What are some good recipes for homemade Christmas gifts?

Question

I am already planning on making fudge, and toffee but would like some more candy or dessert ideas
I am also looking for some gift jar ideas/recipes. I already plan on one for chocolate chip cookies and homemade hot cocoa. I would really like a good recipe for a blueberry muffin one if you know of any.

I have a large family and want to give each of the adults (24) a gift somewhere along these lines, but I don't want to make all the same things so any ideas?

Answer 1

Flavored sugar is a great 'gift jar' gift. I used a spice mill to grind dried lemon, orange, lime peel (separately) and added them to sugar with a drop of food coloring shaken in for effect. I also buy a bag or two of sugar every January and go to the whole foods store and buy vanilla beans (they are cheaper). I make a slit down the middle lengthwise (careful not to go all the way through to the other side) then I place a bunch of these beans in an airtight jar with the sugar and leave it alone until Christmas. Then I put it in jars and give out. The lime sugar and the vanilla sugar seem to be the most appreciated. Especially by tea drinkers and bakers.

You can also take last years fruitcake (you know it lasts forever) and crumble it up. Then, dip your hands in a little water or flavored liqueur and roll into small balls and place in a pan to dry overnight. Then melt some choc chips in the microwave (one bag choc chips and 1 teaspoon Crisco for shine) dip balls and place on wax paper til chocolate sets. This recipe makes fruitcake lovers out of anyone who loves chocolate (esp. the dark chocolate).

Answer 2

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Answer 3

Does it have to be food?

We did this last year and everyone loved it - Get some blank white cardboard CD cases and decorate them like a homemade Christmas card. Then, make a mixed CD of all of your favorite Christmas songs. Sign the inside of the case the same way you would a normal card, with a message and everything. Make a holiday-themed label for the CD and put it in the case. Make a bunch of these and mail them like Christmas cards to all your friends and family.

It's a Christmas card and Christmas CD all in one. The people we sent it to thought it was a great idea, and they had something to play at holiday parties.

Answer 4

This is a great, good and easy candy. It is, in fact, called "Hard Christmas Candies" 1c water 1c light Karo 31/2 c sugar 1 tsp flavoring oil and food color for color Mix sugar, water and syrup to up to 300 degrees. Mix in the coloring and flavoring. Make sure it is OIL found in little tiny bottles. You might want to call drug stores or grocery stores first. Then cover your slab or table with sifted confectioners sugar. Pour candy on top and quickly cover the top with the sugar again. Cut with scissors into a strip at a time then into pieces. This hardens quickly, so it helps to invite a friend. My favorites are orange, green mint, red cinnamon. Have fun!

Answer 5

White Chocolate Almond Bark!

Roast enough salted almonds to cover the bottom of a pan (kinda like a lasagna pan), takes about 10 minutes under the broiler in the oven (you'll see them getting browner)

Melt white chocolate (the amount you use will depend upon how thick you want to make it, but don't go too thick cause it's harder to break up)

Once the almonds have cooled down, pour white chocolate over them, spreading out over the entire bottom of the pan

Put in the refridgerator overnight

The next day it will come out of the pan easily for you to break it up and throw into cute X-mas containers

Very, very easy and everyone loves it.
Enjoy!

Answer 6

Do a generic muffin, waffle, or pancake mix that all they need to do is add egg and milk or water. Include ideas on add ins like chocolate chips, fruit, or nuts. Cornbread, sugar cookie, oatmeal cookies, or biscuit mix are also good too.

Pecan tassies, brownies, or pralines are always a good candy to make and give as a gift.

Answer 7

I have a DELICIOUS, really simple and really festive recipe for fudge.

LIME AND MACADAMIA NUT FUDGE

400 mls of Sweetened Condensed milk
500grams of White Chocolate melting buttons
150grams of chopped macadamia nuts
The Zest (grated skin) of 2 limes.

- Add sweetened condensed milk and chocolate to a pot and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Turn off heat.
- Add lime zest and macadamia nuts and stir thoroughly.
- Pour mixture into a square baking tin lined with baking paper.
-Leave to chil in a fridge till it is hard.

