Hot Cocoa Bulbs and Nutterbutter Reindeer

As mentioned in my previous post, I was all about finding creative gift ideas this year. These two treat ideas were the goodies that I made for my coworkers this Christmas. Both projects were quick, easy and cute!

Hot Chocolate Ornaments

There are so many ways that you could have fun with this. Whether a cup of hot chocolate or another fun recipe in the ornament, you can customize this in some interesting variations.

Supplies:

- Empty Christmas Bulb (I found plastic ornaments at Michaels for $1 a piece)

- Hot chocolate powder

- Candy canes or mints, crushed (Large red sprinkles would look great too)

- Mini chocolate chips

- Mini marshmallows (Mine were a bit too big, I'd suggest getting the hard little marshmallows)

- Funnel 

Directions:

1. Pour in powder through the funnel into the ornament.

2. Scatter in the mini chocolate chips.

3. Add in the crushed mints.

4. Top with marshmallows and cap the bulb.

NutterButter Reindeer Pops

This is another one of my many Pinterest finds. I tackled Rudolph and his friends with my lovely mother! I was skeptical about these would turn out because after doing some research, I found that most people's did not look nearly as cute as the first image I had found. We had a few that looked like grumpy reindeer but most of them turned out adorable!

Supplies:

- 2 packages of NutterButters

- Almond Bark or melted chocolate chips

- 1 bag of red and green m&ms

- White tube of hardening frosting

- 1 bag regular pretzels

- Mini chocolate chips

- 1 box of Popsicle sticks

Directions:

1. Put Popsicle stick into a NutterButter using the dipping chocolate. Let sit outside (in cold temps) or in the fridge for a few minutes to secure the stick in the cookie. Then dip the whole cookie in the melted chocolate. Lay on a wax sheet.

2. Break pretzels as desired to look like antlers. While chocolate is wet, insert the pretzels in the top of the NutterButter using a little extra chocolate.

3. Allow chocolate to set for a minute. Then dip the back side of a red m&m in melted chocolate and attach to the front of the NutterButter for the Rudolph nose.

4. Using the white hardening frosting, create eyes and add the mini chocolate chips. 

5. Allow all pieces to set before packaging.

Note: We used both dark chocolate chips (which we thought tasted yummier) and almond bark (which set quicker).