Gifts & Must-Haves
10+ homemade goodies to give this holiday season
Gifts & Must-Haves
10+ homemade goodies to give this holiday season
From white chocolate bonbons to stunning bundt cakes, learn how to craft these gorgeous homemade gifts will take your holidays from special to spectacular.
In a time where just about anything can be ordered at the click of a mouse, there’s something particularly special about giving and receiving a homemade gift. In a way, these treats encapsulate the most precious assets of all: time and care. They make tremendous presents for just about anyone, whether you’re bringing a hostess gift, or are in charge of holiday dessert, or perhaps you just want to spoil your loved ones with a little extra something.
Dress Them Up
Honestly, you could show up with a large ziplock bag full of homemade granola and your recipient would still be grateful, but since you’ve already taken the time and care to make these gifts from scratch, why not spend a few extra moments decorating them in a way that reflects that same care? When it comes to dolling up your homemade goodies, the sky’s the limit, but here are a few helpful tips to get you started:
- Take the "homemade touch" factor to the next level with personalized stickers, gift tags, or labels. There are beautiful ones available for purchase in most stationery and craft stores, or you can design your own and have them printed. Williams Sonoma's customizable embosser is also a great way to add a personal touch and can be used on metallic labels for an extra festive sparkle.
- Wrapping your gifts with kitchen items — such as undyed kitchen twine instead of ribbon or kraft parchment paper instead of traditional wrapping — adds character and charm.
- Choose a consistent colour scheme and stick to it — so if you feel like mixing and matching certain gifts together, they will still visibly belong to the same family.
- Don’t forget the liner! If you’re transporting edible gifts such as cake or candy that have a higher moisture content, they can stain the box you’re transporting them in. Avoid this by lining the containers with parchment or wax paper cut to fit, which will act as a protective base for the box.
Recipes for Success
Not sure where to start in terms of homemade gifts? Here are some of our favourite recipes to make and gift this holiday season.
Photography: Maya Visnyei
With a decadent ganache centre and crisp layer of chocolate coating, these homemade classic truffles will be a welcome gift. And if you know of someone who’s trying to cut back on dairy, we just happen to have an amazing recipe for vegan truffles, to boot.
Cranberry, Almond & Fig Biscotti
Photography: Maya Visnyei
The assortment of dried fruit and nuts in these biscotti get some added holiday flair from orange zest and an irresistible chocolate dip. Customize them with the preferred nuts and dried fruit of your choice, though, and the dip works just as well with white chocolate as it does with dark.
Pistachio, Pecan & Bacon Brittle
Photography: Jodi Pudge
This surprising spin on nut brittle gets its inspiration from candied bacon, but with the added bonus of salty pistachios and buttery pecans swapped in for the more traditional peanuts. It might sound a little unusual, but the flavour combination is truly addictive.
Photography: Chris Court
Granola makes a terrific hostess gift and packs up easily in a couple of mason jars. The added flavour boost from espresso works in tandem with the sunflower seeds and almonds to help start its recipients’ days off with a wallop of energy.
Photography: Maya Visnyei
It doesn’t get much better than a show-stopping dessert that also highlights a seasonal ingredient. Gorgeous layers of fanned-out pear get the royal treatment with this cake, complemented by notes of honey and spice in every bite.
Photography: Catherine Côté
Since meringues are predominantly made of sugar, they work well as miniature, pop-in-your-mouth cookies for a bite of indulgence that doesn’t overload the palate. As a bonus, these beauties are dipped in dark chocolate and chopped hazelnuts for some bitter, toasty balance.
Image by: Yvonne Duivenvoorden
Fragrant chai spices are swirled into not one but two types of chocolate in this ginger-studded treat. Chocolate bark is a cinch to make (and it comes together in less than fifteen minutes of hands-on time) but everyone who eats it will think you’re a culinary genius.
Dark Chocolate & Mint Marshmallows
Photography: Jean Cazals
Homemade marshmallows are surprisingly simple and fun to make at home, and these mint-infused little pillows get covered in rich dark chocolate for a little extra indulgence. Together, they taste just like your favourite peppermint hot chocolate or latte!
Speaking of hot chocolate, a perfect gift pairing would be to give this homemade hot chocolate mix with the mint marshmallows above. This from-scratch version is luscious and velvety rich, putting store-bought mixes to shame.
White Chocolate Coconut Bonbons
Photography: Jodi Pudge
These are the perfect party treats: Beautiful and bite-sized, they’re ideal for guests to grab as they celebrate late into the night. Serve the bonbons in gold- or silver-coloured mini paper cups to add a little extra festive sparkle.
Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake
Photography: Maya Visnyei
Are you bringing dessert in lieu of a hostess gift? Wow the crowd with this stunning bundt cake. The luxurious flavour and slight tang of sour cream offset the richness of chocolate in every bite, and a silky smooth ganache glaze rounds the dish out. Better yet, make two and keep one for yourself at home.
Comments