Four 3-Ingredient Christmas Candies

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The BEST and easiest 3-ingredient Christmas treats -- perfect for giving to neighbors, bringing into work, taking to a party, or enjoying with your family! Homemade white chocolate peppermint hearts, pretzel hug/kiss bites, thin mint oreo cups, and easy turtles. FOUR recipes via chelseasmessyapron.com

Easy 3-ingredient Christmas candies — perfect for giving to neighbors, bringing into work, taking to a party, or enjoying with your family! Homemade white chocolate peppermint hearts, pretzel hug/kiss bites, thin mint oreo cups, and easy turtles.

Image of the candy cane heart Christmas candiesWhite Chocolate Peppermint Hearts

A few quick tips:

  • I recommend a high quality white chocolate for flavor purposes, and for the best possible melt. My favorite white chocolate to use is Guittard or Ghirardelli. (You can use chocolate chips or the baking bars for peppermint hearts.)
  • Line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal of these peppermint hearts
  • Add some string into the chocolate before it sets and make these into ornaments! 🙂

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White Chocolate Peppermint Hearts

4.78 from 50 votes
White chocolates and sprinkles fill the center of two candy canes to look like a heart!
Print Recipe

White Chocolate Peppermint Hearts

4.78 from 50 votes
White chocolates and sprinkles fill the center of two candy canes to look like a heart!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword White Chocolate Peppermint Hearts
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 10 candy cane hearts
Chelsea Lords

Ingredients

  • 20 miniature candy canes unwrapped
  • 6 ounces white chocolate high quality chips work/taste best!
  • Holiday sprinkles
  • Optional: 1/2 - 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Instructions

  • Prepare a tray with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Set the candy canes on the tray -- two together to form hearts all over the tray.
  • Melt the white chocolate in the microwave in bursts of 15 seconds stirring in between each burst for 10-15 seconds. Patiently melting the chocolate will make sure it doesn't burn!
  • If needed add the oil to slightly thin the chocolate. Add very slowly and just if the chocolate is too thick.
  • Pour the chocolate into a plastic bag and snip off the tip with scissors.
  • Pipe the melted chocolate into the centers of the candy cane treats.
  • Gently wiggle the candy canes to get the chocolate smooth.
  • Sprinkle immediately with sprinkles.
  • Let set.

Recipe Notes

Cook time refers to setting time.

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.


Image of the Rudolph nose pretzelsRudolph Noses

A few quick tips:

  • I like the square pretzels best for these Christmas candies, but regular twist pretzels work as well. 
  • I recommend getting plain flavored pretzels, as opposed to butter flavored.
  • Use these cute Rudolph Noses as a fun edible table centerpiece. Alternate using kisses and hugs for more color and visual interest.

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Rudolph Noses

4.83 from 47 votes
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Rudolph Noses

4.83 from 47 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 4 minutes
Total Time 9 minutes
Servings 25 candies
Chelsea Lords

Ingredients

  • 25 pretzels -- square or twists
  • 25 hugs or kisses * whichever you prefer
  • 25 holiday M&M candies

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Do not preheat using convection settings.**
  • Line a tray with parchment paper and place the pretzels on the tray.
  • Unwrap the hugs/kisses/rolos and place on top of the pretzels.
  • Bake for 3-4 minutes or until the hugs/kisses/rolos are soft but not melted.
  • Press an M&M candy into the center of the hugs/kisses/rolos right out of the oven.
  • Allow the chocolate to harden.

Recipe Notes

*I tried out caramel kisses for these and they didn't work -- caramel oozed out everywhere. Stick to solid chocolate kisses. **I've had a few people report issues with the kisses crumbling; this means the oven was too hot or the chocolate was baked too long. I would recommend trying 1 rudolph nose at first to test. If it crumbles, reduce the baking time for the rest. Do not use convection oven settings.

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

Image of the thin mint cups that go along with these Christmas Candies

Thin Mint Cups

A few quick tips:

  • You can find the Andes Mint baking chips next to all the other chocolate chips in the baking aisle of the store. (They are in a green bag!)

