7 Festive Christmas Treats

The holiday season is here, which means it's the perfect time to get busy in the kitchen and bake some delicious sweet treats! Whatever you choose to bake during Christmastime definitely has to taste delicious, but filling those goodies with holiday cheer is important, too! As it turns out, it's easier to make cute holiday treats than you might think. These 7 festive Christmas recipes are delicious ideas for a fun family dessert, gifts for your loved ones, or for some treats to leave out for Santa and his reindeer. One bite and your tastebuds will light up just like your Christmas tree!

1. Pretzel & Chocolate Holiday Wreath

You'll Need:

• mini pretzels
• semi-sweet chocolate, melted
• red & green M&M's
• red fondant
• frosting

Here's How:

1.1 Melt the semi-sweet chocolate and line your work surface with parchment paper. Dip the bottom half of the mini pretzels in the melted chocolate and form a circle with them, then place a second layer of chocolate-covered mini pretzels on top, staggering the pretzels so that the wreath is held together by the melted chocolate. Spread some additional melted chocolate on top of the wreath, then place red & green M&M's on top.

1.2 Make a bow out of red fondant and hold it in place with a small amount of frosting or melted chocolate. Secure the bow onto the mini pretzel wreath before the chocolate sets, then let your holiday wreath dry completely.

2. Marshmallow Mugs

You'll Need:

• golden Oreos
• marshmallows
• jumbo marshmallows
• mini marshmallows 
• alphabet or ring-shaped cookies, cut into semicircular rings
• semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Here's How:

2.1 Melt the semi-sweet chocolate, then stick the semicircular rings to the regular-sized and jumbo marshmallows using the melted chocolate, forming a handle for the mug. Use the melted chocolate to attach each marshmallow to a golden Oreo or similar cookie, then decorate the top with melted chocolate and mini marshmallows.

3. Festive Gingerbread Men

You'll Need:

• gingerbread cookie dough
• icing
• mini candy canes & chocolates for the decorations 
• gingerbread man cookie cutter
• aluminum foil

Here's How:

3.1 Roll out the gingerbread cookie dough and cut gingerbread men out of it. Make small cylindrical pieces of aluminum foil and wrap each gingerbread man's arms around 1. Transfer the cookies to the oven and bake them until golden brown.

3.2 Once the gingerbread men have baked, remove the aluminum foil and replace it with a mini candy cane or chocolate. Decorate the gingerbread men with icing and dig in!

4. Christmas Tree Cake Decorations

You'll Need:

• white chocolate, melted
• green food coloring
• waffle cones
• icing
• sprinkles
• powdered sugar

Here's How:

4.1 Melt the white chocolate and stir in some green food coloring. Dip the waffle cones in the melted green chocolate, then decorate them with icing, sprinkles, and powdered sugar to make them look like Christmas trees. Place your edible Christmas trees on top of a cake to bring some extra holiday cheer to dessert time during your Christmas dinner!

5. Melting Marshmallow Snowman

You'll Need:

• marshmallows
• Pocky Sticks
• icing
• black & orange food coloring
• semi-sweet chocolate chips

Here's How:

5.1 Break the Pocky Sticks down to size, then stack 3 marshmallows on 1 of them. Stick 4 more Pocky Sticks into the marshmallows to make arms and legs. If the Pocky Sticks won't stay in place, use some icing to secure them.

5.2 Divide the icing into 2 equal portions, then stir some black food coloring into 1 portion and orange food coloring into the other. Decorate the snowman with icing and chocolate chips, then place your marshmallow snowman in a cup of hot cocoa to serve.

6. Christmas Cake Cookies

You'll Need:

• 1 cake
• Christmas-themed cookie cutters
• icing in various colors 
• sprinkles

Here's How:

6.1 Instead of just making Christmas cookies this year, try making Christmas cake cookies! Bake a cake and slice it into thin layers, then use Christmas-themed cookie cutters to cut out Christmas shapes. Decorate your Christmas cake cookies with icing and sprinkles, and you'll be sure to really impress Santa and his little helpers this year!

7. Santa's Sweetest Sleigh

You'll Need:

• wide chocolate bar (e.g. KitKat bar)
• candy canes
• chocolates or candies
• chocolate Santa
• sprigs from an evergreen tree
• double-sided tape

Here's How:

7.1 Use double-sided tape to attach the candy canes to the bottom of the chocolate bar. Attach chocolates, candy, and a small chocolate Santa on top of the chocolate bar and add a few sprigs from an evergreen tree as the finishing touch!

A melting snowman, a delicious Christmas wreath, and a sweet sleigh for Santa – these 7 simple Christmas recipes will make this holiday season the sweetest yet!