Make this holiday season a little bit sweeter with these quick and simple festive treats! Enjoy these quick bites with friends and family this December.

Peppermint Bark 

Ingredients: 

• 1 cup mini candy canes, crushed
• 1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• 24 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (two 12-ounce bags)
• 24 ounces white chocolate chips (two 12-ounce bags)
• ½ tablespoon coconut oil

Instructions: 

1. Place mini candy canes in a ziplock freezer bag and seal it shut. Crush candy until you have varying sizes of crushed candy canes to sprinkle on the top of your bark. Set aside.
2. Line a 9×13 baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. Place semi-sweet chocolate chips in a microwave-safe glass bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Stir chocolate and microwave in 15-second intervals until completely melted, stirring in between each session.
4. Once the chocolate has melted, pour over the top of the parchment paper. Place the chocolate in the refrigerator while preparing the white chocolate mixture.
5. Place your white chocolate chips, coconut oil, and peppermint extract in a microwave-safe glass bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Stir chocolate mixture and microwave in 15-second intervals until completely melted, stirring in between each session.
6. Pour the white chocolate mixture over the semi-sweet chocolate mixture and immediately sprinkle the crushed mini candy canes over the top of the white chocolate. Press crushed candy canes into the white chocolate mixture and then refrigerate until fully set about 20 minutes.
7. Remove from the refrigerator and break into pieces (SPACESHIPSANDLASERBEAMS). 

Snowman Oreo Cookie Balls

Ingredients:

For the cookie balls

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups crushed mint OREO cookies, about 36 cookies
• 16 ounces white baking chocolate melted
• For the snowman decorations
• 20 pieces orange candy I used candy coated chocolate chip sprinkles
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips melted
• 20 mini peanut butter cups
• 4 ounces red fondant

Instructions:

For the cookie balls

1. Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until blended.2.
2. Shape into 20 (1 ½-inch) balls and 20 (¾-inch) balls. Freeze 10 minutes. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan.

For the snowmen

1. Place larger ball on bottom, then place smaller ball on top (using some melted chocolate to make it stick). Wrap a piece of red fondant around the middle. Add a dot of melted chocolate and orange candy for nose. Attach peanut butter cup with melted chocolate and pipe the eyes, mouth and buttons with black icing.
2. Note: I poured the melted chocolate into a plastic sandwich bag, then cut a tiny corner to pipe the snowman eyes, mouth and buttons (MOMLOVESBAKING). 

One student, Rylee Dee (11) says  “I love this recipe! The little DIY snowmen are so cute! They always bring a smile to my face.” 

4 Ingredient Holiday Truffles 

Ingredients:

For truffles 

• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk, mixed well
• 20 oz dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• kosher salt, to taste

Topping ideas 

• cocoa powder
• pistachio, crushed
• unsweetened coconut flake
• hazelnut, crushed
• freeze-dried strawberry
• matcha powder

Instructions:

1. Make the truffles: In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring the coconut milk to a simmer. Pour the warm coconut milk over the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl and stir until melted and smooth. Add the vanilla and salt and use a rubber spatula to combine.
2. Cover and cool in the refrigerator for 2 hours, until set. When you press the mixture with your fingertip, it should create create an indentation. Do not chill for too long–the mixture will be extremely difficult to scoop if it hardens too much.
3. Using a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon, portion out the truffle mixture and place onto the baking sheet.
4. Roll each truffle between your palms to create a sphere. Your hands will get messy during the process. The outside should be slightly tacky from the heat of your palms. This will help the topping stick best. If they get too soft, place in the fridge for 10 minutes. Roll the truffles in your toppings of choice.
5. Serve immediately or refrigerate for 1 hour for firmer truffles. The uncoated truffle balls will keep in the fridge for up 10 days. Coat in the toppings just before serving (TASTY).

Surprise Inside Oreo Balls

Ingredients:

• 14.3 ounces Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies 36 cookies
• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 30 candy cane flavored kisses unwrapped
• 6 ounces white almond bark
• 6 ounces chocolate almond bark
• crushed peppermints or candy canes, optional garnish

Instructions:

1. Put your Oreo brand cookies (cookie and filling) in a food processor and blend for at least 2 min or until the cookies become a coarse sand texture with no lumps. Depending on the size of your food processor, you may need to remove some cookies temporarily if you’re having trouble getting all the lumps out. Then gradually add them in as the cookies break down to a coarse powder. Set aside when finished, and no lumps remain.
2. Using a stand mixer, or a medium-size mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, combine the Oreo crumbs and the softened cream cheese until well incorporated.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set it aside.
4. Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out the Oreo mixture. Shape into a ball and flatten slightly.
5. Place 1 of the unwrapped kisses in the center. Shape the Oreo mixture around the kiss and roll it into a ball. Set the ball onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process until all the kisses are covered.
6. Place the Oreo balls, uncovered, in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
7. Using 2 small heat-safe mixing bowls, microwave the white and chocolate almond bark for 1 minute. Stir and heat at 20-second intervals until the almond barks are completely melted and smooth.
8. Coat half of the chilled Oreo balls in the white almond bark and the other half in the chocolate almond bark.
9. Sprinkle the crushed peppermints on top of the coated Oreo balls (this is an optional but festive garnish).
10. If the almond bark becomes a bit thick, microwave for 15 seconds and stir again until smooth (SPACESHIPSANDLASERBEAMS).

Make sure to take in the holiday season and partake in these delicious sweet treats. Happy holidays Mustangs!