Sweet Penny Treats for the Holidays
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Looking for a nostalgic treat to make this Christmas? This old-fashioned penny candy is frugal, easy, delicious, and sure to transport you back to simpler times.
Homemade Penny Candy
By Hilary Bernstein of HilaryBernstein.com
One of my favorite parts of Little House on the Prairie is on Christmas morning when Laura and Mary get to look in their stockings. They find new tin cups, peppermint candy sticks, heart-shaped cakes “made of pure white flour, and sweetened with white sugar,” and a bright, new penny.
“They had never even though of such a thing as having a penny. Think of having a whole penny for your very own. Think of having a cup and a cake and a stick of candy and a penny. There never had been such a Christmas.”
I often ask my children if they would only like to get a cup, a cake, a stick of candy, and a penny for Christmas. (Like most children today, they wouldn’t.) You may choose to give more at Christmas, but you also can follow the lead of the Ingalls family and give penny candy as a gift. In fact, a Mason jar filled with penny candy would make a sweet gift for anyone on your list.
The great news is that old-fashioned penny candy is easy and affordable to make – perfect if you’re crunched on time or money at Christmas.
Tip: Looking for more Frugal treats? Check out these Frugal Cookie Treat Recipes.
Enjoy these 4 Old Fashioned Christmas Candy recipes this season!
Ingredients in Peanut Brittle
- Butter (for greasing cookie sheet and metal spatula)
- 2 cups sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 ½ cup salted peanuts
Step by Step Instructions for Making Peanut Brittle
Grease a rimmed cookie sheet with butter. Grease a spatula with butter. Set both aside.
Combine 2 cups sugar, ½ cup water, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat, without stirring, about 3 minutes, until the sugar begins to melt and turn golden.
Continue to cook on high, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts completely and the mixture begins to turn a golden amber color. Watch carefully for the color after about 5 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in peanuts. Immediately pour the peanut mixture onto the buttered cookie sheet. Quickly spread the mixture over the baking sheet with the buttered metal spatula. Cool completely (about 15 minutes). The peanut brittle will have a glassy look when cooled. Break brittle into pieces.
Print this Peanut Brittle Recipe to add to your Recipe Binder below:
Peanut Brittle Recipe
How to make basic peanut brittle.
Ingredients
- Butter for greasing cookie sheet and metal spatula
- 2 cups sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 ½ cup salted peanuts
Instructions
-
Grease a rimmed cookie sheet with butter. Grease a spatula with butter. Set both aside.
-
Combine 2 cups sugar, ½ cup water and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat, without stirring, about 3 minutes, until the sugar begins to melt and turn golden.
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Continue to cook on high, stirring occasionally, until sugar melts completely and the mixture begins to turn a golden amber color. Watch carefully for the color after about 5 minutes.
-
Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in peanuts. Immediately pour the peanut mixture onto the buttered cookie sheet. Quickly spread the mixture over the baking sheet with the buttered metal spatula. Cool completely (about 15 minutes). The peanut brittle will have a glassy look when cooled. Break brittle into pieces.
Ingredients in Chocolate Pretzel Kisses
- Bag of mini pretzel twists
- Bag of Hershey’s Kisses or similar candy
- Bag of M&Ms or similar candy
Step by Step Instructions for Making Pretzel Kisses
Place pretzels on a cookie sheet. Top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes.
Quickly take the cookie sheet out of the oven and gently press an M&M candy on top of each softened Hershey’s Kiss. Cool and enjoy!
Rolo candies also work well for the pretzel bites, adding a bit of caramel to them. I’ve also used animal crackers in place of the pretzels and pecans in place of the m&m. I think my favorite combo is pretzel, rolo, pecan, kind of like the turtles candy.
Jenny, Little House Living reader
Printing this to add to your Recipe Binder? Get the Chocolate Pretzel Kisses recipe below:
Chocolate Pretzel Kisses Recipe
How to make an easy holiday snack with pretzels.
Ingredients
- Bag of mini pretzel twists
- Bag of Hershey’s Kisses or similar candy
- Bag of M&Ms or similar candy
Instructions
-
Place pretzels on a cookie sheet. Top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey’s Kiss. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes. Quickly take the cookie sheet out of the oven and gently press an M&M candy on top of each softened Hershey’s Kiss. Cool and enjoy!
Ingredients in 3 Ingredient Fudge
- 3 cups chocolate chips
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Step by Step Instructions for Making Fudge
Over low heat, melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk in a heavy saucepan.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Spread evenly into a buttered 8- or 9- inch baking dish.
