Indulge in the Sweetest Season: Discover Must-Make Chocolate Holiday Treats & Exciting Baking Giveaways!

Who’s ready to dive into the most delightful time of the year – holiday baking season? And who, like us, simply can’t get enough of chocolate? Raise your hand if the thought of rich, decadent chocolate treats fills you with pure joy!

It might seem a little early to talk about holiday treats, but as any seasoned baker knows, preparation is key! And when it comes to chocolate, there’s never a wrong time to plan your next sweet adventure. Forget waiting until the last minute; the festive spirit is already stirring, and with it, the irresistible aroma of chocolate baking. We’re here to give you a head start, not just with incredible recipes, but also with a peek into the world of fantastic culinary events and giveaways that make holiday baking even more exciting!

You might be wondering why we’re sharing these must-make chocolate yummies so enthusiastically right now. Well, beyond the sheer love of chocolate, there’s a wonderful community spirit that comes alive during special online events. This post originally highlighted a spectacular virtual celebration, #Choctoberfest, an annual event that brings together chocolate lovers and talented bloggers from around the globe. While the specific 2016 event has passed, its spirit of discovery and generous giveaways continues to inspire. This collaborative initiative was designed to share an abundance of new chocolate recipes and offer readers a chance to win incredible prizes, enhancing their baking experience just in time for the holidays.

#Choctoberfest, brilliantly orchestrated by The PinterTest Kitchen, served as a prime example of how the food blogging community comes together. During these virtual festivals, participants share their most cherished chocolate recipes, from cookies and cakes to fudge and bark, creating a treasure trove of inspiration for home bakers. It’s a fantastic opportunity for readers to explore new flavors, techniques, and discover new favorite blogs, all while celebrating the magic of chocolate.

These events are made possible by the incredible generosity of sponsors who share a passion for quality ingredients and kitchen essentials. The 2016 #Choctoberfest was especially fortunate to feature Imperial Sugar as its esteemed Gold Sponsor. For generations, Imperial Sugar has been a cornerstone in kitchens across the nation since 1843, providing the foundation for countless sweet creations. Their website is a baker’s paradise, brimming with thousands of meticulously tested recipes, all perfected in the Imperial Sugar Kitchen. Beyond their extensive recipe collection, Imperial Sugar connects with its community through vibrant social media channels on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube. Joining their Sweet Community offers even more perks, allowing you to share your own recipes, save favorites, print valuable coupons, and engage with fellow sugar enthusiasts. Their commitment to quality ensures that every chocolate dessert you bake with their products will be nothing short of perfection.

Imperial Sugar, alongside a lineup of fantastic silver sponsors, collaboratively offered an astounding #Choctoberfest prize pack. This grand prize, though from a past event, illustrates the incredible value and excitement these virtual celebrations bring to the baking community. Imagine winning a comprehensive collection of baking essentials and gourmet treats – it’s every baker’s dream! The prize package was designed to equip one fortunate winner with everything they needed to embark on an epic holiday baking spree.

From our Gold Sponsor Imperial Sugar: A truly generous assortment, including 1 case of granulated sugar (40 pounds!), 1 case of brown sugar (24 pounds), 1 case of dark brown sugar (24 pounds), 1 case of powdered sugar (24 pounds), and a charming Imperial Sugar red ruffle apron. This bounty of sugars alone could fuel months of delicious baking!
From our Silver Sponsor Nature Nate’s: Sweet additions for a touch of natural goodness, featuring a 32 oz. Raw & Unfiltered Honey bottle, Honey Syrup, convenient Honey Packets, a stylish Nature Nate’s T-shirt, various practical kitchen supplies, and a $50 Amazon gift card – perfect for stocking up on more baking gadgets.
From our Silver Sponsor Barlean’s: Innovative ingredients for healthier twists on classics, including 16 oz Barlean’s Butter-Flavored Coconut Oil (great for vegan or dairy-free baking), a 9.52 oz canister of Chocolate Silk Greens (an excellent way to sneak in nutrients), and an 8oz bottle of Essential Women Omega-Swirl Chocolate Mint – a delightful and beneficial supplement.
From our Silver Sponsor Caveman Coffee: For those who love the rich pairing of coffee and chocolate, this prize included 1 Bag of Coffee (winner’s choice of Blacklisted or Sabertooth roast), 1 coconut MCT oil, and 1 Cacao Butter, ideal for crafting artisanal chocolate creations or boosting your morning brew.
From #Choctoberfest blog hosts The PinterTest Kitchen: A curated selection for the ultimate chocolate enthusiast: 1 specialty chocolate gift pack (choice of dark or milk chocolate), 1 tin (14 ounces) of luxurious drinking chocolate, and Divine’s Fair Trade Gift Set, supporting ethical chocolate production.

While the entry window for the #Choctoberfest 2016 prize pack has closed (the winner was chosen on Saturday, Oct. 22nd), we keep this Rafflecopter widget here as a testament to the exciting opportunities these events create. It encourages you to explore such engaging platforms in the future and reminds you to stay tuned for similar fantastic giveaways by your favorite food bloggers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One of the greatest joys of #Choctoberfest-style events is the vast network of talented food bloggers who participate. This collaborative effort transforms the internet into a vibrant hub of culinary inspiration. Below is a list of the incredible bloggers who shared their expertise and recipes during #Choctoberfest 2016. We highly recommend visiting their blogs; while the specific event posts might be in their archives, their sites remain fantastic resources for delicious chocolate recipes and countless other culinary delights throughout the year:

