Peppermint is one of those flavors that is pretty much synonymous with Christmas. Whether it’s in coffees, chocolates, or candy canes, you’d be hard-pressed to find any store in December that’s not trying to capitalize on the minty treat.
That said, there are plenty of other foods and drinks you could be missing out on if you let yourself get too deep into a candy-cane coma. Here’s 15 other treats you should try to put a little more variety into your holiday palate!
1. Cranberries
Cranberries are often forgotten in the holiday shuffle, and that’s just not fair. Cranberries give you a great boost of Vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber in addition to tasting delicious.
Plus, they’re good for a hell of a lot more than cranberry sauce. Candied cranberries look wicked cute on top of baked goods, Craisins are a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth, and cranberry juice makes for a holiday cocktail that’s way better than spiked eggnog.
2. Cinnamon Rolls
Confession: If I won the lottery, I can pretty much assure you that half of my winnings would go towards buying anything cinnamon flavored. So, it’s no surprise that cinnamon rolls are next on this list.
Every Christmas morning for as long as I can remember, my mom has always had a tray of warm, gooey cinnamon rolls (like these ones!) ready for me and my siblings after we open our presents. There’s just something about the way the sweet icing mixes with the fragrant cinnamon that will always remind me of winter and the holidays.
And, it turns out, I’m not the only one who feels this way! Across the Pond, the British often make cinnamon rolls and fill them with fruit, making “Christmas Buns.” Clearly, the English are onto something here…
3. Pumpkin Pie
There are some poor souls out there who think that pumpkin pie is exclusively a Thanksgiving dish. I know, I feel sorry for them too. But, the simple fact is, pumpkin pie blows peppermint out of the water.
Not only is pumpkin pie served hot out of the oven (much better than icy peppermint), but it’s full of delicious holiday flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
Plus, can you enjoy a big dollop of whipped cream on top of peppermint? Didn’t think so.
4. Hot Apple Cider
An apple a day keeps the doctor away, so you should probably down a couple of glasses of this drink to stay healthy over the holidays.
Hot apple cider just screams “winter holiday”: the warmth and the cinnamon brings up memories of sleigh rides and warm fires…or memories of that Christmas party you’d like to forget. We don’t judge.
Plus, if you’re in the 21+ club, you can add a little alcohol to make this drink extra “merry and bright.” Hot buttered rum is the boozy drink of choice, but if that’s not your thing, try this apple cider sangria.
5. Gingerbread
Sure, peppermint might give you fresh breath, but it can’t fill you up the way a cookie can. And as far as Christmas cookies go, gingerbread reigns supreme.
Gingerbread desserts have been around since the 15th century, more than 100 years earlier than the invention of the candy cane. Plus there are some things that gingerbread can do that peppermint just simply can’t.
Yeah, making a structurally sound gingerbread house can be hard without the right tips, but I’d bet it’s even harder to make a house out of candy canes.
6. Tri-Flavor Popcorn Tins
Popcorn is a go-to snack for people when they’re sick of all of that holiday sugar. And this popcorn tin, with cheddar, caramel, and buttered popcorn is the perfect way to get your savory fix.
When I was a kid, the holidays meant that all of the Boy Scouts in my neighborhood would go door to door and sell this popcorn. I’d share it with my family while we wrote our letters to Santa. Sometimes, we even left some out for the reindeer!
I mean, yeah, peppermint gave you better breath than this popcorn ever did, but sometimes the holidays just call for foods that’ll get you on your dentist’s naughty list!
7. Fruitcake
No, seriously, hear me out. Fruitcake is incredibly underappreciated for being one of the most festive holiday desserts on the market.
Fruitcake combines all of the best things about the holidays and puts them into one, convenient package. You have your dried fruit, your spices (hello again ginger and cinnamon!), and booze.
Yes, you read that right. Some fruitcakes are soaked in bourbon to give them a little extra bit of holiday “spirit.” So, while you can use peppermint to shut up the kids’ table, why not use a little fruitcake to keep your weird uncle quiet about the election?
8. Christmas Trifle
As long as you don’t follow Rachel Green’s recipe, you’ve got yourself a recipe for Christmas success. There’s so many options for this recipe, from fruit, to chocolate, to gingerbread.
Plus, all the ingredients you need to make a trifle, like this brownie trifle, can be found in your pantry. Plus, where peppermint could crack your tooth in a trifle, all you get in a trifle like this one is pudding, whipped cream, and brownie bits. Sounds perfectly fine to me!
9. Toffee
Toffee takes a lot longer to chew than a piece of peppermint, but it’s definitely worth savoring every bite. Toffee is more traditionally eaten over in the UK at Christmas time, but there’s nothing wrong with borrowing a recipe from our English brothers–especially when the recipe only takes 20 minutes!
Toffee takes two of the best flavors, chocolate and caramel, and blends them together into one Christmas snack. And, if you have some saltines lying around, you can make this treat, aptly called “Christmas Crack” on the Internet.
10. Mulled Wine
This is the kind of drink your uber-successful cousin (the one with the great house and a dog) would bring to the family holiday party.
This drink is perfect for after your Christmas turkey or ham and is definitely a classier holiday cocktail than most…so leave the peppermint Schnapps at home.
And, if you choose, you can even put some fruit in for added taste or garnish. Mulled wine is Christmas’ answer to summer sangria!
11. Figgy Pudding
Yes, I promise that this is a real dessert. More commonly known as “Christmas pudding,” figgy pudding is a delicious dessert that often doesn’t get much attention outside of Christmas carols–even though they totally should.
These cakes have all the warmth and coziness that peppermint candies lack, although the name is a bit of a misnomer. Many actually make these cakes with plums, not figs.
But who’ll even notice the difference when there’s also raisins, currants, and brandy baked inside?
13. Roasted Chestnuts
(Open fire not necessarily included) This Christmas snack is also famous for its inclusion in classic carols, but is ready for its primetime debut at the table.
Chestnuts aren’t really known for tasting like other trail-mix favorites like the pecan or almond. They’re usually described as having a slightly sweet, earthy taste, almost like a sweet potato.
So, if you’re looking for a more grown-up sugary treat than a candy cane, a chestnut might be a good bet. Or, you could just drink some chestnut flavoring in your fave Starbs drink and call it a day. Trying new things is hard.
14. Hot Chocolate
Hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! I’m convinced that half of the people who brave the winter snow only do it because they know a steaming mug of hot chocolate is waiting for them when they get back. Myself included.
The thing about hot chocolate is, since it’s such a smooth, delicious base for tons of flavors, using peppermint to flavor your drink has just become so basic.
Why not try cinnamon, caramel, or even Nutella? Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.
15. Eggnog
Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying that once December comes rolling around, people go crazy for a carton of eggnog. The drink is so popular, that even McDonald’s sold an eggnog flavored shake in 2015.
Milk and mint don’t really sound like two flavors that jive, so many nog-lovers don’t miss peppermint all that much here. But, even if you can’t stand the texture that the whipped eggs give this drink, there’s nothing a little rum can’t fix, right?
Plus, there’s practically no excuse not to have a mug of this drink, since there are even ways to make it vegan!
If you’re constantly being called a Grinch for not buying into the whole peppermint frenzy every year, don’t worry! These snacks will surely get you through the holidays, or at least through wrapping your presents.
And who knows? Maybe if you leave one of these treats out for Santa, he’ll put you on the nice list!