6 Kid-Friendly Holiday Desserts

As the countdown to the holidays gets shorter and shorter, you're probably in  the full swing of holiday meal planning. That's great! After all, cooking and enjoying a good meal together can bring the entire family closer. But, let's not kid ourselves. It's the dessert that brings the kiddos running to the table, right?

You can bring that excitement into the kitchen by crafting holiday-worthy treats with the kids. However, with the thousands (if not millions) of recipes listed on Google, it can be difficult to know which ones to try. That's why we've tested some holiday dessert recipes that aren't just simple and delicious, they're also easy to make on a dime and perfect for kids to help create. Here are seven you may want to try making with your own kiddos!

1. Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows

Ingredients:

• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 cup cold water
• 2 cups white granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
• 2 teaspoons pure peppermint extract
• red food coloring

Directions:

Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and a small amount of confectioners sugar. Microwave 1/2 cup of cold water, granulated sugar and light corn syrup for 8 minutes. Stir thoroughly, making sure the sugar is fully dissolved. Microwave 2 to 3 minutes longer if necessary to completely dissolve the sugar crystals.

Lightly mix 1/2 cup of water and 2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin in a stand mixer. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Slowly add the sugar mixture to the gelatin beating (beginning on low and increasing to high) until mixture turns white and begins to peak (about 15 minutes). Add in peppermint extract.

Then, pour the mixture into the pan. Add food color to the top of the marshmallow mixture and swirl with a toothpick. Cover with 1/3 cup of confectioners sugar and refrigerate overnight. Add the remaining confectioners sugar to a bowl, cut and remove marshmallows from the baking dish and coat all sides with confectioners sugar. Shake off the excess sugar and serve in a cup of hot chocolate! Talk about a hug in a mug!

2. Mint Strawberry Jello Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 prepared graham cracker crust
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 large box sugar-free strawberry gelatin
• 2 tubs Cool Whip Extra Creamy
• Andes mints and whip cream for garnish

Directions:

Microwave 1/3-cup of water for 2 and 1/2 minutes. Remove from the microwave and add to gelatin. Whisk until the gelatin is dissolved. Let cool for about 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, fold together both tubs of Cool Whip. Fold in the gelatin mixture. Use a spatula to mix the gelatin and Cool Whip. Pour into a prepared graham cracker crust. Garnish with whipped cream and crushed Andes mints.

3. Christmas Popcorn

Ingredients:

• 1 bag popcorn
• 1 bag vanilla candy melts
• 1 cup broken pretzels
• 1/2 cup Christmas M&M's
• Christmas-colored sprinkles

Directions:

Make one bag of popcorn according to the directions on the package. Once popped, place the popcorn in a large bowl. Melt the candy melts in 30-second intervals, stirring until completely melted. Then, mix the melted vanilla candy with the popped popcorn carefully while using a spatula. Once covered, mix in the pretzels, M&M's and sprinkles. Place parchment paper on a large cookie sheet. Then lay the mixed popcorn flat on the parchment paper and allow it to harden about 30 minutes at room temperature or place in the refrigerator.

4. Peppermint Candy Oreos

Ingredients:

• 1 package Oreo cookies
• 1 package white candy melts
• 1 package peppermint candy (crushed)

Directions:

Melt white candy melts in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until fully melted. Unwrap the peppermint candies, place in a bag and crush the peppermints with a rolling pin. Dip half of the Oreo cookie (or whole if preferred) in the melted white candy. Then, sprinkle with crushed peppermint. Place coated cookies on parchment paper and allow to harden for about 30 minutes. And voila - a festive holiday version of this beloved creme-filled cookie!

5. Fruity Santa Hats

Ingredients:

• Grapes
• Strawberries (washed and cut)
• Bananas (sliced)
• Mini Marshmallows
• Toothpicks

Directions:

Place a toothpick through a grape and top with a sliced banana. Then, top with a strawberry and mini marshmallow to complete the Santa hat. Finish and serve with snowflakes (mini marshmallows) in a bowl or on a serving tray.

6. Christmas Tree Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 package prepared brownies
• 1 tub squeezable green icing
• 1 bag Christmas M&M's
• 1 box candy canes (tops off) or candy cane sticks

Directions:

Make brownies according to the directions on the package. Allow them to cool completely. Cut the brownies into triangles using a knife or a Christmas tree cookie cutter. Decorate them with icing and top the icing with M&Ms as ornaments. This is a holiday dessert the whole family will be pining for.

Bonus Holiday Recipe - Oreo Coal

Who said getting coal for Christmas was a bad thing? In this case, it’s pretty sweet! For this holiday recipe, all you need is a package of marshmallows, 4 Tbsp of butter, Rice Krispies cereal, Oreo cookies and semi-sweet chocolate chips. That’s only five ingredients! 

Get the full recipe on our recipe portal. 

With these seven holiday desserts, you can make more treats to go around and create sweet memories with your kids that will last a lifetime. Looking for some more holiday dessert recipes? Check out our Pinterest page or our website for some recipe inspiration