Have a Very Merry Christmas with These 6 Mouthwatering Holiday Treats

By Meghen Jones

As you prepare for the upcoming Christmas celebrations, there are probably a number of things on your to-do list, which include shopping for gifts, helping your parents decorate, and prepping for your annual holiday feast. In the midst of Christmas dinner staples such as ham, mashed potatoes with brown gravy, and stuffing, the sweet treats end up somewhere last on your extensive to-do list.

But, why should they? These delicious desserts really define the Christmas tradition in the United States, if you really think about it. Hot chocolate, gingerbread, fudge, sugar cookies, and every type of pie you can imagine…we could go on and on until New Year’s Eve hit. Because we love Christmas so darn much, uCribs is offering up our 6 favorite desserts that will be the perfect addition to any holiday party.

Holiday Dipped Peppermint Oreos

Are you a lover of all things chocolate? Are cookies your go-to dessert, or do you find a pack of Oreos especially difficult to resist? If any of the above describes you, then it’s only in your best interest to check out this beloved Christmas treat: Holiday Dipped Peppermint Oreos!

Holiday Dipped Peppermint Oreos are simply Peppermint Oreos dipped in smooth, melted chocolate. Plus, it’s decked out with red and green sprinkles—because, who doesn’t want to feel festive during this time of year? Even though this recipe may give you a chocolate rush, we’re pretty sure it’ll be well worth it. There’s just no denying an Oreo craving. Plus, these Holiday Dipped Peppermint Oreos can make for an inexpensive yet creative and festive Christmas gift!

Ingredients:

2 packages Peppermint Oreos

1 16-ounce package white chocolate

Red and green sprinkles

Directions:

1. Cover your work surface with parchment paper.
2. Melt the chocolate according to package directions.
3. Dip the bottom of each Oreo into the chocolate and place on the pronged dipping tool.
4. Use a spoon to drizzle melted chocolate over the top of each Oreo, then gently tap the tool until all excess chocolate has dripped off.
5. Scrape the bottom of the tool against the bowl before carefully placing Oreo on the parchment paper.
6. Sprinkle on desired toppings such as sprinkles. Let it sit until chocolate has hardened.

Christmas Popcorn Recipe

Are you ready to cuddle up on your couch in your fuzzy blanket, sip on a cup of hot chocolate, and enjoy your favorite holiday movie? Sounds like a little slice of Heaven, huh? Well, as comforting as it all sounds, a movie just isn’t complete without a bowl of popcorn to munch on.

With Christmas around the corner, it’s only right to take this movie snack staple to the next level. Covered with chocolatey M&M’s, crushed candy canes, vanilla bark, and red and green candy coating, this recipe for Christmas Popcorn is definitely on Santa’s “Nice” list. Speaking of the big guy, you may even want to leave him some when he visits on Christmas Eve. We hear he prefers it over standard chocolate chip cookies now.

Ingredients:

1-2 bags of plain popcorn

24-ounce vanilla bark

1-2 cups of plain Christmas M&Ms

Crushed candy canes

Red candy coating

Green candy coating

Directions:

1. Start by popping the popcorn. When it’s done pour it into a bowl making sure no kernels.
2. Break your candy coating into squares and place in a pan on low heat. Stir until it is all melted, then pour candy coating over the popcorn and mix until all the popcorn is coated.
3. Add M&Ms and spread out onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Top with crushed candy canes and drizzle candy melts on top.
5. Refrigerate for a bit but take out a half hour before you eat it so it’s not so hard.

Grinch Cake

Max, Martha May, and Cindy Lou Who…no, these are not the names of Santa’s elves. They are an assortment of characters from the classic holiday movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which is based on the children’s book written by Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Giesel in 1957. Telling the heartwarming story of how The Grinch grew into a kind-hearted soul, How The Grinch Stole Christmas has become is a timeless treasure in our culture with multiple movie spin-offs.

Whether you adore The Grinch or not, he’s a lovable miser with a surprisingly big heart. This cake might take the prize over the roast beef at your annual family get-together. Not only is this recipe super festive and creative, but it will definitely take you back to your childhood! And who doesn’t want to feel like a kid at Christmas—well, as long as you don’t have to sit at the kid’s table again.

