Christmas Treat Snowmen, Trees and Pretzels – Easy

Every December, my grandmother's kitchen in Aleppo smelled of toasted sesame, rose water, and melted sugar, and the children were handed trays instead of toys. We shaped marzipan snowmen, stacked pistachio trees, and twisted dough into glossy pretzels, then arranged them together like a tiny winter village on a brass tray. That tray always disappeared before dinner, which is exactly the point of this recipe.

This version keeps her spirit but uses ingredients you can find in any supermarket: white chocolate for snow, green-tinted coconut for pine, and a quick pretzel twist that bakes while you shape the rest. The three shapes share one base dough and one dipping chocolate, so you get a full holiday platter in under an hour.

I still make it every year with my own kids, and I always think of the bakers in Damascus and Beirut who turn sugar into architecture. Food like this is travel you can taste. Go, see, and connect.

About the Ingredients

3 cups (300g) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting

Powdered sugar gives the filling its smooth, snow-like texture. If yours is clumpy, sift it first; you can swap 1 cup for finely ground oat flour for a less sweet version.

1 1/2 cups (170g) finely ground blanched almond flour

Almond flour is the backbone of the filling and keeps it tender. Substitute sunflower seed flour for a nut-free platter, but add 1 tablespoon of water since it absorbs more.

1/2 cup (120ml) sweetened condensed milk

Condensed milk binds everything without cooking. Look for a brand with no added palm oil for a cleaner flavor; coconut condensed milk works for a dairy-free version.

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Use real vanilla, not imitation, because the filling is not baked and the flavor stays raw. Almond extract can replace half the vanilla for a marzipan-like note.

8 ounces (225g) white chocolate, chopped

White chocolate is your snow and your glue. Buy bars or couverture, not chips, because chips contain stabilizers that seize when melted.

1 cup (85g) shredded unsweetened coconut

Coconut becomes the snowy coating and the green tree needles. Toast half of it for deeper flavor, and tint the rest with food coloring.

1/2 teaspoon green gel food coloring

Gel coloring keeps the coconut from turning wet. If you only have liquid dye, add it drop by drop and dry the coconut on a paper towel afterward.

1/2 cup (90g) mini chocolate chips

These become eyes, buttons, and tree ornaments. Swap in dried currants or chopped dried cherries if you want a fruitier, less sweet look.

2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, softened

Butter keeps the filling from cracking when shaped. Salted butter works too; just skip any added salt in the recipe.

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Salt balances the sweetness and makes the chocolate taste richer. Do not skip it, even in a dessert.

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cinnamon warms the pretzel dough and echoes the holiday spice. Cardamom or nutmeg can stand in if you prefer a floral or nutty note.

1 1/4 cups (150g) all-purpose flour, for the pretzel twists

Flour gives the pretzels their chew. A gluten-free one-to-one blend works, but let the dough rest 10 minutes longer before twisting.

Tips & Tricks

Chill Before You Shape

Warm filling slumps and loses detail, so refrigerate it for 30 minutes until it holds a fingerprint without sticking.

Melt Chocolate Gently

White chocolate scorches above 110F (43C), so use short bursts and stir until the last lumps disappear from residual heat.

Work in Batches

Keep half the filling in the fridge while you shape the other half, especially in a warm kitchen.

Dry Your Coconut

Pat tinted coconut on paper towels for five minutes so the green does not bleed onto the white snowmen.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Mix the Filling

Beat the powdered sugar, almond flour, condensed milk, butter, vanilla, and salt in a stand mixer on low until a stiff, pliable dough forms, about 2 minutes. It should feel like soft marzipan and pull cleanly from the bowl.

2. Chill the Dough

Wrap the filling in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm enough to roll without sticking to your palms. Do not skip this, or your snowmen will sag.

3. Shape the Snowmen

Roll 1-tablespoon balls for bodies and 1/2-teaspoon balls for heads, press them together with a dab of water, and set them on a parchment-lined tray. Make 8 snowmen so the platter feels generous.

4. Build the Trees

Roll the remaining filling into 8 cones about 1 1/2 inches tall, then press mini chocolate chips into the sides as ornaments. Freeze all shapes for 10 minutes so the chocolate coating sets fast.

5. Melt the White Chocolate

Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, keeping it at 100-110F (38-43C), or microwave in 20-second bursts, until smooth and glossy with no lumps. Dip each chilled shape halfway, letting the excess drip back into the bowl.