The lime makes it really individual, and it's so yummy. You can cut them into large chunks instead of small and maybe put a ribbon around three in a stack and put them in a nice gift box?

Answer 8

Wonderful idea! Everybody loves goodies...
I make Reese Balls and Coconut BonBons every year. Some others that can't have chocolate get my Banana Nut Bread (1 loaf each) So here are a couple of these recipes. I get raves every year.
Reese Balls-
2 lbs peanut butter
3 lbs powdered sugar
1 lb margarine softened
2 TBS vanilla

Mix all ingredients. Roll int balls (@2 inches in diameter) and dip into melted chocolate bark and place on aluminum foil. Can chill to dry faster. Refrigerate until ready for use. (this makes a very large batch)
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Coconut Balls-
3/4 c mashed potatoes
1 TBS vanilla
4 c powdered sugar
4 c coconut
Chocolate bark

Stir together. Let sit overnight. Make into balls and let sit in
refrigerator around 1 hour. Dip balls into melted chocolate bark, or white chocolate bark.(can use food coloring in the white choc. to make festive) Refrigerate until ready to eat.
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Banana Nut Bread-(can make into muffins also)
1/2 c oil
1 c sugar
3 bananas
2 eggs
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 c nuts

Preheat oven to 350. Cream oil and sugar. Mash bananas and add to sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add dry ingredients. Stir in nuts. Bake in greased pan for 50-60 minutes.
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Ribbon Pumpkin Bread-
Filling:
6 oz cream cheese
1/4 c sugar
1 TBS flour
2 egg whites
Batter:
1 c pumpkin
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 TBS canola oil
1 2/3 c flour
1 1/4 c sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp grd cinnamon
1/2 tsp grd cloves
1/3 c chopped walnuts

For filling, combine and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat pumpkin, applesauce,, egg, egg whites, and oil. Combine the flour, sugar,soda, cinnamon, and cloves; add to pumpkin mixture. Stir in walnuts. Divide half of the batter between two 8x4x2 loaf pans. coated with nonstick cooking spray. Spread each with filling, top with remaining batter. Bake at 350 for 40-45 min or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 min. before removing from pans to wire rack to cool completely. Refrigerate leftovers.

Makes 2 loaves

Have a great time making goodies!

Answer 9

I love that idea. Here is one for blueberry muffins in a jar. Hope it helps

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 to 1 cup dried blueberries
PREPARATION:
Pour sugar into a 1-quart wide-mouth canning jar.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt; pour half into the jar. Put the dried blueberries into a small lightweight plastic bag; tie or seal and cut off excess bag end, if necessary.* Add remaining flour mixture. Screw lid on and add a tag with instructions, or tuck instructions into the jar.
*You can add the dried blueberries right into the mixture without the bag, but they tend to sink into the dry ingredients. The bag will give the mix more of a "layered" look.

Instructions for muffins.

Wild Dried Blueberry Muffins
2 eggs
4 ounces melted butter
1 cup milk or buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 jar blueberry muffin mix with dried blueberries

Whisk together the eggs, butter, milk or buttermilk, and vanilla. With a wooden spoon, stir in blueberry muffin mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Spoon batter into greased muffin pans, filling each muffin cup about 3/4 full. If desired, sprinkle tops with sugar or cinnamon sugar. Bake at 375° for about 25 minutes.
Makes 18 to 24 muffins, depending on size of muffin cups.

Here is one for Snickerdoodles

INGREDIENTS:
2-3/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1-1/2 cups sugar
PREPARATION:
In a large bowl, combine the ingredients and stir with a wire whisk until thoroughly blended. Store the mix in an airtight container.

To make cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 recipe Snickerdoodle Cookie Mix
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl cream the butter until light, then add the eggs and beat until the mixture is smooth. Add the Snickerdoodle Mix and continue beating until the dough forms. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place on ungreased cookie sheets 2" apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 16 to 19 minutes, or until light gold. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

This site has more and even ones you can do for beverages. Have Fun

http://busycooks.about.com/od/christmas/a/giftsfromkitche.htm

Answer 10

There's a muffin recipe at the site mentioned below, you could substitute dried blueberries for the apple.

(have never given a gift jar but boy I love getting them....)