Holiday Treats Recipes

Even though the theme of this page is Christmas, it's really going to hold all holiday treats, even those for Valentines Day and Halloween. I think what I like best during the holidays is what people do to make their holiday celebration extra special. Holiday treats such as those adorable Christmas Mice help to make the memory one that will endure.

Holiday Treats Recipes

1. Candied Apples
2. Caramel Apples
3. Gingerbread Men
4. Peppermint Bark
5. Snowball Cookies
6. Chocolate Christmas Mice
7. Pumpkin Nut Raisin Bread
8. Nut Roll
9. Chocolate Easter Eggs
10.Holiday Cookie Ornments
11.Peanut Brittle

Candied Apples

buttonCandied Apples

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups Corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup Cinnamon candy
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3/4 teaspoon - Red food coloring
  • 6 Medium Crisp apples
  • Wooden sticks
  • Freshly whipped cream, for garnish
Remove stems from apples, wash, and pat dry. Insert a wooden skewer in each apple, running through the apple from stem end to base without protruding all the way through the bottom end. Combine sugar, corn syrup, cinnamon candies, and water in medium-sized saucepan. Cook until the candies dissolve, stirring constantly. Be careful not to boil. Add cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, and food coloring. Mix thoroughly. Boil mixture to 300 degrees using a candy thermometer without stirring. While mixture is boiling, generously prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray so it's ready ahead of time. As soon as mixture reaches 300 degrees, remove it from heat and quickly dip each apple (one by one) into the mixture until it is thoroughly coated. Set coated apples, standing on their bottoms with skewer pointing up, on baking sheet until mixture hardens. Let apples reach room temperature before serving. Makes 12..
Caramel Apples

buttonCaramel Apples

  • 40 Caramel cubes
  • 5 Crisp Apples
  • 1 T Water
  • 5 Wooden sticks
  • 1 sheet of Wax paper
Wash and dry the apples thoroughly. Remove stems and insert the wooden sticks into the stem hole until about half the stick is in the apple. In a small saucepan, over low heat, melt the caramels with the water, stirring constantly until smooth. Now dip the apples into the hot caramel sauce, coating the apple completely. Place on greased, wax paper. Store your caramel-covered apples in the refrigerator. Before serving, remove them from the refrigerator and allow them to stand for about fifteen minutes. You can serve your caramel-covered apples on a large platter and use extra caramels as a garnish. Make faces on your caramel apples with candy corn, and miniature marshmallows. Makes five caramel apples


Gingerbread Men

buttonGingerbread Men

  • 3 1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup dark-brown sugar, packed
  • 1 Tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
  • Optional raisins, chocolate chips, candy pieces, frosting

Royal Icing

  • 1 egg whitez
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 3/4 cup confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
1 In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and spices. Set aside. 2 In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Mix in eggs and molasses. Gradually add the flour mixture; combine on low speed. (You may need to work it with your hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.) Divide dough in thirds; wrap each third in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. Before rolling out, let sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. If after refrigerating the dough feels too soft to roll-out, work in a little more flour. 3 Heat oven to 350°. Place a dough third on a large piece of lightly floured parchment paper or wax paper. Using a rolling pin, roll dough 1/8 inch thick. Refrigerate again for 5-10 minutes to make it easier to cut out the cookies. Use either a cookie cutter or place a stencil over the dough and use a knife to cut into desired shapes. Press raisins, chocolate chips, or candy pieces in the center of each cookie if desired for "buttons". 4 Transfer to ungreased baking sheets. Bake until crisp but not darkened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Let sit a few minutes and then use a metal spatula to transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired. Makes 16 5-inch long cookies.

Royal Icing

The traditional way to make Royal Icing is to beat egg whites and lemon juice together, adding the powdered sugar until the mixture holds stiff peaks. With modern concerns about salmonella from raw eggs, you can either use powdered egg whites or heat the egg whites first to kill any bacteria. With the heating method, mix the egg white and lemon juice with a third of the sugar, heat in a microwave until the mixture's temperature is 160°F. Then remove from microwave, and beat in the remaining sugar until stiff peaks form. Using the powdered egg whites method, combine 1 Tbsp egg white powder with 2 Tbsp water. Proceed as you would otherwise. (Raw egg white alternatives from the 2006 Joy of Cooking) If the icing is too runny, add more powdered sugar until you get the desired consistency. Fill a piping bag with the icing to pipe out into different shapes. (Or use a plastic sandwich bag, with the tip of one corner of the bag cut off.) Keep the icing covered while you work with it or it will dry out.
Peppermint Bark

