College is hard, but cooking shouldn’t have to be. With the holiday season upon us, cooking and baking can seem like a daunting task. Whether you are cooking in a dorm, apartment or house, these four holiday recipes make cooking easy and fun for any college student.

####1. Gingerbread Mug Cake####
_This recipe for gingerbread mug cake comes from Gemma’s Bigger Bolder Baking blog._

What you’ll need:
A mug
4 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons of milk
½ teaspoon vegetable oil
⅛ tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ tablespoon of molasses
¼ teaspoon ginger
Whipped Cream

How To:
Spray mug with cooking spray (use vegetable oil for substitute)
Mix together all ingredients until smooth
Microwave for one minute. It is possible for time to vary as microwaves are all different.
Spread whipped cream over top of hot cake and sprinkle cinnamon for extra flavor, if desired.

####2. Mint Hot Chocolate####
_This recipe is of my own creation._

What you’ll need:
Hot Cocoa Mix
1 Cup Milk
Peppermint Stick
Peppermint Extract (Optional)
Whipped Cream
Marshmallows

How To:
In either a microwave or small saucepan, heat milk until boiling. Then pour into a mug.
Place contents of hot cocoa mix into the mug and stir.
After completely stirred, drop a peppermint stick in to add a minty flavor.
Add in a dash of peppermint extract for extra flavor if desired.
Add whipped cream and marshmallows to your own discretion. Enjoy!

####3. Travel Puppy Chow####
_Puppy Chow is a very common recipe, and the origins of this snack are not known. However, this particular recipe comes from AllRecipes._

What you’ll need:
½ cup Peanut Butter
1 ½ cup Powdered Sugar
9 cups Rice Chex Cereal
1 cup of Chocolate Chips
Plastic Bag

How To:
In a saucepan, melt desired amount of chocolate and peanut butter until smooth.
Remove the saucepan from the stove top and mix in the Chex Cereal until completely coated.
Pour desired amount of powdered sugar into a plastic bag. Then pour the contents of the saucepan.
Seal bag and shake until evenly distributed.
Place contents into a container or eat from the bag on the go!

####4. Holiday Rice Krispies Treats####
_This recipe comes straight from the Rice Krispies website._

What you’ll need:
1 Full Package of Large Marshmallows
6 Cups of Rice Krispies Cereal
3 Tablespoons of Butter
Wax paper or cookie sheets
Baking Pan
Sprinkles
Cookie cutter shapes

How to:
In a heated saucepan, melt butter. Once completely melted, add entire contents of marshmallow bag. Remove from stove top.
Next, mix in the cereal until evenly spread.
Place contents onto a pan with cookie sheet or wax paper.
Shower the pan with holiday colored sprinkles to your liking.
Use shaped cookie cutters to cut treats into festive shapes.

Make the best of this holiday season with these easy, homemade treats.

_Edited by Alexandra Sharp | asharp@themaneater.com_