Hosting A Holiday Party? Make A Donut Tree Your Sweet Centerpiece

Hosting a holiday party is never an easy feat. At the heart of a good holiday party, however, you'll find two things: tasty food and seasonal decor. That's why edible decorations are the pinnacle of party planning efficiency and the easiest way to wow the guests. And among the easiest and most impressive is the donut tree: It requires minimal effort but brings so much more holiday spirit to the table.

This centerpiece showstopper is a great option if you don't have all day to make a more traditional fruit cake or holiday cookies. Building a donut tree is a fun activity in which even the kids can get involved. The tree's shape is accomplished with a styrofoam cone, which can be picked up at a craft store. The cone needs to be covered, and you could use plastic wrap, foil, frosting, or melted candy melts. To build the tree, you can use donuts, mini donuts, donut holes, or even a combination of all three. Each donut gets attached to the cone with a toothpick until the entire cone is covered and the shape of the tree comes to life. You can use regular toothpicks but for extra sparkle, try the kind used for club sandwiches with a bright red or green tassel on the end. Once the donuts are attached, the resulting edible decoration is a blank canvas for further delicious festive craftiness.

It goes without saying that the donut tree requires plenty of donuts or donut holes. The minimum amount of effort is a quick trip to a local donut shop, and if you can find some with frosting or sprinkles, you get a headstart on the decorations. Plain donuts or donut holes can be coated with seasonally colored frosting, melted candy melts, and sprinkles or sanding sugars. If you bake your own donuts you have more liberty to customize the flavors and toppings. Try making fried pumpkin donut holes to add a cozy seasonal flavor. With a plain donut, make a sugar glaze and sneak in a splash of peppermint extract to give them a frosty flavor and an icy look. 

What's a Christmas tree without some decorations? The donut tree can be adorned with a variety of festive treats. Powdered sugar mixed with a little cornstarch dusted over the top creates the effect of a fresh snowfall. With a dab of icing, you can attach gumdrops or red and green M&Ms to resemble colorful tree lights. Nestling rosemary sprigs and cranberries or pomegranate seeds between each donut hole brings elements of fresh life to the tree. The possibilities are endless when you consider all the peppermints, candy canes, and marshmallows that you can stick on the donut tree as if they were festive ornaments. Serve your sweet donut tree with warm glasses of spiced apple cider or hot cocoa for an unbeatable holiday pairing.