Thin crispy pretzels are dipped in creamy almond bark then sprinkled with crushed candy canes to make this yule time treat.  Peppermint bark pretzels are amazingly delicious are certain to make any gathering festive.  These little pretzel candies are also the perfect addition to your holiday cookie platters and gift baskets.  Great gift idea for neighbors and teachers, and don’t forget to leave a few out for Santa.

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Peppermint Bark Pretzels

An easy to make holiday classic treat, thin crisp pretzels are dipped in creamy almond bark and topped with bits of candy cane. Three favorite flavors in one festive bite. Perfect gift idea for those holiday gift baskets too.

Course Candy

Cuisine American

Keyword Holiday Candy, Peppermint Bark Pretzels

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 36

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 12 ounces almond bark rough chopped and melted
• 1 bag pretzel crisps original flavor
• 4 peppermint candy canes crushed

Instructions

• Heat almond bark in a double boiler until smooth
• Dip pretzels one at a time in the melted almond bark turning to coat. Remove with a fork and tap off extra melted candy. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and immediately sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
• Allow to set up before removing from wax paper.
• Place in a sealed storage container in a cool location.

Notes

If almond bark becomes too thick, place back over the double boiler to warm.

Depending on the number of pretzels you dip you may need more or less almond bark.

And don’t forget about our Classic Almond Bark Pretzels, they are just as delicious and easy-to-make!

Delightfully creamy and absolutely delicious, Cranberry & Pistachio Dream Fudge melts in your mouth and brings the flavors of the holiday alive. This velvety smooth candy is quick and easy to prepare, and is the perfect complement to other holiday goodies. Full of cranberries and nuts, this white chocolate dream is finished with a hint of citrus which awakens the senses with each and every bite. Pair with a glass of sparkling wine to create the perfect after dinner dessert.

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Cranberry & Pistachio Dream Fudge

Delightfully creamy and absolutely delicious, Cranberry & Pistachio Dream Fudge melts in your mouth and brings the flavors of the holiday alive. This velvety smooth candy is quick and easy to prepare, and is the perfect complement to other holiday goodies.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 64 Pieces

Ingredients

• 2 12 oz. bags white baking chips
• 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• ¾ Cup dried cranberries rough chopped
• ½ Cup pistachio nuts coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• Line an 8” x 8” baking dish with foil, extending the foil over the sides and lightly grease with butter.
• In a 2 quart heavy sauce pan, combine baking chips and condensed milk. Melt chips over low heat stirring often until mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Remove saucepan from the heat and stir in about three fourths of the dried cranberries and pistachios reserving the rest for the topping. Stir in orange zest and vanilla. Mix well.
• Pour into prepared baking dish. Level fudge out with a spatula and top with remaining cranberries and pistachios while still warm.
• Cover and chill for about 2 hours or until firm.
• Lift fudge out of pan by the foil and cut into small pieces. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week.

This year I find myself looking at the calendar in amazement wondering where all the time I thought I had before the holidays went. Actually the whole summer and fall have pretty much zip-pity do da-ed right out of my arse. Spring storms this year brought hail and water damage to our home. So in addition to playing general contractor for the already scheduled brick work, I found my self managing a new roof and gutters (thank-you State Farm), as well as the painting of all the exterior trim. The unplanned remodeling of the lower level of our house did offer us new options for finally completing the “man cave” of our dreams (with a giant HD television, amazing sound system, and sexy lighting) however I guess between doing much of the work myself and organizing the rest, I somehow lost a month or two.

Suddenly it was Thanksgiving (didn’t even see that one coming) and now it was time to decorate the house and make holiday treats for family and friends, neighbors, and the caregivers at the home where my mother resides. So I got busy and busted out a dozen of my trusted holiday family favorites and got to work. As I completed the last treat, I felt that I had sifted, creamed, chopped, dusted, and rolled about as much butter, flour, and sugar as I could possible tolerate. Seems to come a point each year where I am just over it, and with company arriving this coming Wednesday (hopefully a bit later in the day than the new furniture and bed are to be delivered, nothing like running a tight schedule) I felt like I had everything taken care of.  Then came the question. “You are going to make Peanut butter balls aren’t you? I don’t see any peanut butter balls. They are my favorite and you always make them. It just wouldn’t be Christmas without them”.

So overnight as I lay awake dreading the idea of rolling and dipping yet another item, the thought came to me to simply make them as a bar. The recipe itself is quite simple, so why not just let simple be and make my life the same. Well the experiment worked quite well I must say. I prepared the filling as I normally would for the balls, but instead pressed it into an 8″ x 8″ pan that I had lined with foil and buttered. Then I tempered some chocolate and flooded it over the top of the filling. I allowed the pan to set up overnight, cut the bar into pieces and….. ta da! I did go the extra and melt some peanut butter chips to decorate the tops but that certainly would have not been necessary. I must say they turned out really quite good. I still think I might prefer the rolled ones, but for this holiday, simple is certainly……. simply delicious.

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Peanut Butter Ball Bars

Everyone's favorite chocolate and peanut butter balls made in an easy bar form.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 48 Candies

Ingredients

• 1   cup butter softened
• 1   cup peanut butter smooth or crunchy
• 2   cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3   cups powdered sugar
• 1  12 oz. bag semi-sweet baking chips

Instructions

• Line an 8" x 8" baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease with butter
• Mix together butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add graham crackers and mix well. Add powdered sugar and mix until a soft dough forms.
• Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Melt chocolate by tempering either in a double boiler or in the microwave. Pour melted chocolate over the top of the peanut butter mixture and spread evenly.
• Allow for chocolate to set up before cutting. You can speed up this process by placing pan in the fridge.
• Using the foil lift the bars out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Cut into 1" - 1 1/2" squares. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

You can use any recipe for Peanut Butter Balls with this method.

More recipes you might enjoy:

Better Homes and Gardens

Joy of Baking

Sweet Anna’s

Taste of Home

The Girl Who Ate Everything

With all of your busy schedules and long lists of things to accomplish before the holidays, it is nice to find something that will not add to your frustration. These delicious and easy to make turtles require only three ingredients and about 20 minutes to make. They are the perfect way to round out your holiday cookies and candy list without any hassle, and are a great idea for any last-minute gifts too!

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Rolo Turtles

Salty and sweet, these delicious and easy to make turtles require only three ingredients and about 20 minutes to make.

Course Candy, Dessert

Cuisine American, Christmas

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2 Dozen

Ingredients

• 24 waffle style pretzels
• 24 Rolo candies
• 24 pecan halves toasted

Instructions

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pecans stirring often. Toast until the nuts pick up a nice color.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
• Arrange the pretzels on the pan, and center a Rolo on each.
• Place in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes.
• Carefully push a pecan half into the Rolo (take care, the caramel it hot).
• Allow to cool completely before removing from pan.

Notes

Unwrapping the candy is the most time-consuming part of this treat. I later found that the ones that come in a bag are not wrapped, and also some stores carry them in the bulk section.