Gifts from the kitchen

Homemade edible gifts are a gift from the heart. There's something deeply personal and wonderfully practical about giving food you made yourself. Whether its for a birthday,  Christmas or just to say “thank you,” homemade edible gifts are a heartfelt way to share love, flavour, and creativity.

In this collection of recipes, you'll discover a collection of my favourite bakes and makes for gifting. All the recipes are from Recipes Made Easy or my other recipe blog Only Crumbs Remain and have been thoroughly tested.

Easy DIY Food Gifts

The foodie gift can be as simple as a batch of cookies for that perfect home baked " thinking of you gift" to a homemade food hamper packed with sweet and savoury goodies. Either will share the love in away a shop bought gift can never match.

They are an environmentally friendly gift option. A homemade treat means that you’ve used zero travel miles to source your gift if you just add your ingredients to your usual shop, and you’ve eliminated much of the excess packaging of buying a gift online.

Made in Advance

Almost all can be made in advance and frozen or have a naturally long shelf life.

From chocolates to chutney, jams to cakes, that cater to taste, dietary need, and occasion, there is something for everyone, ensuring your kitchen gifts are as memorable as they are delicious.

A homemade edible gift is a thoughtful offering, especially when tailored to be personal, and your loved ones will always appreciate it.

Homemade Food gifts are suitable for all occasions, but are especially popular for festive occasions such as Christmas or birthdays. Which will you choose? And who will be the lucky recipient?

Christmas Homemade Food Gifts

Easy Mince Pies

Who would turn down a gift of homemade mince pies? A popular festive gift. Place in a covered napkin lined basket or a biscuit tin for a lovely way to present them.

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Cranberry and Marzipan Pies

For those not keen on mincemeat you could give these individual sweet cranberry and marzipan pies which are packed with festive flavours. They make a delicious change to the traditional festive mince pie.

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These Christmas-flavoured drinks are ideal gifts. Fill mini bottles which also make great place markers or in a larger bottle.

Christmas Vodka

All the delicious sweet flavours of Christmas in a glass. Easy to make with just 3 days steeping this vodka is the perfect tipple to serve with your Christmas pudding or just enjoy sipping by a log fire.

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Cranberry and clementine gin

This easy to make sweetened flavoured gin is delicious served neat over ice or with tonic. or lemonade. It makes a beautiful gift for gin lovers. Make at least 2 weeks before required.

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Easy Retro Christmas Cake

This would look spectacular in a Christmas hamper. Easy to make and is decorated with a retro-style snow scene, which requires little cake decorating skill but still looks fabulous.

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Mini Christmas Cakes

Fruit cakes are an integral part of Christmas festivities for many people.  Why not make some mini Christmas cakes to give to friends and family, either as a small gesture or as part of a delicious homemade foodie hamper.

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Easy Fondont Christmas Figures

Decorate your Christmas cakes with these fun Christmas figures

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These fun Christmas Robin and Santa Cup Cakes would also make a great gifts

Cranberry and pecan Coronne

A Couronne or Crown is a traditional French bread served at Christmas. This Cranberry and Pecan Couronne is so good I would happily enjoy it at any time of the year.

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Stollen

A classic continental yeasted Christmas cake which is fast becoming a favourite around the world. This Stollen is not too sweet and a perfect treat to have with a cup of coffee or tea.

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Panforte

Enjoy this Tuscan cake made with dried fruits and nuts with a glass of sweet wine or coffee, or wrap up and give as a homemade gift

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Christmas Gingerbread Biscuit

Use festive shaped cutters to make these pretty Christmas biscuits, which can be left plain or decorated with a little icing. Make a hole and tie with ribbon to turn them into Christmas tree decorations.

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Cinnamon Stars

I often make a batch of these delicious cinnamon cookies at Christmas time. They are quick and easy to make but always prove really popular with friends and family. To turn them into a gift pack in a pretty box or a festive biscuit tin.

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Easy Homemade Brandy Butter

Brandy butter packed into pretty jars can also make a great gift, especially if given alongside a home-made Christmas Pudding.  

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Chocolates, Fudge and Candy

Homemade sweets and chocolate are perfect gift for all ocassions. Grabbing a box from the supermarket shelf is easy, but when you make them yourself, you also give your time and love. 

Coffee Truffles

Making your own chocolate truffles makes them a much more special gift and will earn you some serious brownie points.  Best of all they are simple (albeit a bit messy) to make and taste amazing.

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Prosecco Truffles

A light prosecco flavoured centre encased in creamy milk chocolate, these chocolate truffles are rich and luxurious and surprisingly easy to make.

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Chocolate Dipped Candied Orange Peel

Plain and chocolate dipped candied orange peel is easy to make and makes a delicious, decadent treat or pretty gift. Undipped candied peel is also great as a treat or used in bakes and cakes.

