Crunchy, sweet and salty old fashioned Haystacks bring my Grandmother’s kitchen to mind every time I make them.

Haystack Cookies

Haystacks are a treat my Grandma used to make for us when we visited. They often appeared on her Christmas cookie trays and in our treat bags when she packed lunches for us.

Are they candy? or are they cookies? I never can decide! They’re certainly sweet enough to be considered candies, but they remind me more of no-bake cookies. Whatever you call them, they are much enjoyed.

Haystacks

Are you wondering exactly what these weird-looking cookies actually are? They’re little haystack-looking mounds of deliciousness that are made from either melted chocolate or butterscotch mixed with peanut butter and crunchy chow mein noodles.

I typically make mine, like Grandma did, with melted butterscotch chips. She often stirred a handful or two of peanuts into hers and I’ve seen them made with coconut too. They’re pretty adaptable little cookies.

The name of “haystack” is because they look a bit like haystacks as you drop them onto the baking sheet to cool. They’re super easy to make (a perfect kid-friendly recipe) and they have proven irresistible to snack on when they’re in our house.

We love the addition of a sprinkling of Maldon salt over each haystack. That salt balances the sweetness nicely and, as you know, I love a good salty-sweet treat.

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Always a hit when tucked inside boxes of Christmas sweets, chocolate dipped Coconut Macaroons are rich, sweet, chewy cookies that are almost candy-like.

Coconut Macaroons with Chocolate

I like to use dark chocolate when making these, as the bittersweet chocolate balances the sweetness of the coconut, and the flavors work very well together.

I’ve made these macaroons at Christmastime for the past 15+ years. (In addition to making them for pretty much every other occasion too.) If you love coconut anywhere near as much as we do, you will fall in love with these cookies.

How To Make Coconut Macaroons

There are a few different ways to make macaroons and I’ve tried plenty of them. Many of the macaroon recipes that I’ve seen require beating the egg whites before adding them to the mixture. I’ve tried this method myself.

In the end, I don’t find it makes enough of a difference to justify the extra effort. They will turn out just a tiny bit lighter, but like I said, for me? Part of the fun in macaroons is in how simple they are to make.

All you need to do is dump all of the ingredients in a bowl, give it a quick stir with a spoon, and scoop them out onto a tray. Easy peasy and you’ll be enjoying the macaroons before you know it.

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Sea Salt Pecan Toffee is the answer to your snacking and sweet tooth dreams. The end. Do I exaggerate? Sometimes, yes. But right now? Not really.

There aren’t a whole lot of foods that I label as “The Best Ever” or “crazy insane amazingly delicious” but this toffee recipe is exactly that. All of those things. It is EVERYTHING.

Pecan Toffee

If you have never made candy or toffee or any hot sugary boiled treat, do not fear it. Because I have a wicked easy toffee making tip that you’re going to love. No candy thermometers are needed.

Want the toffee-making tip that you’ll never forget? Set a brown paper bag near the stove and let the mixture boil until it matches the bag in color. (You can also use a jar of peanut butter for color reference.)

I have never used a thermometer for making toffee. (Admittedly, at this point, I don’t need the paper bag any longer. I just eyeball it.) This takes between 18-20 minutes and I ALWAYS set a timer for 17 minutes.

Just in case I find myself distracted, the timer prevents me from letting the candy burn. It will go from perfectly amber colored to burnt in about 30 seconds, as soon as it turns light brown, pull it off the heat.

Once you’ve made this a few times, you’ll be able to smell when it’s done too.

Sea Salt Toffee

We’ve made this toffee at least six times since Christmas because everyone I shared it with has requested it again and again.

Three different people have called or texted to ask what the heck was in the toffee because they could not stop eating it.

I have already emailed the recipe out twice with promises that I would get it on the blog soon. One friend had me laughing with her text, “Is there ACTUAL crack in this? Drugs? What did you put in it? I can’t stop eating it!”

I have yet to meet anyone who can resist the salty-sweet combination in this salted toffee with pecans.

If you love salty-sweet combinations, like these Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies, this pecan toffee is going to make you very happy.

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Creamy chocolate fudge filled with peanuts and marshmallows makes a chewy, crunchy, salty, sweet Rocky Road Fudge that all ages will enjoy.

Rocky Road ice cream has been one of my favorite ice cream flavors ever since I was a child and this Rocky Road Fudge has everything I love about the classic ice cream flavor mixed into a rich chocolate fudge.

Rocky Road brownies, Rocky Road chocolate bark, Rocky Road pretty much anything is sure to be a hit with my family. What’s not to love about a handful of chocolate filled with peanuts and marshmallows?

Rocky Road Fudge

When I was playing with ideas for new fudge recipes this holiday season, I knew I needed to make a rocky road fudge. I’ve put peanuts in fudge before, and I’ve put marshmallows in fudge, but I had yet to try both together.

I’m happy to report that the finished Rocky Road Fudge was just as good as I imagined it would be, if not better. It was a hit with my kids and given the opportunity we could have polished off the whole batch in no time at all.

5 Minute Fudge

I am so completely hooked on five-minute fudge recipes. Unlike traditional old-fashioned fudge recipes, no candy thermometers or other special equipment is required.

You don’t even need a stove to make this fudge. Everything melts in the microwave and then sets up in the fridge in just a few hours.

My 5 minute fudge obsession started with this simple Chocolate Pecan Fudge, a recipe I’ve used as the base for tons of chocolate fudge recipes since, including this one.

Rocky Road Fudge is the latest incarnation of 5 minute fudge I’m sharing this year. Don’t miss the others like White Chocolate Pretzel Fudge, bite size pieces of salty-sweet heaven. Creamy Peanut Butter Fudge, Chocolate Covered Oreo Fudge, and Peppermint Marshmallow Fudge are even more recipes you’re sure to enjoy.

I also plan to give this Eggnog Fudge and this Read more

Praline Pecans are a Southern delight blending velvety caramel and crisp pecans. Born from sugar, butter, and cream alchemy, they offer a harmonious contrast of textures.

Rooted in tradition, these treats encapsulate the essence of the South’s flavors, perfect alone or enhancing desserts with their irresistible charm.

Praline Pecans

Pecan pralines (also known simply as pralines) are a type of sweet candied nut made primarily from sugar, butter, cream, and pecans. Pralines have a distinct creamy texture and a rich, caramelized flavor.

To make them, butter and sugar are cooked until a sauce begins to form. The pecans are then stirred in to coat them well. Then the pecans are transferred to parchment and separated to cool.

What are Praline Pecans?

The resulting pecans are softer with a slightly grainy finish due to the crystallization of the sugar. They’re usually round or irregularly shaped and can vary in size.

Pecan pralines are enjoyed as a standalone candy or used to add a sweet and nutty element to various desserts, like ice creams, cakes, and pies.

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