5 Must-Make Desserts for the Holiday Season
Nothing gets you in the holiday spirit quite like baking! Cookies, pies, cakes, and other sweet treats make for the perfect festive spreads. Take advantage of these 5 must-make desserts for the holiday season and share them with family and friends!
Peppermint Patties
While you can purchase these at the store, nothing beats these homemade patties that are simple, yet perfect for impressing your friends and family. Start by combining ¼ cup of softened butter, ⅓ cup of corn syrup, 1-2 tsp of peppermint extract, and 3 cups of powdered sugar. Use a mixer to combine until ingredients are holding together. Remove the dough from the bowl and break it into 2-teaspoon sized sections. Roll the sections and then flatten to form the patty. Place on a pan lined with parchment before freezing them for 10-15 minutes.
While freezing, melt 2 cups of dark dipping chocolate (Ghirardelli Melting Wafers work best) for 1 minute and 20 seconds. Remove the peppermint patties from the freezer and dip them in the chocolate, covering each side. If you want, you can add chocolate sprinkles, and you’re done!
Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
We are keeping with the peppermint theme but making fudge this time! Fudge is the perfect holiday gift for your neighbors and friends. Plus the bite sized pieces make it easy to eat. Start by lining an 8×8 pan with parchment. Melt 2 cups of dark chocolate chips and, separately, melt one 16 ounce can of chocolate fudge frosting. Pour them together and stir. Now pour the fudge mixture into the prepared pan and let it set for an hour. Mix together 2 ¼ cups of powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of unsalted softened butter, ½ teaspoon of peppermint extract, and 2 tablespoons of water. Beat until a soft candy forms. Press this mixture over the top of the fudge and let set again. Cut into squares and top with melted chocolate and drizzled fudge. Add sprinkles for an extra festive touch!
White Chocolate-Dipped Madeleines
While this recipe doesn’t involve much baking, it is the perfect way to impress your guests. You can make your own madeleines, but we used store bought and it works perfectly. Melt down some white chocolate and dip a section of the madeleine for a unique look. Finely chop some chopped cranberries and pistachios to sprinkle on the chocolate portion while still wet. The simplicity of this recipe can be our little secret!
Peppermint Divinity
This traditional treat is perfect to bring back for this Christmas season. While this treat is typically topped with pecans, this recipe takes a holiday spin on it with peppermint topping. This recipe is more detailed than our previous picks, so click the photo to view the full recipe and make your own holiday divinity!
Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups
These sweet cookies are the cutest way to enjoy “hot chocolate” this holiday season. They can be super simple, using ready-to-bake/eat ingredients, or you can start from scratch! If you’re using ingredients that are ready-to-go, here’s how you’ll make them: Take ready-to-bake sugar cookies, and bake them in a mini-muffin pan at 350 degrees for 10 mins. Be sure to shape them like cups. When they come out, fill them with pudding or melted milk chocolate. Use melted chocolate or frosting to secure a piece of a candy-cane as the cup’s handle. Then top it off with marshmallows and a candy cane “stirrer.” Cute and delicious!
Stay Comfortable
No matter what you decide to bake this holiday season, you’ll want to make sure you’re comfortable while doing so. One tip for staying comfortable while baking is to turn your home’s heat down before you begin. The oven will naturally heat your home, and if your heater is also working, you’re bound to get overheated. Another tip is to call Shannon’s Heating & Cooling if your HVAC isn’t working properly. We can’t offer much advice on baking, but we can definitely help with any HVAC-related issues!
Contact Us!
Shannons Heating & Cooling is your local American Standard Customer Care Dealer in Pensacola, FL. Feel free to call (850) 698-3101 or email us at info@shannonshvac.com with any questions or inquiries, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more helpful information regarding your HVAC system.
