Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (2024)

See how to make the sweetest of treats with our easy recipes for candies like caramels, toffee, fudge, marshmallows and truffles.

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Triple Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (1)

Trust us: This festive and easy peppermint bark recipe is so much better than store-bought versions. Break it into bite-size pieces or cut it into six larger "candy bars" and wrap them up for gifting.

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Golden Toffee Nuggets

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (2)

Dipping toffee pieces halfway in chocolate is way tidier and easier than fully coating them-and the result is more striking, visually. (We recommend melting chopped good-quality chocolate bars for dipping-chips have additives that affect their consistency.) For undeniable holiday wow, brush on some edible gold luster dust. It's a splurge, but applying it thinly with a paintbrush helps avoid waste.

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Chocolate Truffles

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Using an easy method from a Detroit chocolate maker, you can create a dazzling array of rich, creamy chocolate truffles. (Note: The yield varies depending if you use bittersweet, milk or white chocolate, so read the recipe carefully before starting. And know that you can double it if desired.)

Decadent Chocolate Dessert Recipes

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Caramel Candies

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (4)

Soft, chewy homemade caramels are the bee's knees. For a twist on the classic, try Sarah Kieffer's orange, espresso and salted variations. Extra credit if you package them in our darling crepe paper treat bags!

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Raspberry Truffles

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (5)

These five-ingredient truffles come together in a snap. Blending jam into the chocolate makes for a subtle fruit flavor perfectly balancing the rich, smooth chocolate. The recipe comes from Indianapolis blogger Annie Marshall.

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Sea Salt Caramels

Caramels made in the microwave? Absolutely! And the only gear you need is a candy thermometer. Be sure to use coarse salt so it doesn't melt into the candies.

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Christmas Mice

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (7)

Kids or grandkids can help create these adorable, easy-to-make treats.

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Peppermint Marshmallows

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (8)

Homemade marshmallows are infinitely superior to store-bought-creamy and almost melt-in-your mouth soft. And peppermint is just one variation. In the baking aisle, find extracts like lemon, raspberry and cinnamon to customize your own marshmallows. The power of a stand mixer eases prep of this recipe, though a hand mixer works well.

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Oreo Truffles

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (9)

These easy candies look elegant but are simple to make. This holiday dessert recipe comes from the Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls in Logan, Ohio.

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Bing Candy

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (10)

People in Pukwana, South Dakota, come to bake sales just to buy Gwen Swanson's signature chocolate-cherry treat. Cherry-flavor chips create a red center between the chocolate layers. You can substitute peanut butter-flavor pieces if you prefer a peanut butter-chocolate combo.

Our Best Bar Cookies

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Caramel Almond Stars

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (11)

These playful candies are sort of a mock turtle-all the texture and flavor minus the homemade caramel or fussy dipping. Sprinkle with Wilton's gold star sprinkles (sold online) or coarse sparkling sugar. For a flavor twist, substitute roasted, salted almonds or even smoked almonds.

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Nutella Cherry Hazelnut Fudge

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (12)

Chocolate-hazelnut spread (Nutella) gives this fudge a smooth texture and luscious nutty flavor. The recipe comes from Indianapolis-based blogger Annie Marshall.

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Dark Chocolate Almond Brittle

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (13)

Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman of the blog A Beautiful Mess share this sinfully good holiday candy recipe. Adding almond butter makes the candy a bit softer and more flaky than traditional brittle.

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White Chocolate Christmas Fudge

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (14)

This five-ingredient fudge is simplicity, squared: Just melt, stir, spread, cool and cut. We love seeing festive flecks of orange zest in the fudge, but substituting orange-flavored dried cranberries will have a similar taste.

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Maple Nutty Candy

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (15)

These bar cookies combine four winning flavors: peanut butter, maple, butterscotch and chocolate. The easy recipe, from a Wabash, Indiana, reader, makes about 6 pounds of candy. We suggest freezing the bars and thawing them out as needed.

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Coffee Bean Meltaways

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (16)

If you've ever made butter mints, you'll recognize this no-cook powdered sugar mixture. The coffee flavor comes from instant espresso powder, which is widely available online and at specialty stores. It's richer and better-tasting than ordinary instant coffee.

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Almond Meringue Bark

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (17)

This beginner-level candy is made by spreading meringue thinly and baking it until shatteringly crisp (so much simpler than piping into kisses). Eat it plain, or sprinkle it on berries and whipped cream or an ice cream sundae, like shards of nutty toasted marshmallow.

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Caramel Heavenlies

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (18)

Graham crackers form the base for this bar cookie with layers of marshmallows, brown sugar, almonds and coconut. "I've made these cookies each Christmas since 1984," says Georgine Simmonds of Genesee, Michigan. "They're one of my family's favorites."

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Lemon Drop Bark

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (19)

Melt the candy coating, add the candy, and you're done. It's that simple. The crushed lemon drops give this sweet treat some pucker.

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Hard Candy

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (20)

Just six ingredients go into this classic hard candy recipe. Make different flavors by varying the oil used—such peppermint, orange, lemon, anise and cinnamon—and switch up the food coloring, too.

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Latte Fudge

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (21)

A shot of espresso adds flavor and color to this holiday sweet. The recipe makes about five dozen pieces, so you'll have plenty to give as gifts.