6. Coat and Tint the Coconut

Toss half the coconut with green gel coloring and spread both colors on separate plates. Roll the dipped snowmen in white coconut and the trees in green, pressing gently so it adheres.

7. Make the Pretzel Twists

Knead the flour and cinnamon into the remaining filling scraps to form a soft dough, roll into 6-inch ropes, and twist each into a pretzel shape on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 350F (175C) for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are light golden and the centers feel set, then cool 5 minutes.

8. Assemble the Platter

Arrange the snowmen, trees, and pretzels on a large tray, filling gaps with extra coconut, and let everything set at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. The platter is ready when the chocolate looks matte and dry to the touch.

Delicious Variations

Dark Chocolate Forest

Swap the white chocolate for 70 percent dark chocolate and roll the trees in crushed pistachios for a grown-up, less sweet platter.

Rose and Pistachio Snowmen

Add 1 teaspoon rose water to the filling and press crushed pistachios onto the snowmen instead of coconut for a Levantine twist.

Gingerbread Pretzels

Replace the cinnamon with 1 teaspoon gingerbread spice and dip the baked pretzels in white chocolate for a spiced, dunkable version.

How to Store Christmas Treat Snowmen, Trees and Pretzels

Frequently Asked Questions

Make this platter for your next holiday table, then tell me which shape disappeared first. If you try the rose and pistachio version, I want to hear about it. Go, see, and connect.

Christmas Treat Snowmen, Trees and Pretzels

Christmas treat snowmen, trees and pretzels turn three simple homemade candies into one showstopping holiday platter that doubles as an edible centerpiece.

★★★★½ 4.8 (214 ratings)

35 minPrep time14 minCook time8Servings312 kcalCalories

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🧂 Ingredients

• 3 cups (300g) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 1 1/2 cups (170g) finely ground blanched almond flour
• 1/2 cup (120ml) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 8 ounces (225g) white chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup (85g) shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1/2 teaspoon green gel food coloring
• 1/2 cup (90g) mini chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups (150g) all-purpose flour, for the pretzel twists

📋 Instructions

1. 1Mix the Filling — Beat the powdered sugar, almond flour, condensed milk, butter, vanilla, and salt in a stand mixer on low until a stiff, pliable dough forms, about 2 minutes. It should feel like soft marzipan and pull cleanly from the bowl.
2. 2Chill the Dough — Wrap the filling in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm enough to roll without sticking to your palms. Do not skip this, or your snowmen will sag.
3. 3Shape the Snowmen — Roll 1-tablespoon balls for bodies and 1/2-teaspoon balls for heads, press them together with a dab of water, and set them on a parchment-lined tray. Make 8 snowmen so the platter feels generous.
4. 4Build the Trees — Roll the remaining filling into 8 cones about 1 1/2 inches tall, then press mini chocolate chips into the sides as ornaments. Freeze all shapes for 10 minutes so the chocolate coating sets fast.
5. 5Melt the White Chocolate — Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, keeping it at 100-110F (38-43C), or microwave in 20-second bursts, until smooth and glossy with no lumps. Dip each chilled shape halfway, letting the excess drip back into the bowl.
6. 6Coat and Tint the Coconut — Toss half the coconut with green gel coloring and spread both colors on separate plates. Roll the dipped snowmen in white coconut and the trees in green, pressing gently so it adheres.
7. 7Make the Pretzel Twists — Knead the flour and cinnamon into the remaining filling scraps to form a soft dough, roll into 6-inch ropes, and twist each into a pretzel shape on a lined baking sheet. Bake at 350F (175C) for 12-14 minutes, until the edges are light golden and the centers feel set, then cool 5 minutes.
8. 8Assemble the Platter — Arrange the snowmen, trees, and pretzels on a large tray, filling gaps with extra coconut, and let everything set at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving. The platter is ready when the chocolate looks matte and dry to the touch.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: If your kitchen runs warm, shape the candies in two batches and keep the rest chilled; warm filling is the number one reason snowmen lose their heads.

Servings: 8

Cuisine: Middle Eastern-inspired American

Course: Dessert

Nutrition (per serving): 312 kcal · 6g protein · 41g carbs · 15g fat

Written by Aisha Hassan

Aisha writes about travel and cultural immersion, sharing stories and tips from her journeys to off-the-beaten-path destinations. She emphasizes respectful tourism, budget-friendly adventures, and the importance of connecting with local communities.