If Oreo cookie balls don’t excite you and Christmas candy just isn’t your cup of tea, try these yummy recipes too! Remember, homemade Christmas gifts are meant to be fun and easy; if they are adding to your holiday stress level, then re-think your gift ideas. This is the most wonderful time of the year—let’s keep it that way!

 

1) Sundae Cheesecake Bars

 

Servings: 30

Needed:

9 HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup BREAKSTONE’S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

1/4 cup milk

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

2 eggs

1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (Do not thaw.)

4 squares BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped

1 square BAKER’S White Chocolate

12 maraschino cherries, drained, chopped

1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans

 

How to Make:

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

MIX graham crumbs and butter until well blended; press onto bottom of 13×9-inch pan. Bake 5 minutes.

BEAT cream cheese and sugar with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream and milk; mix well. Blend in dry pudding mix. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Spread over crust.

BAKE 30 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife around edge to loosen from pan; cool.

MICROWAVE COOL WHIP and chopped chocolate on HIGH 1-1/2 minutes or until chocolate is melted, stirring after 1 minute. Cool 15 minutes. Meanwhile, melt white chocolate as directed on package.

SPREAD COOL WHIP mixture over cheesecake; top with cherries and nuts. Drizzle with melted white chocolate. Refrigerate 1 hour.

 

2) Chocolate-Candy Cane Cookies

Servings: approx. 4-1/2 dozen

Needed:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2-1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

4 squares BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

1 pkg. (6 squares) BAKER’S White Chocolate

12 hard peppermint candies, crushed

 

How to Make:

HEAT oven to 350ºF.

BEAT first 4 ingredients in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add flour and baking soda; mix well. Blend in melted chocolate. (Dough will be stiff.)

ROLL tablespoonfuls of dough into 52 balls; roll each into 3-inch-long rope. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets, bending top of each slightly to resemble candy cane.

BAKE 10 to 12 minutes or until puffed and set; cool 5 minutes on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Melt white chocolate; drizzle over cookies. Sprinkle with crushed candy. Let stand until chocolate is firm.