buttonPeppermint Bark

Source: Simply Recipes
  • 12 oz. of high-quality white chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips
  • 5 regular sized candy canes, crushed up
  • 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract
Break up peppermint candy into little pieces. Melt the chocolate according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once melted, add the peppermint extract and stir. Pour the melted chocolate out onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and spread out with a spatula or wooden spoon. Sprinkle the peppermint candy chunks on to the chocolate and gently press them in with yours hands. Place in the freezer for 5 minutes or until hardened. Break into pieces and serve or store in the fridge in an airtight container.
Peanut Brittle

buttonPeanut Brittle

  • Unsalted butter, room temperature, for baking sheet
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup cold water
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 1/2 cups unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • Vegetable oil, for spatula
1. Butter a nine-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet; set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved.
2. Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture reaches the soft-ball stage on a candy thermometer (238 degrees to 240 degrees), swirling pan occasionally; wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent crystals from forming. Stir in nuts, and continue cooking, stirring frequently to prevent nuts from burning, until mixture is light amber.
3. Remove pan from heat; carefully stir in vanilla and baking soda (mixture will foam up in pan). Pour onto prepared baking sheet; quickly spread into a 1/2-inch-thick layer with an oiled metal spatula. Let stand until completely cool.
4. Break brittle into large pieces, and store in an airtight container at room temperature up to one month




Holiday Treats

Snowball Cookies

buttonSnowball Cookies

Source: Friend, Anita

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups finely chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Powdered sugar
    • Heat oven to 325°F. Combine all ingredients except powdered sugar in large mixer bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until well mixed (2 to 3 minutes). Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes or until very lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes; roll in powdered sugar while still warm and again when cool.Makes 3 dozen cookies
    Chocolate Cherry Mice
    As you can see by the photo, you can decorate them pretty much any way you desire.. These sure turned out cute!

    buttonChocolate Cherry Mice

    NOTE : Very very cute! Your guests will be amazed!
    • 25 Hershey's Kisses
    • 50 Pieces Slivered Almonds
    • 50 Silver candy balls
    • 1 (10 oz.) jar maraschino cherries WITH
    • 1/2 block (10 oz. total) Chocolate Almond Bark
    1. Drain the cherries. Rinse and drain again. Place paper towels on a plate and arrange cherries on paper towels. Put in refrigerator and let sit overnight, turning occasionally. The cherries must be very dry before proceeding to the next step. 2. Very carefully melt chocolate in a double boiler or in microwave, stirring constantly. Be careful not to scorch the chocolate. 3. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Dip each cherry in melted chocolate, bringing the chocolate up over the stem but not covering the whole stem. Let cherry drip to remove excess chocolate or use a spoon or side of the bowl to remove excess. Place cherry on waxed paper with stem sticking up at a jaunty angle. Complete with remaining 24 cherries. Place the sheet of cherries in the refrigerator for several minutes while you unwrap the Kisses . 4. Remove cookie sheet from refrigerator. Attach one Kiss to each cherry by dipping the flat part of the Kiss into the melted chocolate and applying to the coated cherry. Complete remaining mice and return tray to the refrigerator for a few minutes. 5. Remove tray from the fridge and dip one mouse in chocolate coating, covering Kiss and cherry. Quickly attach 2 balls for eyes and 2 almond slivers in the crevice between the body and head. You may find it helpful to use tweezers to deal with the eyes.
    Pumpkin Nut Raisin Bread

    button Pumpkin Nut Raisin Bread

    • 2 1/2 Cup Unsifted all purpose flour
    • 1 1/2 Tsp Baking soda
    • 2 Tsp cinnamon, Ground
    • 1/2 Tsp Baking powder
    • 1/2 Tsp Salt
    • 1/4 Tsp ginger, Ground
    • 1/4 Tsp cloves, Ground
    • 2 Cup Sugar
    • 1/2 Cup Butter, softened
    • 1 1/2 Cup solid pack pumpkin, Canned
    • 1/2 Cup Water
    • 3 Eggs
    • 1 Cup walnuts, Chopped
    • 1/2 Cup Raisins
    Preheat oven to 350F. Grease three 8x4x2 1/2 in loaf pans; set aside. combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, ginger and cloves;set aside.In a large bowl cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add pumpkin, water and eggs; mix well. Stir in flour mixture until well blended. Fold in nuts and raisins. Pour equal amounts into prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. I would test about 10 min before they are due to come out. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Loosen with a metal spatula; turn out onto wire racks to cool. Drizzle with powdered sugar glaze before serving if desired.

