5 Easy Christmas Treats That Will Brighten Your Season

With the Christmas season literally right around the corner, why not try your hand at the world of snacking? Test out your masterful skills in the kitchen by throwing these 5 easy Christmas treats together:

1) Oreo Peppermint Truffles

These are my FAVORITE. They are sweet and they have the richest flavor to them. If you are a big fan of chocolate with a hint of peppermint…you have to try these. And guess what? They’re super easy to make! I added these delicious treats to my Christmas baking list a few years ago and have made them every year since. All you need is a package of Oreos, 8 ounces of room temperature cream cheese, some dark chocolate chips, and three candy canes.

Here’s what you do:

• Beat the cookie part of your Oreos to a plump (aka make cookie crumbs). 
• Crush up your candy canes!
• Add your Oreo crumbs, 8 oz. of cream cheese, and half of your crushed candy canes to a bowl.
• Mix like your life depends on it.
• Once mixed, form little balls with the mixture and place them on some wax paper or a baking sheet. The size is completely up to you! I like to make them relatively small, about an inch all around.
• Place them in the freezer to harden for 30 minutes.
• As they harden, melt your dark chocolate!
• After your chocolate is melted, take your truffles and dip them in your chocolate, then sprinkle some of your leftover candy canes on top.
• Place them on a baking sheet or wax paper and place in the refrigerator to harden.

Voila! You have the most perfect little chocolate pieces to enjoy!

2) Decorative Sugar Cookies

This one is pretty simple, but tasty and super fun! If you feel like you have some creative energy that you just need to release, this treat is perfect for you. I take the super easy approach and just get some pre-made, raw sugar cookie dough from the grocery store. My favorite brand is the Pillsbury cookie dough. If you don’t want to go with the store-bought dough, there are tons of recipes all over Pinterest for amazing sugar cookies! Along with the dough, all you need are some holiday themed cookie cutters, different colored sprinkles, colored sugar, and other decorative toppings you want.

Here’s what you do:

• Heat your oven to 350° F.
• Thaw out your pre-made sugar cookie dough or make your sugar cookie dough.
• Roll out your dough to about a ¼ inch thick.
• Get your holiday themed cookie cutters and cut out your shapes. 
• Place your dough on your baking sheets with some parchment paper.
• Decorate (and don’t be shy with the sprinkles)!
• Place in the oven for 8 to 11 minutes, take them out and enjoy!

Tasty and fun sugar cookies right at your fingertips!

3) Hot Cocoa Bombs

If we could pick one trend for Christmas themed videos on TikTok, it would be these rich and chocolatey hot cocoa bombs. Tons of people have been making them this year and I know they’ve been around for a while, but I just tried these out and let me tell you, they are delicious! And you can take super cute pictures of your scrumptious creation to post on your social feeds. All you need is a half-circle silicone mold, chocolate chips or melting chocolate wafers, hot cocoa mix, mini marshmallows, and hot milk or a milk substitute.

Here’s what you do:

• Melt your chocolate and get your silicone molds ready.
• Once the chocolate is melted, get a spoon and scoop some chocolate into the mold. You can use the back of the spoon to spread a thick layer of chocolate on the sides and edges of the mold.
• Place in the fridge to harden.
• When the molds have hardened, take the chocolate out of the mold and carefully put some hot cocoa mix and mini marshmallows in.
• Take another half-circle mold that isn’t filled with the mixture and melt the open side on a warm plate.
• Combine the two half-circles to make a sphere.
• Place in a mug and pour over your hot milk or milk alternative.

Just like that, the hot cocoa will burst from the chocolate walls and give you a yummy, drinkable treat!

4) Christmas Snack Mix

Want something super sweet and salty to throw together for a quarantine party? This treat is just for you! All you need is a large bowl, bag of white chocolate chips, rice cereal squares, Bugle chips, small pretzel twists, salted peanuts, and Christmas M&Ms.

Here’s what you do:

• Melt your chocolate to a smooth consistency.
• As the chocolate is melting, add the cereal, Bugles, pretzels, and M&M’s to a bowl.
• Pour the melted chocolate over the mix and stir until the chocolate is on all the ingredients.
• Spread the mix out to dry, then put it all back in the bowl to enjoy!

It may seem super simple, but you’ll find yourself reaching for it through the entire day!

5) No Bake Candy Cane Cheesecake

Now, this recipe is a bit more complex than the other ones, but it is truly one of the tastiest Christmas treats you will ever have. And if you love cheesecake, this one is for you. I got the recipe from Recipes By Carina, so she has all the in depth details you’ll need. Get yourself a cake pan and a mixing bowl. You’ll need 9 oz. of crushed graham crackers, a stick of butter, 2 cups of cream, 9 oz. of cream cheese, ½ cup of powdered sugar, 1-2 teaspoons of peppermint extract, 5 crushed candy canes, and some whipped cream for this dessert.

Here’s what you do:

• Melt your butter and mix it well with the crushed graham crackers.
• Pour the mixture into your cake pan and smash it down evenly to form the base of the cheesecake. Put it in your fridge to make sure it is all set.
• While the crust mixture is setting, whip your cream until it reaches something called a soft peak. You want the cream to be the consistency of whipped cream.
• In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and peppermint extract until it is all combined.
• Fold in the cream you whipped up.
• Pour ¾ of the crushed candy canes into the mixture.
• Take your crust out of the fridge and pour your cheesecake into the pan. Place it back in the fridge to set for 4-6 hours.

Serve your cheesecake with some whipped cream on top and sprinkle the remainder of your crushed candy canes. And there you have it!

These 5 easy Christmas treats will bring you so much joy and fun this dull Christmas season. Make the most of your time at home and share your creations with us! Comment below to share your yummy Christmas creations.

What are your favorite easy Christmas treats to make? Let us know down in the comments.

This article originally published on GREY Journal.