Christmas

15 Christmas Treats for Kids

November 22, 2021 by Rachel 12 Comments

The Christmas season is my favorite for many reasons. Besides the excitement of gifts and Christmas morning, I really love baking with my kids. Making treats with them is the perfect way to start celebrating the season. Easy Christmas treats are definitely the best way to go. And, while the kids likely won’t care what they look like, it’s still fun to make them look pretty. Luckily, I’ve got you covered when it comes to cute and festive treats that are both delicious and easy to make. I’m sharing my favorite 15 Christmas Treats for Kids to make!

15 Christmas Treats You Need To Make With Your Kids

PB & J Reindeer Truffles

15 Christmas Treats for Kids — PB&J Reindeer Truffles from The Chow Down Blog

Not only are these adorable, but they are vegan, gluten free, and a healthier alternative to buckeyes. Shaped into a reindeer, these peanut butter and jelly truffles will be a tasty Christmas treat that kids and adults will both enjoy! Head to see the full recipe from the Chow Down Blog here.

Decorated Grinch Cookies

Cookies from the Monday Box — Grinch Cookies, The Monday Box

Super easy to make and fun for the kids, these cookies are perfect for dunking in milk. Did I mention they are super cute too? The Monday Box put together the easiest little tutorial on how to make these Grinch cookies.

Fudge Christmas Trees

With a whole lot chocolate, these fudge Christmas treats are super delicious! They’re also absolutely too cute. And just perfect for the holidays! Your guests (and kids!) will be so impressed by these Fudge Christmas Trees from Hungry Happenings.

Santa Suit Christmas Candy Cups

The kids will love these edible Santa suit candy cups and will love that they are filled with their favorite candies! Honestly, adults will like them, too. In fact, they can be used with your favorite adult beverage (21+, please!).
It truly makes these Santa Suit Christmas cups from Hungry Happenings the perfect addition for your holiday parties.

Christmas Reindeer Brownies

This combines two of my kids favorites — brownies and Christmas. I’m not going to lie, I love these brownies, too. These fudgy, homemade brownies are so good. Swirls of Flavor really knocked this recipe out of the park — and put a cute, holiday twist on it!

Celery and Peanut Butter Reindeer Snacks

Trying to sneak in something a little healthier for the holidays? These celery and peanut butter
reindeer treats are cute and delicious. Head to Budget Friendly Family for the details.

Nutter Butter Snowmen Treats

https://www.lifeloveliz.com/nutter-butter-snowmen/ — Nutter Butter Snowmen Treats, Life Love Liz

So Nutter Butter cookies are basically a childhood staple, right? Well take them up a notch this with Life Love Liz‘s Nutter Butter Snowmen Treats! They’re super easy and that classic Nutter Butter cookie that brings all of the nostalgia.

Melting Snowman Cookies

These super cute melting snowman cookies are perfect for holiday parties or when you want a fun holiday treat for the kids to enjoy. Head to Frugal Mom Eh! for the full recipe details.

Snowman Pretzels

Snowmen Pretzels, Dancing Through The Rain

Chocolate covered pretzels are always a hit with my kids. Well, and me! It’s just something about the mixture of sweet and salty that is absolute perfection. Make them into Snowmen Pretzels like these from Dancing Through the Rain? Even better!

Rudolph Rice Krispie Treats

Rice Krispie treats are another one of those perfect kid-snacks. Easy to make and fun, your kids will love these tasty Rudolph themed chocolate rice krispie treats just as much as mine. These gorgeous Rudolph treats from LittleSugarSnaps are the closest thing to perfect as you can get.

Christmas Pretzels

Christmas White Chocolate Pretzels, Dizzy Busy and Hungry

An easy Christmas treat for kids, these Christmas pretzels can be a quick throw together treat for parties or gatherings. Dizzy Busy and Hungry says to be sure to make a big batch and share them with all of your friends (and your kids friends!).

Chocolate Covered Oreos

Christmas Tree Oreos, The Soccer Mom Blog

Easy Christmas treats are really my forte. And all I have to say is “OREO” and the kids will freak out. So I knew my kids would love this recipe from The Soccer Mom Blog. She takes Oreo cookies and covers them with a white chocolate coating for the holidays and tops them with gorgeous Christmas trees.

