45 No-Bake Holiday Candy, Treats, And Cookies

As the holiday season gets underway, you don't have to do any baking to indulge in holiday candy, treats, and cookies. Whether you're not a fan of baking or don't have access to an oven, you can still make these treats using other methods.

While none of the recipes require an oven, they typically require heat of some sort from a stovetop, microwave, air fryer, Instant Pot, or slow cooker. That's because all require melting down solid or semi-solid ingredients like peanut butter, marshmallows, or chocolate chips. Then, they usually need to sit out on the counter, in the fridge, or in the freezer for the ingredients to re-solidify and turn into a tasty treat.

We've included a wide variety of no-bake treats, including chocolate-covered candy, fudge, barks, brittles, cookies, and a few that defy easy categorization but taste great nontheless. Get ready to scroll through and find inspiration for your holiday no-baking this year.

Brie is not necessarily what you expect when you bite into a piece of chocolate candy, but it makes for an interesting contrast of savory and sweet. It's even better at room temperature so the salted caramel oozes out of the candy with every bite. 

This recipe calls for freezing squares of brie topped with caramel before dipping the two into microwave-melted chocolate. It should only take around 15 minutes and makes 16 pieces of candy. Try it with a dusting of cinnamon.

Recipe: Salted Caramel Chocolate-Covered Brie

If you're a fan of boozy holiday treats, you'll want to make Chocolate Fireball Fudge. The ingredient list is simple: chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and cinnamon-infused Fireball whiskey. 

All you have to do is microwave the chocolate chips, add the remaining ingredients, spread the mix on a baking sheet, and refrigerate for at least four hours. You'll get about 20 pieces of fudge from this recipe. Once you've tried it, consider using other liquors like Amaretto or Kahlúa.

Recipe: 4-Ingredient Chocolate Fireball Fudge

Dried fruits are classics of the holiday season, so using dried dates in a nutty, chocolatey bark candy is a delight. To make it, spread peanut butter over pitted and halved dates, sprinkle almonds on top, and add a layer of melted chocolate chips. 

The bark should cool in the fridge for at least an hour before eating and will serve 12. Make variations with different dried fruits (like cherries), nuts (such as pecans), other types of chips, or nut butter.

Recipe: No-Bake Nutty Date Bark

Peanut brittle is a classic, but it can be intimidating on the stovetop. However, when you make it in the microwave, you don't even need to use a candy thermometer. 

The process involves microwaving sugar and corn syrup for four minutes, adding peanuts for three to five more minutes, then butter and vanilla for an additional minute or two, and finally baking soda. Cool it on a baking sheet in the refrigerator for an hour before breaking it into about six servings.

Recipe: Microwave Peanut Brittle

Brigadeiro is a classic Brazilian candy that is easy to make and even easier to eat. The texture and flavor lie somewhere between fudge and caramel, and it's never complete without sprinkles (usually chocolate). 

Like many Brazilian treats, it contains sweetened condensed milk cooked with cocoa powder and butter until it's thick. Then, you'll refrigerate the mixture for an hour before forming it into a dozen balls and rolling those in sprinkles. These candies are also great mixed with flavors like almond and rum instead of or in addition to cocoa.

Recipe: Classic Brazilian Brigadeiro

Peanut butter haystacks bridge the gap between candy and no-bake cookies and take under 20 minutes to make. To make them, simply mix broken and raw chow mein noodles with melted peanut butter, butterscotch chips, and chopped peanuts. Then, form them into four haystack-like shapes and put them in the fridge for 10 minutes to harden. 

While butterscotch chips are traditional, you can also try these with chocolate chips or another type of nut butter or nut.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Haystacks

This sweet and salty treat starts with Rice Krispies, melted salted butter, and marshmallows. Swapping salted butter for unsalted gives them a savory kick. This version includes vanilla and sweetened condensed milk to intensify the flavor and sweetness. 

The treats take about 15 minutes to prep and cook, then another hour to cool at room temperature before you cut them into nine squares. Red, white, and green sprinkles make a festive holiday decoration.

