From candy canes on the tree to the sweets decorating gingerbread houses, candy is a traditional part of winter holiday celebrations. Christmas is a great excuse to try new recipes to give as gifts (and of course, to enjoy yourself). Whether you're a toffee fan or a truffle lover, you're sure to find something new you love when you make these Christmas candies.
1. Gingerbread Truffles
(c) 2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
These little candies are amazing. They taste almost exactly like gingerbread cookie dough and they are so silky and soft, it's easy to get carried away and eat them by the handful.
2. Peppermint Bark
(c) 2009 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Peppermint bark is a Christmas classic. Who can resist dark chocolate, white chocolate, and crisp bites of minty candy canes? This delicious, easy peppermint bark makes a wonderful holiday gift.
3. Magical Reindeer Chow
(c) 2010 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Magical Reindeer Chow is a Christmas candy that appeals to both Santa's reindeer and kids of all ages. Cereal, pretzels, chocolate, and fruit is coated in a white chocolate mixture, then dusted with edible glitter to add the final magical touch. Kids will love munching on this treat and then leaving some out for Rudolph and his friends to enjoy!
4. Cinnamon-Hazelnut Toffee
(c) 2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
This rich, buttery toffee is studded with toasted hazelnuts and scented with cinnamon, then topped with semi-sweet chocolate. The combination of hazelnuts and cinnamon gives this toffee a more sophisticated taste and a seasonal flavor.
5. Peppermint Chocolate Meringue Sandwiches
(c) 2010 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
These beautiful candies feature crunchy sweet meringues ribboned with bold red stripes sandwich a filling of minty chocolate ganache. The red stripes are made by painting the insides of a pastry bag with red food coloring. It's a fast and easy trick, but the resulting swirls are stunning.
6. Rum Balls
(c) 2007 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Rum Balls are a Christmas classic. This rich, chocolate-based candy has a sophisticated taste that appeals to adults. This recipe for rum balls can also be easily adapted to make bourbon balls.
7. Gingerbread Popcorn
(c) 2010 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Tired of the usual caramel corn? Try gingerbread popcorn! The texture is similar to caramel corn, but this Christmas candy has a twist: molasses, brown sugar, and lots of spices give this sweet and crunchy treat a delicious gingerbread flavor.
8. Truffle Ornaments
(c) 2010 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
In this Christmas candy, rich chocolate truffles are formed into beautifully decorated Christmas tree ornaments. You can really let your creativity run wild in decorating these truffle ornaments: use different flavors of candy coating, sprinkles, miniature candies, and more to make them lovely and unique.
9. Fruit and Nut Christmas Wreath
(c) 2010 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
This Fruit and Nut Christmas Wreath is a beautiful candy showpiece for the holidays. Candied fruit and many different types of nuts adorn this chocolate-and-crispy-rice wreath. Customize it with your favorite nuts and red and green cherries or candies.
10. Candy Cane Truffles
(c) 2009 Elizabeth LaBau, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Truffles are a surefire way to wow your friends and loved ones. They look and taste amazing, but are surprisingly easy to make. These delicious truffles feature crunchy candy cane bits over a smooth, minty, ultra-dark chocolate ganache. The result is an indulgent candy perfect for holiday parties.
