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Santa Cookies

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Have you ever seen such an ADORABLE plate of Santa cookies? Your basic delicious sugar cookie is topped with a magical combination of Starburst candy and mini m&ms to make a darling cookie that anyone can master! It’s so much easier than you think, and I’m going to show you how you can make these Santa Claus cookies, too!

cookies decorated with candy santa face stacked on glass plate

You do not need any special supplies for these cookies. Around the holidays, I typically have a batch of royal icing sitting around for any gingerbread house gluing or cookie decorating needs, but you can also simply use a can of white frosting from the grocery store to do the white parts of the Santa cookie face.

We used royal icing and a little icing writer in black from the grocery store baking aisle and these cookies came together in a snap. You can make your sugar cookies in any size – we just used a basic round 3″ cookie cutter and our favorite cut out sugar cookie recipe. You can even use pre-baked cookies or a ready-made cut and bake dough!

I think that the key to this cookie’s uniqueness is that we use Starburst candy for that smooth, perfectly red Santa cap! I’ll teach you that trick – keep reading!

santa cookies on glass cake stand with starburst and marshmallows scattered around

Do you love baking for the holidays? I have a few tried and true recipes that I make EVERY year:

  1. Chocolate Cream Pie
  2. Candy Cane Cookies
  3. Mint Snowtop Crinkle Cookies
  4. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients for Decorating Santa Cookies:

  • Sugar cookies (or any cookie I suppose!) iced smooth with white frosting – I dipped these cookies in a thinned royal icing, but you can also heat a can of white frosting in the microwave for 20 seconds or so and use that for easy dipping. Regardless of the icing, let them dry for at least an hour so that the icing is wet and sticky.
  • White Icing – We use more icing to make the fur lining of the cap, to stick the nonpareils to the marshmallow puff, and to make the beard. You can use royal icing or canned icing. For super easy decorating, grab one of these tubes of premade frosting (affil) that you can screw your decorating tip straight onto – read more about icing tube tips here.
  • Mini M&Ms – just grab a bag from the grocery store – these are so fun to decorate with! There are plenty of red ones in the bag to use for Santa’s nose!
  • Black Writing Gel – you need so little of this, but you can’t do without Santa’s eyes. If you prefer to color a bit of white frosting with some black food coloring gel, that works great too! I grabbed this from my grocery store’s baking aisle!
  • Mini Marshmallows – We’re going to stick a mini marshmallow on the side of the cap like a little puffball. It’s a cute touch.
  • White Nonpareils – I use these for everything – they are one of my favorite sprinkle basics! These are optional but give the marshmallow puff a nice polished look. You can also sprinkle them over the “fur-lining” of Santa’s cap.
  • Red Food Coloring – this is totally optional and I ended up preferring my Santa’s whose beards came up over their cheeks, but if you want to dab a bit of rosy onto Santa’s cheeks – it’s super easy to drop a drop of red food coloring into some extract or clear alcohol and use that!
  • STARBURST candies – ok! Your key to making these unique cookies is that smoooooooth red Santa cap! We make that with Starburst! Grab a berry flavored pack and you’ll get a few different shades of red to work with.
ingredients for santa cookies with labels

How to Decorate Santa Cookies

  1. Bake and ice your cookies with a smooth layer of white frosting.

    This is the base of Santa’s face and you’ll want to make sure the icing is nice and dry to the touch before continuing. I usually wait at least an hour.

  2. Make the Starburst Santa caps.

    This is going to blow your mind! Those tiny little Starburst candies are super versatile. Pop your candy (I do one or two at a time) into the microwave for 10-15 seconds and heat. It will soften right up. Unwrap it and roll it between two sheets of parchment paper. You need to work quickly as it’s only easy to roll when it’s nice and warm. Starburst candy being rolled out on parchment paper with other Santa cookie ingredients scattered around.

  3. Cut out the cap shape.

    Once the Starburst is rolled out large enough to cover the width of the cookie, use the same cookie cutter you used for your cookies and cut the curve of the top of the cap. Then, trim the bottom of the Starburst to make a straight or just slightly curved line that will be the bottom of the cap. Press the caps onto the top halves of each cookie.Santa cap cut out from Starburst candy with other ingredients and tools scattered around

  4. Pipe the fur lining of the cap with white frosting.

    Make a squiggly line with your white icing. Super simple.cookies with white face and red cap shape and piping bag with white frosting showing squiggles of icing on cap lining

  5. Add a marshmallow puff ball to the cap.

    Add a little bit of icing to one end of a mini marshmallow and dip it in nonpareils to make the puff ball for the cap. Use icing to “glue” the puff to the side of the Santa face where the cap and fur lining meet.

