Black Friday specials come and leave to no avail, and sometimes it turns out that college students can’t afford “real gifts.” Sometimes Christmas wrapped cookies and cakes fit the budget better, and all the time, your lucky recipients will go crazy with joy for the seasonal treats. This season, treat your closest friends with sweets — not cashmere scarves, or Uggs, or Beats headphones.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Minty, chocolatey, gooey and green.

1 pouch of Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup real butter
1 teaspoon mint extract
7 drops green food coloring
1 egg
2 cups semisweet chocolate chunks
1/2 cup finely crushed candy cane

Mix cookie mix, butter, mint extract, food coloring and egg together in a bowl. Fold chocolate chunks in. Drop cookies on cookie sheet, two inches apart. Gently push dough balls down and sprinkle each with a small amount of crushed candy cane. Bake 8 to 10 minutes and 350 degrees. Yields 36 cookies.

It’s a wrap: Stack and wrap in simple clear cellophane — these cookies are meant to be shown off — and close with a colored ribbon of your choice. 

Mini Eggnog Cheesecakes
With a gingersnap crust, ho, ho, hell yeah.

Crust
1 1/2 cup crushed gingersnap cookies — place in sealed plastic bag and crush finely with rolling pin
3/4 stick of butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar

Fork together until combined and press into the bottoms of cupcake papers in a lined cupcake pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 325 degrees.

Filling
4 8 ounce packages of cream cheese
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup store-bought egg nog
Dash of ground nutmeg
Dash of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon rum extract, if desired

Beat cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth. Lowly beat in eggs, and then gradually stir in eggnog and spices. Pour filling into crust-prepared cupcake papers, almost to the top and bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes.

It’s a wrap: On a small, seasonally colored or decorated paper plate place 2 or 3 mini cheesecakes. Wrap in clear cellophane and seal with a colored ribbon of your choice.

Cranberry Shortbread Cookies
Melt in your mouth shortbread meets your least favorite, favorite seasonal fruit.

1 cup butter, room temp.
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Cream together butter, sugar, salt and vanilla. Add flour and fold in cranberries. Divide dough in half and roll each part into a rounded log shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
After, unwrap and slice roll into 1/4 inch thick slivers. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. Yields 48 cookies.

It’s a wrap: Michael’s sells small, seasonal treat boxes perfect for stuffing with these small home-baked treats.

Gingerbread Fudge
Soft, spiced and so totally tasty

3 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of each: ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, ground cloves

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and stir continuously over medium-low heat (about a 4) until melted and smooth. Pour into a greased 9×9 in pan and chill overnight to set.

It’s a wrap: Cut with gingerbread man cookie cutter and decorate each as desired. Package in a seasonal gift box and refrigerate until given.