Recipe: Sweet And Salty Rice Crispy Treats

While praline-flavored treats are popular year-round, you may realize that you've never tried real pralines before. If not, you're in for a treat from this rich caramel candy. The caramel cooks on the stovetop in about 10 minutes with white and brown sugar, evaporated milk, and butter. 

A candy thermometer is necessary to mark the proper temperature before you add the pecans and vanilla. This mixture makes 24 candies and will need 15 minutes to set. A sprinkling of sea salt over the top is nice, but try a sprinkling of cinnamon, too.

Recipe: Sweet And Crunchy Pralines

Chocolate fudge is especially popular during the holidays, and this nutty version is a real crowd-pleaser that takes only 15 minutes to make. Start by cooking together sugar, margarine, and evaporated milk for five minutes. Then, remove it from the heat and stir in chocolate chips. 

Once the chips have melted, add marshmallow fluff, vanilla, and nuts. After an hour of cooling, cut into several pieces to serve. Try butterscotch chips instead of chocolate or rum flavoring instead of vanilla.

Recipe: Classic Fantasy Fudge

If you've only ever had kettle corn at fairs and festivals, you'll be pleasantly surprised to learn how quickly and easily you can make it at home. The process is just like making stovetop popcorn except you add sugar to mix. 

The trick is to keep shaking the covered pot while the popcorn pops to prevent sticking and burning. Once they're done, add sea salt and enjoy. For a holiday twist, add a shake of cinnamon or gingerbread spices.

Recipe: Easy Kettle Corn

You don't need a campfire or even an oven to make s'mores if you have an air fryer. These are a loose take on the classic treat, using packaged crescent rolls to create a less messy dessert.

To make them, stuff mini marshmallows, crumbled graham crackers, and broken chocolate bars inside crescent rolls, then cook in the air fryer for six minutes. Drizzle with more melted chocolate. The recipe makes eight s'mores.

Recipe: Air Fryer S'mores

Peanut butter fudge is easy to make and a big hit with peanut butter lovers. All you have to do is melt peanut butter and butter together on the stovetop, remove it from the heat, and mix in vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar.

It sets up in a pan in the fridge after three hours and makes 25 servings. Try making it with a different nut butter or adding cocoa powder for a chocolate variation.

Recipe: Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

Chocolate, caramel, and pecans are favorite holiday treats. Turn them into miniature turtles, and they're both cute and tasty. This candy takes about 25 minutes of work, but they're so delicious that you won't mind. 

To make the caramel,  melt butter with sugar and stir in heavy cream. Then, place a dollop of caramel and chocolate on top of pecans to make 10 mini turtles. They'll nedd to cool in the fridge for half an hour. Make a whole turtle village with white chocolate or butterscotch chips, too.

Recipe: 5 Ingredient Caramel Turtles

If you're looking for a unique take on fudge, this orange and pecan Christmas fudge may be just the thing. To start, heat milk, sugar, heavy cream, and butter on the stovetop with 20 minutes of constant stirring. 

Next, add vanilla, pecans, and orange zest, then let it cool for four hours before you cut it into 16 pieces for serving. Top with holiday-colored sprinkles or a sprinkling of holiday spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.

Recipe: Christmas Fudge

Sometimes, you can turn everyday treats into festive holiday treats with the addition of a splash of color, which is exactyl what we've done with these Christmas Rice Krispie Treats with the addition of red and green sprinkles and red and green M&M's. 

The recipe makes a dozen bars and takes 20 minutes of prep and stovetop cooking time. They also need to sit in the fridge for a couple of hours before eating.

Recipe: Christmas Rice Krispie Treats

Dalgona candy doubles as a game to see who can remove the inner shape without breaking the whole thing. Luckily, the stakes for success are far lower than on the "Squid Game" series that popularized these treat. 

To make these, melt sugar in a saucepan. remove from the heat, and stir in baking soda. Press the mixture into four cookie-shaped rounds, and then press a shape into the middle with a cookie cutter before cooling for five minutes.

