Food gifts are my absolute favorite gifts to give and receive during Christmas. They are thoughtful, they are delicious, and maybe my favorite part of all—they don’t add any clutter to my house! I’ve never met someone who doesn’t appreciate a handmade tasty treat.
Christmas food gifts are wonderful if your budget is tight (many of the items on this list can be made for a dollar or less per gift), if you’re looking to avoid the pressure-filled rush of Christmas shopping, or if you’re just looking to add a little more simplicity to your holiday gifting. Many of these gifts are simple enough for even small children to help make. I’m sure you’ll find the perfect treat for your mail carrier, teacher, friend, or loved one on this list.
How do you package Christmas food gifts?
The best way to package food gifts depends entirely on what gift you are giving. Personally, I prefer to gift in reusable containers—think canning jars, swing-top bottles, or food storage jars. Not only is it a beautiful, safe, and sturdy way to store your handmade goodies, but it also gives your giftee something they can reuse later. You can also upcycle jars and containers from the recycling—pasta sauce jars are great!
Cookie tins are also a great option for packaging if you’re worried about mailing or transporting glass. Most supermarkets and big box stores carry cookie tins either with their holiday baking supplies or holiday wrapping supplies.
What can you make for Christmas food gifts?
We have so many great ideas for you to check out—I’m sure you’ll find just the right DIY gift here for your budget, your skills, and your loved ones! Full recipes and details are available if you click on each item. Happy holidays!
45+ Thoughtful and Easy DIY Christmas Food Gifts
Give the gift of gourmet treats this Christmas with our list of homemade food gifts! DIY these incredible, edible gifts for the foodie in your life.
Homemade Golden Milk Mix
This Homemade Golden Milk Mix could also be called “Sweet and Spicy Anti-inflammatory Turmeric Latte,” but that doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. Make the mix ahead of time to make easy lattes at the drop of a hat.
All-Purpose Barbecue Spice Rub
This Barbecue Spice Rub is easy to throw together and adds wonderful flavor to everything. It makes a perfect gift for people who love to cook or grill!
Soup Mixes in a Jar
These homemade canning jar soup mixes are the perfect frugal Christmas food gifts! We have six different flavors for everyone on your list.
Whole Wheat Cranberry Orange Muffin Mix
This muffin mix is simply packaged in a small brown paper bag for easy and affordable gifting. It’s a fun change of pace from all the dessert gifts folks get around the holidays!
Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix
Mix up a batch of this Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix to have on hand for quick and easy salad dressing or seasoning popcorn, sandwiches, and more!
Homemade Popcorn Seasoning Recipes
America's favorite movie snack gets even better with gourmet popcorn seasoning recipes. Plus, the seasonings make a great gift!
Spicy Black Bean Soup In a Jar
Gifting a jar of this family-sized soup mix is giving the gift of coziness! This spicy, flavorful soup mix costs just pennies to make.
Peppermint Bark
This classic, festive chocolate bark is a must-make each holiday season in our house! Package it up for festive gifts.
No-Bake Clementine and Clove Macaroons
These No-Bake Clementine and Clove Macaroons are sweet, decadent, and incredibly festive. They are made with all-natural ingredients that nourish your body and soul!
Red Onion and Port Jam
This onion jam combines sweet and tangy flavors to make a homemade condiment. It’s a tasty addition to hamburgers, cheese plates, and grilled meats.
Cranberry Pistachio Bark
This beautiful and festive Cranberry Pistachio Bark is a perfect handmade gift to give to your loved ones (they don’t have to know how easy it was to make!).
Homemade Limoncello Recipe
Sweet, citrusy, and a little bit boozy, Homemade Limoncello is a real treat for any co*cktail lover. You’ll be amazed at how simple it is to make at home. Bottle it up for an impressive gourmet food gift!
Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe
Our homemade vanilla extract recipe will give you a bold, rich vanilla flavor in all of your baked goods! You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to whip up a batch as a thoughtful gift for the foodie in your life.
Easy Saltine Cracker Toffee
Easy Saltine Cracker Toffee is SO much easier to make than you'd ever believe, and it's the most delicious sweet-salty treat! This quick & easy how-to guide shows you how to make your own with basic ingredients.
Chocolate Candy Cane Gooey Butter Cookies
Part cookie, part fudge, Chocolate Candy Cane Gooey Butter Cookies are a rich and decadent way to celebrate the holidays.
Edible Cookie Dough
Treat your loved ones (or yourself!) to something sweet this holiday season with a batch of our homemade Healthy Edible Cookie Dough! It’s eggless, gluten-free, vegan, and paleo, and just a spoonful will satisfy your sweet tooth. Wrap it up in an adorable gift set for an easy homemade holiday gift!
Maple Rosemary Bar Nuts
Maple Rosemary Bar Nuts pull double duty as both the perfect holiday snack and an easy food gift. They are a little salty, a little sweet, a little savory, and totally easy to make. Package them up in a beautiful upcycled bowl or jar for an easy hostess gift.
6 DIY co*cktails in a Jar
Wondering what to give everybody on your holiday shopping list? Here’s a guide for six co*cktail-themed gift ideas that come together in minutes!
Pumpkin Spice Dark Chocolate Nut Butter Cups
Pumpkin Spice Dark Chocolate Nut Butter Cups are a breeze to make, and the perfect entry point into candy making. They also work well as a rich and comforting gift!
DIY Chai Tea Sets
Give the gift of a hot cup of tea with this Homemade Chai Tea! Package it up in tea bags or with a tea ball for an easy (and affordable) gift set for the tea lovers in your life.