      Glaze

    • Powdered sugar
    • Enough water to make the sugar glaze consistency
    • A little vanilla


    Nut Roll

    button Kolachi (Nut Roll)

    Source: Friend, Anita

    • 6 cups of flour
    • 1 large FRESH yeast
    • 1 tsp. of salt
    • 1/2 pound of margarine
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 2 cups of warm milk
    • 3 eggs
    Note: 3 packs of dry yeast = 1 large cake of fresh yeast
    Scald milk and set aside to cool. Melt margarine and set aside to cool. It is cool enough when you can test a drop of it on your wrist without burning yourself. While waiting for the scalded milk and margarine to cool, Shift DRY ingredients in a large bowl. Make like a crater in the center of the dry ingredients. Dissolve yeast in the scalded milk. Pour into the crater along with the margarine. Break in the 3 eggs. Mix thoroughly. Cover with a white towel or cloth. Set in a warm place away from drafts. Let rise until it is double in bulk, about 2 hours. Remove dough to a floured board. Kneed the dough. Divide into six parts. Let set and rise about 10 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile break an egg into a cup. Beat well. Roll each piece of dough out. Spread your filling. Bring ends in and roll up. Pinch the ends and place each roll on a cookie sheet. You can get three rolls to one sheet but don't put them to close together. With a pastry brush, brush the beaten egg on the top of each roll. The egg will give the rolls a brown glazed color. Bake at 375 degrees until the rolls are brown. I can't tell you the exact amount of time but, it's about 30 to 35 minutes I think. To test for doneness: Lightly tap the top of each roll with a fork. If they sound hollow and they are brown then they are done. Remove from oven and let cool.

    Nut filling

    • 6 cups chopped pecans or walnuts
    • 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
    • 1/2 white sugar
    • 2 stick of melted butter
    • 4 eggs, beaten
    • About 1/3 cup evaporated milk, for moist nut filling
    Combine and spread on pastry, roll like you would a cinnamon roll taking a knife add 3 small slices across the top of the roll


    Chocolate Easter Eggs

    button Chocolate Easter Eggs

    • 1 Cup soft butter
    • 2 Tsp salt
    • 4 Tsp vanilla
    • 1 Can condensed milk (Eagle Brand)
    • 10 Cup icing sugar
    • 1 Tsp yellow food coloring
    • 1 Lb semi-sweet chocolate
    Beat butter, salt and vanilla until fluffy. Add milk, beat in sugar. Blend until stiff. Dust with brown sugar. Knead til smooth.Set aside more then 2/3 of mixture. To the remaining mixture add yellow food coloring. Blend in well. Divde yellow and white into 16 or 24 pieces. Shape yellow into ball, mold white around yellow to form an egg shape. Dry at room temperature on paper towels for 24 hours. Melt chocolate in double boiler or in microwave until smooth. Dip eggs in chocolate. (parafin wax may be added and melted with chocolate to prevent chocolate from melting in your hands). Once dipped cool at room temperature. Refrigerate after cool. When sliced these eggs will have a white cream filling with a yellow filling that appears to be the yolk. They look nice sitting in an Easter basket!!
    Nut Roll

    button Holiday Cookie Ornament

    Source: Betty Crocker

    • 1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
    • 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
    • 2 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
    • 1 egg
    • 36 small candy canes
    • 2 containers (1 lb each) Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy creamy white or vanilla frosting
    1. Heat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, flour and egg until soft dough forms. 2. On floured surface, roll dough until about 1/8 inch thick. Cut with 3- to 3 1/2-inch cookie cutters. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on cookie sheets. 3. Bake 5 minutes. Meanwhile, break off top of each candy cane to create loop for hanging cookies. 4. Remove cookies from oven; press 1 candy piece on top of each cookie to make a loop. Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or until edges are set. Cool on cookie sheets 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 20 minutes. 5. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place 1 container of frosting at a time in 2-cup glass measuring cup. Microwave uncovered on High 45 to 60 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted. Dip each cookie in frosting, allowing excess to drip off. Place cookies on parchment paper. Decorate as desired. Let stand until frosting is set, about 1 hour. Can be eaten after the holidays! :)