There are few gifts you can give that are more thoughtful than something you made from scratch—and if it's edible, even better. The great thing about homemade food gifts is that they've got mass appeal: A sweet treat is perfect for parents, friends, teachers, and colleagues alike.
Food gifts also check lots off your list at once. You can bake a big batch of biscotti or blondies, drop them in baggies, and seal them with bows in less time than it would take you to find a parking spot at the mall during the holidays. With homemade edible gifts, everyone gets taken care of with minimal money spent—though there are free gift ideas if you're low on cash.
Whether your loved one likes homemade granola and hot cocoa mix or prefers a skillet cookie cake or spice rub, there are several delicious food gift recipes here we know they'll devour.
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Chocolate-Oat-Date Bars
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There are so many reasons to gift these sweet treats, but first and foremost, know that these bars can stand up to being shipped in the mail without breaking. The date center won't get soggy, either. Whatever you do, make sure to bake an extra batch for yourself—they're just that good!
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Blueberry Jam
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This sweet spread will taste delicious on Christmas morning. Prep it ahead of time so you can drop a jar in everyone's stocking. And if strawberry is more their jam (get it?), go for it.
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Almond Biscotti
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These biscotti treated are studded with almonds and make the perfect Christmas present cookie.
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Cheese Platter
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Cheese and crackers arranged on a platter make a great pre-dinner nibble with a glass of something bubbly.
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All-Purpose Spice Rub
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For the pitmaster in your life, this is the perfect present. It's sweet, salty, and smoky, and making it from scratch means no preservatives or additives.
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Sugar Cookie Dough
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You can give this edible gift all season long—start with a Hanukkah-party host. You can give the sugar cookies already made, but you don't even need to bake the dough. Shape it into a log, wrap it in wax paper, and refrigerate or freeze overnight before packaging and presenting.
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Easy Toss-and-Bake Granola
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This easy-to-make food gift recipe for almond and coconut granola is delicious, nutritious, and only takes 10 minutes of hands-on time. Bake, let cool, then toss into baggies and tie with a bow for a sweet stocking stuffer.
Italian Thumbprint Cookies
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The name says it. This cookie dough recipe makes the best thumbprint cookies (fill them with fruit jam or chocolate). You could also use this recipe to make biscuits, slice and bake cookies, drop cookies, or even cut-out cookies. Grab some festive jam or frosting and go to town decorating!
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Pan Roasted Olives
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Infused with lemon, these olives jazz up a martini or spice up an ordinary appetizer platter.
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Spicy Parmesan Crackers
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You'll have fun watching these Parmesan crackers brown in the oven. A sprinkle of paprika and cayenne makes the crackers a spicy, gift-worthy treat. To add a custom flair, break the crackers into uneven pieces, stack them, then wrap them in bunches to give with your favorite cheese.
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Chocolate Rice Crispy Treats
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Kids and adults alike will go gaga for this chocolatey treat. Warn your loved ones: the satisfying crunch (and super sweet flavor) of these rice crispy treats are seriously delicious.
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Skillet Cookie Cake
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This cookie cake is deliciously forgiving, which is to say, you can mix in any type of chocolate, caramel, nut, or confection your loved one likes. Customizing the candy to their personal preferences is a sweet way to show how much you care.
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co*cktail Simple Syrup
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The sweet simple syrup is a great base for co*cktails (vodka, gin, or bourbon), especially an old fashioned. To make a holiday version, add 1/2 ounce of the syrup, a piece of grapefruit zest, 3 dashes of bitters and 3 ounces of bourbon to a shaker full of ice. Shake and strain into a rocks glass, and then top with 1 tablespoon of club soda and garnish with a piece of zest from the syrup jar.
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Honey Nut Popcorn
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This sweet, salty honey nut popcorn's just the thing for holiday gifting. They can serve this food gift as an appetizer, dessert, take-home treat, or all of the above—or keep it for themselves.
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Ginger-Apple Chutney
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Sweet and tangy ginger-apple chutney works well with chicken and seafood and keeps for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