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Homemade Turkish Delight ( Lokum)

It’s a little labour intensive to make but Homemade Turkish delight is worth the effort. Turkish delight and Elizabeth Shaws Mints were my mums festive favourite treat.

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Homemade Hazelnut and Caramel Chocolates

Why buy chocolates when you can make your own? Half hazelnuts enveloped in a luscious homemade caramel and encased in a creamy milk chocolate shell!  I ask you, what's not to like about these delicious chocolates!

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The Best Fudge Recipes

Fudge makes a great choice for a Edible gift. Pack into a gift box or cleophane bag tied with ribbon. Choose from this collection of fudge recipes from traditional vanilla fudge to boozy whiskey fudge or festive Christmas Fudge there is something for every ocassion

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See more sweets and chocolates →

Cakes and Bakes

Cookies and cakes make great edible gifts. Wrap in cellophane and tie with a ribbon for a pretty presentation. Or arrange in gift boxes or tins. Look out for pretty ribbons printed with baked or made with love to add to the feel of them being extra special.

Orange and Almond Shortbread

These orange and almond shortbread biscuits have a delicious light and crumbly texture. Perfect to enjoy as a morning or afternoon treat, they also make fabulous biscuits to serve with creamy desserts. Use different cookie cutters to suit the occassion or the person receiving them.

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Arlettes

Arlettes are beautiful butter rich, crispy cinnamon biscuits. These French biscuits originate from the South of France in the early 1900s and are not dissimilar to the more well know Palmier (elephant ears) biscuits.

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Easy Lavash Crackers

These would make a fabulous gift packed in a basket along side some artesian cheeses. Every cheese lovers dream gift

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Rolo Brownies

Decadent Rolo brownies – who would you give your last rolo (brownie) to?

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Almond bizcocho (almond and orange loaf cake)

Almond bizcocho - a delicious, moist Spanish almond and orange cake with a fabulous colour and great flavour. An understated gift that would be the perfect way to let someone know you are thinking of them

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Special Fruit and Nut cake

This fruit and nut cake really lives up to its name  "Special Fruit and Nut Cake". Making it a special gift. Packed with delicious pieces of candied pineapple, ginger, mixed peel, glacé cherries and  apricots, along with chopped and whole nuts, this fruit cake tastes amazing. Topped with fruit and nut glazed in a sugar syrup it looks stunning too.

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Orange & Thyme / Lemon & Rosemary Madeleines

Madeleines are delicious little French cakes made in a traditional shell-shaped moulds. Often plain vanilla, I have flavoured mine with orange and thyme, lemon and rosemary, and then dipped in chocolate for extra yumminess.

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Gluten Free Gifts

Ricciarelli

Ricciarelli are delicious soft chewy almond cookies originating from Sienna in Italy. Traditionally served and given at Christmas time. Quick and easy to make and natually gluten free.

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Swiss Carrot Cake

This pretty Swiss carrot cake has a delicious lemon and almond flavour. It is low fat and is both gluten and dairy-free.

A pretty orange colour with a light moist crumb this cake is a must try.

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Vegan Foodie Gifts

Vegans often miss out on foodie gifts so these two Vegan bakes will be all the more appriciated, your vegan friends or family will love that you went the extra mile.

Vegan Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Blondies

This recipe for Vegan Peanut Butter and Dark Chocolate Blondies produces a bake which is packed with flavour.  The blondies are soft and yielding with a clear peanut butter and chocolate flavour. These blondies are naturally gluten free too

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Vegan Meringue Kisses

The raspberry swirl in these vegan meringue kisses not only makes them super pretty, but they also introduce the lovely fresh flavour of raspberries

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Jams, Chutneys and Preserves

Easy Gooseberry Jam

Delicious sweet slightly tangy fruity jam. Simple to make and easy to get a good set without the addition of additional pectin. A good beginners jam.

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Lime Marmalade

Zesty lime marmalade can be made all year round. delicious on breakfast toast for zingy flavour to get your day off to a great start.

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Fruity Chutney

A spicy rich dark chutney made from dried fruits. Perfect to serve with cold meats and cheeses.

Makes about 1.5kg/3¼lbs 

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Plum and apple chutney

A delicious chutney that pairs well with white meats. It is also great with cheese.

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Homemade Lemon Curd

Homemade lemon curd is easy to make and results in a wonderful, fresh and zingy curd which is not only delicious on toast but also lifts a host of different bakes.

It also makes for a wonderful gift for a foodie friend too.

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Lime Curd

Lime curd is just as easy to make as lemon curd and needs only a few ingredients.  A jar of each would make the gift doubly nice.

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Homemade mincemeat

Homemade mincemeat is less sweet than shop bought mincemeat and with a fresher flavour. Make a batch up now ready for your festive baking.

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This collection of the best edible gift ideas is packed with delicious, thoughtful treats you can make for the people you love. I hope it inspires you throughout the festive season and beyond — for birthdays, thank-yous and every special occasion.

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