Christmas Candy to Make Ahead (2024)

Candy | Christmas Recipes and Ideas

ByStephanie WilsonMay 1, 2023January 4, 2024

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The season is near! Let’s get started with these easy make-ahead Christmas candy recipes to celebrate the holidays!

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Christmas Candy and Saint Nicholas

A quintessentialelement of Christmas is, of course, Clement Moore’s poem, “A Visit From Saint Nicholas,” better known as, “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” a beloved seasonal story written on a snowy night before Christmas in 1823.

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas

“The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads...”

Indeed, I’ve been known to dream of sugarplums every November as I begin making lists and baking for Christmas. But what, exactly, are sugarplums? And… do they even exist?

Apparently… they do. But they aren’t sugar-coated plums. Which makes me smile — and turn up my Christmas music while sipping a hot mocha.

Christmas Sugarplums

While you’re dreaming of visions of sugarplums, you might wonder what exactly they are.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “A sugarplum is a comfit—that is, a seed, nut, or scrap of spice coated with a layer of hard sugar, like the crunchy outer case of an M&M.”

These 17th-century Christmas candies contained “popular innards for comfits included caraway, fennel, coriander, cardamom seeds, almonds, walnuts, ginger, cinnamon, and aniseed.”

What then is a comfit? Coated and tossed in sugar, these nuts and seeds are considered the oldest known sugar candies. Candied Almonds were among the first recorded candies in culinary history.

According to National Geographic, a sugar plum, also known as a “comfit,” was popular in England from 1600 through the 1800s.

Are you in the mood for sugar plums yet? I most definitely am!

Gift-Worthy Christmas Candy to Make Ahead

Plan ahead with these easy recipes to bring Christmas cheer!

35 Christmas Candy Recipes to Make Ahead

The season is near! Let's get started with these easy make-ahead Christmas candy recipes to celebrate the holidays!

Chocolate Coconut Truffles

Photo Credit:www.countryliving.com

"Three types of coconut product make these truffles the ideal gift for the coconut lover in your life."

Chocolate Peppermint Fudge: The Ultimate Gift

Photo Credit:www.delicious.com.au

Chocolate, peppermint and fudge... Could this recipe get more Christmas?

Mississippi Mud Medallions

Photo Credit:myrecipes.com

“Try substituting mini marshmallows for espresso beans.”

Easy Christmas Crockpot Candy

Photo Credit:thechunkychef.com

Give your oven a break during the holiday and make this easy Christmas crockpot candy! It only takes 4 simple ingredients and a slow cooker!

White Chocolate Peppermint Patties

Photo Credit:www.countryliving.com

"Impress your friends with a snappy and sweet homemade peppermint patty."

Simple Yet Decadent Chocolate Mint Truffles

A 3-ingredient, easy to make, chocolate mint truffle to enjoy for yourself, or even gift. Plus, they freeze well too.

Christmas Muddy Buddies Recipe

This Christmas Muddy Buddies Recipe is the perfect quick and easy treat for the holidays. Always a classic favorite, naturally gluten-free, and ready in minutes!

Best Toffee Ever - Super Easy

Photo Credit:www.allrecipes.com

Need an edible gift that'll please everyone on your list? Look no further than toffee! This top-rated toffee recipe is beloved because it's easy, quick, and absolutely irresistible.

Chocolate Coconut Candies

Photo Credit:www.tasteofhome.com

"These coconut candy balls disappear just as fast as I put them out. They're a snap to whip up and make a beautiful presentation on any holiday cookie plate."

Peppermint Pretzel Candies

Photo Credit:bgh.com

“For delicious candy that comes together in a snap, combine pretzels, peppermint, and white chocolate in your slow cooker. This crunchy Christmas candy makes a sweet holiday gift idea.

Tip: Be sure to use the low-heat setting when cooking chocolate in a slow cooker, and watch carefully to avoid scorching.”

3-Ingredient Christmas Swirl Fudge

Photo Credit:www.bettycrocker.com

With just 10 minutes of prep, some cooling time in your fridge and three ingredients, this sweet-as-can-be recipe will deliver holiday fun. It's the easiest (and tastiest!) way to spread joy during the hectic holiday season.

How to Make The Best Peppermint Bark

Photo Credit:thespruceeats.com

"This is my favorite method for making peppermint bark--it's delicious, it's easy, it's beautiful, and everyone loves receiving it during the holidays!"

