18-20 minutes until the edges are set - don't overbake or it'll be too hard.
- Remove from the oven and let it cool completely before adding the next layer (seriously, wait for it to cool!).
Make The Peppermint Cheesecake Layer
- Beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth with no lumps.
- Add the Cool Whip and peppermint extract, mixing until everything is well combined and fluffy.
- Spread this mixture evenly over your cooled shortbread layer.
- Pop the dish in the freezer while you prepare the pudding (this helps it firm up nicely).
Create The Green Pudding Layer
- Whisk together both boxes of white chocolate instant pudding mix with the 3 cups of milk.
- Add green food coloring a few drops at a time until you get your desired shade (I go for a bright Christmas green).
- Whisk until smooth and starting to thicken.
- Remove your dish from the freezer and spread the pudding over the cream cheese layer.
- Put it back in the freezer for just 5 minutes to set slightly.
Add The Final Touches
- Spread the remaining Cool Whip over the pudding layer in an even layer.
- Top with mini marshmallows, sprinkles, and M&Ms (get creative here - Emily loves arranging the M&Ms in patterns!).
- Place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours until everything is completely set.
Storage & Reheating For Christmas Lasagna
Store your Christmas Lasagna covered tightly with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It'll stay fresh for 3-4 days (though mine never lasts that long!).
Honestly, this dessert is best served cold right from the fridge. The layers stay distinct and the textures are perfect when it's chilled.
Don't freeze this one - the Cool Whip and pudding layers don't handle freezing well, and you'll end up with a watery mess when it thaws. Just make it 1-2 days before you need it and keep it refrigerated.
Pro tip: Cover it with foil rather than plastic wrap if you're transporting it to avoid messing up those pretty marshmallows on top.
Tips And Variations For Christmas Lasagna
Want to switch things up? Here are some ideas I've tried over the years:
- Swap the peppermint extract for vanilla if you're not a mint person (my aunt does this every time)
- Use chocolate pudding instead of white chocolate for the middle layer - gives it a more chocolatey vibe
- Add crushed candy canes between the layers for extra crunch
- Try different colored M&Ms on top to match your party theme
- Use graham crackers for the base if you want to skip the baking step entirely (press them in like a cheesecake crust)
- Add a drizzle of chocolate syrup on top right before serving for extra pizzazz
What mistakes should you avoid? Don't rush the cooling and setting times. I learned this the hard way when I tried to speed things up for a party and ended up with layers that mixed together. Also, make sure your cream cheese is REALLY softened - cold cream cheese = lumpy cheesecake layer (not cute).
Christmas Lasagna FAQs
It's called lasagna because of its multiple stacked layers, similar to traditional lasagna pasta.
Recipes You May Like
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies - Perfect for when you want fresh-baked cookies without making dozens
- Fudgy S'mores Brownies - Another layered dessert that's always a crowd-pleaser
- Pumpkin Custard Pie - My go-to make-ahead holiday dessert with that smooth, creamy texture
Ready To Make The Best Christmas Lasagna?
This Christmas Lasagna has become our family tradition, and I really think you're going to love it. The combination of that buttery red velvet base, cool peppermint cheesecake, and sweet pudding layers creates something special that you won't find in any bakery.
The best part? Watching people's faces when they realize it's actually dessert and not pasta. Emily still giggles every time someone new tries it at our holiday parties.
Make this for your next Christmas gathering and save it to Pinterest so you can find it again next year - you're definitely going to want to make it again!
Christmas Lasagna
Equipment
- 9x13 inch baking dish
- Mixer
Ingredients
Shortbread Cookie Layer
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- red food coloring
Peppermint Cheesecake Layer
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 ½ cup Cool Whip thawed
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Pudding Layer
- 2 3.9 oz box white chocolate instant pudding
- 3 cups milk
- green food coloring
For Topping
- 1 ½ cups cool whip
For Garnish
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
- red and green sprinkles
- M & M candies
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly butter 9 x 13 inch baking dish, set aside.
- In a small bowl stir together flour, salt and cocoa powder.
- In large bowl beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add red food coloring and mix well (I used 1 tablespoon food coloring to get intense red color). Turn your mixer on low speed and gradually add flour mixture. Mix until combine.
- Press the mixture into bottom of baking dish and bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
- To make cream cheese layer beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add 1 ½ cup Cool Whip and peppermint extract and mix to combine. Spread over cooled shortbread layer. Place in the freezer to firm while preparing pudding.
- To make the green pudding layer whisk together 2 x 3.9 oz. boxes white chocolate instant pudding mix with 3 cups milk. Add green food coloring (add a few drops at a time, to desired color) and whisk until smooth. Spread over cream cheese layer. Set in the freezer for 5 minutes.
- Spread 1 ½ cup Cool whip over pudding layer and top with mini marshmallows and sprinkles. Place in the fridge for 3-4 hours until set.