  6. Add a bunch of fluffy white icing for the beard and a mini m&m nose.

    noses and beards added onto the Santa cookie faces

  7. Finish with the black piped eyes.

  8. Add cheeks.

    This is optional and I liked most of my Santa cookies without rosy cheeks, but you can either punch little round cheeks from your Starburst scraps or mix a bit of red food coloring with some vodka or almond extract (the alcohol will evaporate) and dab the cheeks on with your fingertip.

santa claus cookies on glass cake stand with starburst and marshmallows scattered around

And….you’re DONE!! Wasn’t that fun and easy? I just love how these Santa cookies turned out.

Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe

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This melt in your mouth cut out sugar cookie recipe yields soft, buttery cookies with a slightly crisp edge and a delicate hint of almond. You may have just stumbled upon the BEST easy to follow recipe which even includes no chill time. These simple sugar cookies are ready in under 20 minutes for you to decorate or enjoy plain while cozying up with a nice cup of tea or some holiday hot chocolate!

cookie dough rolled out, cookie cutters, some shapes cut out with rolling pin and dishcloth

If you’re a fan of any and every sugar cookie, you should also check out this copycat Lofthouse recipe. Soft pillowy sugar cookies slathered with a thick coat of icing are a little more involved in the ingredients and process but definitely a must-try! We also love using this sugar cookie recipe to make the BEST Candy Cane cookies with Peppermint Marshmallow frosting! mmmmmm.

decorated Christmas sugar cookies with sprinkles and colored frosting

What are sugar cookies?

There’s a reason why tried and true cut out Christmas cookies remain a fan favorite. This centuries-old cookie is made with only a handful of ingredients. It consists of butter, sugar, flour, eggs, and vanilla, or in this case almond extract. A simple cookie that delivers on taste and function!

With a cut out sugar cookie recipe, specifically, you want very little leavening ingredients so that the cookies do not puff or spread too much and turn your pretty cut out shapes into indistinguishable blobs! There are no eggs and just a touch of baking soda in this cookie recipe.

Get out your favorite cookie cutters, set up a decorating DIY station, and have loads of fun with the family without all the fuss and shopping for crazy ingredients you’ve never heard of. They’re a great starter cookie if you’re just beginning your baking journey and they’re easy enough for the kids to help out!

More Holiday Cookie Favorites

Santa Cookies

Candy Cane Cookies

Ginger Cookies

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

You’ll be able to whip up a batch of soft cut out sugar cookies in a pinch. The dough freezes well, which comes in handy when you’ve got unexpected company at your door, or when it’s 10 o’clock at night and your kid tells you they need a dozen cookies for school by the next morning.

They make delicious gifts when packaged up nicely but, of course, they are perfect just for you to bake and enjoy at home during the holidays!

You do not need any special equipment to make this cut out sugar cookie recipe. Mix the ingredients with a standing mixer or a hand mixer, but you can also just mix them up by hand!

You will need a rolling pin – I’m always collecting vintage rolling pins because I just can’t resist a cute red handle. Any smoothly rolling rolling pin will do! Dust the rolling pin with flour to prevent it from sticking to your dough!

COOKIE CUTTERS come in every shape and size imaginable! I had a lot of fun with my newest set of Christmas cookie cutters (ref) and they arrived on my porch in a day! Everyone loves a simple round cookie though and you can even just use the top of a glass or mason jar to cut out perfectly shaped round cookies!

  • Salted butter – Softened. To cut down on prep time, keep the butter at room temperature earlier on (at least 20 minutes) before starting.
  • Granulated sugar – Because, sugar cookies.
  • Egg – Room temperature as well. Having ingredients all starting out at one temperature will make for even baking.
  • Almond extract – Using almond extract instead of vanilla is a preference. You can definitely swap one for the other. Both will add their own lovely individual flavor. Get crazy and use them both together!
  • All-purpose flour – Stick to all-purpose if you can. If you do end up going rogue and trying something different, keep me posted on how that goes.
  • Salt – The magic of salt is that it brings out the natural flavors of, well, everything!
  • Baking soda – This will help give the cookie the shape that doesn’t spread out too far and gives it a bit of a rise (almost yeast-like).

Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. This creaming process of fat and sugar is the foundation for many baked goods. It helps beat and hold the air into the mixture which gives way to a wonderful texture. You can’t beat cold butter so this is why it’s important to get everything to room temperature. Then, add the egg and almond extract and continue beating.

Step 2: Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and add it to the butter mixture. Combine everything until the dough comes together. Scrape down the sides as best as you can, incorporating all ingredients. At this point, if you’re wanting to freeze the dough for later use, wrap in plastic wrap and either keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. If you’re baking immediately, continue on to the next step. If you do find your dough a little too soft (this can happen too) chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes before rolling it out.

cookie dough rolled out with rolling pin and dishcloth

Step 3: Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Grab two sheets of parchment, waxed paper, or plastic wrap. Place the dough in between the sheets and roll out the dough until about 1/4″ – 1/2″ thick. Using your favorite cookie cutters, cut out as many shapes as your dough provides. Transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Scoop up the remaining dough, form it into a ball, and re-roll it to get even more cookies. You might need more than one baking sheet.

