Monday's Food Tip: Quick & Easy Holiday Party Favors or Small Gifts

Here’s a quick and easy way to make cute favors for a holiday party, or you can use these candy-filled cookie cutters as Christmas gifts. You’ll need some holiday cookie cutters in a variety of shapes, candy melts in different flavors and colors (available from stores that carry candy making supplies) or a variety of baking chips (milk chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, white chocolate, mint, etc.), colored sprinkles, colored sugar, clear cello bags, gold twist ties or colored ribbon.



Line a large cookie sheet or jelly-roll pan with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Set the cookie cutters on the cookie sheet, a few inches apart.

Melt one type of baking chip, or one flavor or color of candy melt, at a time according to the directions on the package, then pour the melted candy into a few of the cookie cutters. Fill each cutter to the top and use a knife to make sure the melted candy is distributed evenly inside the cookie cutter. Immediately sprinkle some colored sugar or candy sprinkles over the melted candy in the cookie cutter.

Repeat the process, using as many different colors and flavors of candy melts or baking chips as you wish. When all the cookie cutters have been filled, place the cookie sheet into the refrigerator and leave it until the candy in all of the cutters has hardened.

Remove each cutter from the cookie sheet. Scrape off any candy that might have stuck to the outside of the cutters. Package each candy-filled cutter in a clear cello bag (available at crafts stores). Tie the top of each cello bag together with a gold twist tie or a piece of colored ribbon.

Variation: You can also use your favorite fudge recipe or peppermint bark recipe to make these cute cutters. Simply pour the fudge or peppermint bark into the cutters just as you would the melted baking chips or candy melts.