Chill until firm. (This should take 1 to 2 hours.) Cut into bite-sized squares and enjoy!
Need to print this to add to your Recipe Binder? Get the Homemade Fudge recipe below:
3 Ingredient Fudge Recipe
How to make a super easy fudge.
Ingredients
- 3 cups chocolate chips
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Instructions
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Over low heat, melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk in a heavy saucepan.
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Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
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Spread evenly into a buttered 8- or 9- inch baking dish.
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Chill until firm. (This should take 1 to 2 hours.) Cut into bite-sized squares and enjoy!
Note: First Day of Snow Fudge is a favorite tradition in my home!
Ingredients in Peppermint Bites
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
Step By Step Instructions for Making Peppermint Bites
In a large mixing bowl, stir together 3 ounces of softened cream cheese, 1 tablespoon of softened butter, and 3 cups of powdered sugar. Once the mixture comes together in a ball, add the peppermint extract and mix to incorporate the flavor into the dough.
Sprinkle powdered sugar on the work surface. Place dough on the surface and knead dough. Roll dough into ropes, then cut into small pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Roll each ball in powdered sugar.
Place dough balls on waxed paper. Flatten each ball with a fork, then stand 2 hours or until dry.
Variation: Once the candy is dry, you can create your own peppermint patties by covering each ball in melted chocolate.
We make candy like this every year! I love it because it doesn’t have a lot of ingredients, it’s easy to make and so yummy.
Kari, Little House Living reader
Save this Peppermint Bites recipe in your Recipe Binder. Grab it below:
Peppermint Bites
How to make mini peppermint candies for the Holidays.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl, stir together 3 ounces softened cream cheese, 1 tablespoon softened butter and 3 cups powdered sugar. Once the mixture comes together in a ball, add the peppermint extract and mix to incorporate the flavor into the dough.
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Sprinkle powdered sugar on work surface. Place dough on surface and knead dough. Roll dough into ropes, then cut into small pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Roll each ball in powdered sugar.
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Place dough balls on waxed paper. Flatten each ball with a fork, then stand 2 hours or until dry.
Recipe Notes
Variation: Once the candy is dry, you can create your own peppermint patties by covering each ball in melted chocolate.
Other Candy Recipes
You also may want to whip up other Little House Living candy recipes:
- Easy Homemade Caramels
- Homemade Gummies
- Homemade Peachy O’s
- Maple Syrup Candy
- Oreo Truffles
- Easy Homemade Cake Truffles
- Chewy Coconut Macaroons Recipe
What’s your favorite old fashioned candy to enjoy at Christmas?
Hilary Bernstein is a Christ follower, wife, mama and writer who believes homemaking should be simple … not stressful. She writes about creating a happy, healthy home at HilaryBernstein.com.. Hilary’s the author of several healthy living eBooks.
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This post on Penny Candy was originally published on Little House Living in November 2015. It has been updated as of November 2023.
Rolo candies also work well for the pretzel bites, adding a bit of caramel to them. I’ve also used animal crackers in place of the pretzels and pecans in place of the m&m. I think my favorite combo is pretzel, rolo, pecan, kind of like the turtles candy.
Just a couple of questions about the Peppermint Bites. Do they need to be stored in the fridge? How long do they keep when dipped in chocolate? I don’t want to make them too early for gift giving & have them spoil.
Thanks.
Yes, since they have butter and cream cheese in them they would be best stored in the fridge. I would say make them no more than a week in advance.
Thanks for sharing all of these lovely sweetie ideas. Two of my girls have been reading Little House in the Big Woods recently so I want to share this post with them. Your extract about the Ingalls girls’ stocking contents really brings perspective doesn’t it?! I have made the same recipe for fudge before, and can back up how yummy it is! I keep meaning to try it with whipped coconut cream instead of condensed milk but have never yet got around to it… must make a note to give it a whirl these holidays. Oh and your peanut brittle looks amazing – I love its dark glassiness and I’ll bet it has a real treacly flavour. Thanks again!
We make candy like this every year! I love it because it doesn’t have a lot of ingredients, it’s easy to make and so yummy.
I haven’t made much candy but all of these recipes look like something my family would love. Happy to have found you via Wonderful Wednesday’s.
Love those simple Christmas gifts but oh so powerful. We have all had those Christmas surprises I love them and I am sure you did as well. Your candy all looks awesome
I love homemade peanut brittle! It’s the best! Thanks for sharing your candy recipes with us at Merry Monday this week!