30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (2024)

mr - Cookie Butter Buckeyes

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (1)

Credit: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Jennifer Wendorf, Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Christina Daley

Few things in life are more festive than whipping up a batch of homemade Christmas candy. Delicious to eat and perfect for gifting, classic candies like buckeye balls, truffles, peppermint bark, divinity, and brittle are a wonderful way to celebrate the season. Spread a little holiday cheer this Christmas by making one (or more!) of these sweet treats to share with friends and family.

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Cookie Butter Buckeyes

mr - Cookie Butter Buckeyes

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (2)

Credit: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Jennifer Wendorf, Melissa Gray; Prop Styling: Christina Daley

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It doesn't get much sweeter than cookie butter topped with white chocolate—and that's what we adore about these buckeyes. Best of all, the easy balls come together quickly in one bowl: Just beat all the ingredients, scoop, and dip in chocolate. You can get as creative as you want with the drizzle, too, so this would be a perfect baking activity to do with the kids.

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Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (3)

Credit: Jeffery Cross; Styling: Kelly Allen

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Melt chocolate, spread it out, and add your favorite toppings--that's almost all there is to making bark. We added one important step, though: tempering the chocolate (carefully melting and cooling it to specific temperatures while adding large chunks of unmelted chocolate) so the bark stays shiny and snappy. For other flavor options, try White Chocolate, Pistachio, and Apricot Bark or Nutella Bark.

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Ginger Bourbon Balls

Ginger Bourbon Balls

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (4)

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

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This boozy confection headlines many a list of classic Christmas candies, but not everyone knows that it comes in three distinct styles. Chocolate, pecans, and a splash of bourbon figure in each of them, but variations commence from there. We guarantee you'll earn compliments throughout the holiday season with this dessert, no matter how your bourbon balls roll.

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Buckeye Balls

Buckeye Balls

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (5)

Credit: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Zapalowski

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The term "Buckeye Balls" is code for delicious chocolate-and-peanut butter candy goodies.

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Peppermint-White Chocolate Candy Slabs

Peppermint-White Chocolate Candy Slabs

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (6)

Credit: Oxmoor House

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Make the easiest candy ever for this holiday season's gifts. You only need three ingredients and a loaf pan.

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Homemade Chocolate-Dipped Caramels

Homemade Chocolate-Dipped Caramels

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (7)

Credit: Beth Dreiling Hontzas; Styling: Buffy Hargett

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The hot caramel mixture needs to be poured immediately after stirring in vanilla, so be sure to butter your pan ahead of time.

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Graham Pralines

Graham Pralines

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (8)

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Covered in butter, brown sugar and pecans, Graham Pralines are a decadent, sweet treat.

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Christmas Butter Mints

Christmas Buttermints

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (9)

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

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Traditionally colored in a rainbow of pastel hues, butter mints are light and crisp with a buttery richness, a refreshing minty flavor, and a texture that melts in your mouth. The classic recipe is a little tricky and requires expert candy making skills. But with our simplified Christmas Butter Mints, which require no cooking and only a few kitchen staples, you can whip up a batch in no time.

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Gingerbread Fudge

Gingerbread Fudge image

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (10)

Credit: Aaron Kirk; Prop Stylist: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

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This gingerbread fudge is the perfect "something different" to add to your holiday confections spread. Offering all of the toasty, familiar flavors of gingerbread and the creamy-rich texture of your favorite fudge, it's the perfect mash-up of two holiday favorites. Plus, in keeping with the classic marshmallow fluff base, we've also kept this homemade holiday candy as easy as can be to mix up.

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Salted Chocolate-Pecan Toffee

Salted Chocolate-Pecan Toffee

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (11)

Credit: Annabelle Breakey

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An extra-crisp toffee with a spark of salt makes a perfect afternoon snack or food gift. This candy keeps well, so feel free to double the recipe.

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Almond Antique Brittle

Almond Antique Brittle

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (12)

Credit: Linda Pugliese; Styling: Kaitlyn Du Ross Walker

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When cooking sugar to a high temperature, things move very quickly in the last few minutes or even seconds. To avoid burned sugar syrup, be sure to have the almonds toasted and ready to go before starting. A significant amount of vinegar in this brittle adds complex flavor.

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Homemade Caramel Taffy

Homemade Caramel Taffy

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (13)

Credit: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

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A gift of Homemade Caramel Taffy will be a sure hit for the caramel connoisseur on your list.

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No-Bake Coconut Balls

No-Bake Coconut Balls

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (14)

Credit: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Zapalowski

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Make a batch of coconut balls and give them as gifts. As the title says, there is no baking involved and with less than 7 ingredients, it couldn't be any easier to make these treats.

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Fudge Ring

Fudge Ring

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (15)

Credit: Oxmoor House

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Spooning this cookie-and-candy filled fudge into a homemade ring mold makes a fun project that the kids will want to take part in.

