Favorite Christmas Recipes

When I was growing up my mom made homeade desserts, candy and cookies a lot. Sure we had the occasional package of Oreos but most of the time it was awesome recipes that she got from my grandmothers or found. At Christmas though, she would really step it up. Here are a few of my favorite candy recipes that she made almost exclusively during the holidays.

Peanut Clusters

1 6-ounce package Chocolate Chips
2 6-ounce package Butterscotch Morsels
12 ounce Salted Peanuts

Heat chocolate chips and butterscotch morsels on medium 6 or 7 minutes. Stir after 3 ½ minutes. Add peanuts and drop on wax paper.


Peanut Patty
3 cups Sugar
1 cup Water
1 cup Light Corn Syrup
2 cups Peanuts, raw
1/4 teaspoon Red Food Coloring
1/2 Butter pinch Salt

Bring sugar, water, and syrup to boil. Add peanuts and color. Cook until hard ball stage. Remove from heat. Add butter and salt. Beat until mixture is too thick to beat, pour onto greased cookie sheet. Break into pieces when cool.



Grandmother Batte's Chocolate Fudge

Note: this is the best tasting fudge I've ever had but it's also the hardest fudge recipe to get correct. I cannot give any guarantees that it's going to harden up properly. However we have been known to eat it with a spoon if necessary. Oh and don't attempt this one on a humid day or it's guaranteed to not harden.

3 cups Sugar
1 cup Milk
1/3 cup Cream
5 tablespoon Cocoa
3 tablespoon Light Corn Syrup
1 tablespoon Butter
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Pecans

Combine sugar and cocoa. Stir milk and cocoa mixture in saucepan. Add Karo syrup. Stir until dissolved. Cook on low flame until soft ball stage. DO NOT STIR WHILE BOILING. Remove from heat and add butter. Cool until saucepan can be held on hand. Add vanilla and beat until creamy. Add pecans. Pour in buttered pan.