10 Shot Glass Desserts to Spice Up the Holidays

By Emily Shepherd
December 23, 2020
Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst

Is your college shot glass collection gathering dust in the cabinet? Have a little fun this holiday season by whipping up individual dessert portions in oh-so-fancy shot glasses.  This method is a fun and festive way to dress up everyone's favorite course.  Plus, they make portion control easy-peasy!  From Mini Chocolate Pudding Shots to Pumpkin Maple Mousse Parfaits, these gorgeous recipes are a wonderful way to enjoy dessert in a shot glass.  

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Lemon Tiramisù

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia Degaris Pursell
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Layer our Quick and Easy Lemon Curd with ladyfingers and a sweetened and whipped mascarpone cream, then top with a single raspberry and mint sprig.  This recipe makes 24 servings, but can be easily halved if needed.  Be sure to use soft ladyfingers, found in the bakery or produce section.

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Turtle Cheesecake Pudding Shots

Credit: Lauren Musgrove
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These layered dessert shooters sure aren't your mama's turtle candies.Take everything you love about the turtle flavor combo (caramel, chocolate, and pecans) and mix in Baileys Irish Cream for a grown-up version of the classic candy treat. (Or skip the Baileys for a kid-friendly version).  Top each shot with all of the chocolate and caramel that your heart desires. 

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Mini Pumpkin Parfait with Cranberry Caramel

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Top mini pumpkin parfaits with a decadent cranberry caramel sauce for a wonderfully indulgent way to celebrate favorite fall flavors.  

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Red Velvet Pudding Shots

Credit: Lauren Musgrove
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Nothing tastes and looks like the holidays quite like a classic red velevet cake. Easier to prepare, these dessert shots capture all of the rich goodness of red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting; it's a boozy treat everyone is sure to love. Make these shots as instructed for a Christmas party or top with edible metallic sprinkles for a festive New Years treat.

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Coffee Liqueur Affogato with Chocolate Whipped Cream

Credit: Time Inc. Video Studio
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This decadent dessert is ridiculously easy to make and is based around 4 of our absolute favorite things: caffeine, booze, ice cream, and chocolate. An affogato is a traditional coffee-flavored dessert that typically looks like a scoop of creamy gelato topped off with a pour of hot espresso. A shot of liqueur is sometimes added as well to kick things up a notch (as we do in the recipe below). We opted for coffee liqueur here, but feel free to substitute in almond liqueur or leave the booze out if you prefer. Intensely rich, a small serving of affogato is enough to satisfy. A perfect after-dinner treat for two, this grown-up sundae is sure to become a new favorite.

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Mint Chocolate Pudding Shots

Credit: Lauren Musgrove
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Mint meets chocolate in a dessert shot. What could be better than your favorite sweet combo with a boozy added bonus? These shots are perfect for your next holiday or New Year's Eve party. 

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Raspberry preserves and orange liqueur are perfect partners in this bite-sized tiramisù treat.  Garnish with fresh raspberries and mint, and be sure to use soft ladyfingers, instead of the crisp Italian cookies by the same name.  

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Pumpkin-Maple Mousse Parfaits

Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Styling: Stephana Bottom
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These single-serving parfaits pay homage to the best autumnal flavors with lots of pumpkin and maple, plus hints of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and vanilla.  

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White Chocolate-Peppermint Mousse

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Linda Hirst
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Four ingredients--heavy whipping cream, chopped white chocolate, peppermint extract, and a garnish of crushed peppermint candies--are all you need for this holiday-ready dessert.  

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Panna Cotta Shots

Credit: Thomas J. Story
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These colorful 5-ingredient dessert shots feature a floating "garnish" of brightly-hued liquor, such as blue curaçao, crème de menthe, framboise, or cassis.  Want to keep your panna cotta shots alcohol-free?  Simply substitute a colorful syrup like pomegranate, berry, mango--or even coffee.  

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