Christmas Cake Popsicles

Also known as Christmas cakesicles, these Christmas treats will be an impressive and fun treat for everyone! Head over to Aubrey’s Kitchen for this adorable recipe.

Christmas Puppy Chow

Perfect for the holidays, this Christmas puppy chow is easy to make. For this particular recipe, we make it and love snacking on it while watching our favorite holiday movie. Head over to 3 Boys and a Dog for the recipe details.

Gingerbread Man Cookies

https://www.keep-calm-and-eat-ice-cream.com/gingerbread-men/ — Gingerbread, Keep Calm and Eat Ice Cream

A classic holiday treat, truly no Christmas is complete without gingerbread men cookies. Growing up, I vividly remember rolling out the dough and pushing out gingerbread men (and women), baking them, and decorating them in ridiculous ways. It’s a tradition I love to keep with my own kids. For the easiest and most delicious gingerbread cookie recipe, head to Keep Calm and Eat Ice Cream.\

What’s your favorite way to celebrate the holidays with your kids?!

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Last Minute Easy Rudolph Brownies Recipe

December 23, 2020 by Rachel 7 Comments

We’ve been watching Christmas movies non-stop in this house. One of our all-time favorites is Elf. And, near the beginning of the movie, there’s a line where they call Santa’s elves and Christmas “The Big Game.” Well, folks. We’re here. We’re at ‘the big game’! Christmas is nearly upon us. If you’re like me you may be a little behind the eight ball. If you need a super last minute treat for your kids, you absolutely must try this last minute easy Rudolph brownies recipe!

What you’ll need for these fun brownies

As mentioned, these easy peasy treats are mostly pre-made.

1 sheet of premade Brownies. I picked up mine from Walmart bakery, but you can find similar brownies at Target or Meijer as well.
Large Candy Eyes like these.
Pretzels
Red M&Ms. I know that it’s not easy to buy just red M&Ms, but you can buy the holiday M&Ms and separate them out.

How to make Last Minute Easy Rudolph Brownies Recipe!

Easy Rudolph Brownies

Ingredients

1 sheet of premade Brownies from Walmart bakery
Large Candy Eyes
Pretzels
Red M&Ms

Instructions

Step 1 :

Cut the brownie into squares.

Step 2 :

Place two pretzels at each top corner for reindeer antlers.

Step 3 :

Take two eyes and place them on the brownies.

Step 4 :

Add a red M&M for a nose.

Last Minute Easy Rudolph Brownies

Step 5 :

Serve & enjoy!

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Christmas Tree Car Craft for kids with template

December 22, 2020 by Rachel 5 Comments

We’re only a few days out from Christmas and the kids and I are still cranking out holiday crafts and treats. I must admit that we are a family that has decided an artificial tree is the way to go. But I grew up with a real tree year after year. We never went to cut our own tree, but we did pick our trees up and tie them to the roof of the car. And, while my kids haven’t experienced that per se, they have seen enough Christmas movies to know that tying a tree down to the roof of your car is kind of a tradition. So we decided to make this super cute and super fun Christmas tree car craft for kids.

Here’s what you’ll need to make these

colored craft papers or cardstock
craft glue
a pencil
scissors
this template

How to make this Christmas Tree Car Craft

Christmas Tree Car Craft

Materials

Colored craft papers or card stock
craft glue
a pencil
scissors

Instructions

Step 1:

Select red, gray, white and blue colored craft papers for the car craft. Select green craft paper for the tree and brown to cut the strips. Using this template trace the car and the half-circle shapes on the red paper, the squares (windows) on blue paper, the big round shapes (wheels) on gray or black and the small round shapes on white paper.

Step 2:

Grab the 4 round paper cutouts. Stick the small ones in the center of the big ones. Use a black sharpie to trace outline of the small circles and draw small circles in the center of the small circles.

Step 3:

Stick the paper wheels on the half-circle paper cutouts, keeping the round edges on the outer sides.

