Advice for a Christmas sweet treats table

[BaconAndAvocado]

Hosting a drinks party for 40ish and would like to do some nice Christmas sweet treats rather than savoury stuff (less work and party is at 3pm so between meals).

So far I've thought of:
Mince pies (home made)
Christmas cupcakes (home made)
Christmas cake
Stollen
Gingerbread or liebkuchen
Slices of Pannettone.

Any other idea?
Not trifle.

I've just gone into a sugar coma reading that!

I don't tend to want to eat sweet things when I'm drinking alcohol.

So I'd put some bowls of crisps out too.

Hmm, alcohol and sweet things do not go well together in my opinion. I’d prefer some savoury choices even if they are all cold to save the effort of heating them up.

However, if I was just serving sweet things, I would stick to finger foods and might add home made meringue shells, mincemeat brownies, cinnamon cookies, peanut butter cookies, millionaires shortbread decorated with Christmas sprinkles or a chocolate log.

Fruit? Grapes, orange wedges, dates, etc.

I would do a few festive triangle sandwich platters eg turkey and cranberry, smoked salmon and cream cheese

If you want a sweet board, I’d have mini homemade mince pies, tiny slices of panettone, marshmallows, fudge, chocolate bark, honeycomb, mini meringues etc - all with a dusting of icing sugar and artfully draped redcurrants. I’d also want some fruits - so frozen grapes, dates, satsumas, blueberries

One of those dried fruit assortment things with the fruit in different compartments. Raisins, cranberries, figs etc.

This is something I saw a few years ago and always wanted to try:

Christmas cake, Wensleydale and honeycomb skewers -
www.goodhousekeeping.com/uk/food/recipes/a573597/christmas-cake-bites-cheese-honey/

Agree that booze and cake doesn't work as a concept.

What about crisps, nuts, dried fruit, mince pies and Christmas cake and Wensleydale cheese, so there's sweet stuff for people that want it, but also savoury stuff.

Agree with pp sorry, tea and cake or booze and savoury

If you serve cake people may well ask for a cup of tea which is then a lot more work!

Plenty of easy savoury options - Crisps/chips & dips, cheese straws, dried fruit & nuts, maybe some mini sausages with mustard & honey, cheese & crackers. At 3pm people won’t need huge amounts.

Are you serving mulled wine .. that goes very well with sweet things. Also offer tea and coffee for the non drinkers.

Sounds lovely, no need to over think it or offer masses of choice.

Yes, sorry, I wouldn't want a full table of just sweet stuff. I think it's fine not to walk to do cooked/hot food though. Festive nibbles could include some dried fruit and mixed nuts, mince pies/christmas cookies, a really good cheese board with crackers.

Still simple, but less sugary.

definitely something 'lighter' as an option, i love the above but they are all very stodgy, maybe fruit salad, fruit mouse, merringues with fruit etc.

cake goes with tea not alcohol, you definitely need something savoury too!

Agree with other posts. If it's including alcohol then I think you need a re-think. I have the sweetest tooth ever but I still wouldn't eat cake (or anything sweet) with a glass of wine.

A 3pm drinks party calls for savoury picky bits.

Not sure why it’s easier to do sweet stuff. Look on Pinterest for fruit/nut platter ideas. A cheeseboard might go down well too

Definitely...I'm also planning to put out savoury nibbles....crisps, tortilla chips, nuts, pretzels etc etc

Yule log!! 👍🏻

Yes mulled wine will be there!

This sounds doable!

I’d have suggested a cheese board too, but for 40 people it would need to be very extensive. Huge in fact.

id be tempted to do savoury bites, little sandwiches cut into triangles.

Top Hats (marshmallows dipped in chocolate with a smartie on top) I make these for every gathering and they’re always the first thing to go!

If you don't mind a bit of cooking then potatoe wedges sprinkled with this
https://www.lakeland.co.uk/1165/lakeland-good-with-everything-herb-sea-salt-300g
is food of the Gods . Parboil skin-on Maris Pipers cut in wedges then oven cook with a splash of oil .
Crispy and so delicious . Add a sour cream dip and some sauce
https://www.lakeland.co.uk/74278/hawkshead-relish-sriracha-ketchup

Or French bread and some cheeses

There;s a distinct lack of chocolate on your list (just sayin' )

Just something to think of but when I drink I need some savoury.
You can so easily put out crisps, those little cracker mixes with pretzels in and cold sausage rolls.
I'd be so poorly if I drank then ate tonnes of sugar I tend to do a mix of party foods sweet and savoury with sandwiches and pigs in blankets and crisps and then cakes and biscuits..

Haha, I've just noticed the chocolate desert....any suggestions?

https://www.delish.com/uk/cooking/recipes/a29664090/cranberry-brie-bites-recipe/ goes with wine ok