From homemade gin to chocolate caramel corn, we've got you covered when it comes to edible gifts for the holidays. But now it's time to wrap 'em up! We've grouped your tasty goodies into five categories: cookies, jams and sauces, spirits, nuts and popcorn, and spices. Click on for tips and wrapping products to package your yummy gifts with style. And if you're shipping them, be sure to check out FedEx's tips for crumble-free packing.
We are so excited to kick off our fourth annual 12 Days of Edible Gifts series, where we'll share delicious ideas for holiday gift giving. Stay tuned over the next 12 days for lots of tasty recipes and pretty packaging!
What's the second most wonderful time of the year? I'd argue that it has to be Girl Scout cookie season. This year, gift your friends with homemade Girl Scout cookies. Thin Mints were always one of my favorites from the Girl Scout cookie collection. This recipe for homemade Thin Mints is a tasty take on the packaged cookie version, and the best part is that they are a cinch to whip up! Package them in a mason jar with pretty, wintry details, or in a cellophane bag, tied with a big bow. Find the recipe when you keep reading!
Embrace the giving spirit of the season and surprise your co-workers with a sweet treat. Everyone enjoys an extra cookie or two over the holidays, and here are 10 ideas for cookies to bring to work. You'll likely become the most popular person in the office!
After mastering the art of chocolate-dipped chicharrónes, I became obsessed with coating just about everything in chocolate — in particular, pretzels. Dipping the salty sticks into chocolate over the double boiler became a part of my Winter-to-Spring weekend routine, and I quickly learned that not only are chocolate-covered pretzels more fun to make yourself, but there's also a ton that can be done with them. Get acquainted with the art of melting chocolate, then check out my five favorite things to do with a bowl of melted morsels and a bag full of pretzels.
Even if time or money (or both) are tight this holiday season, you can still indulge food-loving friends in a major way. Make your own homemade hot fudge sauce, then package it nicely in a recycled glass jar and gift it to all the chocoholics you know. The key to this recipe is to use high-quality chocolate; I melted down leftover Guittard blocks I had in the pantry. Once you've got the basic proportions down, you can really start experimenting with variations: Use milk chocolate in place of dark or add cayenne for kick. Want the extremely fast recipe? Then read more.
Let's face it, not everyone enjoys treats like double-chocolate cranberry cookies and peppermint patties, so for the loved one who doesn't have a sweet tooth, make beef jerky! This savory snack is great to give to people who live far away because it will keep for up to six weeks. There's not a lot of work to the recipe, but it requires time for marinating and cooking, so don't wait till the last minute. With a salt and pepper crust and rich beef flavor, the resulting jerky is better than any store-bought jerky I've tasted. It would definitely please the special man in your life! Check out the recipe now.
Every once in a while, I unearth a dish that's good enough to be the recipe to end all other recipes. These discoveries are few and far between, but this weekend I found a baking recipe that's so delicious that it's ended my quest for the perfect savory cookie.
May I present the bacon cookie? The name says it all. Actually, it's a bacon, blue cheese, and pecan coin that's short and crumbly at first bite, then melts in your mouth with a nutty, sharp, cheese-like finish. You'll never — I repeat, never — be able to eat just one.
Serve it as a Christmas party appetizer, or wrap it up in cellophane baggies and give it to everyone you love. If you do, you're guaranteed to be a favorite this holiday season. Want the recipe? Yes, you do.
Looking for an unexpected holiday sweet that's more impressive than cookies or fudge? Then make peppermint patties! Two classic Christmasy flavors, chocolate and peppermint, come together in this delicious edible gift. The best thing about this recipe is that it's incredibly easy. It requires time, first for the peppermint filling to dry, and later for the chocolate to harden, but other than that the method is simple. No special thermometers necessary. Ready for the recipe and video? Read on!
Looking for a new treat this holiday season? Whip up a batch of homemade Nutella! All you need to make this chocolaty spread is sugar, hazelnuts, chocolate, vanilla extract, and hazelnut oil. In addition to being quick and easy, this delicious spread keeps unrefrigerated for over a week, making it the perfect gift to ship to loved ones. Watch our video, which we shot at Hipcooks, to learn the recipe.
Since a bottle of alcohol is a pretty standard holiday gift, every year I like to make some sort of spirit. Normally I stick to liqueurs like kahlua, Irish cream, or limoncello, but this December, I'm giving homemade gin!
Basically, gin is vodka that's been infused with juniper berries, so it's made like you would any other flavored vodka: let the aromatic seasonings infuse the vodka for a certain amount of time, strain, and then enjoy! The finished product has a cloudy color and classic herbal flavor. Give in a festive bottle or package with tonic, limes, and a couple of glasses.
To check out the easy recipe and watch a video of me making it, keep reading.
