Easy Christmas Candy

[gja1000]

Someone made me the best (and easiest) Christmas candy. First off, I LOVE sweet & salty, so this fits the bill!

Heat oven to 170.
1 bag Hershey's hugs or kisses - the swirled hugs (choc & vanilla or peppermint) are really pretty

1 bag of the little, flat, one inch square pretzels - it's the pretzels shaped in a grid, like a tic tac toe grid.

1 bag of red & green M&Ms

place the little pretzel squares onto a cookie sheet
put a hug or kiss on top of each square - do not mix hugs and kisses in the same batch, use one or the other.

Put in the oven for 6 minutes for hugs and 4 minutes for kisses

Take out immediately when time is up and then carefully press an M&M flat into the top of the soft kiss/hug (don't mash it all the way down to the pretzel - just press it lightly into the hug/kiss so it will stay put on top after cooling). The soft kiss/hug will spread out to almost cover the pretzel square.

Let cool and enjoy. After cooling, they can be stacked on each other and packaged for gift giving. They are delicious and very pretty!

I made some this morning and they are still hot, but I took some pix with my phone (not best quality) so you could see how cute they are.
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[paula1961]

Gayle I am definitely making these for my neighbors! They are adorable! Thanks for sharing:)

[DianaB]

Cute!! I love the fact that they look so Christmas-y!! I'm going to make these!! Thanks Gayle!!

[Janet]

Those look so good Gayle. I've not seen the square pretzels before, but then again...never looked for them. I will now.

[Blueyes]

Now that's my kind of cooking, lol!! They are so pretty...I'll definitely make them:D Keep the recipes coming!!!!

[gja1000]

Those look so good Gayle. I've not seen the square pretzels before, but then again...never looked for them. I will now.

Snyders (brand) makes a square pretzel called "Snaps" - don't ask me why a square pretzel is called a snap :confused:

[Blueyes]

Maybe because they're so crispy and delicious...which they are;)

[2tiredmom]

Yummy, Yummy. What a great recipe. Thanks so much for sharing.

[DianaB]

I used the small knotted pretzels because I couldn't find the square pretzels and they look really nice too......and taste delicious!!! Daya and a friend were here when I made them and they loved them!! Thanks for the recipe, Gayle!!!!

[paula1961]

I made these too. Like Diana I couldn't find the square pretzels so I got the smallest knotted ones I could find. They worked fine. I fixed a batch of 8 for a test:rolleyes: they were delicious! I ate six:eek: Today I have made three more sheets of them for my neighbors. I gave the recipe to my sister, she made them last night to take to school with her today where she works. She made seventy:D Thanks so much Gayle!

[gja1000]

I've made several batches too! I found cookies and cream kisses - those are my hubby's favorite and he really likes them. My daughter has made several batches. They are just so darned easy, so cute, and so good! Paula, I have to "test" several also, each time I make them. I woudn't want to give rotten candy to my friends. :D

[Blueyes]

That's nice of you, Gayle! I always take the first drink of my youngest grandsons coke, just to make sure it's not poison, lol! Once this week when I forgot, he took the first drink, set the can on the table, then fell to the floor yelling POISON...IT'S POISON!!!!! Gotta love 'em:rolleyes:

[gja1000]

That's nice of you, Gayle! I always take the first drink of my youngest grandsons coke, just to make sure it's not poison, lol! Once this week when I forgot, he took the first drink, set the can on the table, then fell to the floor yelling POISON...IT'S POISON!!!!! Gotta love 'em:rolleyes:

Oh Betsi! That made me laugh out loud!! :yelrotflmao:

[DianaB]

How funny, Betsi!!!

This is getting serious now.......I'm having trouble staying out of them!!! I'm gonna' have to hide them from myself!!! :sidesplit:

[Blueyes]

Good luck with that, Diana!!:D

[judy]

That's such a nice gift to give along with a tip, like to my hair dresser. Just giving an envelope with a check does not show how much I appreciate her, my garbage guy, the groundskeepers here, and so on.

Thanks! You gave a really good way to show how much I like these people.
Homemade deliciouses are great to give, and to get!

[DianaB]

Good idea, Judy........if I can just leave them alone so I have enough to give as gifts!!!........Ok, today I'm hiding them along with the chocolate cashew clusters that I made..........Wish me luck!!!!

[Janet]

Cashew clusters????? Okay....do they have chocolate?

[paula1961]

Good idea, Judy........if I can just leave them alone so I have enough to give as gifts!!!........Ok, today I'm hiding them along with the chocolate cashew clusters that I made..........Wish me luck!!!!

Recipe request for the cashew clusters please?:D They sound wonderful!!!!!!!

[DianaB]

Drat!!!!! I hid the candy.........it took me all morning but I finally found it!!! I'm going to have to hide it better I guess!!!!


Reicpe for Cashew clusters......

1 lb. almond bark

1 lb. chocolate bark

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

3-9.25 oz. tins of Cashew pieces (or peanuts or pecans)

Melt the choclates in a double boiler and add the nuts. Place small spoonfuls on wax paper and allow to sit well before placing in a sealed container with wax paper between layers.

[gja1000]

MMMM! Sounds good, Diana!

[judy]

I couldn't get the grid type pretzels. Mine are little regular pretzel knots, so I made 4. I'm letting them cool and I'm going to taste test them. :D
I don't want the chocolate going through the spaces. I also found caramel filled Hershey's kisses. They are so good! How long do you think they should bake?

[DianaB]

I think that you just have to heat them enough to soften them so you can put the M&M on top and get them to melt onto the pretzel. I'd still do them for 6 minutes.

I found that I had to let mine sit for quite a while for the kiss to harden back up. I baked mine on parchment paper but wax paper would also do. Then they're easier to get off.

With the chocolate caramel....a half of a pecan would be good pressed on the top!!! Yum.....

[gja1000]

I think baking time depends on ovens - I can't bake mine longer than 5 minutes or they are too soft.

YUM! to the pecan on the carmel filled kiss!!! That sounds too good! Someone on another board put peanut butter M&Ms on top and said it was real good. I bet it is!!!

I made a batch of cookies and cream and a batch of peppermint tonight. I hope they last till Christmas! :D Oh well, guess I'll just have to make another batch (or two ;))

[gja1000]

Betsi posted on FB she was eating the candy cane Hershey kisses. I just wanted to remind everyone of the EASIEST Christmas candy EVER! You can use any type of kiss, chocolate, caramel filled or PEPPERMINT!

The picture I included on the first post in this thread is using the peppermint kisses! They make a really festive Christmas look.

[Blueyes]

I had forgotten about these, Gayle! I never should have bought that bag of candy cane kisses. I just love those things, and now I want MORE!! I'm glad they're only available once a year:p

[JJJ]

Cool, my kids love to bake :D

[gja1000]

Oh! They are sooooo easy! Perfect for kids to make. Just be sure to not leave them in the oven too long or they will melt right down and stick to the pan.

[Marilyn]

Gayle, Thank you!!! I missed this last year and will definitely make them this year. Love new easy ideas like this!!

[AngieDoogles]

Those look delicious! I've been trying to eat super healthy for little Aiden, so I don't know if I can make any right now. I wouldn't be able to resist eating a few! :D Maybe if I make them closer to Christmas and immediately make them into little gifts, I won't eat any... :)

[gja1000]

That's what I have to do - make them as gifts and give them away immediately - else I will eat toooooo many! :D