1. Chocolate Pretzels
Okay, these are so easy a kid could do them; all you need are pretzels (I like the Snyder's Snaps the best for this), Hershey's Kisses, and M&M's to make these tasty treats. These are a huge hit with both children and adults, and are the quickest and easiest thing to make for any party you may be going to -- plus they're easy to travel with!
For the full recipe, click here.
2. Peanut Butter Haystacks
Haystacks are a classic holiday goody that comprise of 4 simple ingredients: butterscotch chips, peanut butter, peanuts, and chow mein noodles. It's hard to go wrong with haystacks, since they always seem to disappear from the dessert table very quickly at parties, and there is no oven needed to make them (though you do need the microwave to melt the butterscotch chips and the peanut butter together). There are a lot of variations you can do on haystacks, too; though the peanut butter ones are my personal favorite, you can do ones without peanut butter or you can use chocolate instead of butterscotch. The chocolate ones are super cute when topped with sprinkles, and are a real winner with younger kids.
For the full recipe for peanut butter haystacks, click here.
For the full recipe for chocolate haystacks, click here.
3. Red Velvet Cool Whip Cookies
I love these because they come out thicker and softer than ordinary cookies, and the texture that they have once they are baked gives each one a unique look. You can do these cookies in any flavor you want, but the red velvet topped with powdered sugar have a look that, to me, just screams Christmas. These are a great last-minute dessert item, though they can be slightly messy. Trust me when I say, though, they are well-worth it.
For the full recipe, click here.
4. Oreo Balls
Oreo balls are a very popular dessert item, and are my dessert of choice when I make one for a party. All you need is a pack of Oreos (plain and mint make the best ones), a pack of cream cheese, a medium-sized bowl, and a mixer, and you're good to go. You can also roll a cherry into the middle of each Oreo ball to add a little bit of a punch to them, or add crushed peppermints to the top for a more festive touch. These things are extremely messy and time-consuming to make, but what they lack in cleanliness and timeliness they more than make up for in tastiness.
For the full recipe, click here.
5. Turtle Bars
Turtle bars are easily one of my favorite hand-held desserts; they taste basically like heaven, and are a perfect combination of crunchy and chewy. With a combination of caramel, chocolate, and pecans, these are the most "grown-up" dessert on this list, and they take a bit more time, ingredients, and technique to make than the others, but they are extremely delicious and worth the time and effort.
For the full recipe, click here.
I hope this list gave you a bit of inspiration on what to bring to your next holiday party. Tell me what some of your favorites are -- I'd love to get some inspiration of my own!
Happy Holidays!
