Festive, bite-sized holiday treats can be whipped up easily with the right recipes. You don’t have to be a baking whiz to create decadent sweet and savory snacking platters that are perfect for unexpected guests or as a centerpiece on a holiday table!

Sweet Treats for the Season

When you say holiday baking most people envision having to roll out sugar cookie dough and the complications of building a gingerbread house. Put an end to tedious kitchen work and satisfy your holiday sweet tooth at the same time with these simple, fun recipes!

Chocolate Rum Balls

How about a no-bake recipe that only requires a mixing bowl and a sauce pan? Better yet, a two-bite morsel that can be stored for months, frozen, or shipped!

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light rum
• 3 Tb. light corn syrup
• 2 cups crushed vanilla wafers
• 1 cup ground walnuts
• sugar for rolling

Combine the crushed vanilla wafers and walnuts in a large mixing bowl. Melt the chocolate chips over medium-high heat, stir in the sugar, rum and corn syrup until smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture into the wafer mixture and stir until well combined.

Place mixture in the refrigerator for 1/2 hour to cool and let firm. Roll into 1-inch balls and then roll in extra sugar. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month, will store longer if frozen.

Use holiday colored sugars or sprinkles for the outside decoration for a festive touch. The longer these rum balls sit, the more potent their flavor becomes!

Grandma Bea’s Fudge Cakes

Imagine a whole brownie square stuffed into a single bite! These tiny fudge cakes pack an intense chocolate flavor and can be made with nuts or without.

• 4, 1-ounce squares unsweetened baking chocolate
• 2 sticks butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups ground walnuts

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, line 2 mini-muffin tins with paper liners (there are some cute holiday designs at your local craft store!).

In a large sauce pan, melt the chocolate squares and butter over medium heat. Remove from stove and let cool. Alternate adding sugar and eggs one at a time, starting with sugar and stirring constantly to avoid cooking the eggs. Add salt, flour and walnuts and mix well.

Spoon batter into muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until tops are shiny and cracked.

Nut-Free Alternative – omit the ground walnuts and increase baking time by 3-5 minutes. May also substitute ground vanilla wafers and follow original bake time.

Mini-Cheesecakes

Avoid the mess of baking a whole cheesecake when you can satisfy all your guests’ flavor preferences with a top-your-own mini-cheesecake! Individual portions mean easy serve and cleanup, and a topping station lets everyone choose their favorite flavor!

• 24 vanilla wafers
• 2, 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, line a muffin tin with foil liners. Place 2 vanilla wafers in the bottom of each liner.

Using a hand blender or stand mixer, combine cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Add eggs and continue to mix until no lumps appear.

Fill each tin 3/4 full and bake for 25 minutes or until tops are puffy and cracked. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Cover tin with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Topping Ideas: Canned pie fillings, fresh fruit, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, chopped nuts – anything you desire!

Savory Bite-Sized Treats

Not all holiday nibbles need to be sweet. These savory recipes are great snacks to place out for a holiday get-together when you’re enjoying the company of family and friends before the big meal.

Baked Spinach-Cheese Balls

Hearty, warm biscuit dough packed with zesty cheddar cheese and robust spinach flavors, these bites are great plain or with a dipping sauce!

• 1, 10-ounce box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain
• 1 cup original baking mix (for example, Bisquick)
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray.

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Zesty Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. ground horseradish
• 1 Tbsp. deli mustard
• 2 Tbsp. ketchup
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. minced or crushed garlic
• 2 tsp. hot sauce
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper

Combine all ingredients and stir until well mixed. Chill for 1 hour to let flavors incorporate. Serve chilled or room temperature.

Bacon-Brown Sugar Crackers

The ingredients might seem an odd combination, but once you try one, it’s hard to stop even after 3 or 4!

• 24 club crackers
• 12 slices of bacon (regular cut works best)
• brown sugar, to taste

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet lined with tinfoil.

Cut the bacon strips in half and separate. Sprinkle 1 tsp. brown sugar on top of each cracker, wrap with a piece of bacon. Place crackers on wire rack and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before transferring to serving platter.

Tips on Decorative Snacking and Food Storage & Safety

Shelled nuts and nutcrackers are popular this time of year as both a decoration and a tasty snack. Many candy makers break out the holiday wrappers for the fall and winter months, providing sweet temptations that also brighten up your table.

Store crunchy and baked treats in airtight, sealed containers to retain their crispness. Dips are best when you let them rest for an hour or so before serving to allow the flavors to mix.

Remember that when putting snacks and treats out for display, anything that is dairy-based should be kept chilled or not left out uncovered for more than 1 hour. Leftover dips and spreads containing cheese, sour cream, or mayonnaise should be disposed of rather than saved to prevent food poisoning.

When you know company will come knocking at any minute have a plate or two of these tasty treats on hand and your home is sure to be the hit of the holiday season!