Happy Holidays, Collegiettes! Let’s show your family that you’re putting your apartment kitchen to good use by surprising them with Tupperware filled with delicious holiday desserts when you go home. The best part is that they’re “no-bake” recipes (but nobody has to know)!
Here are three Pinterest-worthy No-Bake Holiday Recipes:
- Holiday Peanut Butter Balls (Makes 36)
Ingredients:
8 oz creamy peanut butter
½ cup softened butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup coconut
Directions:
- Combine the peanut butter, butter, brown sugar, and powdered sugar in a medium-sized bowl
- Add in the oatmeal and coconut
- Let the mixture chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes
- Roll the mixture into 1-inch balls
- Roll the balls into sprinkles (try red and green sprinkles to keep it festive)
- Store them in the fridge on a cookie sheet or in mini cupcake liners
- Take them out when you’re ready to eat them!
- Chocolate-Covered Christmas Pretzels
Ingredients:
1 package long pretzel rods
Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate
Baker’s white chocolate
Assorted sprinkles, M&M candies, or chopped nuts (in festive colors)!
Directions:
- Melt the semi-sweet and white chocolate in separate double boilers until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth
- Remove from heat
3. Create an assembly line using the two bowls of chocolate, the sprinkles, M&M candies, nuts, and a baking tray that has been covered with tin foil
4. Use a spoon to pour chocolate over the top part of the pretzel, making sure that you leave the bottom half bare as a handle
5. Immediately cover the chocolate with your sprinkles or nuts and place the pretzel on the foil-lined baking sheet
6. When the sheet is full, place it in the freezer to set for around 10 minutes
7. Once the pretzels are cooled, they can be served or stored in an air-tight container
- No-Bake Santa Samoa Bars
Ingredients:
1 cup 60 percent cocoa chocolate chips
1 stick butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 ½ cups sugar cookies (around 20 cookies)
1/3 cup sugar
55 unwrapped caramels
¼ cup milk
1 cup coconut, sweetened and finely shredded
Directions:
1. Begin by placing the cookies in a food processor and pulsing the mixture until it is finally crumbled. Because most students don’t have food processors, you might have to find another alternative to grind up the cookies.
2. Mix the chocolate chips, butter, and vanilla in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 30-45 seconds or until the chocolate chips are melted. Stir until smooth.
3. Spread all but 2 tablespoons of the chocolate in a thin layer on a 7″x12″ pan covered with parchment.
4. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in a medium bowl, then stir in the crumb mixture and 1/4 cup of sugar until it is mixed very well.
5. Press the crumb mixture on top of the slightly melted chocolate crust.
6. Next, place all of the unwrapped caramels and milk in a large bowl. Microwave it on high for 1-2 minutes or until the caramels are warm and melted.
7. Stir the mixture until the milk has been fully mixed into the caramel. Stir in the coconut. Spread this mixture on top of the cookie crust, pressing it firmly into place with clean and slightly wet fingers.
8. Finally, reheat the remaining chocolate and butter mixture that you made earlier. Transfer it into a plastic ziptop bag, cut off a small corner tip of the bag, and drizzle the contents over the caramel-coconut layer. Allow chocolate to harden before cutting the bars with a sharp knife. Serve or store them away for your family. These aren’t really holiday-inspired, but if you call them Santa Samoa bars, they instantly become a holiday treat!
Happy no-bake baking!