15 Easy Recipes for Delicious Homemade Food Gifts (2024)

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.

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.

15 Easy Recipes for Delicious Homemade Food Gifts (2024)

FAQs

What food makes a good gift? ›

Popular food gifts under $50 might include a box of chocolates, a trio of jams or sauces, special honey, or a truffle-infused oil. If you're open to spending over $50, you can gift luxurious options, including a complete NYC brunch spread, a box of specialty foods, or a collection of high-end olive oils.

What food gifts don't go bad? ›

Cookies, candy, nuts, and even a throat soother for those springtime colds. Holiday colored candy decorations, chocolate chips, white almond bark (WHY is it called almond bark?!), and other shelf stable ingredients keep for a long time.

What to cook as gifts? ›

Edible gift recipes
  • White chocolate truffles. A star rating of 5 out of 5. ...
  • Bourbon biscuits. A star rating of 4.7 out of 5. ...
  • Christmas jam. ...
  • Coconut caramels. ...
  • Comté & rosemary shortbread. ...
  • Ginger biscuit snowflakes. ...
  • White chocolate, pistachio & cardamom truffles. ...
  • App onlyChocolate peppermint crinkle cookie.

What food gift won't melt? ›

Licorice Doesn't Melt

Hot days can spell disaster for foods that melt like chocolate. Chocolate starts to melt around 84-90 degrees Fahrenheit (28.8-32 degrees Celcius).

What are the 5 things to gift? ›

What is the five gift rule? In the five gift rule, the first four gifts are pretty straightforward - something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. Then, the last gift is where you can really have fun.

What is the most popular gift item? ›

Electronics: Items like smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and smartwatches are often highly sought after. 3. Clothing and accessories: Fashionable clothing, handbags, shoes, and jewelry are popular gift choices.

What are the 6 foods that never expire? ›

9 Foods That (Almost) Never Go Bad
  • 01 of 09. Soy Sauce. © Getty Images/iStockphoto. ...
  • 02 of 09. Worcestershire Sauce. © MCT via Getty Images. ...
  • 03 of 09. Honey. © Getty Images. ...
  • 04 of 09. Sugar. © Getty Images/iStockphoto. ...
  • 05 of 09. Rice. © Getty Images/iStockphoto. ...
  • 06 of 09. Dried Vegetables. ...
  • 07 of 09. Peanuts. ...
  • 08 of 09. Canned Fish.
Mar 15, 2023

What is not a good gift? ›

Bad Gift #1: The Too-Practical Gift

Practical presents such as basic clothing, personal hygiene products or utility items like ironing boards and toasters aren't necessarily bad (you did pay attention to your loved one's needs, after all), but they definitely won't be talked about for years to come.

Is it OK to give food as a gift? ›

Some food gifts are best when they're not a surprise.

Refrigeration or freezing the food is needed to control bacterial growth, and to keep it safe. The last thing you want is to spoil people's holidays by giving them gifts that make them extremely sick after consumption or have to throw the gift out.

What can you cook for a lot of people? ›

19 Ideas For Easy Meals For Large Groups
  • Taco Bar.
  • Meatballs.
  • Butter Chicken.
  • Lasagna.
  • Chili.
  • Homemade Pizza.
  • Baked Pasta.
  • Skewers.
Apr 4, 2023

What should I cook for elderly parents? ›

Nutrition During the Golden Years: 7 Awesome Meal Ideas for Elderly Parents
  • Leafy Green Salads. ...
  • Sweet Summer Salad. ...
  • Herb-Roasted Chicken. ...
  • Tomato and Basil Flatbread. ...
  • Vegetable Stir-Fry. ...
  • Microgreen Pesto Pasta. ...
  • Guacamole Dip and Spread.

What is the gift that never stops giving? ›

The idiom 'the gift that keeps on giving' means that there are many benefits of a gift, and these will continue over time. The combination of the individual meaning of the words differs from this because gifts, as inanimate objects (usually), cannot complete the action of giving. That's what makes this phrase an idiom.

What is good candy that won't melt? ›

Candies such as Lemonheads, Red Hots, and Atomic Fireballs are each individually wrapped, which creates a barrier and protects the candy from the hot temperatures outside. And, because pan candy is on the harder side itself, it's less likely to melt when you take it out of its packaging.

What to gift someone who doesn t want gifts? ›

Choosing a thoughtful gift for someone who doesn't typically enjoy receiving gifts can be a bit challenging, but here are some ideas that might suit their preferences: Experiences: Instead of a physical item, consider gifting an experience like tickets to a concert, theater show, or spa day.

What foods represent kindness? ›

Foods That Celebrate Love And Kindness
  • Pineapple. Pineapple has long been a symbol of hospitality and welcome by the Caribbean people. ...
  • Pomegranate. The pomegranate is a thing of beauty, so it's not difficult to see why it would be a symbol of love. ...
  • Nuts. ...
  • Lemons. ...
  • Basil. ...
  • Honey. ...
  • Dark Chocolate.

What is the greatest gift a person can give? ›

The Six Greatest Gifts You Can Give Your Loved Ones (Plus Audio Tips on Achieving Goals)
  • Your Presence. ...
  • Your Love. ...
  • Your Compassion. ...
  • A Voice. ...
  • A Healthy Lifestyle. ...
  • Your Belief in Them. ...
  • AUDIO PODCAST.
  • Feel free to share it on your blog, via email, on forums, in social media, or however you like!

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