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30 Gift-Worthy Christmas Candy Recipes That You'll Want To Keep All for Yourself

30 Gift-Worthy Christmas Candy Recipes That You'll Want To Keep All for Yourself

By Kaitlyn Yarborough

Updated November 12, 2020

Credit: Alison Miksch

Come the holiday season, nothing brings joy to your home and to the faces of your family and friends like a batch of homemade Christmas candy. Whether you choose chocolate toffee, caramel turtles, bourbon balls, or old-school peppermint divinity, these recipes are so magical you’ll want to double up and keep a whole batch of treats for yourself. All of our Southern-favorite ingredients to use during the holidays are on full display, especially pecans, which make for the most delicious pralines, tassies, and pecan logs. Grab your cookie tins or goodie bags and fill them with these 30 gift-worthy Christmas candy recipes for instant holiday cheer.

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Peppermint Divinity

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Peppermint Divinity

We restored this delightful turn-of-the-century heirloom, adding a delicious peppermint-flavored twist.

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Christmas Fudge

Credit: Micah A Leal

Recipe: Christmas Fudge

For the most perfect version of classic Christmas fudge, look no further than this recipe that makes the most of both bittersweet and unsweetened baking chocolate.

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Salty-Sweet Nut Brittle

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Salty-Sweet Nut Brittle

This isn't your basic peanut brittle. Studded with peanuts, pecans, pistachios, and almonds, this recipe might be our best-ever nut brittle.

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Toffee Candy

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland

Recipe: Toffee Candy

Developed by the super talented and much-loved Test Kitchen Professional Pam Lolley, this recipe is the best basic toffee recipe you'll find anywhere. The secret lies in details like the addition of instant espresso granules and half a teaspoon of cinnamon.

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Fruitcake Bark

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Fruitcake Bark

Forget peppermint bark—we're going all in with fruitcake bark that's layered with candied fruit, nuts, and white chocolate.

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Homemade Turtles

Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Homemade Turtles

Chewy caramel, crunchy pecans, and smooth chocolate come together in these easy turtles for some of the most indulgent bites you'll have this season.

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Potato Candy

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Potato Candy

This old-school candy reminds us of divinity and other traditional homemade Southern sweets. The recipe is a testament to the genius of thrifty cooks who based the confection on leftover mashed potatoes.

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Pecan Logs

Credit: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Pecan Logs

This Southern-favorite convenience store snack is made with a sweet nougat base that's rolled in chewy caramel and coated in pecan pieces. And trust us—they're way better homemade.

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Ginger Bourbon Balls

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Ginger Bourbon Balls

This fresh take on the classic boozy confection features gingersnaps, crystallized ginger, and melted chocolate.

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Pecan Pralines

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Pecan Pralines

No matter how you make pecan pralines, they are one of the paramount Southern treats. (But we're partial to this recipe.)

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Cracker Toffee

Credit: Abbi Wilt

Recipe: Cracker Toffee

Sometimes a rich, bite-sized nibble does the trick, whether enjoyed as a pampering pick-me-up or given as a special holiday gift. This recipe starts with a sleeve of saltine crackers.

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Christmas Buttermints

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Christmas Buttermints

Traditionally colored in a rainbow of pastel hues, these homemade candies have a crisp, buttery richness and a refreshing minty flavor.

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Easy Fudge

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Ali Ramee; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland

Recipe: Easy Fudge

It's all there in the name: This is our easiest recipe for wonderfully nutty, traditional chocolate fudge.

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Pecan Tassies

Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Pecan Tassies

Like bite-sized pecan pies that travel as well as cookies (thanks to a shortbread-inspired crust), these tassies spotlight a quintessential ingredient in Southern households during the holidays: pecans.

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Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer

Recipe: Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines

Simultaneously crunchy, creamy, fudgy, and sweet, these nutty pralines are a holiday staple.

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Cathedral Window Cookies

Credit: Zoe Denenberg, Styling: Rachel Mulcahy

Recipe: Cathedral Window Cookies

Part cookie, part marshmallow treat, this recipe gets high marks in both the taste and appearance categories. Not to mention, it feels delightfully nostalgic.

