Candy canes? Feh! SheKnows’ editors are here to share their favorite holiday sweets and treats.
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Brothers Not Lovers caramels
Image Credit: Luis Galeano/Hooker's Sweet Treats San Francisco’s local caramel shop (what, you don’t have one in your town?) makes all its treats on-site in small batches with super-creative flavors. My favorite is Brothers Not Lovers: a chocolate espresso sea salt caramel in dark chocolate and topped with pistachios. If you love salty sweets as much as I do, put these on your list right now. (Hooker’s Sweet Treats, $24) — Julie Ross Godar, executive editorial director
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DeMet’s Turtles
Image Credit: Getty Images I don’t usually go for food gifts, but I love these. The original DeMet’s Turtles are pecans and caramel covered in chocolate. I remember my mom would buy them, but only on rare occasions. They felt expensive to me as a kid, so when I actually got my own, I would always savor them. You never eat more than one in a day. On the off chance I get some now, I still do the same thing. (Target, $3) — Crystal Lewis Brown, director of editorial operations
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Boiled peanuts
Image Credit: Getty Images OK, I know this is a weird one, but as a Southern girl who hates chocolate, I love the salty brine of a good boiled peanut. They’re hard to track down, but putting a can in my stocking proves that you went the extra mile to get me something I love. (Lee Bros. Boiled Peanuts, $12/3 cans) — Kaitlin Racine, community editor
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Potato chip chocolate bar
Image Credit: Chuao Chocolatier I love little indulgences and upgrades on things I eat every day, so these potato chip chocolate bars (Chuao Chocolatier, $6). And a gift certificate to Maman Cafe so I can have lavender hot chocolates every day. — Kat Lapelosa, senior social media editor
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Chocolate orange
Image Credit: Getty Images The person who invented this heavenly holiday treat deserves to have an entire day named after them. Buy me three of these chocolate oranges and we can definitely be BFFs. (The British Food Depot, $5) — Kenzie Mastroe, branded content and pets editor
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White snowflake pretzels
Image Credit: Getty Images I don’t like pretzels that much. And I hate white chocolate. So why do these white snowflake pretzels go together so well? Something about the cool coating and the way the crunchy little sprinkles interact nicely with the salty pretzel makes these super-addictive over the holidays. Plus, they’re so cute and come in a fancy tin. (Crate & Barrell, $25) — Claire Zulkey
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Ladurée Macarons
Image Credit: Getty Images Ladurée’s are the only macarons worth eating — little crisp clouds of perfection with silky, exquisite filling. Also, it doesn’t hurt that they come in a beautiful box you’ll want to keep. (Ladurée, $21/6-macaron gift box) — Adriana Velez, food editor
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Purple Gurl’s flavored popcorn
Image Credit: Getty Images I first tasted PurpleGurl’s popcorn at a farmer’s market, and it’s now my new favorite snack. My favorite is the Michigan Ave. flavor, which is a Chicago-inspired caramel and cheddar mix. I like to eat it by the handfuls and have taken to putting it on the top shelf of the pantry so the kids can’t eat it all. (PurpleGurl’s, $6) — Crystal Lewis Brown
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Peppermint bark
Image Credit: Getty Images I start drinking peppermint mocha coffees the day after Halloween. So, naturally, peppermint bark is a Christmas stocking fave. (Ghiradelli, $13) — Kenzie Mastroe
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Dark chocolate peanut butter cups
Image Credit: Getty Images Trader Joe’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups come in a giant tub, which is what I really want you to get me, but it would fill the entire stocking and not leave room for the other things I hope to get in my stocking, which include a pair of iPhone-compatible gloves that are warm but not hideous. So get me that little cellophane sac of like nine peanut butter cups and I will try not to eat them all at once. (Trader Joe’s, $5) — Melissa Kirsch, deputy editor
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Reese’s Miniatures
I don’t have a cool, local treat to add, nor do I have a really fun twist on a classic candy we all know and love. I’m going straight-up Reese’s on your ass. But it has to be the miniatures in the candy cane tube. For years, my mom put these in our stockings without fail. Well, that and underwear. (Target, $2) — Kristine Cannon, entertainment editor
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Dark chocolate almonds
Trader Joe’s Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar Dark Chocolate Almonds are perfect. They are the most perfect snack in all the land. The proportion of dark chocolate to almond is exactly right, and they’ve got that salty/sweet combination going on. I love these so much I’ve banned them from my home. Because if my husband buys them, which he has been known to do, he will find me 30 minutes later, hunkered over the empty container, shrieking I HAVE A PROBLEM! But if you got them for me for Christmas, I could eat all of them and no one would be mad at me. (Trader Joe’s, $4) — Alice Bradley, parenting editor
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Godiva truffles
Image Credit: Godiva I can’t imagine a holiday season without Godiva truffles. If I have to buy them myself, I will. Because I am Santa and I’ve been pretty good this year. (Godiva, $18/6-piece box) — Adriana Velez, food editor
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A pomegranate
It’s a family tradition and one I really love. Every year I get a little better at getting the seeds out. — Colleen Stinchcombe, community editor
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