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Thin Mint Cups

4.82 from 49 votes
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Thin Mint Cups

4.82 from 49 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Chelsea Lords

Ingredients

  • 16 regular Oreo or chocolate sandwich cookies
  • 4 ounces cream cheese
  • 1-2 bags Andes Mint baking chips*
  • Optional: sprinkles

Instructions

  • Prepare a miniature muffin tin by lining with mini muffin papers.
  • Pulse the sandwich cookies in a blender or food processor until they resemble fine crumbs. You do not need to separate the cookie from the creme.
  • Beat the crumbs with 4 ounces of room temperature cream cheese until a thick mixture forms.
  • Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.
  • Starting with 1 bag, melt all of the baking chips in a large microwave safe bowl. Microwave in bursts of 15 seconds stirring in between each burst for 10-15 seconds.
  • Spoon melted chocolate into the bottom of the prepared muffin tins -- not a lot here.
  • Allow to set completely. (If you don't work fast, the Andes mints harden quickly -- that's okay, just pop them in the microwave for another 15 seconds or so)
  • Remove the dough from the fridge and form into small balls. Flatten those balls to thin and completely FLAT disks and place on top of the set chocolate.
  • Spoon more melted chocolate to cover the disk of chocolate.
  • Add sprinkles to the top if desired.
  • Allow to set at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

*If you want a lot of chocolate you'll go through 1 and 1/2 to 2 bags. It's hard to give an exact measurement because it all depends on the size of your oreo filling and how large your final cups are.

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.


Image of the easy turtle candies

Turtles

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Turtles

4.83 from 47 votes
Print Recipe

Turtles

4.83 from 47 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 13 minutes
Servings 25
Chelsea Lords

Ingredients

  • 25 twist or square pretzels
  • 25 rolos
  • 25 pecans

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.**
  • Line a tray with parchment paper and place the pretzels on the tray.
  • Unwrap the rolos and place on top of the pretzels.
  • Bake for 3-4 minutes or until the rolos are soft but not melted.
  • Press a pecan into the center of the hugs and kisses right out of the oven.
  • Allow the chocolate to harden.

Recipe Notes

**I've had a few people report issues with the chocolate "crumbling"; this means the oven was too hot or the chocolate was baked too long. I would recommend trying 1 turtle at first to test. If it crumbles, reduce the baking time for the rest. Do NOT use convection oven settings.

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I love hearing from you when you've made one of my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @ChelseasMessyApron or leave me a comment below.

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Recipe Rating




83 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I copy these recipes into my word processor. If I decide to make one, I just print it out and head for the kitchen. If the recipe gets ingredients all over it, I just trash it. I can always run off another!

    1. I buy sheet protectors and put all my printed recipes in them then I put them in a binder. That way you don’t waste paper and they are right at your finger tips when you need them. I just take out the recipe I want to use and put it in my book holder while making it. If you splash anythinh on it you just wipe it off. Works great!

  2. WHY AM I ADDICTED TO YOUR COOKING VIDEOS!?

    legit can’t stop watching, they look amazing Chelsea! xo

  3. Every year my 2 daughters and I make a homemade gift for our large extended family. These candy cane hearts are perfect for my 7 and 4 year old to do mostly unassisted and it’s not just another ornament or decoration the family feels obligated to keep. I’m so excited!!

    1. What a fun tradition! 🙂 I hope your daughters love making these and the family loves eating them 🙂

  4. Oh my gosh, my 6 year old is extremely excited about making those candy cane hearts for her friends. Thank you so much for the recipe!!

  5. So, not making anything, but rather combining commercial items. I suppose it lets the toddlers do something while one boils sugar or tempers chocolate couverture. I wouldn’t use the word ‘ingredient’, which implies items like cocoa mass, yeast, flour, sugar. I would recommend, rather, admitting that this is combining snack and candy items to make decorative objects.

  6. Apparently Alecta doesn’t have any little ones to have fun making these with. That must be why she is so cranky about the “ingredients”. Or maybe it’s that pastry degree that did it to her. Whatever – I think it’s a great idea for a snack the little ones can make themselves to take to their holiday parties.

  7. 5 stars
    Although I haven’t made these yet…they will be! My granddaughter, Amelia is all on board with this!!! I cannot wait to have the grands help….looks like a good project for the day after Thanksgiving!!!! Thank you for sharing.

    1. Thanks for your comment Cindy! 🙂 I hope you and your grandkids have so much fun making these 🙂

  8. 5 stars
    These are great for making with my grandkids and add the perfect touch to cookie plates I’m making up for Christmas.

