Cheapest easiest christmas goodies

[TipsyTraveler]

Having used both sweetened condensed milk and coconut milk in my life, I don't think this is going to turn out well...

I look forward to hearing about the results.

I made the fudge last night using a 4:1 ratio of chocolate chips to cream of coconut and it turned out pretty good. The first batch I made had problems setting up so that's why I reduced the amount of coconut cream the second time around. I think it could handle a bit more coconut added back in, so if I do another batch at some point I'll play around with it a bit more. Overall, pretty good as it was.

 

[minnie1012]

This fudge is a proven winner! People will love it and want the recipe but DON'T give it to them - you won't want them to know how little effort you actually put into it:

1 can sweetened condensed milk (use the flavoured ones for a little "something" extra)
2 cups chocolate chips (any kind - milk, semi-sweet, even chocolate mint)
1/2 tsp vanilla (use rum or almond extract instead if you feel like it)
1 tsp. butter
dash salt

Put the milk and chips in a saucepan and melt over low heat until they can be combined smoothly together. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Pour onto a buttered plate. Throw on a few festive sprinkles before it completely sets up. Cool at room temperature until it's firm enough to cut.

Hi This looks yummy. My kids have a nut allergy so we can never buy fudge so I thought I would try to make this! Does the butter go in the fudge or is that to butter the plate?

 

[HeatherC]

I also make the microwave fudge and then pour it over crumbled Resses Peanut Butter Cups or KitKats in square baking dish.

 

[ronandannette]

Hi This looks yummy. My kids have a nut allergy so we can never buy fudge so I thought I would try to make this! Does the butter go in the fudge or is that to butter the plate?

Once the chips are melted into the condensed milk you stir in the butter and vanilla (the pinch of salt goes in with the milk and chips while they're heating).

 

[marynpaul]

Mine is reindeer poop ..all it is
1 bag of chocolate chips. Melted in microwave
1 bag of white mini marshmallows
About half a jar of dry roasted peanuts

Put dry ingredients in large bowl. Add melted chocolate and mix until everything is coated in chocolate.
Put on waxed paper by the spoonful and put in fridge ..

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

DD just made Cookies and Cream Bark - crushed Oreo cookies mixed with melted white chocolate chips. Spread it in a cookie sheet, cool until hardened, then break into bark. Yummy and simple!

 

[design_mom]

Chocolate-dipped pretzels are inexpensive and easy. My daughter made some today.

We bought those little bite-size waffle pretzels. We melted some chocolate in the microwave then dipped the pretzels in. While the chocolate was still wet, we sprinkled on some festive sprinkles. We did some with semi-sweet chocolate and some with white chocolate (my daughter's favorite.)

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I love this thread! I am all about simple recipes!

OK my contribution will be even easier than some of these. They're something I discovered unwittingly at Super WalMart and they are actually pretty tasty, and inexpensive to boot. I've bought them a few times now and they've been a hit. They are plain brownies, brownies with a layer of fudge, and lemon cakes they sell in small plastic containers on tables by the bakery. They come like 8 or 12 to a package and cost around $4 per package. I put them on festive paper cupcake liners on or in a nice tray, package or container. They look something like this when done - and can look even nicer when stacked closer together. (These were just on a glass cake dish in my kitchen.) If you do just the fudge brownies you can put some holiday sprinkles on them. (These fudge brownies pictured here I cut in half to make bite-sized pieces.) Now I wish I took pics of the ones I had with the sprinkles on them, they looked really nice! Actually I put sprinkles, then a little red sugar and they sparkled, too! Hope this helps someone who needs a quickie dessert!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Oh, and PS, if you cut brownies, always use a clean plastic knife with each cut, so they come out cleanly cut!

 

[ronandannette]

This fudge is a proven winner! People will love it and want the recipe but DON'T give it to them - you won't want them to know how little effort you actually put into it:

1 can sweetened condensed milk (use the flavoured ones for a little "something" extra)
2 cups chocolate chips (any kind - milk, semi-sweet, even chocolate mint)
1/2 tsp vanilla (use rum or almond extract instead if you feel like it)
1 tsp. butter
dash salt

Put the milk and chips in a saucepan and melt over low heat until they can be combined smoothly together. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Pour onto a buttered plate. Throw on a few festive sprinkles before it completely sets up. Cool at room temperature until it's firm enough to cut.

