50 Easy Christmas Treats for Friends and Family Will Dickey
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During the holiday season, there’s no such thing as too many Christmas treats! As the big day draws near, you’ll get more and more excited about baking Christmas cookies and decorating those gingerbread houses covered in frosting and candy. Whether you’re looking for homemade Christmas food gifts or pulling out all the stops for a big spread of sweet Christmas desserts, this list is here to help with some of the best Christmas treats.
To get you started, check out the festive fudge or one of the many Christmas candies that you can make from scratch. Many of these sweets are great to make with kids, like retro cornflake wreaths, so get the family involved for a fun Christmas activity. Looking for a recipe with classic holiday flavor? You’ve come to the right place! There are tons of peppermint treats, chocolate desserts, and gingerbread cookies ahead.
Prefer something a bit more comforting? You can’t go wrong with Ree’s cinnamon roll recipe—it’s a holiday tradition in the Drummond family! She makes several batches and gifts them to family, friends, and neighbors. There’s also a whole lot of Christmas snacks such as candied pecans and Christmas Chex to fuel all your holiday movie marathons. Of course, you can wash all these treats down with Ree’s white hot chocolate. Just don’t forget to add the homemade marshmallows.
Jeweled Divinity Candy
If you’ve never had this old-fashioned treat, Ree describes it as “sort of like meringue, nougat, and marshmallow all combined in one ultra sweet holiday dessert.” It also lasts up to two weeks when properly stored.
Get Ree’s Jeweled Divinity Candy recipe.
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Will Dickey
Gingerbread Truffles
Want an easy way to make truffles? Grab a box of gingersnap cookies and a block of cream cheese! They make a quick filling that tastes outrageously good and seasonal.
Get Ree’s Gingerbread Truffles recipe.
David Malosh
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow… but make it chocolate! If you’re more of a beginner at decorating, this is a good way to testing your skills because you don’t have to be overly accurate with your lines.
Get Ree’s Chocolate Sugar Cookies recipe.
David Malosh
Oreo Fudge
Fudge can be complicated, but it doesn’t need to be! This option comes together in just 15 minutes and doesn’t need a candy thermometer. And who can resist the flavor of classic chocolate sandwich cookies?
Get Ree’s Oreo Fudge recipe.
C.W. Newell
Cornflake Wreaths
These festive treats are both nostalgic and very easy to make. The kids can even lend a hand! It’s very much like making Rice Krispies treats but more colorful.
Get Ree’s Cornflake Wreaths recipe.
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Will Dickey
Christmas Bark
This recipe is simple! Transform club-style crackers into sweet shards with just a few steps. Then break them up, package them pretty, and give them to everyone you know.
Get Ree’s Christmas Bark recipe.
C.W. Newell
Holiday Haystacks
If you’re looking for another fun activity for the kids, try making haystacks. They’re so easy: Just melt chocolate, mix in some goodies, and them plop them on a tray to set up. Sprinkles are optional, but are they really?
Get Ree’s Holiday Haystacks recipe.
Will Dickey
Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars
Peppermint and sugar cookies are two of the most popular flavors during the holiday season. So why not combine them into little squares of deliciousness?
Get Ree’s Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars recipe.
David Malosh
Puppy Chow
Also known as muddy buddies, this chocolate and peanut butter confection is endlessly munchable. And the great news is that it only takes five minutes to pull together, which means you can do it as a last-minute gift or snack.
Get the Puppy Chow recipe.
Caitlin Bensel
Sugar Cookie Biscotti
The great thing about biscotti (besides being perfectly dippable in coffee!) is that they stay fresher longer than regular cookies. They also pack and ship very well, so they’re great as gifts.
Get the Sugar Cookie Biscotti recipe.
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C.W. Newell
Peppermint Bark
You only need three ingredients to make this sweet and pretty treat. It’s simply melted white chocolate topped with crushed peppermint candies, but the part is breaking it into shards.
Get Ree’s Peppermint Bark recipe.
David Malosh
Pretzel Turtles
This homemade candy is both salty and sweet thanks to the pretzel twists at the center. They’re surrounded by milk chocolate, gooey caramel, and topped with a nutty pecan for extra-crunch.
Get Ree’s Pretzel Turtles recipe.
Caitlin Bensel
Gingerbread-Spiced Cinnamon Rolls
Your family will love waking up to these festive cinnamon rolls. Instead of your typical flavors, it’s made with a homemade gingerbread spice and a thick coconut icing with shredded coconut to look like a fresh dusting of snow!
Get the Gingerbread-Spiced Cinnamon Rolls recipe.