Christmas cut out cookies ready to be baked on cookie sheet

Step 4: Bake until the bottom of the cookies are just slightly golden brown – so slight you can just barely see the browning, but it’s there. These don’t take very long so don’t stray too far once they are in the oven. They won’t be soft and chewy if you overcook them and you certainly don’t want them to burn! Once completely cooled, have so much fun decorating them. Make sure you grab one before they’re gone!

Christmas cut out cookies baked on cookie sheet

Pro Tip: Try not to handle the dough too much. If this happens, it will become too dry and perhaps a little tough.

decorated Christmas sugar cookies with sprinkles and colored frosting

As awesome as these cookies are all on their own, the icing on top really does add a little something extra! If you’ve ever been mesmerized by one of those cookie decorating videos it might appear as though icing a cookie is a serious business.

In real non-professional pretty cookie maker life, it’s totally not. It’s actually a ton of fun and with a simple sugar cookie icing, it’s way easier than you might think. I even found these tubes of pre-colored frosting and my standard cake decorating tips screw right onto the tubes! It does not get easier than that!

tube of red frosting with Wilton decorating tip

So, grab your ingredients, put on some Christmas tunes, and make the most of this holiday season! Oh and don’t forget to leave a couple of cookies out for Santa!

How can I add color to my dough?

For a fun and festive idea, add some gel food coloring to your recipe for extra flare. Add it in to the butter/sugar mixture just before adding the flour.

Where do I find fun cookie cutters?

I love checking kitchen stores and cute new shops when I travel. And, of course, I’m always on the hunt at antique stores for a fantastic vintage cookie cutter. BUT, you can find cookie cutters almost anywhere. In fact, I picked up this multi-pack of Christmas cookie cutters right here! (referral link)

Can I make the sugar cookie cut out dough ahead of time?

Yes, you definitely can make the dough in advance. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or place in a freezer ziploc bag and refrigerate for 3-5 days or freeze for up to 3 months! The dough, even frozen, thaws enough to roll out in a matter of minutes!

Can I freeze the cookies?

Yes you can freeze your finished cookies! I love to make a big batch of cut out cookies early in December and then we can pull out whatever we need when the girls have friends over and want to do some cookie decorating or when it’s time to pick some special cookies for Santa!

Do these sugar cookies hold their shape?

This recipe is excellent for cutting out shapes because it has no eggs and very little baking soda in the recipe. Therefore, the dough does not puff or spread much at all. Unlike some recipes that have no baking soda or baking powder, this one does puff just ever so slightly – this makes it my absolute favorite because the finished cookie has a nice soft, slightly chewy texture that you can sink your teeth into. Chill your cutouts right before baking for the least amount of puff.

There are definitely days for more complicated recipes, but don’t forget good old-fashioned decorated sugar cookies in the holiday baking line-up! I hope you love this recipe as much as our family does!

cookie dough rolled out, cookie cutters, some shapes cut out with rolling pin and dishcloth

Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe

This cut out sugar cookie recipe turns out perfect every time. Sweet, buttery, and laced with almond extract, you won't find a better sugar cookie to use for all your holiday cookie decorating.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Servings: 24
Calories: 155kcal
Author: girlinspired

Ingredients

  • 1 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

  • Cream together butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer or with a hand mixer.
  • Add in egg and almond extract and beat together well.
  • Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda and add to butter mixture.
  • Mix until combined and the dough comes together.
  • Dough does not need to be chilled, but can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator (up to 3 days) or freezer (up to 3 months) until ready to bake.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Roll out dough between two sheets of parchment, waxed paper, or plastic wrap to 1/4"-1/2" thick.
  • Use cookie cutters to cut shapes. Transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are just barely showing a bit of browning.
  • Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes before removing cookies from baking sheet and transferring to a cooling rack.
  • Frost, if desired, when cookies have cooled completely.
Tried this recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @girlinspired!

Notes

When cutting out shapes, handle dough as little as possible so it doesn’t become tough or dry.  You can scoop up excess dough after cutting out and re-roll it, but dough gets tough after more than two time being rolled out.  I’d recommend dividing the initial ball of dough into two pieces and roll them out separately. 
If dough seems too soft, refrigerate for 20-30 minutes before rolling out.  You can also place the sheet pan with cut outs into the refrigerator for 15 minutes or more before baking to help cookies retain their shapes during baking.
Dough can be colored with gel food coloring just before adding the flour into the butter/sugar mixture.
*Nutritional calculations do not include frosting or decorations.