The PinterTest Kitchen • 2 Cookin’ Mamas • A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures • addicted 2 recipes • Amy’s Cooking Adventures • An Affair From The Heart • Balancing Motherhood • Body Rebooted • Bottom Left of the Mitten • By the Pounds • Canning and Cooking at Home • Coconut & Lime • Cook with 5 Kids • Cook’s Hideout • Cookaholic Wife • Cooking with Carlee • CopyKat Recipes • Cricket’s Confections • Crumbs in my Mustachio • Elisabeth Jean • Fairyburger • Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice • Family Around the Table • Fantastical Sharing of Recipes • Feed Your Soul Too • Feeding Big • Frankly Entertaining • Full Belly Sisters • Get the Good Stuff • Grumpy’s Honeybunch • Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks • Hostess At Heart • Ink and Sugar • Jane’s Adventures in Dinner • Join Us, Pull Up a Chair • Karen’s Kitchen Adventures • Kate’s Recipe Box • Kudos Kitchen by Renee • Kylee Cooks • Letz Eat • Life Currents • Life on Food• Making Miracles • Monica’s Table • Moore or Less Cooking Food Blog • My Catholic Kitchen • My Gluten Free Miami • Our Good Life • Palatable Pastime • Restless Chipotle • Seduction in The Kitchen • Sew You Think You Can Cook • Simple Food 365 • Southern With A Twist • Sumptuous Spoonfuls • Take Two Tapas • Tampa Cake Girl • Teaspoon of Goodness • That Recipe • The Crumby Cupcake • The Flavourista • The Food Hunter’s Guide To Cuisine • The Freshman Cook • The Pajama Chef • The Redhead Baker • The Spiffy Cookie • Tramplingrose • Wildflour’s Cottage Kitchen • Zesty South Indian Kitchen

We hope you enjoy exploring the vast world of chocolate recipes offered by these talented bloggers. And if you’re a fellow food blogger inspired by the camaraderie and exposure offered by events like #Choctoberfest, be sure to sign up through The PinterTest Kitchen to receive notifications about their upcoming events and collaborate on future culinary celebrations!

Now, let’s talk about what truly sparked this post: the irresistibly delicious chocolate holiday treats that are guaranteed to bring joy to any festive gathering. Imagine all the baking you could achieve, all the smiles you could create, especially with a pantry full of those amazing prize winnings! But even without a giveaway win, these recipes are absolute triumphs.

These aren’t just any recipes; they’ve been lovingly hand-selected and are among the most popular and requested items on my holiday platters year after year. They are tried, true, and guaranteed to be crowd-pleasers. Prepare to discover your new favorite chocolate dessert, perfect for gifting, sharing, or simply indulging yourself!

To uncover the full recipe and embark on your baking adventure, simply click on the photo of each delectable treat below.

Kahlua Crinkles: Elevate a classic with these sophisticated chocolate-coffee flavored cookies. Each chewy bite is rolled in Kahlua-infused sugar, offering a delightful crunch on the outside and a wonderfully moist interior. These crinkles aren’t just cookies; they’re an experience, perhaps your new must-have holiday cookie!

Mint Fudge: Indulge in the silky smoothness of this refreshing mint chocolate fudge. Its effortless preparation will astound you, making you wonder why you haven’t added this decadent treat to your holiday repertoire sooner. It’s the perfect balance of cool mint and rich chocolate, melting in your mouth with every piece.

Graham Cracker Toffee: Prepare for addiction with this incredibly easy and utterly delicious graham cracker toffee. Layers of buttery toffee, rich semi-sweet chocolate, and crunchy pecans are spread over crisp graham crackers. It’s a harmonious blend of sweet and salty, perfect for holiday platters, edible gifts, or simply a quick treat anytime the craving strikes.

Chocolate Pudding Cookies: These cookies are seriously simple to make, yet deliver an incredibly soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture thanks to the secret ingredient: instant pudding mix! Loaded with colorful mini M&M’s, they are as delightful to look at as they are to eat, making them a fantastic, kid-friendly option for any holiday cookie swap.

Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies: Take the beloved classic chocolate chip cookie to a new level of deliciousness by adding malted milk powder. This simple addition infuses the cookies with a nostalgic, rich malt flavor that perfectly complements the sweet chocolate chips. The outcome is truly fabulous – a chewy, flavorful cookie that stands out from the crowd.

Chocolate Mint Candy Cookies: These festive and flavorful cookies combine chewy chocolate bases with a refreshing burst of mint. The magic happens when warm, freshly baked cookies are topped with mint chocolate candy, allowing it to melt into a creamy, dreamy frosting. These are a beautiful and delicious addition to any holiday cookie spread, offering a perfect blend of rich cocoa and cool mint.

Peanut Clusters: Simplicity meets perfection with these incredibly easy peanut clusters. Requiring only three basic ingredients, these no-bake wonders come together in minutes. Crunchy peanuts enveloped in sweet, melted chocolate make for an irresistible treat that will quickly become a beloved staple on your holiday trays and gift boxes this year. They’re quick, delicious, and always a hit!

White and Dark Chocolate Peppermint Bark: Create this stunning and festive candy with just four ingredients and less than 30 minutes of your time. Layers of rich dark chocolate and creamy white chocolate are generously studded with crushed peppermint candy, offering a delightful crunch and a refreshing minty finish. This elegant bark is not only a beautiful centerpiece for your holiday trays but also makes for perfect homemade gifts!

We hope these incredible chocolate holiday treats bring warmth, joy, and deliciousness to your kitchen. While the specific giveaway from #Choctoberfest 2016 has concluded, the spirit of sharing fantastic recipes and the excitement of community events continue. Keep an eye out for similar opportunities in the future to win amazing baking supplies and discover even more culinary inspiration!

Happy baking, everyone – and may your holiday season be filled with an abundance of chocolate!