  9. I made the hearts and thin mint cups tonight. Turned out great and my family loved both treats! Thanks for the awesome recipes!

    1. I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not. Just make sure to pack them air tight and thaw in the fridge first 🙂

  10. 5 stars
    Making these with my son’s 5th grade class. They are “too old” for a traditional class party, so I thought we’d have a giving party–exchange small gifts and make these candies as gifts for them to give to family. Do you think the Rudolph noses and Turtles can be done in the microwave?

    1. That sounds like so much fun! 🙂 I’m sure they could be done in the microwave, but I’m not sure how long to recommend/how many you should put in at once. I think as far as bulk and ensuring they work out, the oven is your best bet!

  11. Does it matter what kind of mini muffin papers you use for the thin mint treats. Worried about the paper peeling from the chocolate????

    1. Nope it shouldn’t matter. I didn’t use anything special (just liners from WalMart) and had no problem taking them off. Enjoy!

  12. I tried to make the Rudolph noses, but the Kisses didn’t get soft. They just got dark and crumbly. This is why I don’t cook. ?

    1. Hi Kathy! Did you use old kisses? Anything you changed about the instructions? I’d love to help you troubleshoot as I’ve made these dozens of times and they are so delicious!

        1. I wonder if you are baking them too long; they aren’t supposed to “bake” but rather just get soft. You might have an oven that runs hot; I would try them (if you do again) for 2 minutes; maybe even 1 minute). They are only supposed to be soft enough for the M&M to push into them. If they are crumbling maybe they are being cooked is my only thought?

      1. same here. BRAND NEW bag of $4 kisses. baked 4 min. tried to push the m&d on and it didn’t work so i baked an additional min. same process for 11min. they look like garbage!

        1. Are you baking them too long? Are you heating your oven convect on regular? I can’t see why they would be crumbling. Did you use regular kisses? The oven isn’t supposed to bake them, it’s just supposed to make them soft enough to press an M&M in it. I would try pulling them out at 2 minutes. Or you can try heating them in the microwave until they are just barely soft enough to press an M&M in.

          1. followed you directions, so unless your instructions are wrong i’m not sure how. i followed the instructions, not that difficult.

        2. I just tried the Rudolph nose treats. My first ones came out crumbling too. So I changed my oven to regular, not convection, and left them in for 1 minute. Then they came out perfect!

          1. Thank you so much for sharing Chris! That helps to answer why some people might have had the crumbling; I added a not to use a conventional oven setting. Thank you!

    1. If you aren’t eating them in the same day I would recommend storing them in an airtight container in the fridge 🙂

      1. MomK: baked 4 min. tried to push the m&d on and it didn’t work so i baked an additional min. same process for 11min.

        If you bake the bag of rolos 5 minutes and then an additional 11 minutes(!!), the rolos will be wasted, too. The recipe says 2-3 minutes in a conventional oven, not a convection oven.

  13. 5 stars
    I love these holiday recipes! Question: did anyone while making the reindeer Moses have trouble melting the kisses? My first batch was great. My second and third batch- the kisses didn’t melt :/ I’m assuming there’s something wrong with the chocolate? Please let me know!

  14. 5 stars
    Made these yesterday and today. Made them for the teachers gift and to bring to friends who invited us over for Christmas Eve breakfast. They were so simple and easy. I just had the kisses and rolos in the oven for 3 minutes and they came out perfect. I have to say I was feeling lazy and just placed an Oreo in between layers of melted Andes mints and they’re excellent. Thanks for sharing I think this will become a Christmas gift giving tradition.

    1. I’m so thrilled these were a hit! And even happier to hear they will become a Christmas tradition!! Thanks so much for the comment Mal 🙂

  15. I am really excited to try these recipes. I was wondering how far ahead can you make like the turtles and things. I am having a party and would like to make these and wonder if I can make them a few days ahead?

    1. I hope you love them! Honestly all of these treats are best eaten within 1-2 days of making them with the exception of the white chocolate peppermint hearts. I like the turtles best on the first day! Good luck with your party 🙂

  16. Do I have to use cream cheese for the mints? Can I use butter instead (obviously not as much)? Kind of like making a graham cracker crust.

    1. Hmm, I don’t think that would work out as well or taste right unfortunately. Cream cheese is a lot stickier than butter!

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