Caitlin Bensel
Reindeer Pops
These adorable little treats will get all the kids in your family excited. The pops are made from peanut butter stuffed crackers that are covered in melted chocolate, then decorated to look like your favorite red-nosed character.
Get the Reindeer Pops recipe.
Will Dickey
Sugar Cookie Martini
This treat is for the grown-ups in the family! It’s the perfect creamy cocktail for sipping on after baking all those cookies. It even has a frosting and sprinkle garnish on the rim of the glass.
Get the Sugar Cookie Martini recipe.
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Danielle Daly
Peppermint Brownies
You can cut these rich, fudgy brownies into small bites for a cute homemade treat. Each one will be drizzled with melted chocolate and topped with a sprinkle of crushed peppermint candy.
Get Ree’s Peppermint Brownies recipe.
David Malosh
Eggnog Cut-Out Cookies
They might look like sugar cookies, but these treats are made with real eggnog so they’re creamy and spiced! Plus, they have an adorable swirled frosting that’s easy to create.
Get the Eggnog Cut-Out Cookies recipe.
Will Dickey
Chocolate Toffee Cookie Bars
Once you try these chewy chocolate chip cookie bars, you’ll want to put them on repeat! Use red and green M&M’s for Christmas but then switch up the colors depending on the season.
Get the Chocolate Toffee Cookie Bars recipe.
Will Dickey
Rum Balls
This no-bake treat is incredibly easy and fun to customize with different coatings. You can try powdered sugar, finely shredded coconut, chopped pecans, and nonpareils.
Get the Rum Balls recipe.
Caitlin Bensel
Scotcheroos
These cereal treats go the extra mile by adding creamy peanut butter and a thick layer of melted chocolate and butterscotch ganache. A sprinkle of sea salt will help to balance out the sweetness.
Get the Scotcheroos recipe.
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Danielle Daly
Sugar Cookie Fudge
Amidst the holiday rush, there’s hardly anything better than no-bake desserts. This delightful fudge recipe is just that! It has a super-simple base of sweetened condensed milk, white chocolate chips, sugar cookie mix, and butter. Plus, there’s real crushed shortbread cookies folded in. Just don’t forget an abundance of sprinkles!
Get the Sugar Cookie Fudge recipe.
Danielle Daly
Snickerdoodle Bars
Just when you thought the classic cookie couldn’t get any better! Insert: Ree’s snickerdoodle bars. They take all the soft, chewy deliciousness you know and love, then transform them into an easy, bite-sized treat—covered with cinnamon-sugar!
Get Ree’s Snickerdoodle Bars recipe.
Ryan Liebe
Christmas Cracker Candy
This salty-sweet and oh-so-festive dessert will stay fresh for over a week, making it perfect for gifting! It’s made with a crisp base of saltine crackers that are smothered in homemade toffee and Nutella. To finish it off, get creative with a variety of toppings from toasted nuts and chopped candy to sprinkles!
Get the Christmas Cracker Candy recipe.
Danielle Daly
Nutella Thumbprints
The kiddos will love getting to stick their thumbs into each ball of cocoa powder dough to make an indentation that will hold a dollop of creamy Nutella! After that’s done, you can also play around with all kinds of sprinkles!
Get Ree’s Nutella Thumbprints recipe.
Ryan Liebe
Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies
The star shape of these treats is just the beginning of what makes them so great! A terrific twist on classic gingerbread cookies, this recipe sticks two cookies together with cream cheese filling between them. Talk about double the goodness!
Get Ree’s Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies recipe.
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Ryan Liebe
Crock-Pot Candy
Homemade chocolate candy made right in your slow cooker? Yes, please! Loaded with peanuts, potato chips, pretzels, and topped with colorful candies and sprinkles, this recipe makes a wonderful homemade gift.
Get the Crock-Pot Candy recipe.
Caitlin Bensel
Homemade Marshmallows
These pillowy, sweet marshmallows are begging to be dunked in a mug full of hot cocoa! They make an especially cute food gift alongside some homemade hot chocolate mix.
Get the Homemade Marshmallows recipe.
Caitlin Bensel
Brittle
A nostalgic Christmas classic that’s just as good as you remember, this buttery brittle is filled with cashews, peanuts, and pecans.
Get the Brittle recipe.
Caitlin Bensel
Christmas Chex Mix
This sweet and salty snack is drizzled with white chocolate and loaded with Christmas M&M’s so it’s full of festive colors and holiday flavor. Your kids will love it and so will you!
Get the Christmas Chex Mix recipe.
Brian Woodcock
Oreo Truffles
Forget the fancy store-bought chocolates and make your own truffles instead. They’re so easy to make and you don’t even need to turn on the oven!
Get the Oreo Truffles recipe.
