Homemade Christmas Candy & Sweets Recipes (2024)

Delicious Christmas candy can be made fast with just a few ingredients and without fancy equipment.

And I have for you here some of the best easy Christmas candy recipes for all these family favourites :

  • Truffles
  • Marshmallows
  • Coconut Candies
  • Rock Candy
  • Christmas Lollipops
  • Candied Peel
  • Turkish Delight
  • Christmas Bark
  • Honeycomb
  • Gumdrops

I have included good old fashioned Christmas candy recipes like Grandma made but also new takes.

PLUS super quick recipes for simply lovely Christmas candy gifts.

Enjoy!!

Table of Contents

Christmas Candy Recipes

Christmas Truffles

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Truffles are a big family Christmas tradition in my house and luckily are surprisingly simple to make.

So take your pick from these easy Christmas truffle recipes :

  • Simple chocolate truffles
  • Baileys chocolate truffles
  • Chocolate rum truffles
  • White chocolate truffles
  • Chocolate truffle squares

The recipes use different methods but for all of them remember :

  1. To leave time for truffles to set before shaping & covering
  2. They will NOT keep as long as shop bought and are best kept in the fridge and gobbled up in 10 days!!

Simple Chocolate Truffles

Make classic Christmas chocolate truffles easily with this recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction – her Christmas crinkle cookies are also great – just do what she says!!

Baileys Chocolate Truffles

These simple Baileys chocolate truffles are made in the microwave. Leave mixture in the fridge for at least 3 hours to set before shaping.

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You can easily cover your truffles in various finishes from cocoa, to confectioners sugar, coconut or finely chopped nuts.

Easy Chocolate Rum Truffles

These easy chocolate rum truffles are made with just butter, chocolate, rum & cocoa powder and only need an hour in the fridge to set ..

White Chocolate Truffles

These white chocolate truffles make a super pretty Christmas candy gift.

The recipe has a cake rather than cream centre which means they are even easier to make and there really is nothing you can mess up ..

They are more substantial than other Christmas truffles so you can even turn them in cake pops.

Pistachio & Cranberry Christmas Truffles

These scrumptious pistachio & cranberry Christmas truffles also make great Christmas candy gifts.

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The recipe – made with cream & butter – could easily be adjusted with other Christmas flavours e.g. :

  • Candied peel
  • Smashed gingerbread crumbs
  • Almonds
  • Hazelnuts
  • Rose petals
  • Rum & raisin.

Chocolate Truffle Squares

Rolling truffles into tiny balls can be messy – the secret is to stay calm!!

But if that will never be you in the kitchen before Christmas these chocolate truffle squares are a much less messy delicious alternative.

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Christmas Marshmallows

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You can decorate shop-bought marshmallows in all sorts of cute ways for Christmas candy gifts for kids but homemade taste better!!

And you can easily customise marshmallows to create grown-up Christmas candy treats such as :

  • Peppermint
  • Gingerbread
  • Orange etc …

Christmas Marshmallow Penguin Treats

These cuter than cute Marshmallow penguins from Eats Amazing are great fun to make with little kids …

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With bought marshmallows they make an adorable but super easy Christmas candy gift.

Simple Peppermint Christmas Marshmallows

These delightfully pretty peppermint marshmallows also make lovely little Christmas candy gifts …

It is not the simplest candy recipe – you need a thermometer – but are cheap to make so a great gift option for Christmas on a budget.

Gingerbread Marshmallows

Marshmallow and gingerbread are a scrumptious Christmas combo.

And this candy recipe rich in spicy molasses really hits the spot …

Coconut Christmas Candies

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Coconut is a wonderfully snowy ingredient for all sorts of super cute Christmas candy recipes :

  • Coconut ice
  • Coconut snowballs
  • Coconut snowmen
  • Chocolate coconut balls.

Christmas Coconut Ice

For an incredibly quick and easy Christmas candy recipe you must try this scrumptiously pretty coconut ice from Kitchen Sanctuary.

