34 Festive Christmas Candy Recipes

Homemade Holiday Treats

By
Cathy Jacobs
Cathy Jacobs
Cathy Jacobs
A freelance journalist and avid home cook, Cathy Jacobs has more than 10 years of food writing experience, with a focus on curating approachable menus and recipe collections.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 08/3/21
Reindeer Chow

The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

Make the holidays even merrier with our collection of the best homemade Christmas candy recipes. From the classic peppermint bark to hot chocolate truffles, homemade turtle candy, and Santa's reindeer chow, these holiday candy recipes will win smiles from kids and adults alike. Enjoy these Christmas candy recipes to make for gifting, stocking stuffers, serving at festive parties, or enjoying in front of the tree.

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    Christmas Crack

    Christmas Crack

    Jennifer Perillo

    Only four ingredients are needed to produce Christmas crack, a popular holiday treat that makes a great teacher gift or stocking stuffer. Butter and brown sugar cook into a bubbly toffee that's poured over a layer of saltine crackers to create a bark-like candy. Chocolate chips are scattered on top to form the melted chocolate coating. Decorate with your favorite festive toppings.

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    Peppermint Bark

    Peppermint bark

    The Spruce

    Peppermint bark is a Christmas classic. Who can resist the combination of two types of chocolate with crisp bites of minty candy canes? This delicious, easy snack makes a wonderful holiday gift.

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    Sugarplum Christmas Candy

    Sugarplums recipe

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

    These are the famous sugarplums from holiday poems and the Nutcracker ballet. They're soft and fruity little bites, made with an assortment of dried fruit and nuts, sweet preserves, and holiday spices rolled in a crunchy sugar coating.

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    Turtle Candy

    Turtle Candy

    The Spruce

    Save money on expensive boxed chocolates by making your own turtle candies for stuffing into stockings. This recipe produces candies that taste just like the original, with layers of rich chocolate, crunchy pecans, and smooth caramel.

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    Christmas Pretzel Bites

    Christmas Pretzel Bites

    The Spruce / Victoria Heydt

    Christmas pretzel bites are quick and easy holiday goodies made from an addictive mixture of salty pretzels, minty candy cane kisses, and sweet candy-coated chocolates. Get kids involved in helping you to make them for seasonal parties, or as stocking stuffers.

  • 06 of 34

    Chocolate Covered Homemade Sponge Candy

    Sponge candy recipe

    The Spruce / Nita West

    Sponge candy is a sweet vintage treat that's perfect for enjoying and gifting at holiday time. This candy has a fantastic, airy texture that literally melts in your mouth and is so easy to make with only a handful of ingredients.

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    Candy Cane Truffles

    candy cane truffles

    The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

    Truffles are a surefire way to wow your friends and loved ones. They look and taste amazing, but are surprisingly easy to make. These delicious bites feature crunchy candy cane bits over a smooth dark chocolate ganache.

  • 08 of 34

    Candy Cane Popcorn

    Candy Cane Popcorn

    The Spruce

    Got the Christmas munchies? That's the perfect time for a big bowl of sweet and crunchy candy cane popcorn. This seasonal treat is a snap to make and is a sure cure for snack cravings. Popcorn is coated in melted white chocolate and crushed candy cane bits for a snack that's both savory and minty.

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  • 09 of 34

    Reindeer Chow

    Reindeer Chow

    The Spruce / Diana Chistruga

    Magical reindeer chow is a Christmas treat that kids of all ages love. It is chock full of cereal, pretzels, chocolate, and dried fruit, all coated in a white chocolate topping and dusted with glittery gold sprinkles. Package it up for holiday gifting, serve it as a Christmas party snack, and don't forget to leave some out for Santa's reindeer on Christmas Eve!

  • 10 of 34

    Christmas Tree Pretzel Rods

    Christmas tree pretzels

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    Christmas tree pretzel rods couldn't be easier! Drizzle melted green candy coating over the sticks to make a cute sweet-salty snack. This is a great candy for kids to help with. Let them get creative with decorative toppings, using sprinkles, nuts, and coconut.

