The holiday season is upon us with an abundance of pumpkin spiced treats, chocolate delicacies and home-cooked meals. Restaurants are packed with eager taste buds waiting to try the updated holiday season menus. Even the air seems to have a tang of peppermint.

With so many new tasty items to try, why not save a little money and make them at home? There is a certain satisfaction in being the one to personally conjure these dishes, and an even greater pleasure in giving out your treats as little hand-made gifts. The follow are four wonderfully scrumptious holiday dishes. Enjoy!

Peppermint Bark:

Peppermint Bark is an absolute classic. The ingredients are cheap and the final product comes out looking like a professionally bought gift. It’s really easy to make and even easier to enjoy. Make several batches and hand them out as cute presents, or eat it all yourself!

Ingredients:

• For dark chocolate Peppermint Bark, use 5 bars of Lindt 70% cocoa
• For milk chocolate Peppermint Bark, use 5 bars of Hershey’s king size milk chocolate
• 20 candy canes (any type will work, whatever your favorite is)

Procedure:

1. Unwrap all of the candy canes and crush them, leaving some medium sized pieces, a lot of small ones, and a fine powder.
2. Unwrap all of the chocolate bars and put them in a large non-stick pot.
3. Turn the burner onto medium heat, constantly stirring the chocolate until it is all melted and smooth.
4. Prepare a small pan or tin lined with tin foil and pour the melted chocolate in.
5. Sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top of the melted chocolate.
6. Put the tin in the freezer for 20 minutes.
7. Take the chocolate and candy canes out and break into small bits.

Peppermint Cupcakes:

Peppermint Cupcakes can be a bit difficult to make, but the final product comes out looking as if it were made by Martha Stewart herself. These cupcakes will make a great centerpiece for any holiday party, and you can be sure there won’t be any left-overs (they’re delicious).

Ingredients:

• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• Red food coloring (optional)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup milk

Frosting:

• 1 package white chocolate chips
• 1 jar of marshmallow fluff
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon milk, or as needed

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
3. Beat white sugar and butter together in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Then, add eggs. Mix peppermint extract, almond extract, and food coloring.
4. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl.
5. Mix flour mixture, along with with 3/4 cup milk, into creamed butter mixture until batter is combined.
6. Pour batter into the prepared muffin cups.
7. Bake in the oven for around 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out cleanly when stuck into the middle of a cupcake.
8. Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave at 15-second intervals, stirring after each melting, for a total of 1 to 3 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
9. Mix marshmallow fluff and 1/2 cup butter together in a bowl until smooth. Stir melted white chocolate into marshmallow mixture. Add confectioners sugar to marshmallow mixture until fully incorporated. Add in desired amount of milk (I used 4 teaspoons).
10. Transfer frosting to plastic bag with a corner snipped and pipe frosting onto each cupcake.

Chocolate Mousse:

Chocolate Mousse is a quick and easy recipe that satisfies almost any sweet tooth. This procedure leads to a lighter and fluffier consistency so you don’t feel as if you just indulge in a rich dessert. Have fun making it and enjoy the reward!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon coffee-flavored liqueur (such as Kahlua)
• 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 tablespoons whipped cream, or berries, or shaved white chocolate

Procedure:

1. Melt chocolate chips with coffee-flavored liqueur; stir until smooth.
2. Stir a small amount of hot chocolate mixture into egg yolk.
3. Put chocolate and egg mixture back into pan.
4. Cook and stir for about two minutes or until smooth.
5. Remove chocolate and egg mixture from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
6. Cool while stirring.
7. Beat heavy cream in large bowl until it thickens.
8. Stir in sugar to cream; beat until soft peaks form.
9. Fold whipped cream mixture into cooled chocolate mixture.
10. Cover mixture and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
11. Garnish with delicious toppings and enjoy.

Apple Pie:

At one point in the holiday season everyone has to have at least one slice of pie, and why not have the best type? Apple pie is the perfect mix of fruity, sweet, and tangy too. Everyone should have their pie and eat it too.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4 packets of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 recipe for a 9 inch single crust pie
• 3 cups chopped granny smith apples

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 425º F.
2. Cook corn syrup, butter and flour until homogeneously mixed.
3. Add beaten eggs, vanilla and nutmeg into mixture. Stir well.
4. Place thinly sliced apples in a pretty pattern on top of the crust (spirals work very well).
5. Pour mixture over apples.
6. Bake pie for 15 minutes at 425 degrees; turn oven temperature to 350 degrees F and leave it in for another 30 minutes.
7. Let cool, and then enjoy. This pie is absolutely beautiful, so it is a great gift for family members.