Five Classic Candy Recipes to Re-Create This Season

What’s the holiday season without some nostalgia? And the best nostalgia we can think of is the kind you can eat. So, we put together a few of our favorite holiday candy recipes. These time-honored treats are perfect for parties, gifts, or enjoying in the comfort of your home while watching your favorite holiday movies.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

(image via recipes worth repeating)

Creamy, rich, and so simple to make. If this classic combo of creamy peanut butter and decadent chocolate is right up your alley, check out this recipe from Recipes Worth Repeating.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 14 oz sweetened condensed milk

Instructions:

1. Prepare an 8-by-8-inch pan with aluminum foil. Spray with cooking spray.
2. In a microwave-safe container, combine 1 cup peanut butter and half the sweetened condensed milk. Microwave for 90 seconds. Stir until smooth. Set aside.
3. In a second microwave-safe container, combine chocolate chips and remaining sweetened condensed milk.
4. Melt in the microwave for 1 minute, stirring at the 30-second interval. Stir until smooth.
5. Layer the melted chocolate and peanut butter mixtures in the prepared pan.
6. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. After it has chilled, cut it into squares and enjoy!

Chocolate Haystacks

(image via add a pinch)

They’re sweet, they’re salty, and they don’t require any baking. It takes less than 20 minutes to whip up this chocolate haystack recipe from Add a Pinch. You can enjoy a few now and freeze the rest for later.

Ingredients:

• 24 oz chocolate chips
• 2 cups chow mein noodles
• 1 cup toasted nuts (almonds, peanuts, cashews, or pistachios)
• Sea salt (optional)

Instructions:

1. Prepare 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Melt chocolate chips according to package instructions. Add chow mein noodles and nuts to the melted chocolate and carefully combine until noodles and nuts are well-coated.
3. Heap teaspoons full of mixture and drop onto parchment paper. Allow to cool. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. You may also place in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm more quickly, if desired.
4. Serve or store in an airtight container.

Peppermint Bark

(image via dinner at the zoo)

Peppermint bark is one of our favorite classic holiday treats. Have you ever used it to stir your hot chocolate? Game changer. This recipe from Dinner at the Zoo is perfect for any time you’re craving it or need a gift everyone is sure to love.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz semisweet chocolate chips or chopped semisweet chocolate
• 16 oz white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
• ½ tsp peppermint extract
• ¾ cup crushed candy canes

Instructions:

1. Place semisweet chocolate chips in a medium bowl and microwave in 30-second increments until melted. Stir until smooth.
2. Spread chocolate into a roughly 9-by-13-inch rectangle on a piece of parchment paper. Place chocolate in the fridge for 15 minutes to set.
3. Place white chocolate chips in a medium bowl and microwave in 30-second increments until melted. Add peppermint extract and stir until smooth.
4. Spread white chocolate over the semisweet chocolate layer. Top with candy canes. Let harden in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator and let the bark sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Cut or break into pieces and serve.

Chocolate-Covered Cherries

(image via all recipes)

It simply wasn’t the holidays without chocolate-covered cherries. And maybe it’s just the nostalgia, but did these get more delicious as we’ve gotten older? If you want to give them another try, check out this recipe from All Recipes.

Ingredients:

• 60 maraschino cherries with stems
• 3 Tbsp butter, softened
• 3 Tbsp corn syrup
• 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 1 pound chocolate confectioners’ coating

Instructions:

1. Drain cherries and set on paper towels to dry.
2. Stir together butter and corn syrup in a medium bowl until smooth.
3. Mix in confectioners’ sugar and knead to form a dough.
4. Wrap each cherry in about 1 tsp of dough. Chill in the refrigerator until firm.
5. Melt confectioners’ coating in a heavy saucepan over low heat.
6. Holding onto the stems, dip each cherry into coating and place on waxed paper-lined sheet trays. Chill in the refrigerator until coating is set. Store in an airtight container in a cool place.

Peanut Brittle

(image via freut cake)

Many people shy away from making peanut brittle at home because it is a fast-paced recipe. Pro tip: Make sure you have everything measured out before you begin. Check out this recipe from Freut Cake.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 cups salted dry-roasted peanuts

Instructions:

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Measure all ingredients and have them set within reach of the stove.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1 cup water. Stir once to combine.
4. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat and cook until deep golden, about 20 minutes.
5. Remove pan from heat. Quickly stir in butter, baking soda, and peanuts (mixture with foam). Using a wooden spoon, stir until mixture is no longer bubbling and caramel is smooth, 30-45 seconds.
6. Immediately pour peanut brittle onto the prepared cookie sheet and spread as thinly as possible with a lightly greased spatula. Let cool until firm, 15 minutes, or until comfortable to handle.
7. Break into pieces and package in cookie tins lined with parchment paper or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.