It needs only 4 ingredients and can be in the fridge in barely 15 minutes:

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Coconut Snow Balls

These coconut snow balls look gorgeously wintery and would be a lovely homemade addition to your Christmas table decorations. The recipe is again incredibly simple …

Coconut Snowmen

If you’ve got just a little bit more time you could convert your coconut snowballs into these super cute coconut snowmen …

Chocolate Coconut Balls

These chocolate coconut balls are another super simple homemade Christmas candy recipe …

You just need to remember to leave time for them to set in the fridge before dipping in chocolate.

Christmas Rock Candy

Rock candy is another Christmas classic that looks amazing as part of your Christmas decorations.

It’s also a much cheaper option than chocolatey recipes if you need to have a more frugal Christmas.

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This rock candy recipe is super simple BUT does involve very hot mixture so not one for kids.

Christmas Homemade Lollipops

These fun Christmas lollies from Just A Taste are another cute Christmas candy recipe that’s perfect for DIY Christmas gifts when you’re Christmas budget is super tight!!!

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Again you will need to get your mixture HOT HOT HOT so this candy is better made with big kids.

Christmas Candied Peel

Unfortunately, my whole family loves candied peel at Christmas so I don’t get to gobble it all down myself!!

But as this Christmas recipe from Pint Sized Baker shows, it’s super easy to make your own …

Christmas Turkish Delight

Classic Turkish Delight is another of our favourite Christmas traditions :

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It is not the quickest Christmas candy recipe but it is again a lovely option for cheaper Christmas treats.

Christmas Bark

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Christmas bark really is so easy you barely need a recipe, simply :

  1. Melt lots of chocolate
  2. And toppings & flavourings
  3. Swirl around
  4. Pour out on lined baking sheet
  5. Leave in fridge to set
  6. Break into bits.

It is an ideal last minute Christmas candy recipe as you can customise it with what you have in your kitchen :

  • Candy : candy cane, M&Ms, jelly tots, Smarties, sprinkles, Skittles
  • Crunch : pretzels, Oreos, crackers, cookie crumbs, gingerbread
  • Nuts : pistachio, almond, coconut, peanuts, hazel nuts, brazils
  • Bright fruit : cranberry, orange, pomegranate, raspberries
  • Dried fruit : candied peel, preserved ginger, raisins.

The only con with bark is it is NOT a cheap way to make Christmas candy for DIY gifts. On a tight Christmas budget make rock candy instead.

For inspiration check out these gorgeous Christmas bark recipes then adapt to what you’ve got :

  • Peppermint
  • White chocolate
  • Chocolate orange
  • Black Forest

Easy Peppermint Bark

This easy Christmas bark from Sugar Apron is just two layers of melted chocolate with candy cane …

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White Chocolate Bark

This pretty white chocolate bark is just chocolate melts with smashed candy cane & sprinkles :

Whilst this gorgeous bark uses red M&Ms as Christmas berries :

For more Christmas colour add in streaks of red & green colouring :

Cranberry & Pistachio Bark

3 ingredient cranberry & pistachio bark could not be simpler but makes a very elegant Christmas dessert

Pomegranate & Almond Bark

This pomegranate and almond bark is another super elegant Christmas dessert worthy recipe …

Chocolate Orange Bark

If like me you adore chocolate orange you will love these chocolate orange Christmas bark recipes.

This firs recipe uses orange zest …

Whilst this second bark recipe is topped with whole orange slices …

Black Forest Bark

This black forest bark is a more fiddly but you can simplify just by combining kirsch soaked cherries with either dark or white chocolate :

Cookies & Cream Bark

For more utter indulgence check out this cookies and cream bark complete with Oreos …

Christmas Honeycomb

I associate honeycomb or cinder toffee very strongly with Bonfire Night in early November.

But it has a lovely and wintery feel about it so really is perfect for dark, cold Christmas nights too.

For a slightly alternative Christmas honeycomb recipe check out this version from Clumsy Crafter

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Christmas Gumdrops

But if you prefer something less crunchy, you can actually make your own Christmas Gumdrops.

