DIY Craft Project: How To Make Candy Trees
In the midst of the busy holiday season, have you ever found yourself in need of:
- Easy-to-make decorations and centerpieces that can be customized to fit into any décor?
- Fun craft activities and gifts that the entire family can make?
- Attractive projects that incorporate inexpensive and readily available supplies?
If so, than these delightful Candy Trees are the perfect DIY project to create with your family – to give as a gift – and to beautify your home!
Our Candy Trees were inspired by the Candy Tree Decorations our friends at Dixie Crystals created!
This fun project will delight children and non-crafters alike!
To begin with, gather your favorite Christmas candies and the cone bases you will use for your trees, as well as the supplies you need to create the Butter Cream Frosting base that will hold everything in place. Then, create the frosting and assemble the Candy Trees. You’ll find a complete supply list and detailed instructions below.
Be Aware – Not Everyone Can Resist Dixie Crystals Butter Cream Frosting!
Create The Butter Cream Frosting Base
Dixie Crystal’s Basic Butter Cream Frosting Recipe is the foundation that holds this project together. For this project, we modified their recipe slightly and omitted the Vanilla Extract and Salt as they were not needed for our purposes. Still, for those who cannot resist sampling – the frosting is pretty darn delicious!
Ingredients
- 2 Sticks Unsalted Butter, Soft
- 3 Cups Sifted Dixie Crystals Confectioners Powdered Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Milk
Instructions
1. Cream the butter until it is light and fluffy.
2. Add one cup of powdered sugar and mix until light and creamy.
3. Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar alternating with milk.
4. Scrape the bowl well and whip until very light and fluffy.
Create The Candy Trees
Once you’ve made your Butter Cream Frosting, you’re ready to create your Candy Trees! You can use whatever candy you’d like to decorate your trees – we used Peppermints and M&Ms for our trees. We used inexpensive Styrofoam cones from our local craft store for our tree bases – they come in a variety of sizes!
Supplies
- Peppermints and Other Christmas-Colored Candies (M&Ms, Red Hots, etc.)
- Cone/Tree Shaped Based (Styrofoam cones, paper mache cones, etc.)
- Butter Cream Frosting
Instructions
1. Spread the Butter Cream Frosting on the cone.
Apply it generously and in a circular motion so that the candy will stick.
2. Attach the candy row by row. Let your trees dry overnight (we placed ours in the refrigerator).
The completed trees make lovely table and mantle centerpieces as well as delicious and festive gifts!
For more creative Christmas Crafts that your entire family will enjoy, be sure to visit the Dixie Crystals Christmas Page!
Looking for Christmas Crafts you can make with your children? Check out these Dixie Crystals Kids Kitchen Projects:
And, be sure to check out our Salt Dough Napkin Rings Tutorial as well!
Disclosure: This original post was written on behalf of our sponsor Dixie Crystals.
Copyright © 2014 by Create With Joy. All Rights Reserved.
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Very festive and looks like it’s easy to put together! And of course the kitties want to be involved 🙂 Thanks for sharing this!
Michelle @ The Painted Hinge
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Glad you enjoyed it Michelle – these trees are so versatile!
And yes – Magellan just has to be a part of EVERYTHING we do! 🙂
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Twitter: IamjpJP
says:
Adorable and so easy!!!…:)JP
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Thanks JP – they were fun to put together! 🙂
These are so cute and look really easy too!
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Thanks Emily – have a wonderful Christmas!
I love these! I think this would be less of a hassle than gingerbread houses 🙂
Hi from Throwback Thursday!
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Great point Emma! I’ve always wanted to make a gingerbread house but they look so intricate (and those kits can be quite expensive!)
This is really easy to do (you can make it with your children) and it quite economical and fun! 🙂
Twitter: RecentBooks
says:
So cute and easy!
Pinned!
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Thanks Melissa for sharing! Have a wonderful Christmas!
Twitter: CraftySpices
says:
What a simple way to have fun and create a lovely little Christmas Tree. I may just have to try this with the girls.
Thanks!!
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Hi Jay,
This would be such a fun project for you and your daughters! If you try it be sure to share the results with us!
Twitter: momsvictories
says:
How creative. I love the idea of edible centerpieces! Thanks for being a supporter of our #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup, I enjoy sharing your creativity with my readers and hope you found some great posts to visit.
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Hope you have a chance to try these – the larger candies are easier to work with if you have RA/fibro! 🙂
These don’t look too hard, and they are really cool.
