Joanna Gaines Shared Her Christmas Cherry Chocolate Balls Recipe—and It's the Christmas Dessert of Our DREAMS (2024)

This cherry mash candywasa secret Gaines family recipe—but now you can make it yourself this season!

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It’s that time of the holiday season when we bust out all of ourholiday recipes and spend an entire day in the kitchen. You can almost always find me making batches of chocolate pretzel rings and gingerbread cookies on Christmas Eve.

Well, if you’re a fan of Joanna Gaines (and her Christmas trees), we’ve got the perfect holiday treat for you. Joanna shared a cherry mash recipe that might just become your new holiday go-to!

What Is Cherry Mash Candy?

The original Cherry Mash candy is a blend of peanuts and chocolate coating with a sweet cherry fondant center. This cherry mash recipe comes from Joanna’s Aunt Mary, and while it doesn’t look exactly like the original, it tastes just as delicious. “There is an unexpected delight that comes with the blend of cherry and chocolate,” she says. Joanna loves this take on the original Cherry Mash so much, she had to share it on her Magnolia blog!

How to Make “Cherry Mashers” Like Joanna Gaines

Joanna Gaines Shared Her Christmas Cherry Chocolate Balls Recipe—and It's the Christmas Dessert of Our DREAMS (1)via magnolia.com, Getty Images

Ingredients

  • 1 package (7.2 ounces) Betty Crocker Fluffy White Frosting Mix
  • 1 pound powdered sugar
  • 6 tablespoons margarine, room temperature
  • 1 jar (10 ounces) maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 package (20 ounces) chocolate almond bark, broken into smaller pieces
  • 1 bag (11.5 ounces) milk chocolate chips
  • 2-1/2 cups dry-roasted salted peanuts, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Tools You’ll Need

Directions

Step 1: Mix your cherry mash

Start by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Next, take your stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and add frosting mix, powdered sugar, margarine, maraschino cherries, vanilla and condensed milk. Combine starting on low speed, gradually turning the speed to medium, and beat until the mixture has a fluffy consistency. It should take around 4 minutes, according to Joanna.

Step 2: Form the cherry candy

Take your mixture and form 1-inch balls with your small cookie scoop. Place each ball on the lined baking sheet and place in the freezer until firm, about 1-2 hours.

Step 3: Create the chocolate coating

In a medium saucepan, add the chocolate bark, chocolate chips, peanuts and vegetable oil and melt over medium heat. Mix to combine.

Step 4: Dunk the cherry candy in chocolate

Remove the cherry balls from the freezer and dunk one at a time into the chocolate coating using either a fork or spoon. Work in batches. Allow any excess chocolate to drip off over the pan and return to the baking sheet.

Step 5: Refrigerate until set

Refrigerate the cherry mash candy until completely hardened, around 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Enjoy!

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Aunt Rose’s Fantastic Butter ToffeeFor only using five ingredients, this butter toffee recipe yields about 32 pieces and can be a very easy gift to package up for loved ones. Make sure to use your candy thermometer so that your butter and sugar combination is just the right consistency before pouring over the nuts and chocolate.

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Coconut Yule TreesSome Christmas candy recipes are pretty basic; these coconut yule trees are anything but simple. For as detailed as they look, though, these macaroon-like cookies are pretty easy to make. Get the kids involved with decorating.

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Angel Food Christmas CandyIf you're a fan of old-fashioned candies, then you'll need to try this crispy, chocolate covered candy. The inside is airy and light and the outside has a think chocolate coating that will melt in your mouth.

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Layered Mint CandiesIf you're headed to multiple holiday gatherings this year, consider this layered mint candy recipe—it yields over 9 dozen candies! Once the candy is cut into serving squares, they can be placed in airtight containers and refrigerated to stay fresh.

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Lots of Christmas cookie recipes and Christmas candy recipes call for nuts. If you're not a fan of cashews, almonds or walnuts but you still love a crunch in your sweets, try these peanut butter chocolate pretzel truffles.

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Almond Cherry FudgeA soft square of fudge may be one of the best Christmas candy recipes ever. With chopped almonds and candied cherries, this fudge will be delicious as a dessert or paired with a glass of your favorite wine.

