5 Healthy Holiday Treats For The Classroom
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It’s December! The season to make merry is here, and the excitement is in the air. After the kind of year we’ve all had, the festive season is worth celebrating, and what better way to celebrate than to gorge on some yummy treats? There is a list of traditional delicacies that go hand in hand with the holiday season. Gingerbread cookies, sugarplum balls, plum cakes, holiday rum balls, eggnog cookies, pudding, trifle, fruitcake, apple pie, and raisin pudding are just some of them. While these treats are delicious, they are not necessarily healthy. Therefore, we bring to you 5 relatively healthier recipes. They make the perfect treats for a classroom potluck, and your kids will love them:
1. Strawberry Cheesecake Santas
The adorable strawberry cheesecakes resembling Santa Claus will leave your kids excited and make them popular among their friends.
What You Need:
- Fresh strawberries
- Cream cheese
- Honey or powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Mini chocolate chips
How To Make:
- Wash the strawberries and cut the stem off on a cutting board. Try to cut them as flat as possible to make the base of the Santa-berries.
- Cut the top of the berry to make the “hat”.
- Mix some cream cheese, honey/powdered sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk well. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature.
- Add some cream mixture to the strawberry base in two layers. Then add the “hat” to complete the Santa-berry.
- Use the mini chocolate chips as Santa’s eyes. Decorate the strawberry base with cream cheese mix to make the buttons on Santa’s coat.
- Complete the look by adding the mix to the top to make it look like Santa’s hat.
2. Gingerbread Cookies
You cannot celebrate the holiday season without some delicious gingerbread cookies. Don’t forget to decorate them.
What You Need:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp ginger
- ¾ tsp cloves
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¾ cup butter
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- ½ salt
How To Make:
- Whisk the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, cloves, and salt together and keep aside.
- In another bowl, mix the sugar and melted butter until the sugar dissolves. Add eggs and beat the mixture until it becomes fluffy.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the mixture and beat until well combined. Ensure that there are no lumps.
- Divide the dough into two and form them into a ball. Press down each ball with your hands to form a disc shape and wrap tightly in a plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. You could also keep them overnight.
- Once the dough is chilled well, unwrap and roll it out to form a thin dough layer. Don’t make it too thin.
- Using cookie cutters, cut the dough into desired shapes and bake for about 8-10 minutes at 350℉ until the cookies are crisp around the edges.
- Cool for 5 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are cooled, you can decorate them as you desire.
3. The Fruity Tree
One of the healthiest holiday treats, the fruity tree is perfect for kids who like to keep it fresh and juicy!
What You Need:
- Fresh plums
- Fresh cherries
- Strawberries
- Kiwis
How To Make:
- Wash the fruits until clean. Dry them and place them on cutting boards to slice.
- Slice the kiwi into long thin slices to resemble a Christmas tree.
- Cut the plums and cherries in half. Try to cut them as flat as possible to place as ornaments.
- Place them at the edge of the kiwi arrangement to decorate.
- Cut the strawberries flat and place them as decoration on the kiwi slices.
4. Chocolate Brownies With Green Icing
Brownies are an all-time favorite, and with the holiday icing, it is your best choice for a festive treat!
What You Need:
- 200g unsalted butter
- 200g dark chocolate chips
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ tsp salt
How To Make:
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray tin with oil and line it with baking paper.
- In a heatproof bowl, microwave choco chips and butter until fully melted and stir until smooth.
- Add sugar and vanilla to the mix and stir. Then add eggs and beat until smooth.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, and salt until well combined. Make sure there are no lumps.
- Bake for 25 minutes or more, depending on the consistency you wish to get.
- Rest for 10 minutes before removing the pan. Keep the pan aside for a minimum of 20 minutes until cool.
- Once cool, cut the brownie into triangles and decorate with icing to make it look like a Christmas tree.
- You can also add candy canes to the base of the tree to make it look more Christmas-y.
5. Santa Brownie Bites
If brownies are too big for you, here is a more appealing option. Brownie bites will make your kids a superstar among their friends!
What You Need:
- Baked brownies or store-bought
- Fresh strawberries
- Whipped cream
How To Make:
- Cut the brownies into tiny square pieces.
- Wash the fresh strawberries and cut them into half.
- Make sure they are cut as flat as possible, so the bottom half looks conical.
- Spray two layers of whipped cream on the brownies and place the strawberry on it.
- Top it off by spraying the top part of the strawberry with whipped cream to resemble a Santa hat.
These treats are super fun to make and delicious for a school holiday celebration. Your kids will love it, and so will their friends! Which one of these recipes are you excited to try? Comment below and let us know.
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