Looking for Christmas type candy recipes that don't use chocolate

[lizbaby007]

Pecan (puh-con ) Pralines!!!

My grandmother always made the best PP's for the holidays! Being from the south and having 8 pecan trees in her yard she was always looking for a way to use them up! I wish I had her recipe, they were soooooo good!!! I have tried to duplicate them and although good they are never quite like hers. There might be some trick to them that I have not quite mastered.

Im still looking for a go-to recipe for these so if anyone has one or advice on making them please post!!

 

[marcyinPA]

Pecan (puh-con ) Pralines!!!

My grandmother always made the best PP's for the holidays! Being from the south and having 8 pecan trees in her yard she was always looking for a way to use them up! I wish I had her recipe, they were soooooo good!!! I have tried to duplicate them and although good they are never quite like hers. There might be some trick to them that I have not quite mastered.

Im still looking for a go-to recipe for these so if anyone has one or advice on making them please post!!

My MIL is from Baton Rouge and she makes pralines- yum! I don't have her recipe, but I know she uses sweetened condensed milk among other ingredients. I always look forward to these at Christmas!!

 

[sissy_ib]

Not candy, but last year this time I made caramelised nuts with a recipe I found on All Recipes. We loved them. Of course I cant find it now!! I am planing on making them again if I can find the recipe.

 

[noodles]

I'm allergic to chocolate. I'm actually allergic to the caffeine in chocolate. I substitute vanilla bark in most recipes that call for white chocolate. Most white chocolates do not contain chocolate but to be safe if you use vanilla bark you will be fine.

Peanut Brittle, peppermint bark and divinity have always been my holiday homemade candies!

 

[dakcp2001]

Peppermint meringues

 

[lynxstch]

Peppermint meringues

Now there's an idea..I already make a version of those..but I add the miniature chocolate chips, I could just leave them out...though I do still consider those cookies, rather than candy....Can you share your recipe, in case it's different from mine, please? Thanks in advance!

 

[lizbaby007]

My MIL is from Baton Rouge and she makes pralines- yum! I don't have her recipe, but I know she uses sweetened condensed milk among other ingredients. I always look forward to these at Christmas!!

Ohhh! That might be it! I just checked the recipe I have tried before and it called for evaporated milk. I will have to give the condensed milk a try. Hers were definitely more on the creamy colored side. TY!

I think when I make a batch using the condensed milk I will split the recipe and try it with brown sugar in one batch and white sugar in another.

 

[trip]

Now there's an idea..I already make a version of those..but I add the miniature chocolate chips, I could just leave them out...though I do still consider those cookies, rather than candy....Can you share your recipe, in case it's different from mine, please? Thanks in advance!

I'm not the one that mentioned the meringues but I do have a recipe I got from the Dis boards a while back.


Midnight Meringues

2 egg whites (room tempurature)
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. of cream of tartar
3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp. of creme de menthe or other mint flavoring
1 cup mini chocolate chips (omit if desired)

Preheat oven to 275. Grease 2 cookie sheets. Beat 2 egg whites with pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp cream of tartar. Gradually add 3/4 c. sugar. Add 1/2 tsp. of flavoring and a few drops of food coloring.

For Christmas make pink and green. For the pink ones use red food coloring and raspberry flavoring.

Beat until stiff. Stir in choc chips (if using them) Put by tsp. on cookie sheet. Put in oven and Turn off immediately. Leave in oven 6 hours or over night. Makes approximately 5 dozen.

 

[clh2]

Not candy, but last year this time I made caramelised nuts with a recipe I found on All Recipes. We loved them. Of course I cant find it now!! I am planing on making them again if I can find the recipe.

This isn't a recipe for caramelized nuts - but it did remind me about "Spiced Nuts". These are wonderful!!!

Spiced Nuts Recipe

 

[cornflake]

Caramels are simple and good - can do a sheet and spread a vanilla nougat or a nut nougat and then roll and then slice and wrap little individual candies. I've done that with chocolate mostly but people like it and it's impressive.

You can also make honeycomb candy - it's super simple and delicious and interesting. That's just honey, sugar, water - like 3/4 c. sugar, 3 tbs honey, 2 tbs. water and 2 tsp baking soda I think works, heh. Put everything but the baking soda in a saucepan much larger than you think you'll need. Much.

Heat. While it's heating, take a cookie sheet and either put down nonstick foil, parchment, or just very lightly butter the sheet. Put it aside, on a cool surface (like not the stovetop).

When the mixture on the stove caramelizes to amber, pull it off and dump in the baking soda and stir in one fast motion. Just stir very quickly and sparingly to combine. Almost AS you're stirring, dump the stuff onto the cookie sheet and then DON'T TOUCH IT. Let it cool.

