Are you on the naughty or nice list this year? You may find out if you make this Christmas coal — see who sneaks it into your stocking!
The tradition of coal being placed in a stocking for those on the naughty list is a story referred to each holiday season. Before the Elf on the Shelf, we had to consider the possibility of pieces of coal in our stockings on Christmas morning from St. Nicholas.
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This Christmas coal candy is a fun way to refer to the tradition of Santa Claus giving the gift of coal to naughty children. You can serve it at a party, give it as a great gag gift, or make it a Christmas present for family members.
If you’re looking for a fun and funny holiday treat to whip up in no time, this is the holiday recipe for you!
Common Questions about Christmas Coal
Where can I find black food coloring?
If you can’t find it at your local grocery shop, try online.
What is the best way to serve Christmas coal?
In Christmas stockings, of course! All jokes aside, a seasonal dessert plate is probably the best place for these cookies.
Why are these called Christmas coal?
They’re meant to mimic the traditional lumps of coal that are rumored to wind up in your stocking if you’re on the naughty list this year.
Storage
Put your Christmas coal in an airtight bag and seal them. You can keep them at room temperature for up to a week.
Refrigerator: There’s no need to refrigerate these treats.
Freezing: Freezing is not recommended for these since it will affect the texture of the rice cereal.
Tips For The Best Christmas Coal
- Make sure the marshmallows are fresh from an unopened bag so that they taste their best and mix well.
- Use unsalted butter. You can add salt if you prefer.
- Choose a super sharp knife to make quick work of chopping the Oreos.
Ingredients
- Mini marshmallows
- Butter
- Black gel food coloring
- Cocoa-flavored crispy rice cereal
- Oreo cookies (coarsely chopped)
Kitchen Supplies You’ll Need
Try these easy no-bake treats
- Peppermint Oreo Balls
- Easy No-Cook Fudge
- Peppermint Bark Cookies
- Divinity Candy
- Christmas Puppy Chow
- Christmas Crack
How to Make Christmas Coal
- Add the marshmallows and butter to a microwave-safe bowl.
- Heat the 2 ingredients in the microwave, then stir.
- Continue heating in 15-second intervals. After every 15 seconds, stir vigorously.
- Repeat until the marshmallows are completely melted.
- Add the food coloring and stir until completely incorporated.
- Fold in the cereal and Oreos so that all ingredients are coated.
- Using a cookie scoop, melon baller, or spoons to portion out the mixture.
- Press each scoop into the shape of coal.
- Place the coal-shaped scoops onto the prepared baking sheet with parchment paper or wax paper.
- Allow to set.
What to Serve With Christmas Coal
Anything goes with Christmas coal! Leave it for Santa with some milk or liven it up with some other sides.
- Hot chocolate – Cocoa is a natural pairing for this Christmas coal.
- Coffee – Any dessert pairs perfectly with coffee.
- Ice cream – Use these as a garnish for an ice cream sundae.
- Cocktails – Get naughty and deserve that coal with some boozy drinks that go well with chocolate. Espresso martinis and spiked coffee work especially well.
Why You Should Make This Recipe
We all joke about getting coal for Christmas so who wouldn’t love this sweet take on the traditional reference to consequences for being naughty?
- Easy – Simple ingredients plus little prep time equals an incredibly easy dessert that’s done in no time.
- Fast – Just a few minutes of microwave time means this dessert comes together quickly.
- Cute – The reference to the old tale of getting coal in your stocking is lost on nearly no one who celebrates Christmas.
Variations and Add-ins
This dessert mimics coal just as it is but you can spruce it up with add-ins, too.
- Chips – Dark chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips will add some richness.
- Sprinkles – Add some sprinkles for a fun flair.
- Decorator’s sugar – Make it sparkly with some fancy sugar.
- Salt – If you like a salty/sweet combination sprinkle your favorite salt over top.
- Candy canes – Crush candy canes (or other hard candy) and sprinkle the candy over top.
DON’T MISS MY HOLIDAY E-BOOK!
If you love this easy NO-BAKE recipe, you’re going to love these other treats too. Please click each link below to find the easy, printable recipe!
Other Holiday Desserts
Chocolate Nutella Pistachio Cookies
Once the new window opens- right-click & save the file.
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Christmas Coal
Ingredients
- 3 cups miniature marshmallows
- 2 tablespoons butter
- black gel food coloring
- 4 cups cocoa-flavored crispy rice cereal
- 2 cups coarsely chopped Oreo cookies
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the marshmallows and butter.
- Heat in the microwave on high for 1 minute and stir vigorously.
- Heat again in 15-second increments, stirring after each time, until the marshmallows are completely melted.
- Stir the food coloring into the marshmallow mixture until well blended.
- Add the cereal and oreos. Mix well.
- Portion out 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture and press it into the shape of coal. Place them on parchment paper and allow them to set.
- Store the lumps of coal in an airtight container.
Notes
- If you do not have black food coloring, you can mix equal parts of blue, red, and green.
- You might have better results using your hands to mix the cereal and cookies into the marshmallow mixture.
- Dampen your hands to keep the mixture from sticking too much.
Nutrition
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate. Please double-check with your own dietary calculator for the best accuracy. We at Yummi Haus cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site.
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