Savor the Season: the Best Homemade Food Gifts for Christmas
Nothing says “I appreciate you” better than a homemade gift, especially one that you can eat. Whether you’re short on time or just looking for a simple present idea, these homemade food gifts for Christmas are easy, personal, and fun to make. And the best part? You can get everything you need at your local Stauffers of Kissel Hill.
Homemade Food Gifts in a Jar
The best things come in jars (or so they say). With a selection of mason jars and a few pantry staples, you can quickly whip up presents that look as good as they taste. And since they come with a built-in container, all you have to do is add a bow on top, and it’s ready to be put under the tree.
Hot Cocoa Jars
Everyone loves a nice cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter evening. For this gift, all you need to do is mix one cup of sugar, one cup of powdered milk, and one cup of unsweetened cocoa in a bowl. Then take a mason jar and add a layer of your hot cocoa mix. Pile on other toppings like mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, cinnamon sticks, or crushed peppermints for a festive crunch.
Store in a cool, dry place for up to three months. For the freshest experience, we recommend using the mix within a few weeks.
Gingerbread Granola Jars
Turn everyone’s favorite festive flavor into homemade granola! Here’s what you’ll need for this gift:
- 4 cups of oats
- 1 ½ cups of nuts of your choice
- 1 teaspoon each of salt, cinnamon, and ginger
- ½ cup of olive oil
- ⅓ cup of maple syrup
- ¼ cup of molasses
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Optional: coconut flakes, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, or pumpkin seeds
First, combine your dry ingredients. Add in your wet ingredients and mix well. Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and cook at 325 degrees for 20 minutes (or until lightly browned). Once it’s done, transfer it to an airtight container, wrap it with a ribbon, and your homemade food gift for Christmas is all ready to go!
The shelf life of your granola varies, depending on the ingredients you use. If stored in an airtight container, your granola should be good for 2–3 weeks. To help it last longer, you can freeze it for up to three months.
Spice Jars
Create your own spice blend and share it with your friends and family! Buy some of your favorite spices in bulk and, using a funnel, pour them into smaller containers. Mix and match your sets for different people, depending on their tastes. Need a gift for a baker? Share some cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove. How about a BBQ enthusiast? Choose paprika, chili powder, and garlic powder. Spices last for years, so don’t be afraid to work ahead on your gifts.
Gourmet Gift Baskets
Don’t have time to make homemade food gifts for Christmas? No problem. Visit our Fresh Foods store and pick up a Stauffers Signature fruit basket. These classic holiday traditions are packed by hand and contain premium-quality produce, including Royal Gala apples, seedless navels and oranges, pink grapefruits, and D’Anjou pears. Larger ones also include fresh pineapple, candies, and jellies.
Our gourmet gift baskets are best fresh, and they last 2–3 weeks in the refrigerator.
We also recommend building your own! Here are a few other gift basket ideas:
- Chocolate basket
- Organic snacks basket
- Coffee basket
- Spicy basket
- Winter basket
- Mint basket
- Sweet and salty basket
Sauces and Spreads
Another unique (but easy) homemade food gift for Christmas is sauces and spreads. Make your loved ones your favorite jam: strawberry, raspberry, cranberry, or even bacon jams are a big hit. Here’s one of our favorites.
Spiced Cranberry Jam Recipe
What You’ll Need:
- 12 oz of cranberries
- 1 ½ cups of sugar
- 1 orange (zest)
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon of allspice
- ⅓ cup of water
Steps:
- Wash your fruit.
- Add your cranberries, sugar, orange zest, spices, and water into a pot over high heat. Stir and bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat to a simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves and the jam is thick (about 10–15 minutes).
- Blend the mixture until it’s the consistency you want (or pour it through a strainer).
- Scoop your jam into a prepared jar and process it in a boiling water bath.
- Let the jam cool.
Home-canned jams should be stored in a cool, dry location and consumed within a year. Once opened, it will last about a month in the fridge.
You can also satisfy your cravings by making homemade salsa, pumpkin butter, jalapeño jelly, hot honey, or caramel sauce. These unique homemade food gift ideas will take anyone’s holiday snacking to a whole new level.
Baked Goods
Some of the best homemade food gifts are holiday baked goods! We’re big fans of chocolate-covered biscotti, candied nuts, peanut brittle, peppermint fudge, and cinnamon buns (perfect for Christmas morning). Here’s a quick and easy treat for the chocoholic in your life, best eaten within 2–3 weeks.
Peppermint Fudge Recipe
What You’ll Need:
- 3 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract
- ¼ cup of crushed peppermint candies
Steps:
- Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper. Spray with a nonstick cooking spray.
- In a pot over medium heat, add the chocolate chips, butter, and sweetened condensed milk.
- Heat until the mixture has melted completely, stirring frequently until smooth.
- Remove from heat and add the peppermint extract.
- Pour into your pan and spread it evenly across the surface.
- Sprinkle peppermint pieces over the top.
- Refrigerate for about 2 hours.
- Enjoy!
Baking Kits
Not in the mood to cook something yourself? Gift your loved one an activity instead with a baking kit for their favorite sweet treat! You can create a kit for almost anything, from chocolate chip cookies and fudge brownies to Christmas morning muffins or festive cakes. For a savory option, create a kit for DIY bagels or scones.
Just choose your favorite baked good recipe and assemble the dry ingredients in layers. Be sure to add instructions for the necessary wet ingredients and how to bake them.
Cookie Decorating Kits
Our last homemade food gift idea is a popular one. Bake a batch of sugar cookies, buy colored icing and other necessary supplies, and assemble everything into a fun cookie-decorating kit! This is the perfect family gift to keep kids busy and practice their artistic skills. Make sure to eat your cookies within a week of baking for the best flavor.
Personalize Your Homemade Food Gifts for Christmas
The best homemade food gifts are personalized to the opener. That means you have to know a little bit about the person you are gifting. What flavors do they like? Do they prefer sweet or salty treats? Do they have any dietary restrictions?
Beyond personalizing the food, make your presentation a gift in itself. Include a handwritten note, a custom recipe card, and even share fun pairing ideas! These creative homemade food gift ideas are perfect for friends, teachers, neighbors, and co-workers. Spread the love from one kitchen to another with these irresistible holiday treats.
Wow your loved ones with your gift-giving abilities this year. Stock up on all the ingredients you need at your nearest Stauffers Fresh Foods store.