Easy holiday treats are among my favourite Christmas things ever. I enjoy sending them as gifts and, of course, eating them!
They’re even better when your kids can help you make some in the kitchen. Bond with your little ones this holiday season and try one or two of these simple recipes.
1. Holiday Marshmallow Skewers
Australian Christmas happens during the summertime. And so, barbecues and seafood are a common sight on the holiday table.
These inspired me to make a skewered dessert to cap your festive get-together. What I do is dip big chunks of mallows (homemade or store-bought) in melted chocolate.
Then roll the marshmallow in red, green or yellow sprinkles. You can also use shredded coconut or crushed nuts as a coating.
Put about three mallow pieces in a skewer to make one sweet kebab. Now, serve these easy holiday treats without having to throw them on the barbie!
2. Reindeer Pretzel Sticks
Pretzel rods are the perfect ingredient for making easy holiday treats. They’re readily available and easy to decorate.
I like that they have the salty factor that goes with anything sweet, too, like chocolate and candy sprinkles. So, for Christmas, why not dress them up into crunchy Rudolphs?
Dip each rod into melted milk chocolate, then use candy eyes and red noses for the face. Finally, let the kids stick broken up pretzel crisps on either side for the reindeer antlers.
Once the chocolate sets, place your reindeer rods on an empty jar or mug, serve and enjoy with coffee or warm milk!
3. Santa Cookie Lollies
Cake balls or pops have been a trend in parties and holiday gifting. But if you want to make something easy, get yourself a pack of Oreos or any stuffed cookie.
Split open the cookie to put a lolly stick at the centre. Drizzle some melted chocolate before placing the top, then freeze the cookies to let your “glue” set.
Once done, dip each cookie in melted white chocolate. Allow it to set. Then dip one corner in red chocolate to make Santa’s hat.
Now, finish each festive treat by piping Santa’s eyes, nose and mouth. You can make Rudolph or snowman lollies, too.
You can also bake homemade cookies for this project if you wish and use Christmas-themed cutters like a star, tree candy cane.
4. Chocolate Fruit Bark
Do you love wrapping chocolate bark treats as presents? It’s a perfect add-on for your personalised Christmas hamper.
And you can sprinkle it with practically any nut, candy or cookie that you like. For this year, try making it with dried or candied fruit.
Pour your melted dark or white chocolate on a lined baking tray or pan, then ask the kids to do the fruit sprinkling. If the chocolate hardens too quickly, you can pop the pan into a warm oven to soften it a bit and make the toppings stick.
Afterwards, refrigerate the bark for about 1 hour or until the chocolate is set. Unmould it from the pan, then break the bark into pieces.
These easy holiday treats would look pretty in clear gift bags or airtight glass jars!
5. Potato Chocolate Clusters
What happens when we put chocolate and potato crisp together? We get sweet-and-salty clusters for merry snacking!
These no-bake treats also pack well in small containers so you can take them on holiday road trips or camping. To start, melt some white chocolate in a bowl, then stir in crushed potato chips and pecans.
Spoon mounds of clusters onto a lined baking sheet and chill until set. For extra spiky clusters, use shoestring potatoes! Also, you can use muffin trays to shape these tasty treats.
6. Christmas Tree Brownie
Holiday baking never goes out of style. From cookies to cupcakes, baked goods are perfect as a delicious snack, dessert or gift.
Best of all, you don’t have to make them from scratch. You can simply grab a box of chocolate brownie mix, bake it as usual and cut it into small triangles.
Decorate each tree shape with green icing, crushed candy cane, sprinkles or stars. And voila! You now have a Christmas tree that’s good enough even without presents underneath!
7. Reindeer Trail Mix
Trail mixes are the best example of easy holiday treats. Why? Because all you need is a big bowl and spoon to combine your nibbles!
So, check your pantry and gather all the breakfast cereal, mini marshmallows, nuts and chocolate chips you can find. Dump your goodies in the bowl, then give it a good shake or stir.
Serve these in smaller bowls during your holiday movie marathon. You can also store it in airtight containers. Make sure to put it somewhere where you can easily sneak in for a midnight holiday snack!
Now, if you’re giving some of your sweet treats as gifts, you need adorable ideas to wrap them up. These toddler crafts for Christmas should make each package extra special.