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Brian Woodcock
Ree’s Favorite Christmas Cookies
If nostalgic treats are what you’re after, try these Christmas cookies from Ree’s childhood. They’re fun to decorate and even more fun to eat!
Get Ree’s Favorite Christmas Cookies recipe.
Will Dickey
Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies
Fluffy cream cheese frosting sandwiched between soft, red-velvet cookies—these treats are the best decision you could make this holiday season.
Get Ree’s Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies recipe.
Ralph Smith
Candied Pecans
This sweet and crunchy snack is made in the oven so it couldn’t be easier to whip up a big batch. Wrap them in bags with ribbon for the sweetest DIY Christmas gift.
Get the Candied Pecans recipe.
Will Dickey
Cinnamon Rolls
Ree makes these cinnamon rolls every Christmas to give out to friends and neighbors. The holiday tradition has made her the “most popular person in town.”
Get Ree’s Cinnamon Rolls recipe.
Ralph Smith
Peppermint Meringues
These pretty swirled treats will look stunning on your Christmas cookie plate. Plus, they’re full of peppermint holiday flavor!
Get Ree’s Peppermint Meringues recipe.
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Ralph Smith
Gingerbread Cowboy Boot Cookies
Any cowboy or cowgirl will appreciate these adorable western boot cookies. Get creative with the designs to make them your own!
Get Ree’s Gingerbread Cowboy Boot Cookies recipe.
Ralph Smith
Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzels
The combination of rich dark chocolate and salty, crunchy pretzels is a match made in heaven! Add festive sprinkles to make these treats ready for Christmas.
Get the Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzels recipe.
Erica Kastner / The Pioneer Woman
Candy Cane Cookies
These treats start with a classic shortbread cookie dough which is surprisingly easy to make. Add a bit of peppermint extract before twisting them up into candy cane shapes.
Get the Candy Cane Cookies recipe.
Will Dickey
Peanut Butter Fudge
If you’ve never tried making your own homemade fudge before, now is a great time to start! The fun project is easier than you might think but it’s completely impressive when gifted to friends.
Get the Peanut Butter Fudge recipe.
Caitlin Bensel
White Hot Chocolate
Get cozy this season with a sweet treat that will warm you right up. This hot chocolate is made with white chocolate chips and vanilla extract so it’s perfectly sweet.
Get Ree’s White Hot Chocolate recipe.
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Brian Woodcock
Italian Christmas Cookies
These pretty little cookies have a similar texture to soft sugar cookies, but with a hint of almond flavor. The sprinkles on top make them extra festive around the holidays.
Get the Italian Christmas Cookies recipe.
Danielle Daly
Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Instead of a full holiday pie or Christmas cake, try these mini pumpkin cheesecakes instead. They’re cute, portable, and filled with warm spiced flavor.
Get the Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes recipe.
Will Dickey
Fruitcake
Whether you’re a fan of fruitcake or not, there’s no denying that this Christmas treat is a holiday tradition. Try making your own for a change!
Get the Fruitcake recipe.
Will Dickey
Peppermint Fudge
“This is the easiest—and I mean easiest—fudge you will ever make in your life,” Ree says. After all, there are only three ingredients!
Get Ree’s Peppermint Fudge recipe.
The Pioneer Woman
Hot Chocolate Cookies
Made with actual packets of hot cocoa mix, these cookies are sure to become instant favorites. The gooey marshmallow on top is definitely required!
Get Ree’s Hot Chocolate Cookies recipe.
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Brian Woodcock
Sugar Cookie Stars
These cookies are almost as pretty as the ornaments on your tree! Get creative when it comes to decorating to really make them unique.
Get Ree’s Sugar Cookie Stars recipe.
Ralph Smith
Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies
Your friends will never guess that you used a shortcut for this festive holiday cookie. The trick? Devil’s food cake mix!
Get Ree’s Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies recipe.
Brian Woodcock
Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting
You don’t have to get fancy with the piping to make these delicious treats. Take Ree’s advice: “Bake cupcakes. Let them cool. Slap some frosting on them. Sprinkle them with something. Done.”
Get Ree’s Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Frosting recipe.
Danielle Daly
Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Bars
Everyone’s favorite cereal treats get a chocolatey spin with these bars made with semi-sweet chocolate chips and creamy peanut butter.
Get the Chocolate Peanut Butter Rice Krispies Bars recipe.
Brenda Score / The Pioneer Woman
Salted Pecan Caramel Popcorn
Once you start munching on this sweet and salty mix, you won’t be able to stop! It really is that good.
Get the Salted Pecan Caramel Popcorn recipe.
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Erica Kastner / The Pioneer Woman
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