A homemade treat is the one thing everyone on your list will enjoy this holiday season. Here are some of our favorite festive recipes that are easy to pack up and take on the go, making them ideal for teacher gifts, holiday parties and more.
Pecan Snowballs
Recipe courtesy of Mimi Woods
Ingredients
1 cup pecans
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place parchment paper on two baking sheets and set aside.
2. Toast pecans on a separate baking sheet for 8 minutes, until fragrant. Cool completely, chop and set aside.
3. Cream together butter and 1 cup confectioners’ sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla extract, almond extract and salt.
4. Slowly add flour, mixing on low speed until just combined. Stir in pecans.
5. Roll 1 tablespoon of dough into a ball and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing balls 1 1/2 inches apart, and refrigerate 30 minutes.
6. Bake 18 – 22 minutes until golden. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Toss warm cookies in remaining sugar and sprinkle them again before serving.
Chocolate Peppermint Bundt Cakes
Recipe courtesy of the Galloway family
MAKES 10 MINI BUNDT CAKES
Cake Ingredients
1 box chocolate cake mix (devils food cake or German chocolate cake mixes work well)
3.9-ounce box instant chocolate pudding
1 cup sour cream
4 large eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1½ cups mini chocolate chips
Frosting Ingredients
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1½ cups powdered sugar
3 candy canes, crushed
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a mini Bundt pan and set aside.
2. Combine all ingredients through peppermint extract in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until well mixed. Fold in chocolate chips.
3. Pour batter into Bundt cake pan so it’s about 3/4 of the way full and bake for
21 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
4. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then invert the pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese and
butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until creamy.
6. Add in the vanilla and then gradually stir in the powdered sugar.
7. Transfer frosting to a large Ziploc bag, folding down the opening to keep it clean while adding the frosting. Remove the air from the bag and seal. Trim the corner off the plastic bag, making a 1/2” opening, and squeeze bag to pipe frosting onto cake.
8. Sprinkle the top with crushed candy canes and serve.
Cook’s Note: You can make the cakes, unfrosted, a day head of serving. Store wrapped in plastic wrap in refrigerator. Remove from fridge and frost before serving.
Miss Velma Croom’s Cheese Straws
MAKES APPROXIMATELY 7 DOZEN
Ingredients
3/4 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese (Cracker Barrel preferred)
1 stick butter, softened
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 rounded teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Combine cheese and softened butter until well blended.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne. Stir into cheese/butter mixture (by hand or in a mixer). This should form a big soft ball of dough.
4. Pack dough into a cookie press. Squeeze out cheese straws, flat side down, onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 20 minutes. Watch carefully. Do not allow to brown.
6. Remove cheese straws from cookie sheet to cool on waxed paper. They will become crisp as they cool. Break into 3-inch pieces.
7. Once completely cool, keep in an air-tight container, layering with waxed paper to keep them from breaking.
Marshmallow Fudge
Recipe courtesy of Joe Hyland
MAKES ABOUT 2 POUNDS
Ingredients
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (Joe uses Eagle brand.)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups miniature marshmallows
dash of salt
Directions
1. In a heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips with condensed milk and salt. Stir well. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Add melted butter. Fold in marshmallows.
2. Spread evenly onto an 8 or 9-inch square pan lined with wax paper.
3. Chill for 2 hours until firm. Turn fudge out onto cutting board. Peel off paper. Cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator.
Oatmeal Crisp Cookies
Recipe courtesy of Lynne Daugherty
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients with a fork or your hands until dough forms.
3. Roll into logs. Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. Unused logs can remain frozen until ready to use.
4. Slice into very thin rounds, place on cookie sheet and bake 12 – 15 minutes until crisp and golden.
Punta Clara Divinity
Recipe courtesy Punta Clara Kitchen
MAKES APPROXIMATELY 65 PIECES
Ingredients
4 egg whites
4 cups sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
60 – 70 pecan halves
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.
2. Mix sugar, corn syrup, water, salt and vanilla in a saucepan. Cook over medium- high to high heat, until boiling. Candy thermometer should read 240 degrees. Pour 1/2 cup of mixture over egg whites, beating constantly.