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Homemade Peanut Butter CupsIt’s time to break out your mini-muffin pan, but not for muffins! Make your own Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups with this copycat recipe. Once the cups are set and the chocolate is no longer soft, transfer these treats out of the muffin pan and into a storage container. Keep them chilled in the fridge for up to a month. If you prefer your peanut butter cups a little more soft, you can leave them out at room temperature for about a day.

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My Christmas FudgeUnlike many candy recipes, these fudge squares call for evaporated milk rather than condensed milk. Evaporated milk doesn't have sugar like condensed milk does, so make sure to use the correct one. Once these are made, store the squares in layers of waxed paper in an airtight container.

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Cream Cheese CandiesIf you're not big into sugary desserts or you'd prefer just a hint of something sweet after a filling meal, these festive little Christmas candies will do the trick. The Christmas colored sugar will make these stand out on a sweets tray or a candy dish.

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Soft Rum CaramelsThe rum extract in these caramels really take them to the next level. To make them festive for sharing, wrap these Christmas candies in holiday themed cellophane or waxed paper tied with red and green ribbon.

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White Candy BarkThis white candy bark will make for a pretty display in your holiday candy jar. You can add any topping you prefer to make this treat your own. Swap the dried cranberries for a different type of fruit and mix and match the kind of nuts you include.

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Coconut JoysCoconut balls with a nutty, chocolate center? It might not get better than these bite-sized morsels. When you're in a hurry and need to whip up a quick dessert for a holiday party, these will come in super handy.

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Cinnamon Almond BrittleWhen you'd prefer something spiced over something sweet, this Christmas candy recipe for almond brittle should be at the top of your list. As much as you might want to keep this candy all for yourself, the recipe does make 2 pounds of brittle, so it's an ideal recipe for sharing with a crowd.

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Three-Chocolate FudgeThis three-chocolate fudge calls for lots of semisweet chocolate, so get your sweet tooth ready. If you don't like a crunch in your fudge, omit the chopped pecans.

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Butter Pecan FudgeChocolate Christmas gifts are popular during the holiday season, but if you know people who don't love chocolate, you can adapt your dessert tins and gift bags to their tastes with sweets like this butter pecan fudge. You can also make these squares to mix and match with chocolate and white chocolate fudge squares for pretty variation.

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Old-Time Butter Crunch CandyAnything with a cup of butter is sure to be delectable, and these butter crunch bars are just that. If you're not a fan of milk chocolate, you can swap the candy bars for a dark chocolate.

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Tiger Butter Bark CandyAnother Christmas candy recipe with only four ingredients here. We love a candy that calls for pretty minimal effort but yields so much flavor. The chocolate swirl in this butter bark will make it look like you bought the confection at a candy shop!

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Texas Pecan PralinesIf you don't love how crunchy brittle is, try this praline recipe. This Christmas candy recipe calls for cooking at a lower temperature, which means the final result will be softer than other types of candy. You can use a cookie scoop for easy serving sizes of this tasty treat.

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Peppermint LollipopsThese lollipops are so festive, you won't be able to pass them up. When you're gathering your ingredients, don't forget to buy lollipop sticks so you can get the full effect. If you can't find sticks or you'd rather skip that step, you can simply make these into hard candies.

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Licorice CaramelsThis Christmas candy recipe for licorice caramels makes 12 dozen candies. Rest assured, you can use these as stocking stuffers, in cookie tins or in your own candy jar for when guests come to visit. You can always cut the recipe in half if you want to make fewer caramels.

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White Chocolate Peppermint FudgeMinty peppermint fudge squares will pop on a platter of chocolate fudge—especially with bright red crushed peppermint sprinkled on top. For a slightly spicy twist, use crushed cinnamon candy instead of peppermint.

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Snowman Oreo BallsOf course, we had to end on the most adorable Oreo balls of all time. These little snowmen are so fun to assemble, and you can get the whole family involved. The end result might even be too cute to eat!

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Joanna Gaines Shared Her Christmas Cherry Chocolate Balls Recipe—and It's the Christmas Dessert of Our DREAMS (2024)

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