There’s a handy recipe here from Mom On Timeout which can be used for Christmas candy gifts for kids …

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Or for something even quicker mix bought gumdrops with melted white chocolate to make this fun Christmas gumdrop nougat …

And there you go, a truly delicious assortment of homemade Christmas candy recipes you can make quickly and easily as Christmas treats and gifts for your family and friends.

For more easy Christmas recipes check out these other posts …

  • Christmas Cake Pop Ideas
  • Christmas Cupcake Designs
  • Best Christmas Cakes
  • Stunning Christmas Desserts
  • Classic Christmas Cookie Recipes
  • Christmas Fudge Recipes
  • Deliciously Cheap Christmas Food
  • Homemade Preserves As Christmas Gifts
Homemade Christmas Candy & Sweets Recipes (18)

small>Original image: by Marco Verch under Creative Commons 2.0

Homemade Christmas Candy & Sweets Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What's the most famous candy during Christmas? ›

Unwrap The Top 12 Christmas Candies!
  1. Nerds Rope Christmas Candy. ...
  2. Christmas Nik-L-Nip Elf Punch. ...
  3. Brach's Funfetti Candy Canes. ...
  4. Christmas Cadbury Selection Box UK. ...
  5. Haribo Giant Trees. ...
  6. Fort Knox Gold Ingots. ...
  7. Peeps Candy Cane Marshmallow Chicks. ...
  8. Terry's Chocolate Orange Minis White Chocolate UK.
Nov 20, 2023

How far in advance can you make Christmas candy? ›

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 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 is the most popular candy sold in December? ›

CandyStore.com highlighted Kit Kat as making the strongest push. "Having never made a #1 showing, this year Kit Kat has two of them," the site explained. "Massachusetts and Oklahoma both prefer Kit Kats at Christmas. Interestingly, both states had candy canes at #1 last year.

What is the biggest candy selling holiday? ›

According to Numerator, 69% of consumers plan to celebrate Easter this year, while 53% of celebrants are planning to buy candy. Easter is the second-most popular holiday for purchasing candy, following Halloween.

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 the oldest popular candy? ›

The two oldest candy types are licorice and ginger. The historical roots of licorice are found in the early years of man's appearance. In particular, many licorice were eaten by Pharaohs and Prophets. The licorice comes from a plant called “Glycyrrhiza” which in Greek means «sweet root».

What fruit is Christmassy? ›

Apples, cranberries, pumpkins, and butternut squash have all been at the heart of the traditional holiday feast for countless generations.

What happens to unsold Christmas candy? ›

"Generally, stores really do sell through most of their inventory by lowering prices," said Michael Allured, publisher of candy trade magazine The Manufacturing Confectioner. "All but a very small portion is sold, the rest may go to a food pantry like Second Harvest.

How do you store homemade Christmas candy? ›

Protect Candy in the Pantry.

While different types of candy have different storage requirements, the pantry is generally a safe place to stash sweets. Airtight storage in a cool place will ensure a longer shelf-life. Some treats may also be frozen.

How do you keep hard Christmas candy from sticking together? ›

Use Corn Starch

Using corn starch to coat your sweets means you can preserve their taste and stop them from sticking together.

What is the most loved candy? ›

Here are the top 10 most popular candies in America, according to CandyStore.com:
  • Hot tamales.
  • Skittles.
  • Sour Patch Kids.
  • Starburst.
  • Hershey Kisses.
  • Candy Corn.
  • Hershey Mini Bars.
  • Snickers.
Oct 10, 2023

What is the least favorite Christmas food? ›

Across all states, their findings showed that the least popular Christmas foods are persimmon pudding (13%) and fruitcake (25%).

What was the first Christmas 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 the number one popular candy? ›

Top-selling chocolates and sweets. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are the No. 1 selling candy brand in the United States, consisting of white fudge, milk, or dark chocolate cups filled with peanut butter. They were invented by H.B. Reese after he founded the H. B. Reese Candy Company in 1923.

What is the most popular tin of sweets at Christmas? ›

Choose your favourite Christmas chocolate from the UK's most popular festive sweet tins.
  • Celebrations 18%
  • Quality Street 31%
  • Roses 35%
  • Heroes 17%
Dec 15, 2023

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