Ingredients:

2 Boxes of Pound Cake Mix

Ingredients Needed Based on Cake Mix

Heart Cookie Cutter

Red and Green Food Gel Color

Loaf Pan

Green Frosting

Red Heart Sprinkles

Directions:

1. Mix one box of pound cake mix following the directions on the box, then add a few drops of red food coloring at a time until you get the red color you like. After, bake the cake.
2. Once the cake is baked, let it cool then cut the cake into even slices.
3. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out as many hearts as it takes to lay them face-to-face from one end of the pan to the other end. Make sure it is a snug fit but, leave room at each end for the green cake mix.
4. Mix the second cake and add green food coloring, then pour the green batter around the heart cutouts.
5. Tap the pan on the counter so the batter will fall down the sides of the hearts.
6. Bake the cake according to the package directions. Finally, frost the cake with green frosting and add some red heart sprinkles.

Strawberry Santas

When we think about Christmas and its many associations, one name comes up consistently every single time. Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas without its Father Christmas Himself—Santa Claus.  We all remember the ritual of baking fresh cookies for Santa and setting it out beside the fireplace on Christmas Eve with a cold glass of milk. We hoped our treats would win his good graces in that last moment before our fate was determined—would we get what we wanted this year?

While you are now too old to believe in the reality of a long-time Christmas tradition, your love for Santa Claus never faltered. With that being said, there’s no better way to embrace your admiration for the man in red than by whipping up some Strawberry Santas. It’s a festive take on Valentine’s Day candied strawberries, and trust us when we say, it will be the talk of the dinner table this year.

Ingredients:

Fresh strawberries

Vanilla frosting

Black icing gel

Supplies:

Knife

Paper Towel

Ziplock bag with the bottom corner cut off

Directions:

1. Rinse the strawberries and cut off the leaves to discard.
2. Cut the pointed end off of each strawberry. Place the newly cut edge down on a clean napkin. The napkin will absorb the fresh strawberry juice, which is what you want.
3. The “body” of Santa needs to be quickly dabbed on a fresh paper towel as well. The extra juice will cause the frosting to slide. By letting the paper towel absorb the fresh strawberry juice, the frosting will stay in place better.
4. Put vanilla frosting in a piping bag (or in a ziplock bag and cut the corner off).
5. Gently swirl some vanilla frosting on the top of the body.
6. Place the “Santa hat,” or the strawberry tip, on top of the frosting.
7. Add a dab of frosting on top of his hat.
8. Next, carefully add two eyes with black icing.

Snowball Cookies

Nothing sets off the holiday season like the first white, glistening snow. After that, it’s usually all downhill with all the inconvenience and responsibility that comes with extreme weather conditions. But, that first snowman, it’s just perfect, and it really puts you in the holiday mood.

Even if you are from the south or attend college in that region, snow still sets the stage for the beginning of winter and soon, the mark of a new calendared year, which is sure to bring on new opportunities. In the meantime, appreciate the moment and celebrate all things winter with some Snowball Cookies. Sprinkled with powdered sugar, these soft and chewy snowball cookies are sure to be a hit for your friends and family!

Ingredients:

1 box white cake mix

1/3 cup oil

3 egg whites

4-ounce cream cheese softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix all of the ingredients, except powdered sugar, on medium until well combined. Chill for thirty minutes and if the dough feels sticky, add 1/4 cup flour or powdered sugar.
3. Take about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into a ball. Roll dough in powdered sugar and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Repeat until you have your desired number of cookies.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, or until the tops start to crack.
5. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
6. Dust with sifted powdered sugar.

Reindeer Rice Krispies

There’s no running from our love of Christmas Carols. It brings up a warm, fuzzy feeling that we hold deep within ourselves all year long until we gather with our family members and friends to sing along our favorites. One song that constantly surfaces in that repertoire is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which tells the story of an outcast reindeer that turns out to be Santa’s most helpful sidekick in the long-run.

So, why not create a batch of Reindeer Rice Krispies to celebrate those hardworking animals that provide transportation on Santa come Christmas! All you need are a few simple ingredients including marshmallows, Rice Krispies cereal, and M&M’s. These treats chalk up to more than just reindeer games—they are absolutely delectable!

Ingredients:

6 tablespoon butter

1 10-ounce bag of marshmallows

6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1 package candy eyeballs

1 package of red M&Ms

12-ounce dark cocoa candy melts

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a large pot and add marshmallows, then stir until marshmallows are completely melted.
2. Remove from the heat and add Rice Krispies cereal.
3. Spoon into buttered 9×13 pan and let harden and cut into rectangles for reindeer, carefully pushing your craft spoons into the treats.
4. Melt chocolate following the instructions on the package then spoon into a plastic bag. Cut a small hole in the corner of the bag and to make antlers.
5. Use a small dot of chocolate under the candy eyes and M&M nose to attach them to the Rice Krispies Treat.

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