URGENT FUDGE UPGRADE ALERT!!

I'm not sure if this product is available in the States; I've just discovered it here in the past few days and I'm dying!! I made a couple of batches of "the" fudge yesterday. After pouring it onto a plate while it was still soft and warm, I sprinkled the top heavily with these chips and let them melt in. OMGOMGOMG - it may have added 8 or 9 seconds to the process, but it elevated the fudge from ridiculous to sublime . I can't wait for all y'all to try it!!

 

[minnie1012]

Once the chips are melted into the condensed milk you stir in the butter and vanilla (the pinch of salt goes in with the milk and chips while they're heating).

Thank you

 

[xjillianpaige]

Sorry if this is a repeat, but here are some. I've included links to the first recipe on google, but modify away:

Rudolph Noses
Pretzel square, hershey kisses/hugs, m&ms
I've also seen them made with rollos. Really any small chocolate candy.

Oreo Balls
Oreos, cream cheese, melted chocolate (white or milk)
(this is great if you have some pent-up frustration. Smash the crap outta those oreos!)

 

[powellrj]

https://tidymom.net/2011/pringles-nutty-bark/

I made this for the first time this year and its wonderful! Its white almond bark, peanuts and crushed pringles.

It was a hit at my house. Nobody wanted me to give anyway, they wanted to eat them all.

 

[Poohlove]

URGENT FUDGE UPGRADE ALERT!!

I'm not sure if this product is available in the States; I've just discovered it here in the past few days and I'm dying!! I made a couple of batches of "the" fudge yesterday. After pouring it onto a plate while it was still soft and warm, I sprinkled the top heavily with these chips and let them melt in. OMGOMGOMG - it may have added 8 or 9 seconds to the process, but it elevated the fudge from ridiculous to sublime . I can't wait for all y'all to try it!!

I saw these in the grocery store earlier this season and I think there are responsible for about a pound or two on my hips. I have used them in brownies and made cookies with them, so good!!!

 

[Poohlove]

My quick go to is a fudge recipe also. I melt together a bag of chocolate chips and roughly a cup of peanut butter in the microwave until smooth then stir in some mini marshmallows. I spread into a foil pan so that when it sets I can peel the sides away and cut it up easily. I then put it into tins lined with parchment paper, always gets rave reviews.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I know Christmas is over, but in case anyone is saving this thread for next year, I'll share some more ideas.

I had planned two kinds of cookies this year, and my oven went on the fritz at exactly the wrong time, so I dug out some old candy tricks, and unexpected things were hits:

The easy fudge that I think was already mentioned here, but with a twist. - I had some pumpkin spice chips left over from fall, and I melted them in the microwave, mixed in peanut butter and marshmallow fluff, spread it in a foil-lined square dish, and chilled it. It came out surprisingly good, and it cut neatly. (I just did squares, but I think you could even use small cookie cutters.) - Even though the orange did not look "Christmas-y" to me, the die-hard pumpkin-spice coffee fans in my family were excited anyway.

Chocolate covered Cheerios (not sure if anyone mentioned these upthread?) - Just melt chocolate chips (or any color "candy melts") and stir in Cheerios, drop little mounds onto a tray, and let them harden. I had originally made these years ago as an experiment to use up some of the leftover chocolate when filling candy molds, and had forgotten how good they are. The bonus is they are so quick and easy.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Cheap, easy fudge. One container chocolate frosting, one bag of chocolate chips. Melt chocolate chips in microwave. Stir in frosting. 9X9" sprayed glass pan. Refrigerate.

I make all different combos of frosting and chips. My favorite is coconut pecan frosting and choc chips. I add in nuts, coconut, whatever I think sounds good.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Reviving this thread for the new holiday "almost baking" season!

 

[anniemae]

OMG that easy fudge recipe looks divine! Can't wait to try it!!

 

[1GoldenSun]

Oh I love this thread! It may keep me from having to update my response to the "What stresses you out the most during the holidays" thread.