Nutrition

Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 246IU | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg

Candy Cane Cookies

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Peppermint everything sounds good to me this time of year.  So I went ahead and made some cut-out sugar cookies, topped them with a fluffy spread of peppermint marshmallow frosting, and threw some crushed candy canes on top.  Mmm, mmm, mmm.  Festive and easy, you know you want to make some of these Candy Cane cookies!

stacked sugar cookies with white frosting and pieces of candy cane on top

I like to use my super easy cut out sugar cookie recipe for these candy cane cookies because there are so few ingredients, it mixes up in a snap, and there’s no chill time needed!  You could even cut these out into cute little candy cane shapes!!

Candy Cane Cookies - sugar cookies topped with Peppermint Marshmallow Frosting and Candy Cane bits!

I’ve shared this sugar cookies recipe in the past, but it’s always nice to have it handy – especially heading into prime sugar cookie time!!  The almond extract in the dough really makes this a standout, in my opinion.

Start by mixing up the dough.  Flour a board and your rolling pin.  Roll out the dough to desired thickness.  I like a thicker, softer sugar cookie.  Cut the cookies out in desired shapes and transfer to a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes.  Remove from the oven as soon as you see the tiniest bit of browning along the bottom edges.  Cool for 2-3 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack; cool completely.
 
Candy Cane Cookies - sugar cookies topped with Peppermint Marshmallow Frosting and Candy Cane bits!
 
Now, for the frosting.  I first shared this marshmallow buttercream recipe when I changed it up with some strawberry extract, but this time, I gave it a peppermint makeover.  The frosting is mostly whipped marshmallow and butter and it is delicious.  It’s a softer frosting, perfect for topping a cookie or cupcake without intricate designs.  It also doesn’t harden, so keep that in mind when transferring, storing, and serving the cookies.  Because the candy cane pieces rested above the frosting level, I was able to stack these cookies without the frosting sticking to the cookie on top of it.

Candy Cane Cookie Recipe

stacked sugar cookies with white frosting and pieces of candy cane on top

Candy Cane Cookies

Sweet, buttery cookies topped with the most delicious peppermint marshmallow frosting and crushed candy canes!
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Servings: 24
Calories: 364kcal
Author: girlinspired

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Peppermint Marshmallow Frosting

  • 14 oz. marshmallow creme/marshmallow fluff
  • 1 1/2 cups salted butter, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1 cup crushed candy canes

Instructions

Cookie Instructions

  • Cream together butter and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer or with a hand mixer.
  • Add in egg and almond extract and beat together well.
  • Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda and add to butter mixture.
  • Mix until combined and the dough comes together.
  • Dough does not need to be chilled, but can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator (up to 3 days) or freezer (up to 3 months) until ready to bake.
  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Roll out dough between two sheets of parchment, waxed paper, or plastic wrap to 1/4"-1/2" thick.
  • Use cookie cutters to cut shapes. Transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom of the cookies are just barely showing a bit of browning.
  • Remove from oven and let cool for 2-3 minutes before removing cookies from baking sheet and transferring to a cooling rack.
  • Frost, if desired, when cookies have cooled completely.

Frosting Instructions

  • Beat marshmallow creme with a whisk. Gradually add butter, 2-3 tablespoons at a time.
  • When all the butter has been incorporated, add powdered sugar and peppermint extract. Whisk 1-2 minutes more until frosting is fluffy and smooth.
  • Top each cookie with a layer of frosting and sprinkle with crushed candy cane pieces.
Tried this recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @girlinspired!

Notes

 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 77mg | Potassium: 24mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 601IU | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

 

Candy Cane Cookies - sugar cookies topped with Peppermint Marshmallow Frosting and Candy Cane bits!
 
What have you been baking? 
 

Caramel Apples

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Add a little nostalgic whimsy to your holidays with these fun and festive caramel apples. Biting into a crisp juicy apple covered in a sweet buttery caramel coating is a crowd pleaser for both kids and adults alike!

red apples coated in caramel in cupcake wrapper, book stack in background

‘Tis the season for all things fall flavors and winter delights. Caramel and apple have built a relationship based on texture and taste, much like its cousin the candy apple, and what better way to celebrate this relationship than making homemade caramel apples!

green caramel apples

What are Caramel Apples?

This recipe provides a fool proof method of making buttery, silky smooth caramel right from scratch. For convenience sake some people may use caramel candies, but believe me when I say, it is well worth the extra steps.

There is something totally nostalgic about easy caramel apples. A crisp apple on a stick coated with a delicious caramel dip combined with the balance of sweet and tart brings us all back to the good ol’ days of summer carnivals and fall fairs.

With the holidays around the corner, we all look forward to carrying on childhood traditions with our own kids!

