Homemade Christmas Candies
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All you need is almond bark and your imagination to make a batch of these homemade Christmas candies. So quick and easy to make, they’re the perfect holiday candy to gift this festive season.
This is the busiest time of year for most of us but we really want to bake and prepare Christmas candies for those we love and appreciate! Christmas candies are so quick, easy, and economical that you can afford to give treats to all of the kind people you encounter regularly throughout the year.
I prefer, whenever possible, to give a homemade candy gift rather than store-bought, but sometimes I just don’t have the time in the kitchen that I’d like. Ironically, the time of year I’d like to cook the most is also the time of year I have the least amount of time to do it in, thanks to all those Christmas parties!
That’s where Southern Plate’s Christmas candies (otherwise known as Holly Jollies) come to the rescue! My kids love making these with me every holiday season and you can easily turn out a customized holiday candy gift in very little time and using very little money. Chances are, you may even have some of the ingredients on hand already.
All you need is mini muffin papers, almond bark, and your imagination. I like to get mini muffin papers in different colors or patterns for each variety and then give an assortment to folks that they can easily tell apart. I love using almond bark for this Christmas candy because it fits my budget and each package, with add-ins, will make about 36 mini muffin-sized treats.
I’ve included recommendations below, but you can add whatever you like to this popular Christmas candy recipe, including Rice Krispies for the kids and dried fruit or nuts for the adults.
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredients for these Christmas candies are mostly up to you but they start with:
- Mini muffin papers
- Almond bark
- Your favorite addition. Some options include salted peanuts, Rice Krispies cereal, dried cranberries, raisins, crushed peppermint candy cane pieces, other salted nuts, or your favorite dried fruit (all chopped to the size of raisins).
How to Make Christmas Candies Step by Step
Now, some folks will tell you to melt this big old hunk of chocolate in a double broiler. But last I checked, not many of us had a hankering to make something difficult when it could be easy. So what we’re gonna do instead is plop this thing in a large mixing bowl and stick that puppy in the microwave.
Microwave it at 60-second intervals, stirring after each, until melted and smooth.
While that is melting, put your mini muffin papers in your mini muffin pan.
Stir in your choice of add-ins.
Then, divide your candy batter among the paper cups in your mini muffin pan.
This is where I call in the experts. Everyone knows that Christmas candy tastes better if you let kids do it.
They’re just naturally sweeter than us!
Getting my kids in the kitchen is extremely important to me, especially during the holiday season. If I’m making something for them to give, I want them to enjoy the happiness (and learn the importance) of giving something you personally had a hand in making. In my mind, this is one of those activities that helps them to grow up with their heads in the right place.
Allow those to harden. It won’t take long.
Once you get your chocolate melted, you can have these babies done from start to finish in about 5 minutes and it only dirties up one bowl.
This is the most fuss-free holiday candy recipe I have!
In about half an hour, I was able to turn out enough Christmas chocolate candies for 12 teacher gifts.
How to Package Your Holiday Candy
I packaged the old-fashioned candy in the little clear cellophane party favor bags you get in the party section at Walmart or the grocery store (my Dollar General has them, too). You get about 20 for a little over a dollar. I LOVE THOSE THINGS, especially this time of year. I use them for so many things. They are perfect for candy, cookies, and even miniature loaves of bread. They are also pretty enough to just tie with some curling ribbon and deliver as is. I found these little tin buckets at Target for $1.00 each and picked up a few. I normally don’t spend that much on packaging, though.
Storage
Fortunately, these Christmas candies will last for about 2 weeks when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Recipe Notes
- Take special care not to allow even the tiniest drop of water to get into the bark as it will clot up if you do.
- Instead of almond bark, use any kind of melting chocolate, like white chocolate, dark chocolate, or chocolate chips.
Recipe Variations
Here are many different options for this homemade candy recipe:
- Peanut Holly Jollies, with salted peanuts.
- Rice Krispie Holly Jollies, with Rice Krispies (kid’s favorite).
- Raisin Holly Jollies, with raisins (one of my favorites).
- Cranberry Holly Jollies with dried cranberries stirred into white almond bark (my top favorite).
- Peppermint Holly Jollies, with peppermint bark and crushed candy cane pieces.
- Marshmallow Holly Jollies, with mini marshmallows.
- Your own take on a peanut butter cup, with salted peanuts and a tablespoon of peanut butter.
- Caramel Holly Jollies, with caramel bits.
The sky is truly the limit with this nostalgic candy recipe.
You may also enjoy these other Christmas candy recipes:
Recipe for Spritz Cookies (my favorite )
Oreo Cookie Balls/Truffles (3 Ingredients Only)
3 Easy Candy Recipes to make this weekend!
Candy Cane Cookie Recipe (Elf Favorite!)
Candy Apples Easy And Fun To Make
Ingredients
- 1 package almond bark white or milk chocolate
- 36 mini muffin papers
- 2 cups of one or more of the following additions salted peanuts, Rice Krispies cereal, dried cranberries, raisins, crushed peppermint candy canes, other salted nuts, your favorite dried fruit (all chopped to the size of raisins).
Instructions
- Line a mini muffin tin with mini muffin papers. Place almond bark in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at one-minute intervals, stirring after each, until smooth and creamy.1 package almond bark, 36 mini muffin papers
- Remove from microwave and stir in two cups of your choice of addition. Spoon into the mini muffin papers and allow to sit until cool and hardened. You can put them in the refrigerator to speed up the process if you like.2 cups of one or more of the following additions
- Package and give with a smile on your face and a grateful heart.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Hey Christy,
Just wondering how far in advance you can make these? I’m preggo (due Dec 24th) so I’m looking for fast, easy treats I can give as gifts but also make several weeks ahead of time. Will the holly jollies stay good for a couple weeks in an airtight container?
Thanks so much!!
Kelly
Every Christmas I love cooking my own candy and cakes with the kids. It teaches them and it can turn out to be cheaper. The candy looks delicious and thanks for the really helpful tutorial. I will print it out later on for this Christmas.
Hey Christy,
When I was growing up my dad would always make pretzels covered in almond bark. My mom was the cook but dad would help out in the kitchen every now and then.
Barb
Our WalMart isn’t a ‘super’ store. Stupid of Central California, huh? Anywho, this will probably sound silly, but I don’t know where to find almond bark. Ideas?
I just love your recipes! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Shirley
Try using milk chocolate chips with a little parafin. I know it sounds crazy but it will keep the chocolate a little more firm (that’s what my granny used to do).
Love the recipe. Thank you sooooooo much. Everyone I know received Holly Jollies for Christmas. Including myself.
These were a hit! I made the white with cranberries, and the chocolate with peanuts and raisins. YUM! They tasted like Chunky candy bars. I didn’t think my oldest son was going to be able to stop eating them! Thanks so much!
I’ve made these before with chow mein noodles (but just making “haystacks” on waxed paper. Never tried with the mini-muffin liners). The crunch of the noodles goes perfect with chocolate, too — just another idea. I like Alyssa’s hint about making them with coconut. Have to make one more batch just to try it! 🙂