The month between Thanksgiving and Christmas is probably my favorite time of the year. Yes, as we’ve grown older, this month has become less about counting down the days until Santa comes and more about endlessly writing papers and studying for exams. But even with this added stress, preparing for the holidays is always fun! Decorating with Christmas lights and all things red and green, drinking hot cocoa, and listening to Christmas music are all great ways to de-stress and help get you in a Christmas-y mood, but one of my favorite things to do is make Christmas candy!
I love cooking and baking and sharing things I make with friends and family, so Christmas is the perfect time of year to give these delicious treats as gifts! I’ve tried making a lot of candies over the years, but here are my three go-to recipes that I promise won’t let you down!
Chocolate Almond Toffee
Technically, it may be called “chocolate-covered almond toffee,” but I like to call it heaven. The combination of crunchy toffee covered in chocolate could not be any more delicious, and everyone will love this treat! My advice: it’s far easier to just put the chocolate on one side, and it’s equally delicious! Also, as someone who’s not a fan of walnuts, I tend to use almonds for the outside as well. Check on the recipe here!
Peppermint Bark
Another one of my favorite Christmas candies is peppermint bark. I originally fell in love with this treat when I sampled the Williams-Sonoma peppermint bark, but I found the best recipe for it online! Layers of white chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, and bits of peppermint… does it get any better than that? (Answer: it doesn’t.) If you decide to make this recipe, be sure to use Nestle white chocolate… it melts SO much better than any other kind!
Hershey Kiss Pretzels
I don’t know if these have any sort of official name, but you all know what I mean… those delicious, sweet and salty treats with a pretzel, Hershey’s Kiss, and an M&M at the top. They’re super easy to make, so they’re even better! Just get some pretzels (I think the checkerboard ones work best), Hershey’s Kisses, and holiday M&Ms! Take all the unbroken pretzels, lay them flat on a baking sheet, and place a Hershey’s Kiss on top. Bake at 170 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes. As soon as you take them out of the oven, stick your M&Ms on top, and then refrigerator so the chocolate re-sets! You can also use different types of Hershey’s Kisses to mix them up… they’re delicious with Hugs too!
Enjoy these tasty treats, and Happy Holidays!!
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