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    Reindeer Noses

    Reindeer Noses

    The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

    Cute little reindeer noses make a fabulous holiday party treat, especially when kids are in attendance. They're delicious chocolate fudge balls topped with candied cherries and rolled in finely-shredded coconut. Store them up to a week in the fridge in an airtight container.

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    Gingerbread Rum Balls

    Gingerbread Rum Balls

    The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

    Gingerbread rum balls feature everything you love about classic rum balls with a holiday twist. These decadent treats are made with gingersnap crumbs, chocolate chips, spiced rum, and warming seasonal spices, making them perfect for enjoying at the most wonderful time of year.

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    Toffee Popcorn Balls

    Toffee Popcorn Balls

    The Spruce / Allyson Kramer

    It takes only half an hour to make these impressive holiday treats, making them a perfect candidate for gifting. Salted popcorn, chocolate chips, vanilla, and a few other pantry ingredients come together to form the crunchy toffee popcorn balls.

  • 14 of 34

    Pretzel Bark

    Pretzel Caramel Bark

    The Spruce Eats / Elaine Lemm

    Pretzel bark is a favorite treat and this recipe takes just 15 minutes to prepare. Made with chocolate bark, sugar, butter, and heavy cream, the melted chocolate is topped with mini pretzels. Decorate it with festive sprinkles if you like, then let it set up and break it into pieces. Set a bowl out during holiday gatherings or add the bark to festive bags for guests to take home.

  • 15 of 34

    Honey Roasted Pecans

    Honey Roasted Pecans
    The Spruce Eats / Pete Scherer

    The sweet and salty honey roasted pecans only require a few ingredients and a quick roast in the oven. Serve them before a holiday meal, at parties, or give as a thoughtful gift.

  • 16 of 34

    Traditional English Toffee

    Traditional English Toffee Recipe

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    Hosting a Dickens-style traditional Christmas party? You will want to include this popular old-fashioned recipe for English toffee. It is rich and buttery with a wonderfully crisp texture. Enjoy it on its own or kick it up a notch for holiday time with a coating of melted dark chocolate chips and a sprinkling of nuts.

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    Christmas Rice Crispy Treats-

    Christmas rice crispy treats recipe

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    Make this popular holiday-themed treat in only 15 minutes. Kids will enjoy helping you to decorate the cereal-and-marshmallow Christmas trees, then gobbling up the results! Candy canes are used for the tree "trunks" and red and green candies make excellent ornaments.

  • 18 of 34

    Crock Pot Candy

    crockpot-candy-4769002-06

    The Spruce Eats / Leah Maroney

    Use your slow cooker to create a chocolate treat everyone will love. Crock pot candy is created by melting almond bark and chocolate chips with peanuts. After that, it's as simple as dropping spoonfuls onto parchment to cool. You can also add sprinkles to give it a festive touch.

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    Hot Chocolate Truffles

    Hot Chocolate Truffles

    The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

    What's not to like about cute little hot chocolate truffles? These balls of fudgy goodness can be topped with mini marshmallows or rolled in crushed peppermint candies for sharing at holiday treat exchanges. You can also pop a few into a mug with milk and microwave them for an instant creamy hot cocoa.

  • 20 of 34

    Buttery Cashew Brittle

    Buttery Cashew Brittle

    Lisa Hubbard / Photodisc / Getty Images

    Buttery cashew brittle is a delicious candy confection that makes a great edible gift when you visit friends and family during the holiday season. This simple recipe uses basic pantry ingredients and yields enough candy for a large gathering with leftovers to spare.

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    Black Forest Truffles

    Black Forest Truffles

    The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

    Boozy chocolate truffles with the flavors of decadent Black Forest cake? Yes, please! These chocolate-cherry treats are so scrumptious, your family and friends will beg you to make them year-round. Decorate them for gifting with red sprinkles, chopped dried cherries, or red candy dots as pictured.

  • 22 of 34

    Sugar Cone Christmas Trees

    sugar cone Christmas trees

    The Spruce / Leah Maroney

    It's a fun project for kids and adults to transform ice cream cones into snowy pine trees. The sugar cone Christmas trees makes a delicious sugary snack or decoration for tablescapes and layer cakes.