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<p>This buttery almond toffee is easy and delicious and can make the perfect homemade holiday gift.</p>

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (16)

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This buttery almond toffee is easy and delicious and can make the perfect homemade holiday gift.

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<p>This old-school candy reminds us of divinity and other traditional homemade Southern sweets. The recipe is a testament to the genius of thrifty cooks who based the confection on leftover mashed potatoes.</p>

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (17)

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This old-school candy reminds us of divinity and other traditional homemade Southern sweets. The recipe is a testament to the genius of thrifty cooks who based the confection on leftover mashed potatoes.

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Oreo Truffles

Oreo Truffles

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (18)

Credit: Beth Branch

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Oreo Truffles are an easy way to impress guests at your nextget-together. Guests will never have to know they only require four ingredients!

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Comet’s White Chocolate Crunch

Comet's White Chocolate Crunch

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (19)

Credit: Oxmoor House

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This holiday snack mix is the perfect blend of salty and sweet flavors. It's made with pretzels, peanuts, cereal, and white chocolate chips, making it a favorite of children and reindeer everywhere!

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Pistachio and Pine Nut Brittle

Pistachio and Pine Nut Brittle

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (20)

Credit: Marcus Nilsson; Styling: Robyn Glaser

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Pistachio and Pine Nut Brittle is a sweet spin on the traditional peanut brittle. This nut candy also includes dried cranberries, giving the brittle a festive color of red and green (from the pistachios) for the holidays.

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Salted-Butter Caramels

Salted-Butter Caramels

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (21)

Credit: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Stephana Bottom

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These homemade caramels make for a delightful Christmas gift for those on your list with a sweet tooth. Wrap in holiday-themed cellophane for a festive touch.

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Eggnog Fudge

Eggnog Fudge

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (22)

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Christmas isn't complete without a dose of eggnog. Try your favorite holiday drink in a candy recipe. Eggnog fudge incorporates the rich flavor of eggnog in an already classic holidaydessert recipe.

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Peppermint Divinity

Peppermint Divinity

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (23)

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

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How could a plump, snowball-shaped confection with the celestial name "divinity" fall completely out of favor, losing its prized spot on the Christmas dessert table in a few decades' time? Traditionally studded with pecans and swiftly made from a few simple ingredients, divinity is a delightful turn-of-the-century heirloom worth restoring to its former lofty place. We've tweaked our usual old fashioned divinity recipe by swapping out the nuts for crushed peppermint candies.

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Pecan Bourbon Balls

Pecan Bourbon Balls

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (24)

Credit: Iain Bagwell; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

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Think a bourbon ball is a bourbon ball is a bourbon ball? Think again. Try coating them in spiced toasted pecans for a sweet-salty variation and you'll be a convert for life.

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<p>Requiring a mere 2 ingredients (both of which are likely already in your pantry), this is the fudge you can make with one only one hand. Packing an intensely chocolatey flavor, this easy fudge recipe is sure to please.</p>

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (25)

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Requiring a mere 2 ingredients (both of which are likely already in your pantry), this is the fudge you can make with one only one hand. Packing an intensely chocolatey flavor, this easy fudge recipe is sure to please.

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Salty Chocolate-Pecan Candy

Salty Chocolate-Pecan Candy

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (26)

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Sweet, salty and crunchy all combine in this easy 4-ingredient chocolate candy recipe that's perfect for gift-giving and entertaining. Note that this candy will soften slightly while at room temperature if you're planning to give some as a gift.

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Grandma Weiser's English Toffee

Grandma Weiser's English Toffee

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (27)

Credit: Oxmoor House

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Six simple ingredients are all you need to create this easy snack. Share this favorite family recipe.

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Chocolate-Speckled Toffee

Chocolate-Speckled Toffee

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (28)

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr

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A candy thermometer is a must for preparing this rich, buttery treat. The syrup mixture bubbles up when you sprinkle it with baking soda, so use a long-handled spoon for stirring. Because the toffee holds well at room temperature, it also makes a good gift.

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Mocha Balls

Mocha Balls

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (29)

Credit: Alison Miksch; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

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These decadent candies get their mocha kick from coffee liqueur, unsweetened cocoa powder, and semi-sweet chocolate chips.

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Nutella Bark

Nutella Bark

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (30)

Credit: Jeffery Cross; Styling: Kelly Allen

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Addictive chocolate-hazelnut spread stars in our two-tone version of chocolate bark. Making bark is easy--just melt chocolate, spread it out, and add your favorite toppings. We added one important step, though: tempering the chocolate (carefully melting and cooling it to specific temperatures while adding large chunks of unmelted chocolate) so the bark stays shiny and snappy.