Set up a DIY decorating station for the kids. As soon as they’re dipped in caramel hand them off to your kids for the finishing touches.

More Recipes to Try

Candy Apple Recipe

The Best Chocolate Cream Pie

German Oven Pancakes

Brandy Pecan Baked Brie

Put out bowls of sprinkles, and chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or a chocolate drizzle. Other than eating them, decorating taffy apples is the next best thing!

Serve them on a platter at your next gathering, or package them nicely and you’ve got the perfect gift for your friends and neighbors. And if you have any caramel dip left, get fancy and make your own candy!

overhead view of baking sheet with green and red caramel apples

What You Will Need:

Candy thermometer – If you have one, it’s highly recommended that you use one. It’ll make your life easier and is a great way to avoid burning your caramel and keeping it at the right temperature and consistency.

Sticks – You can use bamboo sticks, these cute plastic “sticks”, or even cookie/lollipop sticks. (referral links here)

Ingredients:

  • Salted butter – A major component of creating a silky smooth and buttery caramel coating. The salt adds another element to the sweet caramel, especially if you choose not to add any sea salt.
  • Light brown sugar – Has a lighter flavor than its darker counterpart and gives way to that lovely light brown caramel color. Using darker brown sugar will result in darker caramel but will also have a bit of a different taste.
  • Light corn syrup – This is what helps prevent the sugar from crystallizing and becoming too hard or grainy. It leaves the coating smooth and shiny and chewier rather than solid.
  • Sea Salt – This is completely optional but a way to bring out all of the flavors, as salt tends to do.
  • Sweetened condensed milk – Condensed milk is the result of all the water being removed from milk. Sugar is then added to it. It’s thick creamy milk used for candies, caramel, fudge, and many baked goods!
  • Vanilla extract – Use whatever you have on hand.
  • White vinegar – You’ll need a bit of white vinegar and hot water to give your apples a thorough clean. It’ll help get any residual wax off the skin as well as any dirt hanging around.
ingredients for caramel apples with text overlay: green apples, butter, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, sweetened condensed milk, sticks and candy thermometer

How to Make Caramel Apples:

Step 1: Making caramel apples is really easy, but the trick is to work quickly once you start dipping. A way to help with that is to have yourself set up properly from the beginning. Start by preparing your baking sheet with parchment paper and then cleaning your apples with the water and vinegar mixture. Wipe them down, place the stick in them and allow them to completely dry on the cookie sheet.

Step 2: While the apples are drying, grab a sauce pan and melt the butter over medium heat. Then add the brown sugar, corn syrup and optional salt. Stir and cook until it’s reached a full rolling boil. This is where you’ll want to get your thermometer to keep a close eye on the temperature.

Step 3: Add the sweetened condensed milk to the mixture and continue cooking until it has reached exactly 248 degrees on the thermometer. Any higher than that you risk overcooking and it may scorch and you’ll end up with a burnt taste. No one wants that! Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

Step 4: Now is the fun part! Being very careful, because the caramel is still quite hot, grab an apple by the stick end and dip it into the caramel mixture. Swirl it around to coat the exterior and allow excess to drip off. If you plan on adding any extra decorations, now is the time to do it! Place back onto the parchment-lined sheet to cool.

4 photo collage of 1) butter in saucepan 2)brown sugar and corn syrup in saucepan 3) bubbling caramel with green apples around, and 4) pouring milk into caramel mixture

Repeat with each individual apple. They will cool within minutes at which time they’re ready to be devoured. Eat right off the stick or for smaller hands, cut them up into slices. Either way, you’re about to enjoy a sticky bite of heaven!

Love Fair Food? You’ll love our funnel cake recipe, our caramel corn recipe, or making a whole rainbow of jello popcorn!

What are the best apples to use for caramel apples?

What’s great about this recipe is you really can use whatever apples you have on hand, especially if you’re making them at home for your family. If you’re serving them to a crowd or will be gifting them to a loved one, you might want to spend a little extra time picking out the perfect apple. Medium to small apples works best. Make sure they’re as close to “perfect” looking (no bruising if you can help it). Granny Smith apples are nice because they are tart and add a nice balance to the sweetness.

green apples coated in caramel in cupcake wrapper

Caramel Apples

Fool-proof recipe for the most delicious caramel apples – buttery, soft, melt in your mouth caramel over crisp, sweet apples!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 490kcal
Author: girlinspired

Equipment

  • candy thermometer

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup salted butter
  • 2 cups light brown sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • sprinkle of sea salt optional
  • 14 oz. sweetened, condensed milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 12 apples Granny Smith, Gala
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Instructions

  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
  • Wipe down apples with a mixture of the white vinegar and 1 cup of hot water. Insert one cookie stick parallel to the stem of each apple. Place apples on prepared cookie sheet to dry completely.
  • In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
  • Add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt (if using.) Stir and cook until mixture reaches a full rolling boil.
  • Place a candy thermometer into the saucepan and clip to the side so that you can monitor continually.
  • Add sweetened, condensed milk to the mixture and continue cooking and stirring until mixture reaches exactly 248 degrees on the thermometer.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
  • Working quickly, dip each apple into the caramel and swirl gently to coat. Allow excess caramel to drip off the apple; then, place apple onto the parchment paper/cookie sheet to cool.
  • The caramel will cool within minutes and the apples are ready to eat! Bite into apples right on the stick or slice and serve.
Tried this recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @girlinspired!