  • 23 of 34

    Peppermint Chocolate Spoons

    Peppermint chocolate spoons recipe

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    These peppermint chocolate spoons take only five minutes to make and are always a hit at holiday time. When used to stir hot beverages, the chocolate and mint candy will melt into the drink, for a taste of Christmas whenever they are used. Package them with a festive mug and some hot chocolate mix for gifting.

  • 24 of 34

    Cashew White Chocolate Toffee

    Cashew White Chocolate Toffee

    The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

    Treat yourself to something wickedly sweet with this winning recipe for cashew white chocolate toffee. Brown sugar is used to make the toffee, which is cooked at a high temperature, giving it a deep burnt sugar taste that combines with salty cashews and white chocolate to create a decadent treat.

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    Eggnog Truffles

    Eggnog truffles

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

    Creamy eggnog truffles feature the flavor of everyone's favorite drink, along with an extra dash of nutmeg and sweet white chocolate. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week.

  • 26 of 34

    Butterscotch Haystacks

    Butterscotch Haystacks

    m01229 / Flickr / CC By 2.0

    Butterscotch haystacks are delicious, crunchy candy bundles that kids and adults alike will love. Only four ingredients are needed to make these easy treats that feature the great taste of toasted coconut, semi-sweet chocolate, and smooth butterscotch chips.

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    Candy Cane Marshmallows

    Candy Cane Marshmallows

    The Spruce / Elizabeth Labau

    Candy cane marshmallows are a Christmas delight that make wonderful hand-held treats for kids. They are also simple to assemble, calling for only three ingredients. Candy canes are used to skewer fluffy store-bought marshmallows, which are dipped into melted white chocolate, then rolled in crushed candy cane bits.

  • 28 of 34

    Christmas Bark

    Three Chocolate Peppermint Bark Recipe

     Elaine Lemm

    Fun, festive, and easy to make, Christmas bark is the ideal treat to have on hand during the holiday, whether to serve at gatherings or give as gifts. Dark chocolate is melted and mixed with peppermint extract, then poured onto a baking sheet and drizzled with milk and white chocolates. Feel free to get creative and use a variety of holiday candies to decorate.

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    Candied Citrus Peel

    Candied Citrus Peel

    The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

    Transform orange and lemon peelings into sweet-tart treats with this classic recipe for candied citrus peel. Dipped into melted chocolate, they make a fabulous grown-up treat for enjoying with a goblet of mulled wine.

  • 30 of 34

    Old-Fashioned Ribbon Candy

    Old-Fashioned Ribbon Candy

    Roxanne / Moment Open / Getty Images

    Need a homemade gift idea for friends and co-workers at holiday time? Try this recipe for old-fashioned ribbon candy, which will give professional-looking result. Only a handful of ingredients are needed to make the candy, which looks beautiful packaged in clear cellophane bags with a pretty gift tag or ribbon.

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    Marshmallow Candy Snowmen

    Marshmallow Candy Snowmen

    The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

    These adorable marshmallow candy snowmen are so quick and easy that children can help assemble them. Marshmallows are threaded onto wooden skewers, and glued together with melted white candy coating for decorating with fruit strips, pretzel bits, peanut butter cups, and chocolate candy coating.

  • 32 of 34

    Gooey Caramel Bonbons

    Gooey Caramel Bonbons

    The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

    Homemade chocolate shop-style candies can be yours with this fantastic recipe for gooey caramel bonbons. All you need are some bonbon molds and a few common pantry items to make the sweet confections at home.

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    Toasted Coconut Bark

    Toasted Coconut Bark

    The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

    Only two ingredients and 15 minutes are needed to create this sophisticated toasted coconut bark. Break it into pieces for serving or gifting. Store leftovers up to a week at room temperature in an airtight container.

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    Candy Bar Caramel Apples

    Candy Bar Caramel Apples

    The Spruce / Elizabeth LaBau

    Delicious candy bar caramel apples are an indulgent way to get a serving of fruit this holiday season. Crisp, juicy apples are coated with a layer of luscious caramel, another layer of rich chocolate, and a final coating of chopped candy bars.