It looks like this -

When it's cool (like 15 minutes), you can just break it apart and package the shards. It's light and crispy and yummy and interesting. Voila -

 

[LJSquishy]

Any shortbread or spritz cookies will be fine, as well as meringue "cookies". This year I'm making peppermint meringues and they are super cute looking! I'm also making cherry almond shortbread cookies...the recipe has white chocolate in it but I'm sure you could find one without.

 

[lynxstch]

Caramels are simple and good - can do a sheet and spread a vanilla nougat or a nut nougat and then roll and then slice and wrap little individual candies. I've done that with chocolate mostly but people like it and it's impressive.

You can also make honeycomb candy - it's super simple and delicious and interesting. That's just honey, sugar, water - like 3/4 c. sugar, 3 tbs honey, 2 tbs. water and 2 tsp baking soda I think works, heh. Put everything but the baking soda in a saucepan much larger than you think you'll need. Much.

Heat. While it's heating, take a cookie sheet and either put down nonstick foil, parchment, or just very lightly butter the sheet. Put it aside, on a cool surface (like not the stovetop).

When the mixture on the stove caramelizes to amber, pull it off and dump in the baking soda and stir in one fast motion. Just stir very quickly and sparingly to combine. Almost AS you're stirring, dump the stuff onto the cookie sheet and then DON'T TOUCH IT. Let it cool.



When it's cool (like 15 minutes), you can just break it apart and package the shards. It's light and crispy and yummy and interesting. Voila -




A long time ago..there was a candy like this that they sold in packages, but they called it 'sponge candy'..lol..

 

[kacaju]

Caramels are simple and good - can do a sheet and spread a vanilla nougat or a nut nougat and then roll and then slice and wrap little individual candies. I've done that with chocolate mostly but people like it and it's impressive.

You can also make honeycomb candy - it's super simple and delicious and interesting. That's just honey, sugar, water - like 3/4 c. sugar, 3 tbs honey, 2 tbs. water and 2 tsp baking soda I think works, heh. Put everything but the baking soda in a saucepan much larger than you think you'll need. Much.

Heat. While it's heating, take a cookie sheet and either put down nonstick foil, parchment, or just very lightly butter the sheet. Put it aside, on a cool surface (like not the stovetop).

When the mixture on the stove caramelizes to amber, pull it off and dump in the baking soda and stir in one fast motion. Just stir very quickly and sparingly to combine. Almost AS you're stirring, dump the stuff onto the cookie sheet and then DON'T TOUCH IT. Let it cool.

It looks like this -

When it's cool (like 15 minutes), you can just break it apart and package the shards. It's light and crispy and yummy and interesting. Voila -

help!! we have been trying to make this and it keeps falling into a pancake and it is kind of chewy....

 

[cornflake]

I'm not there but I'm guessing you're stirring too much?? I can't think what else unless you're burning it but from there to burnt is a quick second and it wouldn't be chewy, it'd be crunchy.

 

[dbarker]

help!! we have been trying to make this and it keeps falling into a pancake and it is kind of chewy....

What's your humidity level? Rule of thumb, never try to make candy on a humid day. It won't turn out right.

 

[badblackpug]

Buttermilk Fudge

1 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups sugar
2 tbs light corn syrup
1 stick of butter
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

In a large sauce pan heat 1st 5 ingredients. Bring to boil and heat to 240 on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat. Beat well. Stir in nuts. Pour on buttered pan. Cool.

A little more work, but very tasty:

Brown Sugar Nut Rolls

2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
1/4 light corn syrup
1 cup chopped pecans

Heat 1st 4 ingredients to 236 degrees stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Cool to 110 degrees. Beat until candy starts to hold shape. Turn onto buttered surface and knead with buttered hands until candy can be shaped. Divide into half and shape into 2 rolls. Roll on nuts, pressing firmly. Wrap in saran and chill. Cut into bite sized pieces.

Easiest Ever:

Microwave Nut Brittle

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup salted nuts
1 tsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda

Combine sugar and syrup in glass bowl. Microwave on high 4 minutes. Stir in nuts. Microwave on high 3 1/2 minutes. Stir in butter and vanilla. Microwave on high 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in soda until light and foamy. Spread thinly on buttered cookie sheet. Cool completely. Break into pieces.

 

[PaulaSB12]

I don't know f this is Christmas type candy but it would be different

http://medievalcookery.com/recipes/horseradish.html
I keep meaning to make

 

[kacaju]

OK, I think we were just not waiting long enough for it to cool!! LOL!! It was a little chewy last night...but I didn't throw it away..(like I did the batch before) and this morning it tastes great...thanks for the recipe!