Recipe: Copycat Squid Game Dalgona Candy

This peppermint bark looks fancy, but it's ridiculously easy to make while tasting and looking festive. Start with a layer of melted dark chocolate mixed with peppermint extract. After it hardens in the fridge for 10 minutes, top it with a layer of melted white chocolate also mixed with peppermint extract. 

Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy or candy canes on top and chill for another 10 minutes, break it into about 20 pieces, and it's done.

Recipe: Peppermint Bark

Once you learn how to make white chocolate fudge, you'll wonder why you didn't try it sooner. Simply mix together melted white chocolate chips and condensed milk that you've warmed separately in the microwave. Then, let it set in the fride for four hours. 

This recipe makes 36 servings. Add nuts or holiday spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to take these to the next level.

Recipe: White Chocolate Fudge

If you're looking for a crowd-pleasing treat that looks more complex than it really is, chocolate-covered popcorn is perfect. Start by making (or buying) buttered popcorn. Then add a layer of melted chocolate on top, freeze for 10 minutes, add a layer of white chocolate, freeze for two minutes, and sprinkle it with sea salt. 

This treat needs one more round of 20 minutes in the freezer to fully harden. It makes enough for 20 servings.

Recipe: Chocolate Covered Popcorn

Bring back an old-fashioned treat you probably haven't had in years by making popcorn balls this holiday season. You'll need a candy thermometer to get sugar, corn syrup, and water to the right temperature before removing it from the heat and adding butter. 

Next, add popped corn, let it cool slightly, and shape the sweet buttery mixture into about 20 balls. You can add cinnamon to these or even holiday-colored sprinkles.

Recipe: Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls

Why buy candy to put in stockings this year when you can make faves like copycat York Peppermint Patties in your own kitchen? Make the inside of the patties with a mixture of condensed milk, peppermint extract, and powdered sugar. 

After the peppermint discs freeze for 15 minutes, dip them in melted chocolate (try white chocolate for something different) and freeze for 15 more minutes to set. The recipe makes 25 patties.

Recipe: Copycat York Peppermint Patties

If you don't have a good popcorn pot for the stovetop, we'll let you in on a secret: you can make popcorn using the sautée setting on your Instant Pot. 

To make kettle corn in the Instant Pot, add sugar and salt to the popcorn and oil once the popcorn starts popping. It's really that easy. Just be sure to shake the pot every 30 seconds during popping. If you want a more robust flavor, try using brown sugar instead of white.

Recipe: Instant Pot Kettle Corn

If you're the type of person who likes a little chocolate with your chocolate, then these truffles are for you. The process involves using boiled heavy cream to melt chocolate chips, then chilling the mixture in the fridge for a couple of hours. 

Next, form the mixture into about 18 balls and roll them in cocoa powder. You can mix a bit of cinnamon into the cocoa powder to make it more holiday-forward or add powdered sugar to the cocoa if it's too intense unsweetened.

Recipe: Dark Chocolate Ganache Truffle

Muddy Buddies are always a hit, so you can't go wrong making these for your next holiday party. They're also fairly easy to make. Start by melting butter, vanilla, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and peanut butter together in the microwave. 

Then mix it together with a box of Chex cereal. You'll divide the result between two large freezer bags to shake and distribute powdered sugar evenly over your Muddy Buddies. Cinnamon Chex cereal make for an interesting holiday variation.

Recipe: Muddy Buddies

This homemade Mounds bar recipe is easy and makes six bars. You'll start by freezing a mixture of condensed milk and desiccated coconut in a rectangular silicone mold for three hours. 

Once they're set and sliced, dip the milk and coconut bars in melted dark chocolate. Freeze them for an additional hour to set. With the simple addition of an almond, you can turn these treats into homemade Almond Joys.

Recipe: Homemade Mounds Bar

For a fluffier version of peanut butter fudge, reach for some marshmallow fluff. For this easy and quick recipe, first boil sugar and milk together before adding marshmallow fluff, vanilla, and peanut butter. 

