Christmas Goodie Recipes

Baking Christmas goodies is always my favorite time of year. I love spending hours upon hours in the kitchen making delicious treats for family and friends to enjoy. This year, I made 20 different things. I decided to share a few of my favorite things with you.

Peco Flake
Some choose to call this peanut brittle, but my family calls it 'peco flake' because it has coconut in it.

2 c. sugar
1 c. water
1 c. light corn syrup
1 tsp. salt
2 c. raw spanish peanuts (from Fareway)
1 tsp. butter (not margarine)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
7 oz. raw chip coconut (one bag is 5 oz.)

Combine the sugar, water and corn syrup in heavy skillet. Cook, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. The sugar should dissolve in about 10-15 minutes. Once it dissolves add salt and nuts. I've only been able to find the raw spanish peanuts at Fareway (see photo above with brand).
Bring this mixture to 'hard crack stage' or 294 degrees. Be sure to stir constantly so it doesn't burn. Once this reaches the 294 degrees, remove from heat. Add the butter, baking soda and vanilla. Stir quickly as it will foam up. Then add in the 7 oz. of raw chip coconut.

Spread onto parchment paper. To flatten, I put another piece of parchment paper on the top and roll out with a rolling pin to make the pieces thin. Once it is cooled, break into pieces.

Peanut Butter Balls
1 c. peanut butter (creamy)
1 c. powdered sugar
1 1/2 c. rice krispies
2 Tbsp. butter, softened (not margarine)
1/2 c. chopped peanuts (fine)

Chocolate dipping sauce:
1/4 bar of parafin wax
1 - 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips

Combine the peanut butter, powdered sugar, rice krispies, butter and chopped peanuts. Form into balls and chill for 6 hours or freeze. I find it easier to dip them if they are frozen.

Melt the wax and chocolate chips and dip frozen balls into the mixture and place on parchment paper and let them harden

This wax can be found at Fareway

Toffee Butter Crunch
1 1/2 c. almonds or pecans (finely chopped and toasted) 

1 c. butter

1 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp light-colored corn syrup
3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Line a 9x13" baking pan with parchment paper with paper extended over the edges. Sprinkle 1/2 the toasted pecans or almonds on the paper. Set pan aside.

Melt the butter, then add sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Stir frequently until candy thermometer reaches 290 degrees (soft crack stage). Pour candy into prepared pan. 

Let candy sit for about 5 minutes; sprinkle with chocolate and spread over candy once it has melted. Top with finely chopped nuts. Chill until firm and break into pieces.

This year, I made some with chocolate and chopped pecans and some with just almonds.  

Pecans with chocolate

Pecans with almonds

Peanut Clusters
1 lb. white almond bark (I buy the kind from Fareway)
1 - 8 oz. pkg. salted spanish peanuts
1 - 12 oz. bag milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melt the almond bark and chocolate chips, then add the peanuts. Drop on parchment paper with a mini-cookie scoop until hardened.

Typically I purchase the ones that are not roasted, but I grabbed the wrong ones this year. 

Pretzel Rolos

Round pretzels
Rolos
Pecan halves

Line parchment paper with round pretzels and add a rolo to the center of each one. Bake at 175 degrees for about 5-8 minutes, enough to melt the rolo. Remove from oven and top with a pecan halves. Let the rolo fully harden until it is removed from the parchment paper.












Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies 
Round Ritz crackers (do not use the low fat - they crumble too much)
Peanut Butter
Almond bark, melted

Spread peanut butter in between two crackers. Once all of the crackers are coated, freeze the crackers to harden the peanut butter. Then dip in melted almond bark and let harden on parchment paper. I added a few holiday sprinkles to the top too.











Prezel Hershey Kisses  
Round pretzels
Hershey's hugs candies
Holiday M&M's

Line parchment paper with round pretzels and add a Hershey kiss in the center of each pretzel. Bake at 175 degrees for about 5-8 minutes, enough to melt the rolo. Remove from oven and top with an M&M in the center. Let the kiss fully harden until it is removed from the parchment paper









Pretzel candy bars 
Square pretzels
Mini candy bars (I used snickers and reese's)
Almond bark

Line parchment paper with square pretzels and add a candy bar to the pretzel. Melt without the top pretzel for about 5-8 minutes at 175 degrees. Remove from oven and top another pretzel. Put the pretzels in the freezer to harden.

Remove from the freezer once they are fully frozen and dip in melted almond bark and place on parchment paper until fully hardened.

Christmas Corn Flakes
This was a recipe I found on Pinterest. Click here to view the recipe.

Santa Claus Cookies
This was a recipe I found on Pinterest. Click here to view the recipe.

Mickey Christmas Cookies 
This was a recipe I found on Pinterest. Click here to view the recipe.

Butterscotch Crunchies 
This was a recipe I found on Pinterest. Click here to view the recipe.

Monster Cookies
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1 1/3 c. brown sugar
1 stick butter, softened (not margarine)
1 /12 c. peanut butter, creamy
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp vanilla
4 1/2 c. oatmeal (not the quick oatmeal)
1 c. m&m's
3/4 c. chocolate chips

Mix the sugar's and butter together, then add the peanut butter, eggs, baking soda, vanilla. Mix completely then add the oatmeal, a cup at a time. Slowly add in the m&m's and chocolate chips.

With a small cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto a greased cookies sheet. Flatten each cookie drop with a glass before baking. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Peanut Butter Star Cookies
1 c. brown sugar
1. c. white sugar
1 c. peanut butter (creamy)
1 c. Crisco
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour

Combine the Crisco and sugars. Then slowly add in the peanut butter, baking soda, salt and vanilla. Mix until fully combined, then slowly add in the flour.

With a small cookie scoop, scoop the dough onto a greased cookies sheet. Flatten each cookie drop with a glass before baking. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven and add a chocolate star to the center of each cookie. Put cookies on a cooling rack to cool.