Simple holiday treats to make at home

Here are a few simple holiday treats to bring to parties, give as gifts, or share with family and friends. 

Chocolate cake 

This recipe requires any boxed cake mix and premade frosting of your choosing. When preparing the cake batter, substitute the water for milk or coffee, the oil for melted butter, and add an extra egg. 

1. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan, a round cake pan, a bundt cake pan, or put cupcake liners in a cupcake tin.
2. Preheat the oven according to the box's instructions.
3. Make the batter by combining all of the ingredients.
4. Pour the batter in the pan of choice.
5. Bake the cake for the amount of time according to the instructions on the box.
6. When the cake comes out of the oven, check that it is done by inserting a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is fully baked.
7. Let the cake sit until completely cool.
8. Dye the frosting a fun color, then spread over the cake or cupcakes.
9. Decorate the cake with sprinkles, edible glitter, candies or anything else. 

Christmas crack

This recipe requires saltine crackers, butter, brown sugar, vanilla extract, salt and chocolate chips. For a full batch, use one sleeve of crackers, one cup of butter (or two sticks), one cup of brown sugar, one teaspoon of vanilla, one half teaspoon of salt, and two cups of chocolate chips. For a half batch, use a half sleeve of crackers, one half cup of butter (or one stick), one half cup of brown sugar, one half teaspoon of vanilla, one quarter teaspoon of salt and one cup of chocolate chips.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a pan with foil or a silicone mat, then line the pan with the crackers. (The saltines in this recipe can be substituted for other crackers or pretzels.)
3. Melt the butter and brown sugar together in a sauce pan over medium high heat. Allow the mixture to boil for three minutes, then remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and salt.
4. Pour that mixture over the pan of crackers and place the pan in the oven for five minutes.
5. Sprinkle chocolate chips over the crackers and toffee and let it sit for a few minutes until the chocolate melts.
6. Spread the chocolate with a knife or spatula, then decorate with sprinkles or candies of choice. Let it sit out or place it in the freezer to cool.
7. Once completely cool, cut into pieces with a knife or crack it apart with your hands. 

Oreo snowmen 

For this recipe, use any Oreos of choice, white chocolate and food dye.

1. Melt the white chocolate in different bowls, then add vegetable or canola oil to the chocolate to make it thinner.
2. Add red and yellow dye to one bowl to make the chocolate orange, and add black dye to the other bowl.
3. Dip the Oreos in the white chocolate, shake off the excess, and place on a pan lined with wax paper, parchment paper or a silicone mat.
4. Place two Oreos next to each other to make the snowman shape.
5. Use a toothpick to make the eyes, mouth and buttons from the black chocolate and the carrot nose from the orange chocolate.
6. Let chill, then gently peel the snowmen off the paper or mat. 

Pretzel trees

For this recipe, use pretzel sticks, white chocolate, food dye and sprinkles.

1. Place the pretzel sticks on a pan lined with parchment paper, wax paper or a silicone mat.
2. Melt the white chocolate and dye it green. Thin with vegetable oil.
3. Load the melted chocolate into a plastic bag and cut off the tip to make a piping bag.
4. Use the piping bag to drizzle the chocolate over the pretzel sticks in the shape of a Christmas tree.
5. Decorate with sprinkles of choice.
6. Let them chill, then gently peel the trees off the paper or mat. 

Snow cream

For this recipe, use fresh, clean snow from outside, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract.

1. Add one teaspoon of vanilla to the snow, then add the sweetened condensed milk.
2. Stir together until the mixture reaches the desired texture.