Kids young and old eagerly anticipate what kind of sweet treats they will find in their Christmas stockings. Delight good little boys and girls this year by whipping up homemade candy to tuck into their stockings.
This honey-sweetened brittle gets its airy texture from the addition of baking soda at the end of cooking. Package it in a cellophane bag sealed with an adorable fold-over "Season's Eatings" gift label.
Marshmallows, cream, and semisweet chocolate chips are all you need to create smooth, perfect fudge every time. Stir in crushed peppermint candies and decorate the top of each square with half a peppermint for the finishing touch.
Chopped pecans are suspended in caramel and sprinkled with sea salt flakes. Package these praline-like candies in kraft ballotin boxes, and adhere a clip-art gift label with a message of sweet tidings for the recipient.
Ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and molasses bring the warm flavors of gingerbread to these rich caramels. Follow our easy instructions to create colorful paper cones for wrapping the caramels into small packages perfect for stuffing into Christmas stockings.
This classic is a favorite among kids and adults alike and is great for holiday gift-giving. Package in cellophane bags or decorative tins for a pretty presentation.
Creamy peanut butter and white chocolate are melted together to create the smooth filling for these easy chocolate-peanut butter cups. Choose from semisweet or bittersweet chocolate for the outer shell of the candies.
Melted bittersweet, milk, or white chocolate in parchment-lined loaf pans presents many delicious topping possibilities. Try one of our bark variations below or experiment with your own favorite flavors.
Movie Theater Bark
Cherry and Orange Peel Bark
S'mores Bark
Peppermint Bark
Lime and Macadamia Nut Bark
Pistachio, Dried Cranberry, and Toasted-Coconut Bark
Cookies-and-Cream Bark
Crackly Two-Tone Bark
Chocolate-Almond Wood-Grain Bark
These pretty red-and-white swirled peppermint marshmallows are the perfect way to top off a Christmas stocking. If you like, nestle the package of marshmallows inside a mug with a few envelopes of hot cocoa mix.
Drops of bittersweet chocolate are decorated with candy sprinkles. Choose from either all-white sprinkles, as pictured here, or use a mixture of Christmas colors, such as red and white, red and green, or green and gold. This old-fashioned chocolate candy is a favorite with kids.
Peanut brittle is just the beginning! Use our basic brittle recipe as a jumping-off point to create delightful variations on the classic:
Lemon and Almond Brittle
Pine Nut and Rosemary Brittle
Cashew and Cayenne Brittle
Pepita and Lavender Brittle
Coconut and Spice Brittle
Espresso and Walnut Brittle
Condensed milk gives this fudge its smooth richness, while pretzels add crunch and a touch of salt. Feel free to use trail mix, your favorite chopped candy, or crushed cookies in place of pretzels.
Buttery caramel layers surround fluffy marshmallow filling, all tucked inside a coating of tempered bittersweet chocolate. Follow our easy instructions for packaging these candies as stocking stuffers or gifts.
White chocolate, peppermint oil, and a dozen candy canes are all you need to create this easy, colorful Christmas bark. Spread the bark into small molds to package as individual stocking stuffers, or break into chunks and package in a cellophane bag tied with a ribbon.
Caramel flavored with vanilla and dark rum coats toasted pecan halves. A layer of bittersweet chocolate coating the bottoms of the clusters provides the perfect balance to the sweetness of the caramel in this candy that will delight the grown-ups on your "nice" list.
Half of a batch of peppermint candy is dyed icy blue and half left white, then the two colors are twisted together and allowed to harden into icicle-shaped candy sticks. The recipe includes step-by-step photos and instructions for creating this fun Christmas stocking stuffer.
These little candies burst with rich caramel and bittersweet chocolate flavors. This recipe makes 150 chocolate caramels, enough to stuff stockings for the whole family.
In only 15 minutes you can whip up a batch of homemade chocolate bark swirled with hazelnuts and orange zest, and sprinkled with sea salt. Vary the type of nuts to suit your tastes, and add dried cranberries or cherries if you like.
To make this easy chocolate fudge, marshmallows are melted with cream and butter to form a smooth base, and then semisweet or white chocolate chips are stirred in. Cut the fudge into squares or create fun shapes using cookie cutters. Top with toasted nuts or crushed peppermint candies.
Fluffy homemade marshmallows are cut into squares and coated in a layer of fudge made from semisweet chocolate, evaporated milk, butter, sugar, and homemade marshmallow cream. These heavenly chocolate-covered marshmallows will be a big hit with kids and adults alike.
Get Momma Reiner's Chocolate-Covered Marshmallows Recipe
Peppermint candy is dyed pink and twisted into fanciful twig shapes before it hardens. The peppermint sticks are dipped partway in melted bittersweet chocolate for a decorative finish. These can be used as stirring sticks for hot cocoa or enjoyed on their own.
Get out your candy thermometer to make this traditional walnut fudge recipe. Use narrow satin ribbon to tie up each square of fudge like a tiny gift.
Arrange your choice of chopped nuts in small pools of melted chocolate to create simple, sophisticated candies for stuffing Christmas stockings. This recipe gives instructions for tempering chocolate, a process of heating, partially cooling, and reheating that aligns the chocolate crystals so that the finished product is firm and shiny.
Red-and-white-striped peppermint sticks are dipped in white chocolate and coated in candy sprinkles (also known as nonpareils). For variety, dip some of the peppermint sticks in semisweet or milk chocolate, and use red and green sprinkles in addition to white.
Sweetened condensed milk, butter, cream, and corn syrup create rich, glossy caramels. Wrap the caramels in waxed paper or buy decorative wrappers at a cake- and candy-decorating supply store.
Cinnamon syrup lightly coats whole almonds before they're dipped in melted chocolate. Half the chocolate-covered almonds are dusted in confectioners' sugar and half in cocoa powder, to create contrasting colors.
Lemon zest, almonds, and honey add their gentle flavors to this chewy nougat. For gift-giving, follow our packaging how-to.
This rich brittle is packed with toasted pistachios. Melted semisweet chocolate is spread over both sides of the brittle, and a layer of praline dust and chopped pistachios adds a sweet, crunchy finish.
Butter and brown sugar give rich butterscotch flavor to this fudge, and walnuts add crunch. The cooked fudge is beaten with an electric mixer to create its characteristic light texture.
Swirls of bittersweet and white chocolate make a beautiful, easy holiday treat perfect for stuffing stockings. Salted peanuts are stirred into this chocolate bark; you may like to try cashews, pistachios, or dried cranberries as well.
Start Over

Make and give (or keep for yourself) these adorable and delicious Christmas cookies.
Get the Recipes
From appetizers to desserts, plan the perfect celebration with these recipes and ideas.
Get the Recipes
Make these crafts, decorations, and recipes, in a snap with our easy holiday ideas.
See the Ideas
Craft a special Christmas with these festive projects and decorations.
See the Projects© 2013 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved.








Comments