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Coconut Balls

Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Coconut Balls

Consider these a homemade upgrade to your favorite coconut-almond candy—and the recipe starts with a can of condensed milk. So you know it's going to be a winner.

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Mississippi Mud Medallions

Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Mississippi Mud Medallions

You can substitute mini marshmallows for espresso beans in this take on turtles.

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Muddy Buddy Mix

Credit: Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis

Recipe: Muddy Buddy Mix

With a handful of ingredients and 10 minutes of your time, you can make and start bagging up the most addicting snack mix ever. It's got the perfect mix of crunch and peanut butter, all tossed in a cocoa-infused powdered sugar.

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Red Velvet Fudge

Credit: Alison Miksch

Recipe: Red Velvet Fudge

Find a prettier red-pink treat to give to all your family and friends this Christmas. We'll wait. This recipe is a great option for those who find chocolate fudge too rich or bitter.

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Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls

Credit: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Karin Olsen; Food Styling: Kellie Gerber Kelley

Recipe: Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls

Ask any Southerner and they'll admit that bourbon balls are their favorite Christmas treat. Sorry, pralines.

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Rice Krispies Christmas Trees

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Rice Krispies Christmas Trees

Crunchy, chewy, and made in the most festive fashion—these Rice Krispies trees make the most fun treat during the holidays.

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Salty Chocolate-Pecan Candy

Credit: Photo: Ralph Anderson

Recipe: Salty Chocolate-Pecan Candy

The hardest part about making this salty-sweet swirled candy is waiting for the chocolate to firm up before devouring it.

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Crunchy Pecan Pie Bites

Credit: Jennifer Davick

Recipe: Crunchy Pecan Pie Bites

Great things come in small packages! These pecan pie bites are small but full of flavor and just the right size for pass-along party desserts.

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Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

Credit: Jennifer Davick / Styling Buffy Harget

Recipe: Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

Your neighbors and friends are in for a delicious surprise with these cookies that look like packaged peppermints.

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Mamie Eisenhower’s Chocolate Fudge

Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Mamie Eisenhower’s Chocolate Fudge

This vintage recipe has garnered quite the fame over the past few decades. In fact, it was the go-to fudge recipe in the 1950s and 1960s.

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Mrs. Floyd's Divinity

Recipe: Mrs. Floyd's Divinity

What better way to show your appreciation of friends and family than by giving packages of these old-school holiday confections?

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Pecan Toffee

Recipe: Pecan Toffee

The tender-crisp texture of this rich toffee will quickly make it your holiday guilty pleasure.

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Chocolate-Covered Pretzels

Credit: Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Chocolate-Covered Pretzels

A good Southerner doesn't let guests leave empty-handed. Give them a sweet send-off with these addicting salty-sweet nibbles.

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Milk Chocolate-Peppermint Bark

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Buffy Hargett

Recipe: Milk Chocolate-Peppermint Bark

As if milk chocolate morsels and peppermint candies weren't perfect enough a mixture, we added rich cream-and-mint-filled chocolate sandwich cookies and salty pretzel sticks to our peppermint bark.

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By Kaitlyn Yarborough

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30 Gift-Worthy Christmas Candy Recipes That You'll Want To Keep All for Yourself

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Peppermint Divinity

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Christmas Fudge

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Salty-Sweet Nut Brittle

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Toffee Candy

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Fruitcake Bark

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Homemade Turtles

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Potato Candy

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Pecan Logs

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Ginger Bourbon Balls

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Pecan Pralines

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Cracker Toffee

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Christmas Buttermints

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Easy Fudge

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Pecan Tassies

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Buttermilk-Pecan Pralines

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Cathedral Window Cookies

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Coconut Balls

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Mississippi Mud Medallions

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Muddy Buddy Mix

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Red Velvet Fudge

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Fudgy Pecan Bourbon Balls

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Rice Krispies Christmas Trees

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Salty Chocolate-Pecan Candy

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Crunchy Pecan Pie Bites

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Peppermint Pinwheel Cookies

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Mamie Eisenhower’s Chocolate Fudge