Step 4:

Stick the 2 square cutouts on the car base pattern, on the top part.

Step 5:

Stick the paper wheels along the bottom side of the car base.

Step 6:

Stick both wheels on the bottom side of the car base, making sure to keep a good distance between both wheels.

Step 7:

Trace and cut out the tree pattern from a green colored craft paper. Stick 2 thin brown paper strips criss-cross wise on the tree and then stick the tree on the top side of the paper car.

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Holiday Bourbon Glazed Ham Recipe

December 20, 2020 by Rachel 10 Comments

Okay, so hear me out — We all know this holiday is going to look majorly different. On a personal and private level, I’ve hemmed and hawed about this holiday season. I’m bummed that our extended family won’t be together, but I’m trying my darn best to lean in to this crazy time. But here we are — less than a week out — and I have yet to complete most of my holiday tasks. The one thing I do have ready is my delicious holiday bourbon glazed ham recipe!

The Christmas Ham

The Christmas Ham, also known as the Yule Ham, comes from the English-German tradition of where a wild boar was supposedly the sacrifice of choice to the Norse god Freyr. In the 2,000 years since, the Christmas ham has become a staple of the holiday meal.

This comfort food has been a staple in our home for the last 8-plus years. And, this year, we’re doing things a tad bit different. Because, well, 2020, am I right?! Instead of a traditional Christmas ham, we’re making a delicious holiday bourbon glazed ham recipe that is to die for!

Why Bourbon?

I’m a big fan of cooking and baking with wine, beer, and liquor. It gives food a flavor that can’t otherwise be duplicated.

What you’ll need for this Bourbon Glazed Ham Recipe

One (8 to 10 pounds) fully cooked, bone-in ham
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup bourbon (I use Jim Beam)
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon prepared ground mustard

Bourbon Glazed Ham

Ingredients

1 (8 to 10 pounds) fully cooked, bone-in ham
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon prepared ground mustard
¼ cup bourbon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan. Brush the ham with 2 tablespoons of bourbon.

Bake the ham for 2 hours.

Just before the timer expires, stir together the brown sugar, molasses, prepared ground mustard, and remaining bourbon.

Carefully remove the ham from the oven and brush or spoon the glaze over the ham.

Return the ham to the oven and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes, or until an instant read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 140 degrees.

Allow the ham to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

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Holiday Peppermint Truffles Recipe

December 17, 2020 by Rachel 5 Comments

We’re nearly a week out from Christmas and I’m still not quite ready. By that I mean that I have all of our gifts purchased; nothing has been wrapped and nothing has been shipped. I have a lot of work left to do. But that won’t stop me from baking up a storm with my littlest loves in an effort to bring some normalcy to this holiday season. And this holiday peppermint truffles recipe is the most perfectly delicious holiday treat!

What you’ll need for this recipe

You’ll need a few pieces of equipment for this holiday recipe. The first of which is either a hand mixer or a stand mixer. I used to have a KitchenAid Stand Mixer, but now I use a KitchenAid hand mixer simply because it takes up less space, storage-wise. But you’ll also need a food processor. If you are in the market for a food processor or blender I highly recommend just getting a Vitamix. The company itself is a awesome because they have an incredible 10-year guarantee on their product. But it is also super versatile.

Besides equipment, you’ll also need:

White Cake Mix
3 eggs
⅓ cup of oil
1 cup of water
1 teaspoon of peppermint extract
Crushed Candy Canes or Peppermints
White Chocolate Melting Wafers, Almond Bark or Candy Coating

How to make this treat

Peppermint Truffles

Ingredients

White Cake Mix
3 eggs
⅓ cup oil
1 cup water
1 tsp peppermint extract
Crushed Candy Canes or Peppermints
White Chocolate Melting Wafers, Almond Bark or Candy Coating

Instructions

Prepare Cake Mix according to box directions.

Add in the peppermint flavoring to the cake mix.

Bake the cake according to mix instructions.

Let the cake cool completely.

Prepare the truffles:

Place the fully cooled peppermint cake into your food processor on the thickest setting to begin with. Once the cake is broken up and forms crumbs, move the processor down to the smallest setting.

Let the cake mix until it turns into a dough.

*If your food processor is unable to mix the cake into a dough, let it mix until you can effortlessly squeeze the processed cake into a ball.

Using the cookie scoop, roll small, evenly-sized balls of cake dough and let rest on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Prepare the Chocolate:

Put the white chocolate wafers into a heat safe bowl.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave by melting for 30-second intervals and stirring in between.

Once the chocolate is fully melted you will want to test how fluid it is. The chocolate should flow off a spoon, If it doesn’t it's too thick. Add ½ tsp of vegetable or melted coconut oil to thin out the chocolate until it flows off a spoon.

Dip all of your cake balls into the melted chocolate. Use the aid of a spoon to scoop them out of the chocolate and tap lightly on the inside rim to release any excess chocolate.

Place on parchment and allow to harden at room temperature.

Have sprinkles and or crushed peppermint ready to be added to top of cake truffles while they are still warm and not yet cooled.

Holiday Peppermint Truffles Recipe

Let cool completely and ENJOY!

Notes

The Peppermint Cake can be made in advance if you’d like to split the project into two different days.

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Kid Friendly Candy Cane Cookies Recipe

December 15, 2020 by Rachel 12 Comments

As a kid, one of the most memorable parts of Christmas was baking cookies with my mom. My sister and I would gather in the kitchen for what seemed like hours — making some of our favorite cookies. From holiday cutouts, to snowball cookies (my dads personal favorite), to thumbprints, and then candy cane cookies — it just seemed to make the holidays magical. I am trying to keep up the holiday magic with my own family by creating the same traditions. And one of those traditions is making this delicious candy cane cookies recipe!

Candy Canes and Nostalgia

My mom has always been an excellent baker. And, for as far back as I can remember, baking has always been an important way for us to bond. Unlike myself as a parent, my mom didn’t shy away from having us kids in her kitchen. She invited the chaos! I, on the other hand, am a bit nervous about letting my kids in the kitchen with me. It’s just so… messy!

But what better time to learn to embrace the chaos than this year, am I right? So I’ve invited my kids to take a step back into my childhood with these candy cane cookies!

What you’ll need to make this Candy Cane Cookies Recipe

1 Cup of Butter (softened)
1 Cup and 2 Tablespoons of Granulated Sugar
¼ Cup of Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
2 ½ Cups of All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon of Peppermint Extract
1 teaspoon of Baking Powder
½ teaspoon of Salt
Red Gel Food Coloring
2 Tablespoons of Crushed Candy Canes (2 Candy Canes)

The recipe itself is super easy. Just be sure to reserve the 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar for the second part of the recipe, and you’re good to go!

Here’s how to make this Candy Cane Cookies Recipe

Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients

1 Cup of Butter (softened)
1 Cup of Granulated Sugar
¼ Cup of Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon of Peppermint Extract
1 Egg
2 ½ Cups of All Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon of Baking Powder
½ teaspoon of Salt
Red Gel Food Coloring
2 Tablespoons of Granulated Sugar
2 Tablespoons of Crushed Candy Canes (2 Candy Canes)

Instructions

With an electric mixer cream together butter and sugar, add in the egg, vanilla, and peppermint and mix until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and powdered sugar.

Add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture and mix until well incorporated.

Remove the dough and form it into ball or log and cut it in 2 equal halves.

Add red gel food coloring to one half and gently knead it to mix the color in. Add more if needed to achieve a nice deep red.

Wrap each dough color in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

To make the cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl mix together 2 Tbsp. of sugar and crushed candy cane, set aside.

Scoop out a teaspoon of each color dough.

Roll the dough into 5 inch long ropes.

Twist the ropes together and shape into a candy cane shape and place onto a cookie sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately sprinkle with the candy cane and sugar mixture, allow to cool on cookie sheet for about 3 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Candy Cane Cookies Recipe

Cool and ENJOY!

Notes

Between batches of baking, scrape the excess sugar/candy cane off the cookie sheet so that it doesn’t melt.

Store cookies in an airtight container.

Tell me — what’s your favorite family baking tradition?