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Smoked Sea Salt Chocolate-Covered Turtles

Smoked Sea Salt Chocolate-Covered Turtles

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (31)

Credit: Oxmoor House

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Savor the best of both salty and sweet in each bite of these unique candies.

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White Chocolate-Peppermint Jumbles

White Chocolate-Peppermint Jumbles

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (32)

Credit: Oxmoor House

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Salty pretzel nuggets are coated in white chocolate and combined with peppermints for an irresistible confection.

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Mocha Almond Fudge

Mocha Almond Fudge

30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (33)

Credit: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Randy Mon

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There are few treats in this world better than a smooth, chocolatey, decadent morsel of fudge, and this recipe is one of the best we've tried.

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30+ Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is the best Christmas candy? ›

List of All-Time Favorite Christmas Candies
  • Candy Canes.
  • Peppermint Bark.
  • Butter Toffee.
  • Truffles.
  • Reindeer Food.
  • Chocolate Santas.
  • Chocolate Kisses.
  • Peanut Brittle.
Dec 13, 2018

How long is homemade Christmas candy good for? ›

Most candies will keep 2 to 3 weeks (if not longer) if stored tightly covered in a cool, dry place or in the refrigerator. It's best to avoid storing different types of candy together in the same container because hard candies will become soft and sticky, and soft candies will dry out.

What is traditional Christmas candy? ›

Every trip past the candy dish yielded a handful of cut rock candy, rainbow gems, baby ribbons, chocolate-filled straws, filled raspberries, and other treats to suck on while opening gifts. Other Christmas classics include peppermint patties and candy canes.

What is the name of Santa's candy? ›

A candy cane is a cane-shaped stick candy often associated with Christmastide, as well as Saint Nicholas Day. It is traditionally white with red stripes and flavored with peppermint, but the canes also come in a variety of other flavors and colors.

What is the most sold Christmas candy? ›

Hubscore also delved into America's Favorite Christmas Candy by State, and the most popular candy came out to be the chocolatey classic: Kit Kat.

What is the least popular Christmas candy? ›

These Are the Most Hated Christmas Candies in America, and the List Will Make You Furious
  1. Reindeer Corn. Walmart/Allrecipes.
  2. Christmas Nougat. Walmart/Allrecipes. ...
  3. Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cordials. Walmart/Allrecipes. ...
  4. Candy Canes (Non-Peppermint) ...
  5. Peeps. ...
  6. Ribbon Candy. ...
  7. Old-Fashioned Hard Candies. ...
  8. Lifesavers Storybooks. ...
Dec 11, 2023

What happens to unsold holiday candy? ›

"All but a very small portion is sold, the rest may go to a food pantry like Second Harvest. But every retailer has to deal with their own leftover inventory on their own."

Which candy has the longest shelf life? ›

Hard candy like Jolly Ranchers, lollipops and other individually wrapped candies can essentially last forever if they're stored right and kept away from moisture. Dark chocolate can last one to two years in a cool, dark, dry place. Milk and white chocolate will last up to 10 months.

What is the oldest holiday candy? ›

Candy canes are one of the oldest Christmas candies, first appearing in the 17th century in Europe. They were originally straight white sticks of sugar that were meant to symbolize shepherd's crooks.

What is Christmas candy corn called? ›

The Christmas variant, sometimes called "reindeer corn", typically has a red end and a green center.

What is Santa's 1st name? ›

A long time ago, Santa was known as Saint Nicholas by his peers because he was so kind to others and often gave gifts to those in need. Today, some still call Santa “Saint Nicholas” among his many nicknames.

What is bad Santa's real name? ›

Willie T. Soke and his dwarf assistant Marcus Skidmore are professional thieves. Every year, Willie gets a job as a department store Santa Claus and Marcus as an elf to rob shopping malls on the night of Christmas Eve, with Marcus' wife Lois as their getaway driver.

What pie is left for Santa? ›

Mince pie is a fruit-based pie, where small chunks of dried fruit are cooked in a beef suet, and then added to the pie crust. This pie has been traditionally served during Christmas time for centuries, and there are recipes dating to the 16th century for it.

What is the #1 rated candy in the world? ›

Snickers is listed as the most popular candy in the world. M&Ms, with annual sales of over $500 million, is the most popular candy brand in the United States. In duty-free shops, Toblerone is the best selling candy. KitKat's popularity is the highest in Japan, with over 200 distinct flavors available such as green tea.

What is the #1 best candy? ›

The Number 1 Most Popular Candy in America is Snickers!
  • Snickers.
  • Peanut Butter Cups.
  • Hershey's Kisses.
  • Kit Kat.
  • M&Ms.
  • Hershey Bar.
  • Twix.
  • Starbursts.
Oct 21, 2023

What is the #1 favorite Halloween candy? ›

Reese's Cups

Reese's is so beloved that it's the top-selling candy brand in America, with more than $2 billion in annual sales.

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