A gift that you make yourself is special, because the time you spend making it will be appreciated as much as the gift itself. You can also tailor it entirely to the person you give it to.
Food being a universal love language, an edible gift made with intention is sure to be a success.
In this blog post, we’re sharing some of our favourite edible gift ideas. These recipes are easy to make and require ingredients you either already have in your pantry, or can find package-free at our stores.
Homemade chocolate bark
As delicious as it is pretty and endlessly customizable.
Melt chocolate in the microwave (30 seconds at a time, stir between rounds) or on a water bath. You can add coconut oil for extra glossiness (1 teaspoon per cup of chocolate).
Put parchment paper on a tray or cutting board. Pour the melted chocolate and spread it evenly with a spatula, to whatever thickness you like. Add your toppings (see suggestions below) and set aside to firm up. You can leave it on a counter or put it in the fridge (10-20 min) or freezer (5 min) to speed up the process. Break up in pieces when it’s firm.
Topping suggestions: Almonds, walnut halves, pecan halves, peanuts, pistachios, coconut chips, dried cranberries, raisins, other dried fruits, crushed candy cane, candied ginger, pretzel twists, pumpkin seeds, rose petals, Himalayan salt, coffee, etc.
You can use dark chocolate as well as white chocolate squares. Create a marbled chocolate bark by combining both!
Infused oil
A quick last minute gift! Add herbs or spices to a square bottle of extra virgin olive oil. They will infuse the oil as they age. You can use fresh herbs from your garden (rosemary, thyme), fresh chili pepper or fresh garlic. If you use dry herbs and chili flakes, one teaspoon is enough for a 250 ml bottle of oil. The shelf life is shorter if you use fresh ingredients but it should still last 3 months.
Gift it with an oil and vinegar spout to complete the gift and add a beautiful tag with a handwritten message “bottled Dec 23, 2021 at xxx Estate”.
Layered fruits and nuts
This is another quick gift that looks beautiful in a straight Weck jar that will also be part of the gift. Choose dried fruits that are not as common (dried cherries, mango, white dragon fruit) and layer by colour, alternating fruits and nuts. Pair it with a bottle of wine and cheese and make it into a cheese platter kit!
Cookie mix in a jar
Layer dry ingredients in a jar and write the recipe on a tag. You can find many cookie mix recipes online, but here’s one that we tried and liked.
Layer (from bottom to top):
- 1 cup of AP flour + ¼ teaspoon salt + ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup raw cane sugar
The following liquid ingredients will have to be added to the mix: 1 egg, ½ cup butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Mix all the ingredients. Place on a baking sheet (measure one tablespoon for each cookie, or more if you prefer larger cookies). Preheat the oven to 375F and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Pro tip: when shopping in bulk, the 250 ml jar comes in handy. It is the equivalent of 1 cup in recipes.
Mulling spices
A mix of mulling spices looks beautiful in a silicon Stasher bag, which becomes also a part of the gift.
Add to a Stasher bag: dried oranges, lemons and grapefruits (one or 2 of each), star anise, cinnamon sticks and cloves.
To make dried orange, lemon or grapefruit: cut your fruit in thin slices. Put them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Let them dry for 4 to 6 hours in the oven at 175F.
Do you have more ideas for zero waste edible gifts? Share them in the comment section below!
We wish you a wonderful holiday season,
Your Team NU