With the holidays approaching, desperate time calls for desperate measures about how to have fun indoors. Cooking or baking, especially with loved ones, is always a fun option, regardless of whether “the weather outside is frightful”. With this being said, I present to you “fun” winter treats that can be made for a holiday party or simply shared with friends and family! These recipes are fairly easy, fun, and interactive, so stay on the lookout for how to be on your family’s nice list this holiday season. If you aren’t a baker, there are other treats listed that could make a great appetizer, so stay on the lookout. 

The first holiday treat we have is a classic, though it may acquire a specific taste for some. This treat is a cheesecake but not a plain classic as my family usually goes for a strawberry cheesecake or cranberry cheesecake during the holiday season.  

Filling: Every cheesecake recipe of mine requires the same base, 2 eggs (you could add 3 large eggs if you’d like), 2 sticks of 8 oz Philadelphia cream cheese (softened), ⅔ cups of sugar, ⅔ cups of sour cream (yes, you heard me, sour cream. Don’t worry you can’t taste it, it just adds to richness), and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. 

Crust: 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs, 2 ½ tablespoons of melted butter, 1 ½ tablespoons of sugar, and a pinch of salt, or you could use a store-bought graham cracker crust if you want to worry less about cracks in the crust.

For the topping: For strawberry cheesecake I usually use 1 ½ lbs of strawberries, 1 ½ teaspoons of corn starch, 3–6 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice. However, for a cranberry cheesecake, you could substitute the strawberries for cranberries and the lemon juice for orange juice using the same measurements!

For our next holiday treat, we have peppermint bark. You can make this treat in many different ways, such as peppermint flavored chocolate or a dark/milk chocolate bottom and a white chocolate base. 

Ingredients: Since the cocoa bean is hard to come by, you can make this sweet treat using store-bought chocolate, which isn’t as criminal as it may seem. I use dark chocolate and white chocolate. You will need one bag of each chocolate. Next, you’ll need a small bowl of crushed candy canes. Note: you’ll need parchment paper because things will get messy!

Steps: Once you have your chocolate, dump it into two separate microwave safe bowls and place the dark/milk chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds. Once you get your bowl out of the microwave, mix the chocolate and place it on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then put your tray in the fridge for 10–20 minutes. Once your chocolate has hardened, repeat the process with the white chocolate. Layer it on top of your base chocolate and add your crushed candy canes, then put the tray in the refrigerator for 10–20 minutes. 

For a treat that requires no baking, we have Santa hat penguins. These penguins are perfect for a parental compromise since they are a nice treat that can be made healthier to get proper nutrients after all these sweet treats! 

Ingredients: 1 pack of red tomatoes or a small bowl of tomatoes (depending on how many you make), a small bowl of mozzarella balls, a small bowl of large black olives, and a small bowl of fresh carrots chopped into triangles. 

Steps: Take your olives and slice them down the middle, add in a ball of mozzarella in the middle (in the place of the penguin’s belly). Next, chop an olive in half and use one half to place on top as a head. Then, place your triangle carrots at the bottom for each of the penguin’s feet and use another carrot for the beak. Lastly, flatten a piece of cheese and then place a tomato on top, followed by a smaller ball of cheese at the top. Note that you may need toothpicks as support. 

Do you like butter pecan pie? If so, this last treat is almost as delightful as a cozy fire. This is the first treat I don’t have a personal way or recipe to make, so we will be trying “The Pioneer Woman’s” recipe. 

Ingredients: For the crust of our pecan pie bars we will need 1 cup of  butter, 3/4 cups of sugar, ½ teaspoons of salt, and 2 ¼ cups of flour.

Filling: ½ cup of melted butter, 1 cup of dark corn syrup, 1 cup of brown sugar, 4 large eggs, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 3 cups of pecan halves. 

Steps: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease your pan with cooking spray, and top with parchment paper. Before you add your ingredients for the dough, make sure you melt the butter until it is browned, then pour in a bowl and add your other ingredients. You’ll cook this for 15 minutes. Now for the filling: make sure you melt the butter until the stick is fully melted. Then pour the melted butter into a bowl and add all of your other ingredients. Then pour the filling on top after the crust is taken out of the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes. Let it cool and then lift the parchment paper out of the pan and slice. 

Overall, these treats include a great variety for different taste buds. Though some require a more mature taste, others can be simple yet elegant. Although it is not mentioned, another treat targeted for children is a fruit snowman, which any creative mind and fruit lover would enjoy. These treats were fun to make, so give them a try the next time you’re stuck indoors or looking for a crowd-pleaser to bring to your next gathering! I hope you enjoy them as much as we did!

Works Cited:

• Miyashiro, L., & Chaplain, M. (2024, September 26). Easy Pecan Pie Bars Recipe – How to Make Pecan Pie Bars. The Pioneer Woman. Retrieved December 11, 2024, from https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a37275756/pecan-pie-bars-recipe/