I don't know about you, but the surest way for me to get into the holiday spirit is by baking in the kitchen, with a vanilla candle burning and holiday music playing over the speaker. I absolutely love holiday baking and it's been so much fun getting the kids involved this year. Mac loves measuring the ingredients, counting the steps and operating the mixer - he's a control freak like me. And Mim, bless her heart, just loves dancing around the kitchen and giving hugs in exchange for nibbles/tastes of whatever it is Mac and I are whipping up.
As much as I'd love to keep (and eat) all our holiday treats for ourselves, it's so much more fun and meaningful when you give those treats to friends, neighbors, loved ones, or someone in the community that's making a difference. Every year, we do an advent calendar filled with fun winter and holiday activities. Some are specifically for the kids (watch a Christmas movie, go ice skating, look at lights), while others are focused around giving, charity and acts of kindness. We always take treats to our local fire department. We drop off goodies at the police station. We donate new toys to needy kids. We hand out $5 coffee gift cards to strangers in the mall parking lot. It's important for me to show my kids that giving (no matter how big or small) is significant, necessary and feels really good. I want them to know how lucky they are and appreciate what they have, as well as feel good about giving back to their community and others that could use a little support.
This year, the kids and I made the most amazing M&M’S® cookie dough truffle pops to give to our local firefighters. My family has suffered through two incredibly devastating house fires in the last two years, so firefighters have a very special place in my heart these days. We not only make a donation to our fire department, we try supporting them in any way we can. Last year we took them a giant box of savory kolaches, so this year we decided to go the sweet route. Trust me, the firefighters are going to love them! I personally made sure that they were edible by taste-testing about a half dozen of them myself and I whole-heartedly approve. Plus, this recipe is fun and easy - in my opinion, you cannot go wrong with anything cookie dough and M&M’S®. It's super easy to whip up, festive for the holidays and goes great with a big glass of milk. To make them extra fun, I used these red and green holiday M&M’S® from Walmart.
Making the Dough
Start by mixing together your butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. This recipe uses only milk, so no need to worry about eating cookie dough with raw eggs (is it just me that worries about that?). If you have a little helper, this is a great job for them. Once these ingredients are creamed, add your flour, vanilla extract and milk. If your recipe is way too crumbly, add a dash more milk until you get your desired texture (a very thick sticky dough).
Start by mixing together your butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. This recipe uses only milk, so no need to worry about eating cookie dough with raw eggs (is it just me that worries about that?). If you have a little helper, this is a great job for them. Once these ingredients are creamed, add your flour, vanilla extract and milk. If your recipe is way too crumbly, add a dash more milk until you get your desired texture (a very thick sticky dough).
Once your dough is ready, add your crushed (or whole) M&M’S® and chocolate chips. Fold together with a rubber spatula until combined.
Pull chunks of dough out and roll into balls. You can make them as big or small as you'd like. Place balls on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Insert popsicle stick into each ball and pop them into the freezer to solidify.
Tuffle Pop!
Next step is to melt your chocolate. If it's too thick or clumpy, you can add a bit (a tablespoon or two) of shortening, which will help make it really smooth and a bit thinner - a little trick I learned from cooking class ages ago. Only take out a few frozen truffle balls at a time because you want them to remain really cold/frozen and not fall apart in the hot melted chocolate. Dip them in the chocolate, tap the stick against the pan to get rid of any excess chocolate or lumps. Sprinkle with crushed M&M’S® and set on lined cookie sheet to solidify.
Next step is to melt your chocolate. If it's too thick or clumpy, you can add a bit (a tablespoon or two) of shortening, which will help make it really smooth and a bit thinner - a little trick I learned from cooking class ages ago. Only take out a few frozen truffle balls at a time because you want them to remain really cold/frozen and not fall apart in the hot melted chocolate. Dip them in the chocolate, tap the stick against the pan to get rid of any excess chocolate or lumps. Sprinkle with crushed M&M’S® and set on lined cookie sheet to solidify.
You can also make them without the stick (less pop, more truffle).
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1 bag crushed M&M’S® holiday candies (red/green), split
- 12 oz melting chocolate for dipping
- 30 popsicle sticks
- In a bowl using an electric mixer, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until creamed. Mix in milk and vanilla. Add flour and salt and mix on low until combined. Fold in chocolate chips and 1 cup crushed M&M’S®. If necessary, chill the dough in refrigerator until firm enough to roll.
- Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roll dough into balls and insert popsicle stick into each ball. Freeze balls for at least 15 minutes.
- Melt chocolate following directions on the package. Remove a couple of balls from the freezer at a time and dip into melted chocolate. Tap the stick against the bowl and let any excess chocolate or lumps fall off. Sprinkle with whole/crushed M&M’S® and allow chocolate to set on lined cookie sheet. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Serve truffles with ice cold milk. Enjoy!
For a Great Cause
As I mentioned above, anything this decadent and chocolately deserves to be paired with a big glass of milk. And speaking of milk and M&M’S®, just a heads-up for anyone else looking to help others in need, now through December 25th, every time you buy M&M’S® at Walmart, milk will be donated to kids and families in need. The Great American Milk Drive, a collaborative effort between Feeding America, America’s dairy farmers and milk companies, turns online donations into gallons of milk for families in local communities. This season, The Great American Milk Drive will deliver its ONE MILLIONTH gallon to Feeding America and its nationwide food bank network. You can visit www.MyConfectionCorner.com for more information or head over to milklife.com/give to donate.
As I mentioned above, anything this decadent and chocolately deserves to be paired with a big glass of milk. And speaking of milk and M&M’S®, just a heads-up for anyone else looking to help others in need, now through December 25th, every time you buy M&M’S® at Walmart, milk will be donated to kids and families in need. The Great American Milk Drive, a collaborative effort between Feeding America, America’s dairy farmers and milk companies, turns online donations into gallons of milk for families in local communities. This season, The Great American Milk Drive will deliver its ONE MILLIONTH gallon to Feeding America and its nationwide food bank network. You can visit www.MyConfectionCorner.com for more information or head over to milklife.com/give to donate.
You can find the special limited-time holiday red and green M&M’S® at Walmart, as well as a variety of fresh Great Value® Milk. And don't forget to check out www.MyConfectionCorner.com for more information on The Great American Milk Drive or head over to milklife.com/give to donate.
What kind of giving do you do
around the holidays?