Nutrition

Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 139mg | Potassium: 366mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 94g | Vitamin A: 423IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 1mg

Cranberry Jello Salad

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The bright, zesty flavors of raspberry, cranberry, and orange come together in this delicious cranberry jello salad. Fancy this side dish up by molding it in a bundt pan or jello mold or simply mix it up and serve it in a bowl. Either way, this cranberry jello is going to take the place of that boring old can of cranberry sauce on your holiday table.

beautiful cranberry jello salad on white serving platter with walnuts on top and cranberries and oranges as garnish

Raspberry and cranberry are such a perfect pairing and this recipe is a cinch to put together. It takes just a few minutes to mix everything and pop it in the fridge. The bright flavors are so nice to cut the heaviness between bites of turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. Serve this easy jello dish with your candied yams and granny’s famous dinner rolls. The fresh zesty flavors will also complement an orange and apricot infused brown sugar glazed ham.

side view of beautiful cranberry jello salad on white serving platter with walnuts on top and cranberries and oranges as garnish

What is Cranberry Jello Salad?

A jello side dish is a staple on the Thanksgiving table – and really, most holidays or group celebrations. This raspberry cranberry jello version makes a delicious stand in for cranberry sauce. We love the ease of using instant gelatin and the fancy convenience of the quintessential jello mold. If you’re interested in the history of jello salads, this read is super interesting!

How to Use a Jello Mold:

If you’ve never used a jello mold before, it is so simple. Prepare the mold with non-stick cooking spray to make it super easy to release the jello from the mold.

Be sure that you’re using a mold that is the right size for the recipe. If you try to fill a mold that’s gigantic, the jello will fill only a small portion and won’t look beautiful when you remove the jello. The jello won’t expand in size during molding, so you don’t have to worry about filling a mold too full, but you don’t want any of your ingredients to go to waste either! This recipe calls for a 6-cup jello mold or bundt pan – this is the mold I used (affiliate link).

Follow the recipe instructions to allow the jello enough time to set properly. This recipe requires at least 4 hours – you can whip everything up a day or two in advance and your jello salad will be ready to plate at dinnertime!

Simply turn the jello mold/pan upside down, centered on your serving plate and the cranberry jello salad will slip out of the mold and onto the plate. Some of the additional ingredients may settle in the pan and prevent the jello from a perfect molded shape. No worries! Garnish the molded jello with a sprinkling of chopped walnuts or orange zest and no one will notice a little imperfection here or there.

Ingredients:

  • fresh cranberries – these are so beautiful for garnish – you can also use frozen or skip altogether if cranberries aren’t available
  • walnuts – we love the bit of crunch and texture these add into the jello. My mom used to make two bowls of this cranberry jello – one with nuts and one without. If you don’t like walnuts, just leave them out!
  • Whole berry cranberry sauce – the whole cranberries in the canned sauce also add some texture. If you’d like to use fresh cranberry sauce, that works too!
  • raspberry gelatin – Instant gelatin makes this recipe so quick and easy to make.
  • orange zest – the burst of flavor from just a little orange zest adds so much punch to this jello.
  • sour cream – this adds a bit of creaminess and a bit of tartness as well.
ingredients for cranberry jello salad - whole walnuts, orange with zester, water, sour cream, jello in packet, and cranberry sauce in can with text overlay

How to Make Cranberry Jello Salad:

Step 1: Whisk together the boiling water and the raspberry gelatin until the gelatin dissolves.

Step 2: Stir in chopped walnuts, cranberry sauce, sour cream, and orange zest. Mix well.

Step 3: Pour jello into 6-cup mold or a serving bowl. Chill for at least 4 hours.

Step 4: Flip over the jello mold to release the jello and garnish with zest, fresh cranberries, maybe even a couple orange slices. Serve!