Transfer the mixture to a buttered dish and cool at room temperature before slicing into 36 pieces. While the recipe calls for creamy peanut butter, there's no reason you couldn't use the crunchy version or even add peanuts for extra texture.

Recipe: Marshmallow Fluff Peanut Butter Fudge

Rice Krispie treats become even better with the addition Oreo cookie crumbs for a cookies-and-cream version of the treat. You'll make the treats the usual way with melted butter and mini marshmallows. The only change is that you'll add crushed Oreos in with the cereal. 

After the mixture has cooled for 20 minutes, cut it into 12 squares and serve. With so many Oreo flavors available these days, try whatever Oreo flavor appeals to you.

Recipe: Easy Oreo Rice Krispie Treats

Another genius way to update your Rice Krispie treats for the holiday is with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. You'll be using Cocoa Krispies instead of plain and adding peanut butter as well as chopped pieces of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups to the mix. 

It takes less than 10 minutes to get these into a buttered pan, where the mix will cool for 20 minutes before you cut them into 12 squares.

Recipe: Reese's Rice Krispie Treats

Oreos, chocolate, and cream cheese combine to make these amazing truffles. The first step involves mixing blended cream cheese with powdered Oreos and rolling them into balls. After the balls have been in the freezer for an hour, they're ready to dip into melted white or dark chocolate. 

Drizzle white chocolate over dark chocolate truffles and dark chocolate over white chocolate truffles. Once they've hardened, they're ready to serve. These work with a variety of Oreo flavors, so feel free to unleash a little creativity.

Recipe: Easy Oreo Truffle

If the idea of using your stove to make candy is unappealing, why not use your slow cooker? These Chocolate Nut Clusters take a little over an hour to make. Begin by adding peanuts and almonds into the slow cooker, followed by chocolate chips, sea salt, and vanilla syrup. 

Stir every 20 minutes until the chocolate has completely melted. The recipe makes about 48 clusters that need to set in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chocolate Nut Clusters

Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats are a variation of a classic that doesn't take any extra fuss to create. The secret is to use Cocoa Krispies instead of the regular variety. Just as with the traditional treats, mix Cocoa Krispies with melted butter and mini marshmallows. 

Allow to cool in a buttered dish for 20 minutes before cutting into a dozen squares. If you want even more chocolate flavor, mix in chocolate chips or drizzle melted chocolate on top.

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

No-Bake Reese's Krispie Cookies come together slightly differently than ordinary Rice Krispie treats. Instead of adding melted butter and marshmallows to Rice Krispies, add a heated mixture of peanut butter, sugar, and corn syrup along with chocolate chips and chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. 

After you form the mixture into about 40 balls, pop them into the freezer for 30 minutes to set. For a different flavor profile, use Reese's Pieces instead of Reese's Cups.

Recipe: No-Bake Reese's Krispie Cookies

This peanut butter fudge works especially well in the slow cooker, in which you'll place peanut butter, white chocolate chips, and sweetened condensed milk. Cook for 40 to 50 minutes until everything melts together. 

Next, mix in vanilla and peanuts, pour the result into a pan, and cool in the fridge for three hours before slicing into small squares for serving.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Fudge

Once you realize how easy it is to make these copycat Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, you may not want to go back to store-bought. The filling is simply warm creamy peanut butter mixed with powdered sugar, corn syrup, and salt. 

All you have to do is pour a little melted milk chocolate into 12 ruffled cupcake papers, top with a disk of the peanut butter mixture, and pour more melted chocolate on top. They'll harden in 30 minutes in the fridge.

Recipe: Copycat Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

These chocolate-dipped peanut butter balls get their name from buckeye tree nuts. The peanut butter ball is made from peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. 

After you freeze the balls for 30 minutes, they're easy to dunk into melted chocolate chips with the help of a toothpick. Freeze them again to set. Other kinds of nut butter like sunflower butter or almond butter work well with these cookies, too.

Recipe: Easy No Bake Buckeye Cookie

No-bake cookies are always a hit with peanut butter fans. Plus, they're easier to make than ordinary cookies. Here, all you have to do is add peanut butter and oats to a boiling mixture of butter, sugar, milk, and vanilla. 