White Chocolate Raspberry Truffles

Photo Credit:garnishandglaze.com

“With just 5 ingredients, make the most amazing melt-in-your-mouth White Chocolate Raspberry Truffles to delight in this holiday season.”

Divinity with Cherries and Pecans Recipe

Photo Credit:www.countryliving.com

"These light-and-delightful classic Southern desserts look and taste absolutely divine."

Salty Chocolate-Pecan Candy

Photo Credit:myrecipes.com

No-Bake White Chocolate-Almond Butter Balls

Photo Credit:bgh.com

“Break open the bright white exterior of this Chrismas candy to reveal a delicious blend of crisp, crunchy rice cereal and creamy almond butter. Drizzle melted white chocolate over the treats for a gourmet presentation.”

Easy Peppermint Bark

Photo Credit:sugarapron.com

"An unbelievably easy, no-fuss, Christmas peppermint bark recipe.”

Crispy Peanut Butter Toffee Truffles

Photo Credit:lemontreedwelling.com

“These Crispy Peanut Butter Toffee Truffles are light, crispy, melt-in-your-mouth peanut butter toffee truffles coated in rich milk chocolate and topped with crushed toffee bits.”

5 Minute Christmas Crack: A Simple Sweet and Salty Snack

Tis the season for sweet and salty, and easy. This simple Christmas Crack can be made in 5 minutes or less -- and is incredibly tasty. Does it get better than that?

Sugarplums

Photo Credit:altonbrown.com

“The earliest mention of sugarplums as a confection is from 1668. While the English defined it as a type of comfit (a sugar-crusted seed or fruit),sugar plumcan also mean “something very pleasing or agreeable; esp. when given as a sop or bribe,” a use of the term that dates back to 1608. The wordplumin Victorian times usually suggested a raisin or dried currant, not the fruit we think of today.”

Snowman Chocolates Recipe

Photo Credit:womansday.com

"Stay toasty this winter with a mug of cocoa and these easy-to-make snowman chocolates."

Cashew Brittle

Photo Credit:bhg.com

“Try a nutty twist on buttery brittle by trading cashews for peanuts. The classic Christmas candy takes just 15 minutes of prep and can be stored for up to a week.” It also freezes well!

Easy Christmas Gumdrop Nougat Candy

Photo Credit:aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com

These Gumdrop Nougat Candies taste like nostalgia and Christmas’ past. And I love them. They’re sweet, soft, chewy and so delicious. And very easy to make. Create a batch and share them with friends, give them as gifts, and make sure to have them on your holiday treat plate!

White Chocolate Truffles

Photo Credit:countryliving.com

They're not only delicious—they're the perfect last-minute gift too.

Soft, Buttery Homemade Caramels

Photo Credit:meaningfuleats.com

“This recipe makes a ton of caramels! I usually make them for my yearly Christmas “neighbor gifts”. Theoriginal recipe my Grandma has always used to make caramels is from an old church cookbook.”

Layered Mint Candies

Photo Credit:www.tasteofhome.com

"These incredible melt-in-your-mouth candies have the perfect amount of mint nestled between layers of mild chocolate. Even when I make a double batch for everyone to enjoy, the supply never lasts long at Christmas!"

Salted Caramel Cracker Candy Recipe

Photo Credit:countryliving.com

Master the sweet-and-salty–dessert trend — without turning on the oven! Our easiest-ever brittle-like candy (made with saltines!) is 100% no-bake and requires only a microwave. Who needs a candy thermometer?

Pecan-Toffee Shortbread

Photo Credit:myrecipes.com

"Shortbread serves as a base for this chocolaty pecan toffee. Pecan-Toffee Shortbread makes excellent food gifts, but make extra because it’ll be hard to give this sweet treat away.”

Recipe: Eggnog Marshmallows

Photo Credit:www.thekitchn.com

"You’ve been invited to a dinner party, and suddenly you’re wondering what, exactly, you should bring the host — I realized that marshmallows make the perfect gift this time of year. And these eggnog marshmallows, in particular, will guarantee you get an invite to the next party."

More Christmas Recipes You May Also Enjoy

Figgy Pudding
27 Holiday Loaves and Christmas Bread Recipes
Christmas Muddy Buddies Recipe
29 Homemade Christmas Food Gifts
15 Retro Christmas Foods Deserving of a Comeback
Traditional German Christmas Food

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