Easy Christmas Candy

Seven or eight years ago (or so) I stumbled upon this recipe for easy Christmas candy in Southern Living magazine. At the time I was working at Country Club College and had a student staff with about 30 staff members on it that I worked with everyday and a custodial staff of seven. This candy became an easy, quick and cheap treat for me to give them at the end of the semester as a holiday gift. I still make it each year and give it as gifts, granted the rising cost of pecans doesn’t make it as cheap as it use to be! It does require some overnight time… so be sure to plan ahead if you are going to make it!

Easy Christmas Candy

Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped pecans
• 1.5 lbs vanilla or chocolate candy coating- chopped (I buy mine at Michaels, in the cake section)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk (14oz)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• wax paper

Steps

1. Be sure you have chopped the pecans and set them aside. You also need to have chopped the candy coating and set it aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Toast pecans on a baking sheet for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and turn oven OFF. You’re done with the oven at this point.
4. Line a jelly roll pan with wax paper. I cannot explain how important it is to use wax paper. I’ve screwed up and not used it before… it was not good. The best sized pan to use is  15×10, but use whatever you have.
5. You want to use some Crisco and lightly grease the wax paper. Once again, do NOT overlook this step.
6. Using a large microwave safe bowl add: the chopped candy coating, sweetened condensed milk and salt into a bowl. Mix and then microwave for 3-5 minutes. You want to take it out every minute and stir it.
7. Once it is mostly melted, stir until smooth.
8. Mix in vanilla and toasted pecans
9. Spread in an even layer over the wax paper in the pan.
10. Cover and chill in the refrigerator. Do this for a minimum of two hours, I recommend overnight.
11. Once chilled, flip them onto a cutting board, peel off wax paper and cut into squares.
12. I put them in cute little Christmas bags and add a note!!

It is so delicious, it melts in your mouth!