Adventures in Food
3 Easy candy cane-inspired treats
Did you forget someone? If you’re like me you thought you had made a list of all the people to give treats to, intended to get it done the first week of December. Then, it didn’t happen. Second week of December, still didn’t happen. And now, it’s almost Christmas and you’re starting to think, maybe Valentine’s Day treats instead.
I like to look on the bright side: A little desperation feeds creativity (yup, bad pun intended).
Looking around the kitchen for ideas, first I considered what we had on hand–oodles of candy canes. My thought? Crush ‘em and use ‘em. Of course, my kids were all in favor of taking a mallet to the candy canes.
Here are three easy holiday treats to make in a hurry.
Brownies + peppermint = yum!
Fast: Candy cane brownie truffles
How to: Make your own or use store-bought brownies. Take a spoon to dole out 1-inch sized pieces. Mold the pieces into balls in your hands. Melt white candy coating or semi-sweet chocolate chips. Roll the brownie balls in the melted chocolate and then in crushed candy cane pieces. Place on a sheet of waxed paper to set. (These are a little easier if you refrigerate or freeze the brownie balls before dipping, but you don’t have to.)
Faster: Candy cane cookies
How to: I used Nilla wafers, but you could use pretty much any cookie. Oreos are a good match too. Follow the same procedure as above, dipping the cookie half way into the chocolate and then into the candy cane pieces.
Someone likes being the official taste tester.
Fastest: Chocolate-dipped candy canes
How to: Melt white candy coating or semi-sweet chocolate chips (you have that part down, right?). Dip one end of the candy cane into the chocolate and then into Christmas sprinkles. Place the candy canes on waxed paper to set.
This is just one of many yummy recipes you can find at Delectable Christmas Candies & Treats. I’ve been looking through the site as part of the Motherboard team. Once a week, I’ll be posting about the exciting things not to miss on the their site, and their affiliates. Click through for plenty of last-minute recipes, including this one for Date-Orange bars.
How about you–are you still busy making holiday sweets to give away?
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about 2 years ago
These sound so delicious that I may just have to re-open my Christmas kitchen. I would be out there right now, except that this year I did not buy candy canes, so don’t have any on hand. Printing out this post!!
about 2 years ago
I am one of the few people who just does not like candy canes. But my kids do, so they will love to try these!
about 2 years ago
On my list today: Fudge! My son will love these ideas, but the rest of us aren’t really fans of candy canes.
about 2 years ago
I always seem to have extra candy canes laying around (months after Christmas!:)
about 2 years ago
If they’re crushed and with chocolate I definitely like them, but just to suck on one, not so much.
about 2 years ago
My kids definitely got into the crushing part. And you might look around, they have all sorts of new candy cane flavors out there now.
about 2 years ago
Wow – that sounds like fun! We’re trying to eat more healthfully this year, so we haven’t made too many treats, though I did make a maple cashew popcorn for a potluck this weekend (very tasty!).
about 2 years ago
these sound like fun treats to give — and sounds as though you and your kids had a good time making (and testing ) them too.
about 2 years ago
You are so creative! Great ideas inspired by last-minute rush…why not? They look like really special treats.
about 2 years ago
Love the brownie truffle idea! Decided tonight to make some treats for jr’s teachers tomorrow afternoon, and that might just be the ticket.
about 2 years ago
These are such fun Christmas-y ideas! I think I forgot about a thousand people this year. But I did manage to send candied nuts to some of our nearest and dearest. Your daughter has the best job!
about 2 years ago
Yes, they’re fun to make–and to give away!
about 2 years ago
Well, as I said, I wanted to use what I had on hand and that’s definitely a way to inspire creativity.
about 2 years ago
So easy. And I used store-bought brownies so it was easy.
about 2 years ago
We did have fun making those. But like I said, we try to wrap ‘em up and give ‘em away so that there’s not too many goodies hanging out at our house:)
about 2 years ago
LOL! You totally described me in the first paragraph. Luckily, I’d made a batch of soap so when I realized I forgot someone, I just wrapped up a small bar of soap and gave that. I think the brownie truffles sound great and may make that for ourselves anyway.
about 2 years ago
Love these – I just bookmarked the page. I’m making some treats over the weekend and think I’ll add a couple of your recipes to my list!
about 2 years ago
They’re fun to do. Plus you can make 2 or 22 just as easily.
about 2 years ago
Ha! ‘Tis the season, huh?
about 2 years ago
Those candy cane brownie truffles sound so over-the-top I’m sure they’re a huge hit.