Homemade Hot Sauce
You can’t beat the spicy, layered flavor of homemade hot sauce. It’s a fun kitchen experiment that you can completely customize—make it mild or make it hot as can be! Then bottle it up using our free labels to give away as thoughtful, handmade Christmas food gifts.
Bourbon Peach Jam Recipe
Serve up this delicious bourbon peach jam recipe and savor the sweet taste of summer. It makes a great gift, too!
Give the gift of holiday baking! This M&M Cookie Mix in a Jar is an easy edible Christmas gift—each mix is ready in minutes and costs just a few dollars to make. The resulting cookies are chewy, tender, and perfectly festive!
Homemade Margarita Mix
Package up a bottle of our homemade margarita mix with a bottle of tequila for the margarita lover in your life. This margarita mix uses all-natural ingredients and makes for one tasty co*cktail!
The Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft, chewy, sweet, and chocolatey, these cookies use a secret ingredient to help make them the best ever chocolate chip cookies! You can’t go wrong gifting a holiday classic.
Buckeyes
Buckeyes are a classic Midwestern candy for a reason—they're a breeze to make, and they taste like peanut butter and chocolate heaven!
Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam
The classic flavor combo is pulled together beautifully in this recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Jam. This water bath canned recipe is a great place to start if you’re new to canning. And you can use fresh or frozen fruit!
Smokehouse Cheddar Cheese Straws
These savory Cheddar Cheese Straws are made even tastier with a crunchy smokehouse almond coating. Package them up as a savory gift!
Homestyle Corn Relish
Preserve the taste of summer with this delicious and versatile corn relish! It’s a perfect canning recipe for beginners.
Bourbon Chocolate Chip Blondies
Inspired by the classic Kentucky Derby dessert, these Bourbon Chocolate Chip Blondies are rich, decadent, and flavorful without any of the fuss or muss of a Derby Pie!
Homemade Strawberry Wine
You won’t believe how easy it is to make your own wine! We model the method with strawberry here, but you can really use nearly any fruit (likeblueberryorpeach!).
Chicago Popcorn Mix
Lean into the classic salty-sweet combo by mixing caramel corn with cheese popcorn in this Chicago popcorn mix.
Sea Salt Honey Caramels
These sea salt honey caramels are smooth, buttery, chewy, and just a teeny bit salty, with a simplicity that is hard to beat. Wrap them up in wax paper and package them in a canning jar for an adorable food gift.
Kahlúa
You can mix up a batch of this homemade coffee liqueur in under 30 minutes. We provide printable labels for easy packaging.
Mixed Berry Jam
Everyone loves a jar of jam! This mixed berry jam is sweetened with agave, which allows the flavor of the berries to shine right through.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola
Yes, you can give the gift of granola! This Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola comes together in a flash and makes a big, chunky granola that is perfect for snacking.
Apple Jelly
Only four ingredients stand between you and this apple jelly. Spread it on toast, use it to glaze pork or chicken, put it on acheese board…there are so many delicious uses for apple jelly!
Chewy Lemon Snowdrop Cookies
Chewy Lemon Snowdrop Cookies are perfect little pillows of chewy lemonness. They look unassuming, but might be the best cookies ever made. Give these cookies to the lemon-lover in your life.
Mesquite Grill Seasoning
This Mesquite Seasoning copycat recipe is a great gift for your favorite griller. Package this up with some grilling tools for a great themed gift.
Bourbon-Vanilla Bean Apple Pie Filling
Give the gift of pie with this canned bourbon-vanilla bean apple pie filling! Each quart makes one pie, or you can use it as a topping for waffles or ice cream.
Whole Grain Pancake Mix
Having this Whole Grain Pancake Mix on hand makes whipping up delicious, healthy pancakes a snap! You may want to double the recipe so you have plenty for gifting and some to keep for yourself.
Almond Flour Pizza Crust Mix
Make pizza night easy with this Almond Flour Pizza Crust mix! It is gluten-free and grain-free, so everyone can enjoy a slice.
The Best Hot Chocolate Mix
I swear by this hot chocolate mix recipe—it makes for such a creamy, chocolatey cup of cocoa. And it is so much tastier than the stuff in the store-bought packets!
Kettle Corn
Kettle corn is a classic favorite, with its salty sweet flavor. This one is a perfect last-minute gift idea, because it takes just minutes.
Gingerbread Cookie Mix Jars for Gifting
Why just give cookies when you could gift a cookie baking party, complete with gingerbread cookie mix and a cute cookie cutter?
Pomegranate Jelly Recipe
Canning recipes don’t get much simpler than this pomegranate jelly. Plus that red color is just so festive!
Strawberry Jam
This strawberry jam gives a perfect set every time, no pectin required.
Homemade Peanut Brittle Recipe
Peanut brittle is a confectionery favorite that is easy to make. Add it to your cookie spread or pack it up for gifting!
Looking for more gift ideas?
We have ideas for everyone on your list, no matter your budget, in our gift guides:
- 38+ Gifts for Bakers. Shower the bakers in your lives with tools and ingredients from our list.
- 37+ Gifts for Coffee Lovers.From cute and affordable coffee stirrers, all the way up to fancy brewing equipment, we have something for all the java fans!
- 40+ Gifts for Beer Lovers. Hops fans would appreciate any of the gifts on our beer lovers gift guide.
- 65+ Fun Gifts for Foodies.You know that we wouldn’t be Wholefully without a foodie gift guide! Get our favorite cookbooks, delicious foods, and useful kitchen gear here.
- 39+ Gifts for Tea Lovers. Tea lovers will adore the gifts on this list, ranging from DIY tea kits to beautiful steeping equipment.
- 32+ Best Gifts for Whiskey Lovers.Have a whiskey or bourbon lover on your gift list? Our comprehensive guide will help you find them the perfect gift.
