Christmas is not Christmas without the happy sweets! I gather only for you the Best Christmas Candy Recipes here are perfect sweet treats for children and adults this season! Whether you fancy something classic like peppermint bark or a treat such as delicious chocolate fudge, every recipe here is super easy, has festive flavors, and will add that extra magical touch to your holiday get-togethers.
Easy to follow step by step, make professional candies from home with memories to match the flavor. Be prepared to do some holiday cheer spreading with these homemade Christmas candies!
Delicious Rum Balls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 C (250g) crushed vanilla wafers or graham crackers
- 1 cup (125g) chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans
- 1 cup confectioners sugar (plus additional for rolling)
- UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER – 2 Tbs
- 1/4 cup (60ml) of dark rum
- Corn syrup or honey – 2 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl, combine crushed vanilla wafers with the chopped nuts, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder. Mix well.
- Wet Mix: Add dark rum, corn syrup (or honey), and vanilla extract. Stir until the mixture is combined and sticky.
- Form the Balls: Using about a tablespoon of the mixture, roll it into ball form. Continue with this process until the mixture is finished.
- Coating: Roll each ball into more powdered sugar or cocoa powder to finish.
- Chill: Store the rum balls in an air-tight container, refrigerate for a minimum of 1-2 hours to allow flavors to combine.
- To Serve: Chill well, and serve either cold or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Tips
- To make it non-alcoholic, simply replace the rum with some rum extract plus a bit of water.
- You can keep the rum balls in the fridge for 1 to 2 weeks, or freeze them for extended storage.
Melted Snowman Bark Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 Cups of white chocolate chips or white melted chocolate
- Candy eyes (or mini chips )
- Orange sprinkles or orange mini candies (that will be the carrot nose.)
- Mini pretzel sticks (for arms)
- Mini M&M’s or colored candy forming buttons.
- Sprinkles optional (edible glitter or snowflakes)
Instructions:
- Melt Chocolate: Melt white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl (a glass mixing bowl works great), heating in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted completely and smooth. Be careful not to overheat.
- Drizzle out the Chocolate: Slowly dump the melted white chocolate onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Spread it out in a ¼ inch layer, to form an even layer.
- Decorate the Snowman Faces:
- Dot candy eyes and an orange sprinkle or candy for the snowman’s “nose” around the bark (like melting).
- Insert mini pretzel sticks for “arms” sticking out from the sides of each “snowman.”
- Or you can place colored candy or M&M’s under each snowman face for buttons.
- Optional Decoration: Edible glitter or snowflake sprinkles
- Let it set: Leave the bark to cool and completely harden at room temperature, or put it in the fridge to set faster.
- Allow to set before breaking into pieces. They each look like a snowman that “melted”.
- Storage: Store your snowman bark in an airtight container at room temperature unless your kitchen is hot, then store it in the fridge.
Grandma’s Nut Brittle
Ingredients:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup nuts, peanuts, almonds or pecans are ideal
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- A pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions:
- Prepare the baking sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or continue to grease it with a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- Prepare the Sugar Mixture: Combine the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium pant saucepan. Stir the pan over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves and begins to come to a boil.
- Add the Nuts: When the mixture starts to boil, add the nuts and keep stirring. Let cook until golden caramel color, 300°F if you are using a candy thermometer (10-15 minutes).
- Adding in Butter and Vanilla: Take the saucepan off the stove and stir in the butter and vanilla extract until it has melted and fully combined.
- Add the Baking Soda: Add the baking soda, and mix quickly. The concoction will fizz and degrade; this chemical reaction creates the essential, fluffy quality of the brittle.
- Pour the Brittle: Transfer the mixture directly onto the prepared baking sheet. Then with a spatula spread very thin.
- Chill and Crack: Let the brittle cool all the way down. Let it harden, and then snap it off into chunks.
- How to store: Place the brittle in an airtight container to keep it fresh and crisp.
Nut Brittle Tips & Tricks
- Get the High Tech Tool: The real way to do it is to use a candy thermometer that reads straight to the temperature you need it to (300 degrees F). This helps the brittle to set and creates the white crystal. Look for a deep golden color with your naked eye in case you don’t have one.
- Like a Warm Baking Sheet: Heat the baking sheet slightly before pouring the brittle to facilitate spreading for a thin, even layer on the baking sheet.
