What's better than dessert and sweets? HOLIDAY dessert and sweets!Whether you're bringing food to a party, or need something fun to do with your friends during winter break, or if you're just craving something sweet, here are festive treats to tingle your taste buds!
CHRISTMAS TREE RICE KRISPY TREATS:
Start off by melting about three tablespoons of butter in a large pot on medium to low heat. Once the butter is melted, add in one package of large marshmallows. Once the marshmallows have melted, add in green food coloring. Take the mixture off of the heat and add six cups of Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal. Mix until the Rice Krispies are completely covered in the green liquid.Use cooking spray or wax paper and spread the mixture on to a pan or plate of your choice. Once the mixture is cool, shape the green rice krispie mixture into the shape of little Christmas trees using a spatula or your own hands. Add M&M's to portray ornaments and you're finished!
SNOWMAN ON A STICK:
This one might be my favorite one out of all of them. If you're having a bonfire or going camping for the holidays, this is the perfect snack for you! What's better than roasting marshmallows by the fire? Roasting FESTIVE marshmallows by the fire!All you need are large marshmallows, small marshmallows, frosting, Rolos or mini Reese's Cups, toothpicks, and skewers. You can also use candy eyeballs and candy canes if you wish.
Slide three large marshmallows on to the skewer for the snowman's body. Attach toothpicks to the side of the middle marshmallow and slide a couple mini marshmallows on the toothpicks as the arms. As an alternative, you can use mini candy canes as the arms instead.
Then use frosting for the snowman's face, or anything else you wish to decorate the snowman with. I used vanilla frosting and dyed small portions purple, orange, and green. I created the snowman's face and buttons with purple frosting, the nose with orange, and a scarf with green. Add a mini Reese's or Rolo for the hat (I put frosting on the bottom to act as glue) and your snowman is complete!
CHRISTMAS M&M POPCORN:
Start by making or buying popcorn of your choice. I used prepackaged kettle corn for mine, but you can use whatever kind you want. Line a baking sheet/pan/plate with wax paper and spread the popcorn on the wax paper.Melt some colored candy in the colors red and green (Michaels and Walmart sell them!) and drizzle it all over the popcorn. Sprinkle red and green M&M's on top of the popcorn as well and let it harden. Once the candy is no longer wet, take the popcorn off of the wax paper and break the chunks into bite size pieces. Then it's all yours to serve or eat!
WHITE CHOCOLATE FUDGE WITH COOKIE DOUGH AND/OR PEPPERMINT:
The initial white chocolate fudge recipe is inspired by tasteofhome.com, but I added a little Christmas twist!In a saucepan/pot on medium to low heat, add three cups of sugar, 5 ounces of evaporated milk, and 3/4 cup of butter. Stir together until the sugar has evaporated and butter has melted, and then bring the pan to a boil for about five minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and add in a package of white chocolate chips (mine was 11 ounces), marshmallow creme (mine was 7 ounces), and about a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Stir together until the mixture is at a smooth consistency.
For the cookie dough fudge: add chunks of cookie dough to the mixture. I would suggest making your own cookie dough for this (without the egg) so that it's safer to consume! Mix it together.
For the peppermint fudge: Crush candy canes (however many you want) into tiny pieces and mix them into the liquid.
Pour the mixture into a pan lined with aluminum foil or wax paper. For the cookie dough fudge, I added a few more chunks of cookie dough on top, and for the peppermint fudge, I added some more crushed up candy cane pieces. Let the fudge cool/harden and you're done!
SANTA HAT BROWNIES:
Using a standard box of brownie mix, I made my brownies using the instructions on the label.I poured the liquid into a mini cupcake pan and then baked them completely. If you don't have a mini cupcake pan, you can bake your brownies in a standard nine by nine inch pan and then cut the brownies into smaller pieces.
Once the brownies were finished baking, I cut off the rounded tops so the brownie had a smooth surface. I then frosted the top of the brownie cupcake with white frosting and added a strawberry on top. Then add another dot of white frosting to the tip of the strawberry and you're all done!
Now you have cute little Santa hat brownies!
HOLIDAY COOKIES/CUPCAKES:
This one is pretty standard, but who doesn't love cookies and cupcakes?! I used cookies for this, but cupcakes work just as well!Start out by baking your cookie dough (or make your own dough)! I used Tollhouse chocolate chip cookie dough, but sugar cookies might be better.
For cupcakes, any flavor would work but red velvet cupcakes might be a really cool idea.
When your cookies or cupcakes are cooled, add a cute little Christmas design with frosting or sprinkles, and you're finished! For cookies, you can also shape the dough into Santa hats or Christmas trees, anything festive!
HOLIDAY PUPPY CHOW:
This is your classic puppy chow recipe, but Christmas style!Melt about one cup of chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of peanut butter. Mix to a smooth consistency. I would suggest doing this in a large saucepan over low heat instead of microwaving the chocolate and peanut butter together.
Once the chocolate and peanut butter are melted, take the saucepan off heat and add in Chex cereal (I used about eight cups). Mix together until the Chex is completely covered. Then pour about 1-2 cups of powdered sugar on that, and mix until the sugar covers the chocolate/peanut butter.
Add in Christmas M&M's and Christmas sprinkles and continue mixing.
Serve in a holiday bowl and you're all done!
With Christmas right around the corner, these yummy treats are definitely a delicious plus to your holiday festivities! Happy Holidays!