Real Canadians eat ice cream all year round. It doesn’t matter how cold it is, we can still go for a heaping bowl of the dairy deliciousness. Stir some crushed candy canes into a basic vanilla ice cream and you’ve got yourself a holiday treat everyone will love.

A seemingly obvious fix to the candy cane problem, crushing them up into baked goods add both crunch and a refreshing and minty jolt. Sprinkle them on top of classic fudgy brownies for a festive treat or even stir them into your favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Add some finely crushed candy canes into heavy cream toward the end of the whipping process. Not only will they sweeten it, they will also add a subtle, minty twist (or whatever flavour of candy canes you choose to use).

Candy canes aren’t just for eating, they are perfectly drinkable, too. Blend them into smoothies with almond milk and ice for a healthier take, or go all out with a chocolate candy cane milkshake. Santa might prefer that over a glass of milk.

Candy canes are essentially just sugar, so as long as you grind them up finely enough, they can be used as a sugar substitute. Garnish a chocolatey Christmas cocktail with a glass rimmed with ground candy canes. It will turn even the Grinch into a holiday believer!

Holiday desserts don’t have to be elaborate and difficult to make. Give basic chocolate sauce a jolly twist by melting candy canes into it, and then serving over ice cream. Dessert, done.