Christmas Candies You Should Make in December

Christmas is right around the corner, which means one thing around here: It’s time to plan out the candies we’re making!  Christmas candy is a must for holiday parties and a perfect gift to give to neighbors and coworkers, so now’s the time to choose a few candies to make during December.

One of our favorite Christmas candy options around here is traditional chocolate candies molded into holiday shapes. It’s great for candy making beginners and experts, and if you stock up on a few different types of candy molds, you can make all of your Christmas candy in a snap!

To make chocolate candies, choose a chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa butter to give the chocolate plenty of sheen and temper the chocolate (for an easy chocolate tempering tutorial, click here). Next, pour the chocolate into your different holiday candy molds — we recommend evergreen trees, stars and Santa’s face for a cute variety of chocolates to give to family and friends. Let the chocolate cool, and then your chocolate treats are ready to go!

Another classic holiday treat is fudge, which might be one of the quickest and most simple sweets to make.

For our super-simple fudge, you’ll need:

• 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp water 
• ½ of a 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk 
• ¾ c. chopped walnuts
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Microwave the semisweet chocolate chips, water and condensed milk together on high, stopping each minute to stir until the chocolate is smooth. Once the chocolate is fully melted, add in the walnuts and vanilla and pour the mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Chill the fudge until firm, then cut and enjoy!

For a change from traditional Christmas candy, we love making peanut butter truffles! Better Homes and Gardens has a delicious recipe for this tasty dessert, and it only requires a few easy ingredients and a little bit of time. This recipe allows for a little customization, too: You can add in finely chopped peanuts and use whatever quality of dark or bittersweet chocolate you want!

What’s your favorite treat to make for friends, family, coworkers and neighbors this time of year? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook!