15 Best Christmas Candy Recipes To Make This Holiday

Making homemade Christmas candy is a fun way to celebrate the holiday season! And with these Christmas candy recipes, it’s way easier than you think. Some of these recipes don’t even require a candy thermometer!

From cute Frosty’s Hats to traditional Christmas candies like peppermint bark, fudge, and peanut brittle, we have the best recipes to put you in the Christmas spirit.

collage of our Christmas candy recipes — We have 15 Christmas candy recipes to choose from!

I always think dessert trays and holiday tables are more festive with a mix of Christmas cookies, candies, and desserts, so I like to make some of each. Most of the candy recipes below are so easy you can even make them while you do your holiday baking.

If you need more holiday recipe ideas, try some of these: 
Italian Christmas Cookies
Mexican Cookies
Greek Desserts

Christmas Candy Recipes

I suggest making a big batch of your favorite candy. You’ll find so many uses for the tasty treats, and homemade holiday candies make great gifts for anyone with a sweet tooth. 

1. Peppermint Bark

Peppermint Bark Christmas Candy — Peppermint Bark. Photo by Flavor the Moments

Main ingredients: Bittersweet chocolate, white chocolate bars, and crushed candy canes.

Peppermint Bark is always a family favorite at Christmastime! This easy candy recipe only has three simple ingredients, so it’s at the top of my list. It is basically two layers of melted chocolate topped with peppermint candy.

This recipe calls for white chocolate bars, but you can substitute any kind of white melting chocolate or chips if you wish. If you’re feeling creative, it’s fun to personalize your own new recipe with different flavoring extracts, mini marshmallows, and/or nuts.  
Peppermint Bark Recipe 

2. Peanut Brittle

Peanut Brittle for Christmas — Peanut Brittle. Photo by Two Kids and a Coupon

Main ingredients: Sugar, corn syrup, peanuts, unsalted butter, vanilla, and baking soda.

Peanut Brittle is one of the most popular Christmas candies, but once you make it for the first time, you’ll want to make this sweet treat year-round. It is worth preparing this recipe for the aroma of the caramelized sugar mixture alone!

To make sure you get the perfect light brown brittle, you will need a candy thermometer, but don’t let that scare you! The trick to this recipe is to stir often once you add the peanuts! 
Peanut Brittle Recipe

3. Sugar Cookie Truffles  

Main ingredients: White chocolate chips, sugar cookies, vanilla extract, cream cheese, and festive sprinkles.

This is a simple candy recipe with the taste of sugar cookies combined with the creaminess of truffles. There are lots of Christmas truffles recipes out there, but I like this one the best because there’s no chocolate dipping!

The first time I made homemade candy that was dipped in chocolate, it was a disaster. Now I make these no-dip Sugar Cookie Truffles and all you need is a baking sheet, parchment paper, a microwave-proof bowl, and a wooden spoon.
Sugar Cookie Truffles Recipe

4. Frosty’s Hats 

Christmas candy that looks like Frosty's Hat — Frosty’s Hats. Photo by Baking Beauty

Main ingredients: Large marshmallows, chocolate cookie wafers, chocolate candy melts, jumbo holly mix sprinkles, white pearl candies, and red candy melts.

This is hands down one of the cutest candy recipes for Christmas. Adding Frosty’s Hats to any holiday dessert tray will impress your guests. These delectable hats are also great for Christmas cookie exchanges.  

Once you make these candies, you’ll have all kinds of great ideas for them. You can even try taking the sticks used for cake pops and making a Frosty’s Hat Marshmallow pop! 
Frosty’s Hats Recipe 

5. Torrone Italian Nut Nougat 

Torrone, a traditional Italian Christmas Candy — Italian Torrone. Photo by XOXO Bella

Main ingredients: Sugar, wafer paper, honey, egg whites, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and nuts.

One of the most popular Italian Christmas desserts in northern Italy, Torrone makes a delicious gift for any lover of Italian cuisine!

Torrone is also one of the most flexible candy Christmas recipes. You can use any kind of nuts—but usually almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, or pecans. Zest from orange peels can be substituted for lemon zest, and you can add ingredients like dried cranberries, figs, or apricots.
Torrone Italian Nut Nougat Recipe

6. Traditional Toffee Candy

American-style toffee for Christmas — American-Style Toffee. Photo by I Heart Eating

Main ingredients: Sugar, semi-sweet chocolate chips, almonds, and salted butter.

Which is the best toffee, American or English? This is an American toffee recipe, as English toffee does not use nuts and only includes a minimal amount of chocolate.

Personally, I prefer toffee with nuts and chocolate, but not chocolate toffee where the actual toffee is flavored.
Traditional Toffee Candy Recipe

7. Cranberry Jelly Candies

Bright red Cranberry Jelly Candies — Cranberry Jelly Candies. Photo by Baste Cut Fold

Main ingredients: Sugar, cranberry juice, and gelatin.

I love the vibrant red of these Cranberry Jelly Candies. The perfect candy recipe for Christmas, they add a pop of color to holiday gift baskets and candy trays.

Jelly candies are similar to the pâte de fruits of French cuisine that are often served after dinner.

Pro Tip: These candies need to set 1 to 2 days for the sugar coating to get crunchy.
Cranberry Jelly Candies Recipe

8. Cinnamon Rock Candy 

Main ingredients: Sugar, light corn syrup, red food coloring, cinnamon candy oil, and powdered sugar.

I remember old-fashioned rock candy dipped on sticks. This recipe uses a cookie sheet instead, and it’s much less time consuming!

If you love the sweet and spicy flavor of cinnamon candies, making this hard candy is a no-brainer.
Cinnamon Rock Candy Recipe 

9. Southern Pecan Pralines

Southern Pecan Pralines, a NOLA holiday tradition — Pecan Pralines. Photo by Rose Bakes

Main ingredients: Brown sugar, heavy whipping cream, salted butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar.

If you’ve ever been to New Orleans, you know Pecan Pralines are a sweet part of NOLA cuisine. They are especially enjoyed during the holidays, but you can certainly eat them any time of year.

Pecan Pralines are known for their creamy melt-in-your-mouth texture, and that’s exactly what you’ll get with this recipe. 
Southern Pecan Pralines Recipe

10. Marzipan Springerle Candy 

Main ingredients: Marzipan, confectioners’ sugar, and luster dust (optional).

This is the best candy gift for those who love the almondy flavor of marzipan! A springerle is a German mold used to bake cookies with an intricate design.

However, this Marzipan Springerle Candy is a no-bake recipe and is not a cookie. It is made entirely of marzipan that is air-dried. This process hardens the outside of the candy but leaves the inside soft.
Marzipan Springerle Candy Recipe

11. Old Fashioned Taffy

Old Fashioned Taffy for the holidays — Old Fashioned Taffy. Photo by Busy Creating Memories

Main ingredients: Sugar, cream of tartar, white distilled vinegar, and butter.

I always associate taffy with the Ocean City Boardwalk just minutes away from where my husband’s family lives. But what is sold on the Boardwalk is salt-water taffy. This recipe is for vinegar taffy. Yes, that’s a thing!

This is one of the old-fashioned Christmas candy recipes that dates back to the holiday treats of the 1800s. And don’t worry, it doesn’t taste anything like vinegar.
Old Fashioned Taffy Recipe 

12. Homemade Peppermint Patties

Main ingredients: Sweetened condensed milk, peppermint extract, confectioners’ sugar, chocolate almond bark, and sprinkles.

These holiday candies have the quintessential chocolate minty flavor of Christmas.

The chocolate bark for this recipe is milk chocolate, but you can use white almond bark, dark chocolate, or any combination for your homemade peppermint patties. 
Homemade Peppermint Patties Recipe 

13. Christmas Fudge 

Chocolate Christmas Fudge — Christmas Fudge makes a tasty gift.

Main ingredients: Will depend on the flavor

Many Americans associate fudge with Christmas, and nowadays there are some really delicious variations. The best part: Most fudge recipes are pretty quick and easy.

Candy cane fudge, traditional chocolate fudge, homemade peanut butter fudge—we have a whole article on our favorite fudge recipes!
Christmas Fudge Recipes

14. Crockpot Christmas Candy

Crockpot Christmas Candies — Crockpot Christmas Candy. Almost Super Mom

Main ingredients: White melting chocolate, macadamia nuts, and Christmas sprinkles.

Recipes for easy Christmas candy don’t get much easier than macadamia nuts and white chocolate in a slow cooker. With a recipe this simple, you have no excuse not to make homemade candies! And they are so yummy!
Crockpot Christmas Candy Recipe

15. Peanut Butter Bon Bons

Main ingredients: Peanut butter, semisweet chocolate chips and/or butterscotch chips, butter, powdered sugar, and Rice Krispies cereal.

Who doesn’t love the classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate? Throw in some crunchy rice cereal, and your chocolate-covered peanut butter balls are guaranteed to be a family favorite. 

With this recipe, you have the option of coating the bonbons in semisweet chocolate or butterscotch or both. But the options don’t end there—white chocolate fans will swoon over white chocolate peanut butter bon bons.
Peanut Butter Bon Bons Recipe

Storing Your Christmas Candies

I hope you make some of these recipes for Christmas candy! I’ve already made my Sugar Cookie Truffles and have them stored away in the freezer.

The best way to store most of these Christmas candies is in an airtight container (with layers separated by parchment or wax paper) at room temperature.

However, a few require refrigeration, so check the storage suggestions in each holiday candy recipe. And freezing is always an option for longer periods, usually up to a month.