Desserts are delicious but they also pile on the calories that we want to stay away from. Snacking on bite sized desserts will help you feel less stuffed while providing you the satisfaction of yielding to your sweet craving. However, too much of anything can be bad, so limit your consumption. However, we wouldn’t blame you if you indulged a little, these desserts are delicious! From polar bear mini cupcakes to a no-bake nutella cheesecake, we have got it all covered. These dessert recipes will leave you wanting for more!

1.Polar Bear Mini Cupcakes

Ingredients (Chocolate Cupcake)

1. 1 1/2 cups flour
2. 2/3 cup cocoa
3. 1 1/3 cups sugar
4. 1 teaspoon baking soda
5. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
6. 1/2 teaspoon salt
7. 2 eggs
8. 1/3 cup oil
9. 1 teaspoon vanilla
10. 2/3 cup milk
11. 2/3 cup hot water

Ingredients (To Decorate)

1. Frosting (recipe uses Ateco Tip #807)
2. Black Sugar Pearls (Wilton)
3. 8 mm Edible Soft Pearls
4. Candy eyes
5. Pastel pink confetti sprinkles
6. Granulated Sugar

Instructions (Chocolate Cupcakes)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Fill mini cupcake tray with cupcake liners.
3. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients together with a wire whisk.
4. Add eggs, oil, vanilla and milk and mix until combined.
5. Add hot water and mix.
6. Fill cupcake liners about 3/4 full.
7. Bake for 15 minutes.
8. Cool and decorate.

Instructions (Decorating)

1. Pipe a small mound of frosting on the cupcake.
2. Press this into a bowl of granulated sugar so that it covers all the frosting.
3. Place a single candy eye in the centre of the cupcake (this will form the nose).
4. Place two black sugar pearls above the nose to form eyes.
5. Place two edible soft pearls at corners above the eyes to form the ears.
6. Place the pastel pink confetti below the nose to form the tongue.

2. Santa Hats Chocolate Strawberries

Ingredients

1. 1 pan of brownies (made from a mix, recipe uses Ghirardelli)
2. small strawberries (tops cut off)
3. 1/2 cup unsalted butter -softened
4. 3 cups powdered sugar
5. 3 TB half and half
6. 1/2 t vanilla

Instructions

1. Cut the brownies using a one inch circle fondant cutter. Push down on the cutter, twist and lift it up with a fork. Then push the brownie in, on the top and bottom so that the circle was flat on top and bottom.
2. For frosting, combine butter, powdered sugar, half and half, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with a mixer for 2 minutes, or until fluffy.
3. Place frosting in a zip lock bag and snip off the corner. Swirl a little frosting on top of the brownie.
4. Finally, put the strawberry on and add a little dot of frosting on top to complete the Santa hat. This dessert is perfect for your holiday parties!

3.Reindeer Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients (Makes 40 Cookies)

1.  3/4 cup peanut butter
2. 1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3. 1/2 cup shortening
4. 3 tablespoons milk
5. 1 tablespoon vanilla
6. 1 egg
7. 1 3/4 cup all purpose flower
8. 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
9. 3/4 teaspoon salt
10. Chocolate covered mini pretzels
11. Mini brown M&Ms
12. Regular sized M&Ms

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Combine brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, milk, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add egg; beat until just blended.
3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.
4. Form dough into 1-inch balls. To make reindeer-shaped cookies, pinch the bottom of the ball slightly to form a point, then gently flatten with your hand. Space cookies about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until set or just beginning to brown.
5. Remove from oven and immediately (and gently) press two mini pretzels into the tops of the cookies for the reindeer’s antlers. Press two mini brown M&Ms in for the eyes and one red M&M for the nose.
6. Allow to cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack or paper towel to cool completely.

4.Berry Tartlets

Ingredients

1. 24 wonton wrappers
2. 1 tablespoon butter, melted
3. 8oz mascarpone cheese, room temperature
4. 5 tablespoons condensed milk
5. 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
6. Pinch of salt
7. 6-7 medium strawberries, hulled
8. ½ cup blueberries
9. Powdered sugar, optional for decoration

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175degrees C).
2. Place the wonton wrappers on a muffin tin. Lightly brush melted butter in the bottom of the wonton cups. Bake the wonton cups for 7-8 minutes.
3. In a mixing bowl with whisk attachment, mix together, mascarpone cheese, condensed milk, vanilla extract and salt until smooth.
4. Chop the strawberries into small pieces.
5. Once the wonton cups are baked, cool them slightly.
6. Transfer the cheese filling mixture into a pastry bag, and pipe it into the wonton cups.
7. Place the berries on top of the filling. Sprinkle some powdered sugar, if desired. These make the perfect dessert for last minute dinner plans.

5. Mini Nutella Cheesecake (No-Bake)

Ingredients

1. 12 Triple Double Oreo cookies or 18 regular Oreos
2. 2 Tbsp butter, melted
3. 8 oz light cream cheese, softened
4. ⅔ cups nutella
5. 1 tsp vanilla extract
6. 1¾ cup whipping cream
7. 3 Tbsp powdered sugar
8. 3 Ferrero Rocher candies, chilled and chopped

Instructions

1. Crush the Oreos into fine crumbs. You can do this by placing them in a food processor.
2. Stir the butter into the cookie crumbs and divide the crumbs between 6 (8 oz sized) individual serving dishes such as – mini tart pans, mini trifle or dessert dishes, glass custard dishes, etc. If using the tart pans, press the crumbs to the bottom and sides of the pan. If using any other dish, just press the crumbs into the bottom of the dishes using the back side of a spoon. Place crusts in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
3. In large bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Add nutella and vanilla; beat until smooth and well combined.
4. In another bowl, beat the whipped cream and powdered sugar until medium or firm peaks form.
5. Set aside one cup of the whipped cream mixture for topping. Cover and refrigerate.
6. Add ⅓ of the remaining whipped cream to the nutella mixture and fold until combined. Add the remaining ⅔ of the whipped cream and fold until blended well.
7. Remove crusts from the fridge and divide the nutella mixture between the 6 dishes using a spoon.
8. Cover the dishes with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.
9. Pipe or spoon some of the reserved 1 cup of whipping cream onto the top of each cheesecake. Then sprinkle with the chopped Ferrero Rocher candies.

Tell us your favourite mini dessert recipe!

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The post Mini Desserts: 5 Easy And Creative Sweet Treats For The Holiday Season appeared first on Destination Femme.