If there’s any truth to the saying that the way to someone’s heart is through their stomach, then you’re sure to find yourself under the mistletoe this year by giving one of these delicious, delightful edible gifts.


1 Personalized chocolate bars
Prepare your own wrapping for store-bought bars of chocolate. Use basket-wrap Cellophane, cover with a piece of white craft paper and stamp with a message of your choice.

2 Chocolate-dipped festive figs

Ingredients

• 8 oz good-quality white chocolate chunks
• 6 ripe black Mission figs

Directions
1 Place the chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl or in the top of a double boiler over a pot of simmering water.

2 Heat the chocolate until it’s fully melted and smooth, stirring occasionally,
being careful that it doesn’t burn.

3 Carefully dip two-thirds of each fig into the melted chocolate and place on a piece of parchment paper until the chocolate has cooled and hardened.

4 Arrange the chocolate dipped figs in a small egg carton and refrigerate until ready to give.

Level of difficulty: Easy.
Prep time: 30 minutes.
Makes 6 figs.

3 Merry muesli

Ingredients

• 1-¼ cups each: rye, oat and spelt flakes
• ½ cup raw, sliced unsalted almonds
• ½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• ½ cup unsalted sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup sesame seeds
• ¼ cup unsalted pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup raw sugar
• Pinch sea salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped out
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup dried cranberries

Directions
1 Preheat the oven to 300°F.

2 In a large bowl, combine the rye, oat and spelt flakes through to cinnamon. Set aside.

3 Meanwhile, place the oil, vanilla bean seeds and honey in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat gently, stirring constantly, until the honey is dissolved.

4 Pour the liquid coating over the dry ingredients, stirring to coat.

5 Spread the mixture onto a large parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

6 Bake for 30 minutes, stirring the ingredients frequently to ensure that the granola bakes evenly.

7 Remove the granola from the oven and sprinkle with the raisins and cranberries. Stir to mix and let cool completely before packaging and giving.

Level of difficulty: Easy.
Prep time: 30 minutes.
Makes 6 cups.

4 Homemade holiday sugar cookies

Ingredients

• 2-½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp lime juice

Directions
1 Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2 In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.

3 In a separate bowl, cream together the sugar and butter with an electric mixer. Beat in the eggs one at a time; beat in the lime juice.

4 Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Cover the
dough and chill for 30 minutes.

5 Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut into 2" circles with a cookie cutter; stamp each with a cookie stamp and transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

6 Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Cool on a wire rack before packaging and giving.

Prep time 30 minutes
Makes 24 cookies
Level of difficulty: Intermediate

5 Cozy chai tea mix

Ingredients

• ½ orange
• ¼ cup green cardamom pods
• 1 tbsp whole cloves
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 2 tbsp whole star anise
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• 3 tbsp chopped candied ginger
• ¼ cup loose Darjeeling tea
• 6 cinnamon sticks

Directions
1 Preheat the oven to 200°F.

2 Slice the orange into ⅛" thick rounds and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3 Bake, turning occasionally, until dry, about 2 to 3 hours. Let cool.

4 Combine the orange slices with the remaining ingredients (except the cinnamon sticks) in a medium-sized bowl.

5 Place 2 heaping tablespoons of the mixture into mugs lined with parchment paper, add one cinnamon stick to each and wrap with Cellophane for giving.

Level of difficulty: Intermediate.
Prep time: 30 minutes.
Makes 6 servings.