It is finally the time of year for Christmas cookies and holiday treats, so you may feel that living in the dorms will inhibit your ability to whip up Mom's sugar cookies.
Your living situation shouldn't stop you from enjoying Christmas cookies, so here is a round up of 10 holiday treats that you can easily make. These recipes have minimal ingredients, and don't require flour or sugar that would be difficult to have in a dorm setting. All but one recipe can all be made in a microwave.
Hint: Chocolate can easily be melted in the microwave, check out how to do it here.
1. Chocolate Peanut Butter Stacks
This takes the idea of peanut putter cups to the next level. Peanut butter, crackers and chocolate make for a crunchy but sweet treat to change up your holiday cookie routine. These can be made for any holiday, just change the decorations on top.
2. Hot Chocolate
Is there anything better than hot chocolate on a cold winter day? Nope. There are so many different mixes you can buy where you just need to add water, and voila! Your hot chocolate is ready. If you are dairy free, like me, then finding a mix is hard but hot chocolate is still do-able. Just use the recipe on the side of Hershey's cocoa powder, but use almond milk instead of cow's milk. Hot chocolate is just a walk to the microwave away.
3. Chocolate Fudge
Fudge is probably one of the easiest things to make since it only needs 2 ingredients and a microwave. There are many toppings that can be added, such as candy canes, M&Ms, or caramel. With all of the variety, you'll never run out of dessert ideas.
4. Peppermint Bark
College students can't afford to buy Sur La Table's peppermint bark, so just make your own and have it cost you less than a 1/4 of the original price. Hint: This is also a perfect, inexpensive gift for friends.
5. Gingerbread Truffles
Gingerbread cookies might just be the best part of Christmas, but no one living in a dorm has the space for flour, sugar, eggs, etc. These gingerbread truffles are perfect to make for all of your gingerbread cravings.
6. Red Velvet Cookies
These bright red velvet cookies will never fail to remind you of Christmas. The red velvet cake mix used to make these cookies is unbelievably easy, and then all you have to do is pop the cookies in the oven. To make these extra festive, add green sprinkles or Christmas M&Ms to the dough. You do need an oven for these cookies, so try something new, and head down to your dorms kitchen.
7. Christmas Avalanche Cookies
What is red, green and white? Christmas and these cookies. These are not your typical Christmas cookie, but they are definitely on my list to make this holiday season. You might even be able to consider these cookies healthy, given the coconut, dried cranberries, and pistachios. Best of all, these are no bake cookies so an oven isn't needed!
8. Candy Cane Dipped Oreos
Just looking at these chocolate covered Oreos screams Christmas. Chocolate covered Oreos are one of my favorite treats to find in my socking on Christmas morning. These Oreos can be amped up even more by using flavored Oreos or adding different toppings. The choices are endless.
9. Chocolate Pretzel Wreaths
I have been making these pretzel wreaths for years now and they are the simplest way to make a ton of Christmas goodies without too much work. All you need is 3 ingredients (unless you want to be extra fancy) and a little time. I have made over 200 of these in a day, so I guarantee that is this the easiest way to make gifts for your friends.
10. White Chocolate Ting-a-Lings
Even the name of these treats tells you they are made for the holidays. The base of peanuts and chow mien noodles make for a unique dessert compared to all of the sugar cookies on the dessert table.
Now what are you waiting for? It is time to pick out one (or 10) recipes to make, head over to the grocery store, and bake your night away in your dorm.