- Work Quickly After Adding Baking Soda: Once you add the baking soda to that mixture, it foams and starts to set pretty fast. It needs to be poured and spread right away!
- Nuts: Old nuts will add to a stale taste of the brittle even if it is freshly cooked. Do not use salted nuts because they will cause the brittle to be too salty.
- Change Up the Nuts to Suit Your Taste: Peanuts are traditional, but consider other nuts like almonds, pecans, or even a blend for a fun twist.
- Keep it Dry — Nut brittle will attract moisture and turn gummy. Please make it on a non-humid day if possible, and keep it in an air-tight container and somewhere cool and dry.
- For Extra Gleam: Just before you pile the mixture on the baking sheet, stir in a small knob of butter (1/2 teaspoon or so). This gives the brittle an exquisite, shiny coating.
Crockpot Candy Recipe
Ingredients:
- Salted dry roasted peanuts, 16 ounces
- 1 pound dry-roasted unsalted peanuts
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 4 ounces German sweet chocolate, broken into pieces
- 24 oz white almond bark (or vanilla-flavored candy coating) broken into pieces
Instructions:
- Layer Ingredients in a large crockpot — salted peanuts, unsalted peanuts, then semi-sweet chocolate chips, German chocolate, and finally white almond bark. Do not stir.
- Low Heat: secure the top of the crockpot and switch it to low- Do not touch it for 2 hours. Try not to open the lid too often or the heat consistency will be affected.
- Mix everything together: Remove the top after 2 hours and mix up all the things until mixed properly and smooth.
- Scoop the Candy: Drizzle the mixture onto parchment or wax paper with a spoonful. Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, make pieces uniform in size.
- Let it set – Let the candies cool and completely harden, which will take about 1 hour at room temperature.
- Storage: After the candies have been completely set, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They have a longevity of around 2 weeks.
Tips & Tricks
- Top with Toppings: Right after you scoop the candies, top with festive-colored sprinkles, sea salt, or crushed peppermint.
- Use Other Nuts: You can use other nuts such as almonds, cashews, or pecans instead of peanuts for a different taste change; although peanuts are the classic ones.
- Use a higher quality Chocolate: A better quality chocolate chips or almond bark will enhance the flavor of the candy.
- Less Batch: If you want a smaller batch, just cut the recipe in half! Don’t worry, the cooking time isn’t going to change.
- Mix it up: Fold in mini marshmallows, shredded coconut, or dried fruit to create a little more fun with the candy.
Snickerdoodle Truffles Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup crushed into very fine crumbs (snickerdoodle or sugar cookies)
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup melted white chocolate chips (to drizzle over)
- 1 tbsp sugar (for topping purposes)
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (for topping)
Instructions:
To start, make Snickerdoodle or sugar cookie crumbs by pulsing them up in a food processor until they are in tiny, fine bits.
- Mix the Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, softened cream cheese, and ground cinnamon (make sure to do this at the right time as you will see why later on). Stir them together until smooth and blended.
- Mould the Truffles: Form into small balls (around 1 inch in diameter). Put them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Chill the Truffles — Put the truffle balls into the fridge for 30 minutes or until firm
- Melt White Chocolate: Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate chips in 20-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.
- Dip the Truffles — Using a fork or toothpick, dip each chilled truffle in the melted white chocolate, making sure it gets well-covered. Put it back on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Cinnamon Sugar Sprinkle: Combine the sugar with cinnamon in a small bowl (I used 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon but you can use a little bit more or less to taste). While the chocolate is still soft, sprinkle a pinch of this mixture on top of each of the truffles.
- Let the Truffles Set: Allow the truffles to sit at room temperature until the chocolate coating hardens, or, for faster results, put them in the fridge.
- Storage: Store Snickerdoodle Truffles in an airtight container. Refrigerate. They have a shelf life of a week – tops.
Tips & Tricks
- Soften Your Cream Cheese: Cream cheese should be completely softened to prevent the truffle mix from being lumpy.
- Modify the Cinnamon: Cinnamon lovers can add a bit extra to the truffle mix or the topping.
- Decorator Drizzle: After the truffles are set, drizzle more melted white or milk chocolate decoratively over the top.
- NOTE ON FREEZING: These Snickerdoodle truffles freeze really nicely! Flash freeze them, and then keep them in an airtight container, in the freezer, for a maximum of 2 months.
- Alternative: Instead of dipping in white chocolate, roll in crushed cinnamon sugar cookies for a delicious textural contrast.