Holiday Munchies

Looking for desserts to make with your family? Here’s a list of the top 5 most popular, easy-to-make holiday treats. These festive treats are sure to get you in the Christmas spirit and bond with your loved ones!

1. Original Gingerbread Cookies  

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Ground ginger
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground cloves
• Unsalted butter
• Dark brown sugar
• Egg
• Molasses
• Powdered sugar
• Corn syrup (Optional)
• Vanilla extract

Recipe

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl and set them aside. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. 
2. Add the egg and molasses and beat well to combine. The mixture should appear slightly thick.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until the dough is crumbly.
4. Using your hands, form the dough into 2 disks and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place the product in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
5. When ready to roll the dough, line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly flour your rolling surface and rolling pin. Roll the dough 1/4″ thick for soft cookies. Cut out the cookies with the cookie cutters and place 1″ apart on the prepared baking sheets. Add more flour if needed, being careful not to add too much when re-rolling the dough scraps.
6. Bake the cookies for 6-8 minutes until the edges are lightly golden brown and the cookies feel dry on top. Make sure to cool them completely on a wire rack.
7. Place the cooled cookies on sheets of waxed paper and prepare the icing.  
8. Place the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of hot water, corn syrup, and vanilla in a medium bowl and stir until it is smooth. Add more water until the icing has reached the desired consistency.
9. Pipe or spread the icing on the cookies and immediately top with candies or sprinkles as the icing dries quickly. Let the cookies stand at room temperature until set.

Source: https://flavorthemoments.com/gingerbread-cookies/#h-how-to-make-this-recipe

2. Santa Hat Crispy-Treat Cheesecake Squares

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• Unsalted butter
• Mini marshmallows
• Honey
• Pure vanilla extract
• Kosher salt
• Crispy rice cereal
• Unflavored powdered gelatin
• Cream cheese
• Sour cream
• Confectioners’ sugar
• Fresh lemon juice
• Strawberries

Recipe

1. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Lightly coat the foil and a wooden spoon with cooking spray.
2.  For the cheesecake squares: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the marshmallows, honey, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt, and then stir with the wooden spoon until the marshmallows have completely melted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the rice cereal, and stir until the mixture is fully combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, and press into an even layer while warm. Let it sit at room temperature until firm, about 20 minutes.
3. Combine the gelatin with 2 tablespoons of water in a small microwave-safe bowl, and set aside to soften, about 5 minutes. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 
4. Add the sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt, then beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
5. Microwave the gelatin in 10-second increments, stirring as needed, until it dissolves, 30 to 50 seconds. Pour the gelatin into the cream cheese mixture, and beat on medium-high speed until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
6. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crispy treat layer, and spread out evenly with an offset spatula or butter knife. 
7. Wrap the pan loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until the cheesecake layer is set, about 2 hours or up to overnight. 

For the frosting:

1. Whisk together the butter and cream cheese by hand in a medium bowl. Add the sugar and vanilla, whisking until smooth and creamy. 
2. Cut the cheesecake bites into twenty-five 1 3/4-inch squares. 
3. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag. Cut a 1/4-inch hole in the corner of the piping bag. Pipe a circle of frosting on the top of each square, about the diameter of the base of a strawberry. 
4. Place a strawberry cut side down on top of each frosting circle, pushing down gently so that the frosting comes up around the bottom of the strawberry and resembles the base of a Santa hat. Pipe a ball of frosting on the tip of each strawberry for a pom-pom.

Source: https://www.foodnetwork.com/holidays-and-parties/packages/holidays/holiday-central-baking/best-holiday-baking-recipe

3. Snowman Cupcakes

Ingredients

• Cake mix
• Butter
• Salt
• Sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Chocolate chips
• Peppermint
• Marshmallows

Recipe

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until done according to the directions.
3. Cool the cupcakes on a rack in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove them from the tin. Cool on the rack completely before decorating. 
4. Meanwhile, combine the butter, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld electric mixer).
5. Mix on low speed until mostly incorporated. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium-high, and mix until smooth. Adjust the consistency with milk as desired.
6. Fit a large pastry bag with a 1/3-inch diameter plain round tip or snip the tip of a large resealable plastic bag to make a 1/3-inch diameter hole, and fill the bag with icing. 
7. When the cupcakes are cool, hold the bag vertically with the tip pointing down at the center of each cupcake, and pipe a mound of icing onto each cupcake without lifting or moving the bag, so that the icing spreads to the edges, then finally lift the bag to form a mound on top.  
8. Fit a small pastry bag with a small plain pastry tip, or use a small resealable plastic bag. Place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until just melted. Transfer the chocolate to the prepared bag. If using the plastic bag, snip the very tip off so you can pipe the desired size.
9. Pipe two dots for eyes on one flat side of each marshmallow, and a row of five dots for a smile. Pipe a little bit of frosting on top of the marshmallow head to glue the peppermint patty on top. Place a dot of chocolate on top of the patty hat to form a button. 
10. Place each decorated marshmallow “head” at the center of each mound of icing. Pipe 3 chocolate dots under the head to form buttons. Pipe two arms coming out of the snowman’s shoulders.

Source: https://www.foodnetwork.com/holidays-and-parties/packages/holidays/holiday-central-baking/best-holiday-baking-recipe

4. Oreo Reindeer

Ingredients

• Melting chocolate
• Oreo pack
• Pretzels
• Red candy pearls

Recipe

1. Add your chocolate to a microwave-safe bowl, and follow the instructions on the candy melt packaging. Or microwave at half power in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each until it is smooth. 
2. Drop an Oreo into the melted chocolate. Use a fork to flip it over and cover it completely with the chocolate. Use the fork to transfer it out of the chocolate and tap the side of the bowl to get extra chocolate off the Oreo. Then place it on a sheet of parchment paper. 
3. Stick two pretzel pieces through the chocolate into the Oreo filling to make antlers. Place two candy eyes onto the front of the cookie, and a red nose. Let the Oreo sit until the chocolate is set. Repeat with additional Oreos and chocolate to make as many adorable Oreo Reindeer as you want!

Source: https://lmld.org/oreo-reindeer/

5. Christmas Tree Brownies 

Ingredients

• Butter
• Chocolate chips
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Salt
• All-purpose flour
• Green frosting
• Rainbow sprinkles
• Star sprinkles
• Candy canes

Recipe

1. Preheat the oven, and line a baking dish with foil and coat it with cooking spray. 
2. Melt the butter and chocolate chips in the microwave. Stir in the sugar and eggs. Add the vanilla extract and then fold in the salt and flour.
3. Pour the batter into the pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool the brownies to room temperature, then chill them in the fridge.
4. Remove the brownies from the pan with the edges of the foil, and use a sharp knife to cut the brownies into triangles. Snap off the curved parts of the candy canes, and insert the straight section of the candy cane into the bottom of the triangles.
5. Place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a star tip, and frost each brownie. Place a star sprinkle at the top of each brownie, then add rainbow sprinkles all over each brownie. Finally, serve and enjoy!

Source: https://www.dinneratthezoo.com/christmas-tree-brownies/