Allow this to cool, then form into cookies and set in the fridge for an hour. You can play with the flavor a little if you use flavored instant oatmeal (maple or cinnamon varities work well here) instead of plain.

Recipe: Easy No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookie

If you've always wanted to try Turkish delight after reading "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" as a child, then this is your chance. It requires a candy thermometer and time, but you'll likely love the results. Start by boiling a mixture of sugar, lemon, and water then adding a cornstarch paste. 

In a pan, the mix takes eight hours to set and divides into 40 pieces. Rose water is the traditional flavor here, but try others like cinnamon, almond, or orange for the holidays.

Recipe: Turkish Delight

Puppy Chow might look like dog food, but it's definitely for the favorite humans in your life. This version comes together in 20 minutes and uses just one large bowl. 

Simply toss melted mixture of peanut butter, chocolate chips, and butter with vanilla and Chex cereal. After it's coated, add owdered sugar. Try it with butterscotch chips or a little cinnamon for some holiday flair.

Recipe: 20 Minute Puppy Chow

For these no-bake cookies, beging by boiling cocoa powder, salted butter, milk, and sugar together for a minute before removing it from the heat. Then, add vanilla, peanut butter, and oats. 

When it's cool enough to handle, form into 48 cookies, which will then need to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Alter the recipe for the holidays by adding cinnamon or flavored instant oats like cinnamon spice or maple and brown sugar.

Recipe: Simple No-Bake Cookie

If you thought fudge was complicated to make, think again. All you need is two ingredients and 10 minutes to this make delicious, crave-worthy treat. The only negative is that you'll have to wait at least 4 hours for it to set in the fridge. 

To make melt chocolate chips by adding hot sweetened condensed milk. Change it up a bit by adding nuts, pieces of candy, or different kinds of chips. It makes 64 pieces.

Recipe: Quick 2-Ingredient Fudge

Peppermint bark is a festive holiday candy that is quick to make and works nicely as a gift. Start with a layer of melted semi-sweet baking chocolate, followed by a layer of melted white almond bark. 

Next, add crushed peppermint candy canes on top. Unlike our other peppermint bark recipe, this one doesn't include peppermint flavoring in the layers, so you can easily add different flavors of candy canes besides just peppermint or even other types of candy altogether.

Recipe: Easy 3-Ingredient Peppermint Bark

This is a simple and easy fudge that can be served as-is or with a variety of fun additions. To make it, first heat sweetened condensed milk with chocolate chips until the chocolate melts. Then, add in vanilla and any add-ins and chill it in the fridge for an hour. 

Some variations include nuts like pistachios or chopped Oreo cookies. You can even swirl in a cup of creamy peanut butter.

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Fudge

While Rice Krispies and Chex are already part of holiday candy and treats, cornflakes are useful here, too. SImply mix cornflakes together with salt and a mixture of melted butterscotch chips and creamy peanut butter. 

The 21 cookies set up in 30 to 40 minutes or even faster in the fridge. Mix it up with chocolate chips or other types of cereal like Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Cookie Crisp.

Recipe: No-Bake Cornflake Butterscotch Cookies

We love these no-bake oatmeal cookies because they don't rely on peanut butter and chocolate like many others. Not only are they tasty, but they take almost no effort to make. Mix together heated almond butter with oats, raisins, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. 

After you form the mixture into 15 cookies, give them 25 minutes to set in the fridge. Try apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon for something a little different.

Recipe: No-Bake Oatmeal Cookie

Nutella cookies are also an interesting variation on the oatmeal no-bake cookie theme. You don't even need an extra nut butter for these since the spread already contains hazelnuts. 

To make it, add Nutella and vanilla to a boiled mixture of butter, cacao powder, almond milk, and sugar. Then, mix in oats and salt and form the mixture into 22 cookies. It takes 30 minutes in the fridge for them to set. Sprinkle in cinnamon or use rum instead of vanilla for a holiday twist.

Recipe: Easy No Bake Nutella Cookies