There are so many things to look forward to during the holiday season – gatherings with family and friends, creating traditions and memories that will last a lifetime, and if you have a sweet tooth, those delicious sweet treats that are such a staple of this time of the year.
While it may be easy to buy already made sweets for the holiday season, this year, make them taste even better by creating them yourself. Not only will they satisfy your sweet tooth, but the love that goes into them will truly be appreciated.
Here is a collection of some simple, yet unbelievably tasty candy recipes to make this holiday season.
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Although perhaps different that what you might expect for holiday candy, these easy to make treats don’t disappoint. With refreshing fruit flavors, they’ll be a welcome way to cleanse your palate after a big holiday meal. For this recipe, you’ll need:
· 4 packets of powdered Jello
· 2 ½ cups sugar
· 1 1/3 cups fruit juice (apple, orange, grape, etc)
· 2 cups fruit preserves
To make, start by placing 2/3 cups of juice into a small bowl and add in some Jello. Allow the mixture to sit for about five minutes. Combine the remaining 2/3 cup of juice and the 1 ½ cups of sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Whisk in the preserves and bring the mixture back to a boil. After about two minutes, it should become syrupy. Add in the Jello mix and whisk until it dissolves. Pour the mixture through a mesh strainer and then pour it into baking dish. Put the dish in the fridge for about 3 hours, or until hard. Remove the jellies from the dish, cover them with sugar and cut into small squares. Dig in!
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Although peppermint bark has been incorporated into holidays for years, this new take on an old favorite might just have you foregoing the traditional peppermint bark altogether! To make, you’ll need:
· 9 chocolate wafer cookies
· 6 ounces vanilla flavor candy coating
· 3 ounces milk chocolate
· 2 teaspoons shortening
· 3 ounces green mint baking pieces
Begin by lining a large baking sheet with foil and grease the top of the foil. Set the cookies on the sheet in a single layer. Bring together half of the candy coating, the milk chocolate, and 1 teaspoon of the shortening in a bowl and heat in the microwave at 100 percent power for about 1 minute, or until melted. Combine the rest of the candy coating, the mint backing pieces, and the rest of the shortening in another bowl and heat in the same manner. Drizzle the milk chocolate and the mint over the cookies until they are completely covered. Swirl the mixture together and then chill the candies in the fridge until they are firm. Divulge in this minty creation.
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Chocolate lovers unite this holiday with these simple, yet sinfully good, candy creations. Combined with the saltiness of the pretzels, you’ll have a sweet treat that will be hard to deny. For this, you’ll need:
· 6 ounces dark chocolate
· 6 ounces white chocolate
· 4 cups small pretzels
· Black and white sprinkles
Melt the white and dark chocolate in separate bowls at 100 percent power for about 1 minute, stopping to stir every 20 seconds to prevent burning. Dip one half of a pretzel in the dark chocolate and one half in the white chocolate. Place the pretzels on a wax-covered cookie sheet and cover with sprinkles. Set in the fridge to harden. Yum!
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If you like peppermint, you simply can’t go wrong with these chocolate covered candy canes. Although similar to peppermint bark, these candy canes are especially fun for kids and take a simple holiday classic up a notch. To make, you’ll need:
· ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
· 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
· Sprinkles
· Candy canes
Cover a pan with waxed paper. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler, mixing until smooth. Dip the candy canes into the chocolate and set them on the wax paper covered tray. Cover the canes with sprinkles while the chocolate is still wet. Place in the fridge to set and you have a delicious holiday dessert.
After making these creations at home, you may never want to purchase your holiday candy from the store again! For your guests with a sweet tooth, these treats won’t disappoint.
Guest post by Marcela De Vivo:
Marcela De Vivo is a freelance writer in Southern California. She enjoys baking at home with her kids, and can’t wait to try out these recipes this holiday season. Follow her on Twitterfor more!