4 photo collage of 1)whisk mixing jello in clear bowl 2)sour cream, orange zest, walnuts added to bowl 3) jello in bundt pan jello mold 4) molded cranberry jello salad garnished on serving platter

Didn’t this cranberry jello turn out just beautiful? Gorgeous and delicious are my two favorite things!

side view of pie server scooping slice of cranberry jello salad on white serving platter with walnuts on top and cranberries and oranges as garnish
beautiful cranberry jello salad on white serving platter with walnuts on top and cranberries and oranges as garnish

Cranberry Jello Salad

The bright, zesty flavors of raspberry, cranberry, and orange come together in this delicious cranberry jello salad.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 4 hours
Servings: 8
Calories: 141kcal
Author: girlinspired

Equipment

  • 6-cup jello mold

Ingredients

  • 3 oz. raspberry gelatin instant
  • 1 1/2 cup boiling water
  • 8 oz. whole berry cranberry sauce
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts plus more for garnish
  • 1/4 teaspoon orange zest plus more for garnish
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries for garnish

Instructions

  • Whisk together gelatin and boiling water until gelatin is dissolved. Chill/cool until thick and syrupy for the most even distribution of the additional ingredients.
  • Stir in remaining ingredients and whisk to combine well.
  • Pour jello mixture into a greased 6-cup jello mold or bundt pan. Alternately, you can just pour it into a serving bowl and skip the mold altogether!
  • Refrigerate for 3-4 hours to allow jello to set. (You can prepare in advance and chill for up to 2 days before serving).
  • Flip mold upside down on serving platter to release jello. Serve immediately garnished with fresh cranberries, more chopped walnuts, and orange zest.
Tried this recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @girlinspired!

Notes

Cranberry jello will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days.  Do not freeze.

Nutrition

Calories: 141kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 72mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 109IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

Candied Yams with Marshmallows

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Another staple on our Thanksgiving table, and the occasional Wednesday night, we looooove our candied yams with marshmallows in this house! Cooked yams are mashed with butter and maple syrup, and a few other yummy treats and then topped with a huge pile of mini marshmallows. Pop this casserole in the oven and make the kiddos’ eyes light up when you tell them to eat their vegetables.

closeup of gold spoon scooping candied yams with toasted marshmallows from white dish

This is my girls’ favorite dish of all for Thanksgiving. In fact, we love our candied yams so much, sometimes we have this marshmallow version and a second pan of yams with brown sugar pecan streusel. Whichever way you bake ’em, this staple dish goes hand in hand with our fancied up stovetop stuffing and mom’s cranberry jello salad.

closeup of candied yams with toasted marshmallows in white dish with scoop removed

What are Candied Yams?

When I think of candied yams, I often think of cut up chunks or slices of yam or sweet potato, mixed with sugar, butter, and spices, and then baked into a caramelized dish. For this version of candied yams, we’ve mashed microwave-cooked yams and then mixed them with maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and butter – achieving that caramelized/candied taste without the extra cooking. I also find our mashed version more palatable!

More Recipes to Try

Candy Apple Recipe

The Best Chocolate Cream Pie

German Oven Pancakes

Brandy Pecan Baked Brie

How Do You Cook Yams in the Microwave?

Making baked potatoes and baked yams in the microwave is such a huge timesaver (and dish saver)! The skins do not crisp in the same way as when you bake the potatoes in the oven, but the inside tastes practically identical. Since we’re discarding the skins for this recipe, waste no time (or oven space) trying to cook these in the oven, and opt for this much quicker route.

For best results, choose yams that are similar in size. Be sure to prick the skins all over with a fork to allow the steam to escape while they’re cooking. If you don’t, the built up steam may cause the sweet potato to explode. No one has time to clean up that mess either!!

Arrange the yams in a spoke pattern in the microwave. This will ensure more even cooking. You can place them on a dish OR, for easier cleanup, just place them on a few layers of paper towel. They do seep some sticky juice while they’re cooking, so be sure those paper towels are ready to catch the drips.

Microwave for about 5 minutes to start and then add 2 minutes per additional yam. Turn the yams over halfway through cooking. You can also flip the end that faces in to the spoke pattern. Add 1-2 minutes of cook time more after the initial cooking until the yams are done. I usually squeeze the sides of the yam to tell when they’re done – they’re soft and squish easily. They are really hot at this point, though, so be careful. You can also pierce them with a fork – if the fork slides in easily, they are done.

Remove cooked yams from the microwave as they finish cooking. If you have a bit of a smaller one, it may finish cooking faster. Just pull that one out and continue cooking those that aren’t done yet.

If you have a microwave with a “baked potato” setting, go ahead and start there. It seems to do the job pretty accurately. Once your yams are cooked, allow them to cool just a little bit and then you’re ready to candy them and top them with marshmallows!

