40 Homemade Candy Ideas for Your Holiday Celebrations
The holidays are the perfect excuse to roll up your sleeves and make some next-level candy! Whether you’re looking for Christmas candy recipes to wow your friends or just want to try out some fun Christmas candy ideas, we’ve got you covered.
Think classic homemade Christmas candy with a modern twist—everything from truffles and nougat to candy crack and fudge, even vegan Christmas candy!
Looking for the best Christmas candy to give as gifts? We’ve got ideas for Christmas candy gift baskets that will totally impress.
Whether you’re aiming for easy Christmas candy recipes, nostalgic old-fashioned Christmas candy, or you want to get creative with Christmas candy decorations, this list has all the inspo you need.
So grab your ingredients (bonus points if you’re buying Christmas candy bulk) and start making treats that everyone will be talking about this holiday season!
Simple Storage Tips For Christmas Candy
When it comes to keeping your Christmas candy fresh (and Insta-worthy), it’s all about using the right storage tricks. Different types of candy need their own special care to stay delicious, so here are some tips to make sure your homemade Christmas candy and Christmas candy gift baskets stay in perfect condition throughout the holidays.
Chocolate Christmas Candy: Store in a cool, dry spot, away from sunlight and heat. The ideal temp is between 60-70°F. Too warm, and you’ll have a melted mess; too cold, and you might get that weird white coating called “bloom” (not cute!).
Hard Candy (like those cute little candy cane Christmas treats): Keep them at room temp in an airtight container. Make sure they’re away from sunlight and heat, or you’ll end up with a sticky, melty situation.
Fudge: This classic old-fashioned Christmas candy is best kept in the fridge in an airtight container. It’ll stay fresh and rich for up to two weeks (if it lasts that long without being eaten).
Peppermint Bark: Keep your gourmet Christmas candy like peppermint bark in an airtight container in the fridge, and you’ll be enjoying it for up to two weeks too.
Photo: jellojoy
These adorable gingerbread jigglers are fun and festive finger jello treats with a sweet and delicious gingerbread cookie taste – and much easier to make!
These Christmas candies are simply a layered gelatin recipe that combines the flavors of gingerbread, condensed milk, and hot chocolate. A delight for kids and adults alike!
Get the full recipe from Jello Joy
- OLD-FASHIONED FUDGE RECIPE
Photo: recipesformen
This handed-down fudge or toffee recipe will become a family favourite. Great around Christmas or Thanksgiving as an after-dinner treat.
This homemade fudge recipe has been kept a family secret for years and is now available to everyone!
Get the full recipe from Recipes For Men
Photo: bakedbyclo
These make a great edible Christmas gift! Truffles and Christmas have always gone hand in hand for me. An easy, festive, no-bake recipe, perfect for making with kids
These vegan peppermint truffles are made with a mix of dark and white chocolate and are topped with a sprinkling of candy cane pieces!!
Get the full recipe from Baked By Clo
Photo: keep-calm-and-eat-ice-cream
Get into the holiday spirit with these adorable chocolate candy cane hearts. With just three ingredients they’re a cute and easy no-bake Christmas dessert.
These candy canes are a delightfully whimsical addition to your Christmas menu. With only three ingredients they are a fun festive activity to do with the kids these holidays.
Get the full recipe from Keep Calm And Eat Ice Cream
Photo: rainbownourishments
These cute snowman truffles are easy and fun to prepare and are perfect for Christmas or Winter! They consist of 2-ingredient coconut truffles and store-bought decorations.
These snowman truffles are no-bake, easy, and fun to make. You don’t need any special equipment such as a blender or food processor!
Get the full recipe from Rainbow Nourishments
Photo: pamsdailydish
This recipe for Christmas M&M’s Chocolate Bark is very easy to make and always comes out perfect. The recipe has just three ingredients and makes great edible gifts.
Look how festive this Christmas bark comes out. Not only does it look great, it tastes even better. Very versatile. You can change around the M&M’s for any occasion.
Get the full recipe from Pams Daily Dish
Photo: ottawamommyclub
This recipe for Christmas treats makes the best rocky road candy; with smooth chocolate, crispy nuts, and fluffy marshmallows.
It is the perfect balance in snacking with something for everyone, no matter what you are craving.
Get the full recipe from Ottawa Mommy Club
Photo: sparklestosprinkles
A velvety and creamy mint center that is dipped in dark chocolate. You will love these peppermint patties, perfect for holiday entertaining and more.
When you bite into them you are filled with sweet mint flavor and rich chocolate. A classic dessert that is served all year round, for Christmas or Thanksgiving and more.
Get the full recipe from Sparkles To Sprinkles
Photo: onmykidsplate
It’s no secret that the holidays are a sweet time of year, and nothing encapsulates the festive spirit quite like a slice of creamy, sugary gumdrop nougat.
Whether you’ve tried it before or are curious to experience this classic Christmas candy-making tradition, there’s no denying that nougat candy is an indulgence you won’t want to miss.
Get the full recipe from On My Kid’s Plate
Photo: plattertalk
Hot chocolate fudge is the perfect winter treat. We love to make this around the holidays and include it in our Christmas cookie exchange.
But honestly, our kids enjoy this homemade treat year-round. Read on and we’ll show you how to put this easy microwave fudge together in just 15 minutes!
Get the full recipe from Platter Talk
Photo: chefnotrequired
My recipe for super easy 3 ingredient Oreo Fudge is going to be your next sweet treat obsession this holiday season!
December is just around the corner and that means holidays – I can see this creamy white chocolate fudge featuring in my Christmas desserts this year.
Get the full recipe from Chef Not Required
Photo: mykitchenlove
Christmas is such a special time of year, highlighted and saturated with special moments. Moments that can come rushing back to you with the taste of a simple treat.
These Butterscotch Marshmallow Confetti Squares have very few ingredients, aren’t baked at all, and take a whooping 15 minutes to put together.
Get the full recipe from My Kitchen Love
Photo: thehowtohome
Not only will it make an adorable addition to any holiday party cookie tray, Christmas party platter, and charcuterie board, but it’s also a crazy easy-to-make sweet treat.
It’s Christmas time, and if you’re like most people, your home is filled with all the festivity of this time of year.
Get the full recipe from The How To Home
Photo: chocolatemoosey
This easy chocolate marshmallow fudge recipe, aka Hot Chocolate Fudge, captures the flavors of hot chocolate in one bite.
Happy December! Is it true that we are only three weeks away from Christmas?! Christmas means gift-giving,
Get the full recipe from chocolate moosey
Photo: xoxobella
This Italian Christmas candy with roasted nuts is sweet, chewy, and delicious. Italian nut nougat is also simple to prepare.
An Italian nougat recipe is perfect around Christmas time and other holidays. It makes one of the best gifts nobody can resist its chewy, sticky texture.
Get the full recipe from Xoxo Bella
Photo: lifecurrentsblog
This buttery melt-in-your-mouth delicious old-fashioned Brown Sugar Fudge has the warm flavor of caramel and reminds me of a fabulous New Orleans praline.
It’s perfect on a Christmas dessert tray or included in a cookie exchange. You’ll want to keep this recipe handy, as gift-giving season approaches.
Get the full recipe from Life Currents Blog
Photo: cupofflour
A staple every holiday season, this is the best Christmas crack recipe! This Christmas crack is addictive, delicious, easy to make, and seriously festive!
This Christmas crack recipe is layered with saltine crackers layered with a velvety smooth caramel and semi-sweet chocolate finish, topped with some chopped roasted pecans.
Get the full recipe from Cup Of Flour
Photo: confettiandbliss
Grinch fudge is the perfect holiday treat! Rich white-chocolate fudge is flavored with vanilla, dyed lime green, and decorated with red candy hearts.
These Christmas Grinch treats are ideal for parties and cookie trays. Prep these easy Grinch desserts in 20 minutes then chill.
Get the full recipe from Confetti And Bliss
Photo: recipesfromapantry
It is a great Christmas Candy to make ahead and help you get a jump on the busy holiday season.
Nothing beats serving up a huge Christmas tin of chocolate peanut clusters that are a breeze to make yet look really impressive.
Get the full recipe from Recipes From A Pantry
Photo: budgetdelicious
These 4 ingredients Reindeer Pretzels are a fun holiday dessert that you can make with the kids!
These are easy Christmas desserts to make with your kids, but easy enough for older kids to make unsupervised.
Get the full recipe from Budget Delicious
Photo: littlesunnykitchen
If you want to serve the most impressive holiday cookie, you need to make these delicious Christmas Macarons!
These classic French Macarons are festively flavored with chocolate and peppermint. Baking French Christmas Macarons takes time, patience, and attention to detail.
Get the full recipe from Little Sunny Kitchen
Photo: boxmixrecipes
This Butterfinger Holiday Candy idea for Reindeer With Pretzels, chocolate frosting, and M&Ms takes literally minutes to whip up. Ridiculously simple Christmas Treat to make.
It’s a delightful and whimsical Christmas treat that combines rich, nutty Butterfinger candy with salty crunchy pretzels.
Get the full recipe from box mix recipes
Photo: hasslefreevegan
Switch the toppings to go with any holiday. red or green sprinkles for Christmas, Orange sprinkles for Halloween or Thanksgiving, blue for Hanukah, and pastel colors for Easter.
These little bites of heaven are perfect for satisfying your chocolate cravings. Whether you’re a dedicated vegan or just looking for a tasty dessert, these truffles are a must-try.
Get the full recipe from Hassle Free Vegan
Photo: blackberrybabe
It wouldn’t be Christmas without a Christmas Crack recipe! This saltine toffee recipe is a perennial favorite, especially for gifting.
This chocolate saltine toffee recipe is a sweet treat with salty flavor from the crackers and a ton of rich flavor from the buttery toffee!
Get the full recipe from Blackberry Babe
Photo: foodmeanderings
This easy, no-bake Christmas Nougat is a great candy for your holiday treat tray. It’s only 4 ingredients, fun, colorful, easy to make (no candy thermometer required), and tasty!
This Christmas Nougat (one of the best candies ever) not only makes a great edible gift for friends, but it’s also a great no-bake addition to any Christmas baking platter.
Get the full recipe from food meanderings
Photo: likehotketo
These festive snowballs are the perfect wintertime sweet treat! They are rich and fudgy coconut truffles, with a luscious and firm texture that’s irresistible to bite into!
This easy keto dessert recipe is no-bake and no-cook: you don’t need to turn on the oven or even use the stove.
Get the full recipe from Like Hot Keto
Photo: wholenewmom
It only requires 15 minutes of minimal hands-on effort and then an hour or so to cool in the fridge. Ideal for the Christmas season when days seem shorter and lists are longer.
But then again, what fun are Christmas treats if you can’t indulge just a teensy weensy bit? “This is Christmas, all wrapped up in candy.”
Get the full recipe from Whole New Mom
Photo: the-gingerbread-house
our Peppermint Oreo Bark recipe always goes down a treat. It only requires 3 ingredients and is quick and simple to make.
Our diary is filling up with dates to catch up with friends and family in the run-up to Christmas.
Get the full recipe from The Gingerbread House
Photo: organizedisland
This tasty Christmas fudge recipe is the perfect holiday treat for your next party. You’ll have perfect Christmas Fudge with this easy recipe.
The holidays wouldn’t be complete without a plateful of decadent, delicious Christmas fudge sitting on the counter.
Get the full recipe from Organized Island
Photo: whiskingwolf
The weather outside is frightful but Peppermint Schnapps Christmas Truffles are oh-so delightful.
Made with four simple ingredients these no-bake truffles are infused with peppermint liqueur and then sprinkled with crushed candy canes.
Get the full recipe from Whisking Wolf
Photo: strengthandsunshine
Enjoy your favorite seasonal treat as a sweet and salty snack! This homemade Peppermint Bark Popcorn is perfect for Christmas party munching and gifting!
This gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and allergy-free recipe is easy to make with crispy popcorn coated in creamy white chocolate, crushed candy canes, and peppermint extract, and drizzled with dark chocolate!
Get the full recipe from Strength And Sunshine
Photo: twokidsandacoupon
Whether you love it for Thanksgiving, Christmas or all year long, homemade brittle with peanuts or other nuts is a delicious treat.
Add a special sweet treat to your holiday celebrations with this easy peanut brittle recipe. Here is how to make it for your family!
Get the full recipe from Two Kids And A Coupon
Photo: thiswifecooks
This rich and creamy chocolate fudge is easy to make in the microwave with just 5 simple ingredients! It is great for gifting!
The flavor and texture are also exactly what you remember from traditional fudge. This easy Christmas fudge also keeps exceptionally well in an airtight container,
Get the full recipe from This Wife Cooks
Photo: dinneratthezoo
This Christmas crack is saltine toffee made with crackers, brown sugar, butter, chocolate, and holiday sprinkles.
A sweet and salty treat that’s addictively delicious and perfect for feeding a crowd!
Get the full recipe from dinner at the zoo
Photo: lynnswayoflife
A sweet treat during the holiday season, these Christmas truffles are so easy and so fun to make!
The best part is, that there is no need to heat up the kitchen and turn on the oven, these are made on the stove and then kept cold right in the refrigerator.
Get the full recipe from Lynn’s way of life
Photo: wowitsveggie
It is the perfect recipe for Christmas and kids love helping make it, especially when it comes time to crack the peppermint bark!
The flavor of dark and white chocolate blended together with peppermint and topped with candy canes will taste like an explosion of Christmas in your mouth!
Get the full recipe from Wow Its Veggie
Photo: infinetaste
These easy chocolate orange truffles have a silky, smooth ganache center. They use rich dark chocolate and with just a few ingredients are so simple to make!
These would make a great homemade gift for your friends, family, or neighbors for Christmas, the holidays, or even Valentine’s Day.
Get the full recipe from InfineTaste
Photo: saltysidedish
Chewy, delicious Christmas Gumdrop Nougats are a fantastic and easy no-bake old-fashioned holiday treat.
Easily flavored with peppermint or cinnamon, this super sweet and festive holiday candy is trendy in the latter part of the year.
Get the full recipe from Salty Side Dish
Photo: thepioneerwoman
Making Christmas candy has never been easier than this salty-sweet cracker candy. Switch up the toppings and make it year-round!
Made with a unique, crisp base of saltine crackers, smothered in crunchy homemade toffee, and blanketed with semi-sweet chocolate and Nutella, this easy-to-prepare treat is *almost* addictive!
Get the full recipe from The Pioneer Woman
Photo: southernliving
No proper Southern tea party, wedding reception, or baby shower is complete without a candy dish brimming with delicate buttermints.
Traditionally colored in a rainbow of pastel hues, they are light and crisp with a buttery richness, a refreshing minty flavor, and a texture that melts in your mouth.
Get the full recipe from Southern Living
Frequently Asked Questions
Popular Christmas Candies Besides Candy Canes
There’s way more to Christmas candy than just candy canes! Some of the most-loved holiday treats include peppermint bark, chocolate Christmas candy like truffles, Christmas fudge, and classic gingerbread cookies. These homemade Christmas candy favorites are often shared as gifts during the season and bring joy to people of all ages.
Unique Christmas Candy Recipes
Looking to level up your holiday treat game with some unique Christmas candy ideas? There are so many fun options! Try making candy cane popcorn, festive Christmas candy bark, or decadent hot cocoa truffles. You can also get creative and make your own homemade candy canes or peppermint patties for a fun, hands-on holiday treat.
Traditional Christmas Candies from Around the World
Christmas candy traditions vary across the globe! In Germany, people enjoy marzipan, while in Italy, panettone is a holiday favorite. Over in the UK, Christmas pudding takes center stage, while Sweden celebrates with pepparkakor (gingerbread cookies). Meanwhile, in France, bûche de Noël—a Yule log cake—brings a sweet, festive touch to the holidays.
Easy Christmas Candy Ideas for Kids
If you’re on the lookout for easy Christmas candy ideas that kids can make, you’ve got plenty of fun options. Try simple recipes like chocolate-covered pretzels, reindeer bark, or peppermint patties. You can also make Christmas candy for kids like popcorn balls or candy cane Christmas treats like marshmallow pops to keep the holiday spirit sweet and playful!
Wrapping It Up
Christmas candies are the ultimate way to add some festive sweetness to your holiday celebrations. Whether you’re all about traditional Christmas candy like peppermint or feeling adventurous with unique flavors like eggnog, there’s something for everyone. Looking for gift ideas? Opt for Christmas candy gift baskets, or go all out with a gourmet Christmas candy box or a mix of homemade goodies.
And don’t forget, Christmas candy decorations can totally elevate your holiday decor! String up candy canes as garland, fill jars with colorful candies, or get creative with sweet displays. However you celebrate, homemade Christmas candy brings a sweet, festive vibe to any holiday gathering!
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Judy Kahansky
Judy Kahansky is an experienced writer and baker, creating delicious desserts (including pie!) for over 40 years. She loves to take classic and vintage recipes and update them to fit the busy lives of her readers. When not baking, Judy and her husband Mark are passionate golfers, travelers and dog lovers, spending as much time as they can with their sweet pup Millie.