Very cute! Stupid question…after putting them in the fridge and displaying them – do people still eat the candy? I see these all the time, but never knew if you could eat them. Can you tell I’m only crafty to a point? Thanks for linking up at #throwbackthursdaylinkup
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
I think it depends on the person Heather!
Since the “adhesive” is made out of butter cream frosting, there is nothing that would prevent you from eating the candy – and if you give them as gifts, they are fun to enjoy!
Those candy trees are too cute. I may have to make one next year. #6
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
They are so much fun – might just be a new Christmas tradition! 🙂
Very cute trees! Are they only for decoration or can you eat them?
Merry Christmas
Gabriele 22
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Both! We enjoyed displaying ours – then munching on the candy afterwards! 🙂
Awesome idea. I will have to try this! Thanks for sharing. Merry Christmas! Hope you have a spectacular day! Vickie #46
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Thanks Vickie – hope your holiday season rocks!
I have never seen these before… not something common in the UK but they are a great idea
Mollyxxx
Twitter: Patsypat
says:
A very pretty centerpiece and it looks good to eat too! A blessed Christmas season from way out here in the Philippines! patsy
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Thanks Patsy – hope you had a blessed Christmas!
They look good enough to eat!! Happy Boxing Day, Chris # 10
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
They are! After the holidays are over – simply pull the candy off the tree and enjoy – you can make new trees next year!
Twitter: momsvictories
says:
Thanks for linking up with Throwback Thursday linkup. I featured this post and hope you join us again this week!
I found your sweet craft project on Foodie Friend Friday. I think my grandkids would love to make these. More manageable than a gingerbread house. There is still lots of icing and candy for them. Then I can send them home with their goodies to their mother! LOL!!!
Wishes for tasty dishes,
Linda
I love this idea so much!! Looks very easy to do, too:) Thank you for sharing!
Adorable!
Ok this is awesome! I will be doing this with my kids this weekend! Thank you for sharing a creative and inexpensive activity! Blessings, Misty.
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Hope you and your kids have a blast Misty – have a blessed holiday season! 🙂
Those are really cute and seem easy! And yummy. If I made it with my kids, the tree might end up pretty sparse!
Twitter: Myllls
says:
I can see that you had some helpers with these cute candy trees. I have seen some fun things made with the mints this year, plates, bowls, and decorations that are heated and they meld together.
Thank you for sharing on Friday Features this week!
Happy Holidays!
Karren
This looks super fun! I’m going to try it with my kids. Thanks for sharing!
Very cute! I really like the peppermint one, it’s pretty!
Very cute trees – pinned and shared.
Such a great idea; my boys would LOVE to make these. Pinned.
such a clever idea #InspiremeMonday
I am definitely trying this with green frosting and lots of different candies in place of the dreaded gingerbread house!
What a fun idea
Twitter: BethFishReads
says:
What a fun and easy project! I may have to try this with my niece and nephews.
SO cute!
When I was little, we did this as a craft in school. I remember bringing it home and snacking on the candies. My mom got annoyed because I was pretty much destroying the decoration lol!
Great candy cane trees, great craft for all ages! Thank you for joining the party, Merry Christmas!
Debby
Debbygoesshabby.blogspot.com
Cool idea, who would not love a candy tree.
These are absolutely adorable and creative! 🙂 I will share this from your fabulous linky party!
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
I appreciate that so much Christina!
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Thanks so much Christina!
Oh my gosh, this is so much easier than the candy trees we made. I should probably pull that video out again…it was sooo much work.
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Glad you enjoyed our tutorial Jeanna! 🙂
Very cool!
Michelle
http://mybijoulifeonline.com/~bijoube2
These look like they are really fun to make and definitely festive for Christmas! Thank you for letting me link my Dollar Tree Christmas crafts (#85, 86). I followed you on Facebook and already follow you on Twitter. 🙂
These are really fun and so simple to make!
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Glad you’ve enjoyed making these too! 🙂
Cute idea! I think the kids would love making these too. Thanks for sharing! Have a great week!
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
This is the perfect craft to make with kids!
Thanks for stopping by Marielle!
I love the figurines!
Thanks for sharing this this last week at the Homestead Blog Hop!
Laurie
Ridge Haven Homestead
Homestead Blog Hop
What a great idea. These are so cute.
Thank you for sharing this with Sweet Tea & Friends this month.