Ingredients for Candied Yams with Marshmallows:

  • 3 yams/sweet potatoes – I love garnet yams! Do double check when you’re buying your yams that you’re choosing those with orange flesh. Some yams have white flesh – they don’t look quite as appetizing and those that I’ve tried aren’t quite as sweet or moist either.
  • Butter – we always use the real stuff! I use salted butter for almost everything – if you use unsalted butter, compensate by adding 1/2 teaspoon or so of salt. You can also use a butter substitute.
  • Maple syrup – mmmm, maple syrup adds so much flavor and also sweetness to our candied yams. If you’re lucky enough to have pure maple syrup from you last trip to Vermont (hahaha), this is the time break it out from the lock box and treat yourself! You can also use pure maple syrup from your local grocery store. If you prefer maple flavored corn syrup, you can use that too.
  • Vanilla extract – Like the maple syrup, the vanilla adds another layer of flavor and dimension to our candied yams.
  • Brown sugar – Most of the sweetness is going to come from the brown sugar in this recipe – you can adjust the amount and taste the yams while you’re mixing them to achieve the level of sweetness that you’d like. The brown sugar complements the bold flavor of the yams so well.
  • Heavy Cream – Just as you’d add milk or cream to your mashed potatoes, I like to add just a splash of heavy cream to this dish as well. It adds some creaminess and also breaks up the starches just a bit for a smoother bite. Milk or a milk substitute will work here also. Or skip it altogether, they’ll still be delicious!
ingredients for candied yams including maple syrup, brown sugar, yams on white plate, mini marshmallows, a pat of butter, heavy cream in jar, and vanilla extract with text overlay

How to Make Candied Yams with Marshmallows:

Step 1: Start by cooking the yams until they’re soft. I like to cook the yams whole, with skins intact, by cooking them in the microwave just like you’d cook a regular potato in the microwave.

Slice them in half and scoop out the flesh. Pile the cooked yams in a mixing bowl.

Step 2: Now we’re going to add the “candy” part. Toss in all of the add-ins except for the marshmallows. The butter will melt down as you mix. Mash everything together with a potato masher or a fork. If you like your yams a little bit chunky, that’s just fine! Mash them down to your preferred consistency.

Step 3: Now spread the yams out in a baking dish – anything similar to a 9×13 will work. Use an oven safe dish. If you cooked your yams ahead of time and they were cool when you mixed in the add-ins, reheat or bake them for awhile before adding the marshmallows. You can also heat your yam mixture in the microwave before putting them in the oven. If you are making everything at once, they will be hot enough to just go straight to the marshmallow “top and toast.”

Step 4: Now, top your candied yams with mini marshmallows and pop it into the oven. Bake in the oven just long enough to toast your marshmallows. I

four photo collage of yams in bowl with brown sugar, mashed together, spread in white casserole dish, and covered in marshmallows

Yummmm! Try to pull those yams out of the oven right at meal time. They take only 15 minutes or so top brown the marshmallows. I usually pop them in the oven to toast as I’m making the turkey gravy. Then, we can eat the yams while the marshamallows are still all ooey gooey!

closeup of gold spoon scooping candied yams with toasted marshmallows from white dish
What is the difference between yams and sweet potatoes?

In America, the two names are frequently used interchangeably. They are almost always referencing sweet potatoes. Actual yams are a different root vegetables and are drier and much less sweet than sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes can be white, yellow/orange, and even purple! When we say candied yams here, we actually mean candied sweet potatoes. You can read more about the differences in this excellent article by Bon Apetit!

Can I skip the marshamallows?

Of course! The candied yams are super yummy on their own. You might also prefer a pecan streusel atop your candied yams.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes, you can cook the yams up to three days in advance. Wrap cooked yams in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator or scoop out the flesh and seal it in an airtight container. Reheat the yams in the microwave before adding in the “candy” to ensure that your dish is hot coming out of the oven the same time the marshmallows are toasted to perfection,

closeup of candied yams with toasted marshmallows in white dish with scoop removed

Candied Yams with Marshmallows

Yams candied with maple syrup and brown sugar and topped with gooey toasted marshmallows
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Holiday
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Cooling Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 275kcal
Author: girlinspired

Ingredients

Yams

  • 3 garnet yams medium
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/8 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Topping

  • 2 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions

  • Wash yams thoroughly and poke on all sides with a fork to allow steam to escape while cooking.
  • Arrange yams in a spoke pattern on several layers of paper towel in the microwave.
  • Cook on the "baked potato" setting or until yams are soft all the way through when poked with a fork.
  • Remove from microwave oven and allow to sit and cool for 10 minutes or until they are cool enough to handle.
  • Slice yams in half lengthwise and scoop out cooked contents with a spoon. Discard skins.
  • In a bowl, combine yams, butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and heavy cream. Mix well, mashing with a fork or potato masher until most lumps are smooth.
  • Spread yam mixture into a 9×13 glass baking dish or similar casserole dish.
  • Sprinkle mini marshmallows evenly over the yams.
  • Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the marshmallows are toasted brown. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Tried this recipe?Follow me on Pinterest @girlinspired!

Nutrition

Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 1053mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg

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