Ahh, Christmas. When everyone has an excuse to eat ALL THE THINGS. We eat and eat a huge Christmas eve dinner then Christmas morning breakfast….then Christmas lunch… you get it. Food is involved. But, most importantly, candy is involved. Beside the pecan and pumpkin pies lies a whole slew of Christmas candies you and your family will pick at all the livelong day, and they are actually pretty fun and easy to make.

My mom and her mom always make their xmas goodies (my mom’s specialty is peppermint bark, and my memaw’s is toffee), so I was forced to elected to start making the goods.

So, if you need to whip something up for your Holiday gathering or you need to bag a few as party favors, here are some of my favorite recipes.

All about dat fudge (for 100 pieces bc why the hell not)

6 cups of semisweet chocolate chips
2 cans (14 oz each) of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup butter
2 cups chopped pecans (because Texas)

Put all ingredients except the pecans in a microwave safe bowl and mix. Then melt in microwave for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add nuts. Pour the fudge in a well-greased pan (quick before it hardens!) then put in the refrigerator. Once it’s hard, chop it in cubes. And MAN is it decadent.

How many you’ll want: 2-3 tops, they are rich!

Original recipe from AllRecipes.com 

 Pass the Puppy Chow (not for actual dogs)

9 cups Chex cereal (whichever grain your heart desires)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut bitter
1/4 cup butter/margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Put butter, peanut butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in microwave for thirty-second increments and stir until melted.

Add vanilla. Fold the mixture into a big bowl of Chex.

Once all the cereal is fully coated, add the powdered sugar. It’s all ready to go once it sets!

How many you’ll want: Literally all of it, so put some in a bowl and the rest on a high, distant shelf. Or, you know, don’t.

Original recipe from an old blog post Anastasia and I did in high school. #swag

Peppermint Barking Mad

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8 oz. white chocolate chips
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoons mint extract
25 mints (or comparable amount of candy canes)

Melt chocolate with 1 teaspoon oil in a double boiler. Once smooth, add 1/4 teaspoon mint.Smooth out over a pan that was greased then lined with wax paper. Add a layer of chopped up candy canes. Let it cool then do the same with the white chocolate layer.

How many you’ll want: Just a piece or two, unless you are one of those people who loves sticky candy in your teeth!

Recipe from All Recipes. 

Special thanks to my mom for helping my make these because #millennial and what are things like double boilers?