25 Yummy Homemade Christmas Gifts to Make (or Buy)

 

Over the six years that I have been blogging, I have shared a lot of homemade Christmas gifts to make (food). These are creative sweet treats to give to neighbors, teachers and friends and several of them only take just a few minutes to whip up. Oh yea, let’s keep it easy and yummy!

So today, I thought I would pull all of my homemade Christmas treats from over the years together in one post and I’m also mixing in a few other homemade ideas that I have found throughout the year on my Pinterest here.  Even if you have your own favorite recipes that you make, I’m also including some really creative packaging ideas for you to consider.

Also… For those of you looking just for food gifts to buy, I’m adding a few store bought yummies in as well.

Quick and Easy 

If you want super fast last minute idea, it doesn’t get much easier than slipping in chocolates (I like to use Ghirardelli Peppermint Chocolates) into a cute and festive dollar store melamine bowl.  This gift is under $5.00 and give these out to teacher assistants and neighbors every year:

 

Here’s another creative and easy idea from Cool Mom Picks, wrap a pretty tea towel around a bottle of wine with a bow.

 

 

Our recipe for sweet and salty Christmas snack mix is another quick and easy idea.  You just mix together store bought items like Chex Mix, M & M’s and peanuts, etc..

 

A fun packaging idea is to fill mix in a take out box like this mix from Midwest Living

 

 

Another quick and easy way to give either homemade sweet treats or store bought (like the Peppermint Oreo’s) is by adding my free printable chalkboard label stencil to large candy jars:

 

If you’re looking for a quick and easy food gift to simply buy/order, trust me, just give these amazing rum cakes from Neiman Marcus and your friends and family will love you!! They are hands down the very best cakes out there! We order them every year!

 

 

Creative and Original

These hot chocolate truffles from Your Cup of Cake are such a creative idea! You drop them in hot chocolate

 

 

 

A huge trend right now in baking is making gourmet marshmallows.  If you have ever tried a gourmet marshmallow like the AMAZING ones from Butter, I can see why.  Betty Crocker has a recipe here for making these peppermint Christmas marshmallows

 

 

For a creative food gift to buy, Mrs. Prindables apples are insanely good and a great gift idea. We buy these for Christmas and cut them up and share.

 

 

Cookies

Love this Sugar Cookie Mix and Printable gift idea from Something Turquoise

 

I shared a recipe for white chocolate gingerbread men a couple years ago that is so good (and easy).  I also shared a cute way to package them for gifts and make these little rhinestone ornaments:

 

By the way, if you’re making and giving cookies this year, this is such a brilliant idea from Middle Passages for adding pretty scrapbook paper to cello treat bags.  The bags not only look pretty but the scrapbook paper helps to make the bottom of the bag flat.

 

 

 

One of my most popular gifts from the past is to glue a dollar store melamine plate and bowl together to make quick and easy cakes stands for your sweet treats.  I do this every year and give them with the  Limited Edition Peppermint Oreos cookies.  The instructions can be found here.

 

 

 

For great Christmas cookies to buy, the bestselling Christmas cookies on Amazon right now are these chocolate dipped Christmas Oreo’s in a tin (I just ordered them because I have to try them 🙂

 

 

Sugared Pecans

Everyone loves sugared pecans!  Our recipe is for making them three different ways (Sugared, Cinnamon and spicy) in the microwave.  It’s hard to believe they are made in the microwave because they taste like they have been slow roasted.  You can get the recipe and free printable “Merry Christmas” tag here (tag is also perfect for any of these sweet treats):

 

 

Dipped Pretzels

These white chocolate covered caramel pretzels from No Biggie, look easy and so good (easy gift packaging too!):

 

Cakes

These gingerbread cinnamon mini bundt cakes from These Peas are Hollow are at the very top of my baking list this year.  They look (and sound) so good!

 

 

Ok, wouldn’t you just LOVE for someone to give you this amazing Kentucky Butter Cake?!  Oh yes!  I certainly would! The recipe is from Cookies and Cup:

 

 

I can’t find the source for this image anywhere but I LOVE this idea for baking a pound cake and giving it in the pan itself (dollar store) with a pretty knife. I think you could remove the pound cake from the pan when it’s done, wash the pan and then add pretty paper or newspaper and reinsert cake (If you know the source, please let me know so I can add it):

 

For cakes to buy, I found these Christmas petit fours that look good and would be a great gift for a hostess

 

 

 

Breads

Even though this Cinnamon Bread gift idea was shared by Everyday Occasions (obsessed with Jenny’s blog) for Valentine’s Day, I think it’s such a great idea for Christmas:

 

 

Fudge

Fudge can be really challenging to make but of course, Martha Stewart has made it fool proof for us here

 

Cupcakes

One of my favorite cupcake for both fall and Christmas is this Chocolate Coconut Spice Cupcake.

 

Ok, so are you ready to whip up some yummies like I am?  I hope there is something here that inspires you to get a little creative in the kitchen.  If not, just buy those Limited Edition Peppermint Oreo’s and people will be just as thrilled!

So, what do you bake or make every Christmas?  I would so love to know.

Thanks for stopping by and by the way, if you’re looking for more Christmas gift ideas, check out my recap of this years Oprah’s Favorite Things here.

 

 

Cheers!

Cyndy

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