10 Easy Holiday Treats I Always Make with My Kids

updated May 30, 2019

Page URL

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

How To Make Magic Bars (Image credit: Lauren Volo)

I love making holiday cookies and treats with my kids. We keep a bunch in the freezer to take out when we have company, we love giving them away as gifts, and of course we eat some ourselves! The secret to our success is keeping things as simple as possible. I’ve tried out plenty of complicated recipes with my kids and it’s never worth it; with so many hands, cookie time can go from festive to hectic in no time.

We’ve come to rely on a few recipes that we enjoy every year. My three kids were able to help when they were small and needed a step stool, and now that they are older they can make them themselves.

Ready to get cooking? These 10 holiday treats are basically foolproof.

(Image credit: Wanna Come With?)

1. Chow Mein Noodle Cookies from Wanna Come With?

Part cookie, part candy, these chocolate treats are always the first to disappear. We love the chocolate taste, but if you’re more of a butterscotch-lover, skip the chocolate chips and double the butterscotch chips.

(Image credit: Lauren Volo)

2. How To Make Magic Cookie Bars

My mom used to make Magic Bars for me and my sisters when we were young, and now I make them with my kids. Sprinkling the chocolate chips and coconut is their favorite part.

(Image credit: Hello Little Home)

3. Peppermint Bark from Hello Little Home

You only need two ingredients for this ultimate Christmas-time treat: candy canes and white chocolate. If your kids are anything like mine, they’ll love pulverizing the candy canes with a rolling pin and sprinkling them in the melted chocolate.

(Image credit: The Busy Baker)

4. Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookie Bars from The Busy Baker

I love frosted sugar cookies but they are a ton of work. A few years ago a friend turned me on to this recipe from The Busy Baker. They come out just like the soft cookies you buy in the store and are so much easier to make.

(Image credit: Averie Cooks)

5. Homemade Turtles from Averie Cooks

Gooey, homemade Turtles are one of my favorite holiday comfort foods. Thanks to this super-easy recipe, I can keep a stash of them hidden in the back of my pantry and bust them out when the kids go to bed.

(Image credit: Baker by Nature)

6. Salted Caramel Pretzel Bon Bons from Baker by Nature

These salty-sweet treats are irresistible. By simply stacking and melting a few ingredients together, you can make a decadent candy that looks like a lot more work than it actually is.

(Image credit: Inspired by Charm)

7. Crock-Pot Candy by Inspired by Cahrm

If you make one thing this holiday season, make sure it’s this recipe. There is nothing easier, and it comes out perfect every single time.

(Image credit: Crazy for Crust)

8. Butterscotch Peanut Butter Cornflake Clusters from Crazy for Crust

A friend made me these clusters and I didn’t think I was going to like them, but I was so wrong. They are fantastic and have been in our rotation every year since.

(Image credit: Sally’s Baking Addiction)

9. Pretzel Hugs by Sally’s Baking Addiction

These are the perfect mix of salty and sweet. You can also use Rolos or mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups instead of the Hershey’s Kisses.

(Image credit: Little Dairy on the Prairie)

10. 20-Minute Christmas Crack by Little Dairy on the Prairie

Please trust me when I say you need this candy in your life. My sister brought it to our cookie swap last year, and it was everyone’s new favorite. It’s called Christmas Crack for a very good reason.

Filed in: