Christmas Candy & Cookies

With the holiday season fast approaching, there’s no better time to start baking than now! The sweet aroma of festive treats baking in your kitchen will fill the air with joy and create lasting memories.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Star Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 cup Crisco
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• Chocolate star-shaped candies

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Combine the peanut butter, milk, Crisco, baking soda, sugar, flour, brown sugar, salt, vanilla, and egg in a bowl. Mix until smooth.
3. Roll 1 teaspoon of dough into a ball and dip in sugar.
4. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 5–8 minutes.
5. After removing from the oven, gently press a chocolate star into the center of each cookie.
6. Return to the oven for another 3 minutes.
   Yield: 3 dozen cookies.

---

Classic Sugar Cookie Delights

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Cream together butter, powdered sugar, egg, vanilla, and almond extract.
2. Gradually blend in the flour and baking soda.
3. Wrap the dough and chill for 2-3 hours.
4. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
5. Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface.
6. Cut into your desired shapes and place them on a greased baking sheet.
7. Bake for 7–8 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
   Yield: 4 dozen 2 to 2 1/2-inch cookies.

---

Crunchy Cornflake Peanut Butter Bites

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup white corn syrup
• 2 cups corn flakes

Instructions:

1. Heat the sugar and corn syrup until boiling.
2. Stir in the peanut butter and corn flakes.
3. Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper and allow to cool.

---

Caramel-Pecan Turtles

Ingredients:

• 1 pound pecans
• 1 pound chocolate stars
• 1 pound caramels

Instructions:

1. Group 2–4 pecan halves on a greased baking sheet.
2. Place 1 caramel on top of each pecan cluster.
3. Bake at 200°F (95°C) for 3–4 minutes, or until the caramel softens.
4. Remove from the oven and press the caramel around the pecans.
5. Top each cluster with a chocolate star.
6. Return to the oven for another minute to soften the chocolate, then spread the melted chocolate to cover the top.
7. Let cool until the chocolate hardens.

---

Creamy Peanut Butter Buckeye Bites

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp shortening

Instructions:

1. Line a baking sheet with wax paper.
2. Mix the peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar in a bowl to form a dough.
3. Shape into small balls, about 2 teaspoons each, and refrigerate.
4. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and shortening until smooth.
5. Dip the chilled peanut butter balls into the melted chocolate, leaving the top exposed.
6. Return the balls to the wax paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.

---

Salty Peanut Butter Crunch Bars

Ingredients:

• 4 cups dry roasted peanuts
• 2 cups peanut butter chips
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 pkg. (10 1/2 oz.) miniature marshmallows
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Instructions:

1. Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil and spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Spread half of the peanuts evenly in the bottom of the pan.
3. In a saucepan, melt butter and marshmallows over low heat.
4. Stir in the peanut butter chips, condensed milk, and creamy peanut butter until smooth.
5. Pour the mixture over the peanuts and sprinkle the remaining peanuts on top.
6. Press the peanuts into the mixture and let cool.
7. Cut into squares and store in the refrigerator.

---

Homemade Caramel Candies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 2 cups light corn syrup
• 2 cups evaporated milk
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and salt.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
3. Add margarine and evaporated milk, stirring constantly until it reaches 244°F.
4. Remove from heat, add vanilla, and pour into a buttered pan.
5. Cool thoroughly before cutting into squares.

---

Buttery Peanut Brittle

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup margarine
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2 cups chopped peanuts
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp baking soda

Instructions:

1. Heat sugar, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan until dissolved.
2. Once boiling, stir in the margarine and cook until it reaches 230°F.
3. Add peanuts when the temperature reaches 280°F.
4. Stir until it reaches 305°F, then remove from heat and stir in baking soda.
5. Pour the mixture onto cookie sheets and stretch thin using forks.
6. Let cool, then break into pieces.

---

Double-Layer Fudge Treats

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peanut butter chips
• 1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (divided)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (divided)
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat peanut butter chips and 2/3 cup of sweetened condensed milk for 1–1 1/2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
3. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
4. In another bowl, repeat the process with the remaining sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips.
5. Stir in the remaining vanilla, then spread evenly over the peanut butter layer.
6. Chill until firm, then cut into squares.