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Candy-Box Caramels

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (22)

Dress up packaged caramel squares by dipping them in sprinkles, crushed nuts, and bits of candy. Drizzle with dark or white chocolate to add even more color.

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Creamy Peanut Butter Truffles

Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (23)

Minnesota's Saint Paul Hotel featured these truffles at a Chocolate Lovers' Tea. We simplified the recipe by substituting candy coating for the chocolate used at the hotel.

Peanut Butter Dessert Recipes

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Delicious Christmas Candy Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the top 10 Christmas candies? ›

Top 12 Best Christmas Candies!
  • Haribo Giant Trees.
  • Fort Knox Gold Ingots.
  • Peeps Candy Cane Marshmallow Chicks.
  • Terry's Chocolate Orange Minis White Chocolate UK.
  • Christmas Hot Chocolate Bomb.
  • Maltesers Mini Mint Reindeers UK.
  • Kool-Aid Candy Canes.
  • Bailey's Salted Caramel Truffle Bar.
Nov 20, 2023

What is the most popular candy sold on Christmas? ›

(WHNT) – Peppermint bark, mini Reese's cups, and Starburst, oh my! Those are just a few of the most popular Christmas candies, according to a new report from CandyStore.com.

What are traditional Christmas candies? ›

Every trip past the candy dish yielded a handful of cut rock candy, rainbow gems, baby ribbons, chocolate-filled straws, filled raspberries, and other treats to suck on while opening gifts. Other Christmas classics include peppermint patties and candy canes.

How long is homemade Christmas candy good for? ›

Most candies will keep 2 to 3 weeks (if not longer) if stored tightly covered in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator. It's best to avoid storing different types of candy together in the same container because hard candies will become soft and sticky, and soft candies will dry out.

What is the oldest Christmas candy? ›

A candy called Marzipan is one of the oldest traditional Christmas candies. It consists of honey, sugar and almond meal and is usually shaped in the form of cheery fruits and animals, can be chocolate covered and even made into biscuits.

What is the number 1 candy of all time? ›

Top-selling chocolates and sweets. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are the No. 1 selling candy brand in the United States, consisting of white fudge, milk, or dark chocolate cups filled with peanut butter. They were invented by H.B. Reese after he founded the H. B. Reese Candy Company in 1923.

What is America's favorite Christmas candy? ›

According to America's Favorite Christmas Candy by State Report, a comprehensive study by research firm HubScore that delved into a survey of the top 20 favorite Christmas candies, Kit Kat ranked top in 13 states followed by a tie between Skittles and candy canes, both ranked top in six states.

What was the first Christmas candy? ›

The first candy cane most likely took shape in 17th century Europe when people were enjoying pulled sugars, the parent to today's candy sticks. At that time, somewhere in Germany, an unknown person added a hook to the stick.

What is the most bought thing on Christmas? ›

These items have consistently performed well on the web and are likely to continue to be among the most sold items during Christmas 2023-2024:
  • Christmas ornaments and decorations.
  • Christmas lights and outdoor decorations.
  • Artificial Christmas trees.
  • Christmas stockings and tree skirts.
  • Clothing and accessories.
Nov 10, 2023

What fruit is Christmassy? ›

Apples, cranberries, pumpkins, and butternut squash have all been at the heart of the traditional holiday feast for countless generations.

Why is Christmas candy so expensive? ›

Year-to-date, cocoa prices have risen 138%. The West African region produces over 80% of the world's cocoa supply. But that region has been hit especially hard by multiple adverse weather and crop diseases. This has caused the worst cocoa supply shortage in over 60 years.

What is Christmas crack candy made of? ›

Ingredients
  1. Saltine Crackers. You need 28 saltine crackers, and please do not use the low-salt version. ...
  2. Unsalted Butter. ...
  3. Chocolate Chips. ...
  4. Brown Sugar. ...
  5. Optional toppings: You can sprinkle anything you want on top of this toffee: extra crackers (crushed), crushed candy canes, Christmas sprinkles, or finely chopped nuts.
Oct 20, 2022

What do stores do with unsold holiday candy? ›

Right after the holiday they will have sales to try to get some profit out of the leftover candy after a month or so those stores will either donate it to food pantries or sell it to discount grocery stores.

Which candy has the longest shelf life? ›

Hard candy like Jolly Ranchers, lollipops and other individually wrapped candies can essentially last forever if they're stored right and kept away from moisture. Dark chocolate can last one to two years in a cool, dark, dry place. Milk and white chocolate will last up to 10 months.

Can you eat year old candy canes? ›

"Things like candy canes or ribbon candy are good for well over a year, up to five years possibly. The sugar creates a matrix that holds it all together," said Allured. This is as long as you store it in a cool, dry place: "Humidity is the enemy."

What is the top 10 Halloween candy? ›

With Reese's taking the top spot, here are the ten most popular Halloween candies in the U.S.:
  • Hot Tamales.
  • Skittles.
  • Sour Patch Kids.
  • Starburst.
  • Hershey's Kisses.
  • Candy Corn.
  • Hershey's Mini Bars.
  • Snickers.
Oct 31, 2023

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