3. Continue cooking remaining syrupy mixture to 270 degrees and slowly pour over egg white mixture. Continue beating until divinity holds peaks.
4. Spoon out on greased waxed paper. Put a pecan half on each piece.
Date Bars
Recipe courtesy of Mildred Albright Bell
MAKES APPROXIMATELY 1 DOZEN
Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups finely chopped dates
3 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Sift flour and baking powder together, and combine with pecans and dates.
3. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, add brown sugar and vanilla, and stir to combine.
4. Stir nut and date mixture into egg and sugar mixture until well combined.
5. Turn into an 8-by-8-inch baking pan that has been greased and lightly floured.
6. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. When cool, dust with powdered sugar and cut into bars.
Peppermint Fudge
Recipe courtesy of the Galloway family
MAKES 16 PIECES
Ingredients
1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1½ cups white chocolate chips
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, divided
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy (about 5 candy canes)
Directions
1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, combine the semi-sweet chocolate chips and 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk over medium heat, stirring well until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate fudge into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate to cool.
3. Clean and dry the saucepan, then add the white chocolate chips and remaining 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk over medium heat, stirring well until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Add the peppermint extract and half of the crushed candies
to the mixture and stir to combine.
4. Remove the chocolate fudge from the refrigerator and pour the white chocolate peppermint fudge on top and smooth it out. Sprinkle the remaining crushed candies on top. Return to the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours, or until the fudge is set.
5. Use the parchment to help lift the fudge out of the pan. Slice into 16 pieces and serve.
Cook’s note: Run your knife under hot water to help slice smoothly and easily. Fudge may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Leftover fudge may be frozen for up to 3 months, thawing overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Ginger Chocolate Truffles
Recipe courtesy of Sallye Irvine
MAKES APPROXIMATELY 5 – 6 DOZEN
Directions
1 (8-ounce) block cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
5 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
cocoa powder, powdered sugar and/or chopped nuts
Directions
1. Beat cream cheese with a mixer. Add in confectioners’ sugar a little bit at a time.
2. Melt chocolate in the microwave or in a double boiler.
3. Add chocolate to the cream cheese and sugar mixture. Beat until well blended, gradually adding in ginger.
4. Refrigerate for an hour or so.
5. Roll into little balls, then roll in cocoa powder, powdered sugar or chopped nuts to coat.
Iced Sugar Cookies
Recipe courtesy of Emily Dobbe Clarke
MAKES APPROXIMATELY 2 DOZEN COOKIES
Cookie Ingredients
2 cups unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
3 teaspoons almond extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Royal Icing Ingredients
1/4 cup meringue powder
1/2 cup cold water
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
gel coloring
Directions
1. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment at medium speed for about 1 minute. (Do not overmix or your cookie will not hold its shape.) Add eggs and almond extract. Slowly mix, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
2. Sift flour and salt. Add to mixture and mix on low speed for approximately 30 seconds. When the dough clumps to the paddle attachment, it is ready.
3. Roll the dough out between two large pieces of wax paper. Place on a baking sheet and place in fridge for a minimum of 1 hour. Cut out cookie shapes and place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Re-roll scraps and repeat. Put cookie dough shapes back into the fridge for 10 minutes to 1 hour to chill again. (They will then hold their shape better when baked.)
4. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes or until the edges become golden brown. (You may need to adjust baking time according to the size of the cookies.) Let cookies cool to room temperature before decorating.
5. To prepare Royal Icing, combine meringue powder and cold water in mixer with whisk attachment. Beat until peaks form. Beat in confectioners’ sugar. Divide prepared icing into separate bowls and add gel coloring for desired colors.
6. Add outline icing to an icing bag fitted with a No. 2 tip. Pipe the outline onto the cookie. Let it dry for a few minutes.
7. Add a few drops of water to the colored icing and add to a squeeze bottle. Start piping from the outside and work your way to the middle. Pop any air bubbles with a toothpick. Let cookies dry overnight.
