Luscious Homemade Food Gifts

We show you gorgeous ways to wrap decadent sweets and savory treats for the holidays. Every recipe here travels beautifully -- and is a joy to eat.

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Cranberry and Pepper Shortbread Bites

Chocolate Candy Slab

Simply Sweet Pomegranate Syrup

Chocolate-Cherry Banana Bread

Video: Our Best Food Gifts

Spicy Lime Pistachio Nuts

Peppered Orange Gingerbread Cutouts

Homemade Marshmallows

Egg-and-Bacon Breakfast Casserole

Peanut Butter and Toffee Bars

Peppermint Sticks

Cherry-Apricot-Pistachio Baklava

Chicken Noodle Vegetable Soup

Pumpkin-Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel

Chunky Cranberry Relish

Chocolate Doughnut Delights

Roasted Spiced Almonds

Butterscotch Brownies and Deep Chocolate Brownies

Marinated Feta and Olives

French Market Pull-Aparts

Holiday Cheese Straws

Vanilla Bean Liqueur

Hazelnut-Mocha Sauce

Mocha Hot Cocoa Mix

Cran Crackle Bars

Honey-Nut Topping

Malted Fudge Brownies

Honey and Macadamia Nut Fudge

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Norpro Norpro Cookie Sheet 14 x 12 $12.55 Casa.com

Crate & Barrel Individual-Mini Pie Pan Set $24.95 Crate & Barrel

Wilton Wilton Nonstick Round Tart Quiche Pan, 9 by 1 1/8 Inch, 0 $11.13 Casa.com

Lodge Lodge Enameled Cast-Iron 3 Quart Covered Casserole $99.00 Casa.com

Williams-Sonoma Williams-Sonoma Goldtouch� Nonstick 3-Piece Cookie Bakeware Set $49.95 Williams-Sonoma

Dansk Ivory 2-qt. Flamestone Beehive Casserole by Dansk $49.95 Cooking.com

Chantal Lime Green 9.5-in. Bakeware Deep Pie Dish by Chantal $19.95 Cooking.com

Chefs Catalog Rose's Perfect Pie Plate, 9 inch $29.95 Chefscatalog.com

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Cranberry and Pepper Shortbread Bites

Peppercorns give these buttery sweet treats an unexpected bite. To package, cut scrapbook paper to fit the box lid and secure with double-sided tape. Layer two ribbons of different widths in a band around the closed box and hot-glue them in place. Dip the stems of punched leaf shapes in hot glue and press on the ends of hemp twine; knot around the box on top of the ribbon.

Cranberry and Pepper Shortbread Bites

Makes: 48 servings

Yield: 4 dozen shortbread bites

Prep: 25 mins

Chill: 30 mins

Bake: 8 mins to 10 mins 350°F

Chocolate Candy Slab

Customize tempered chocolate with your favorite candies -- we love the salty-and-sweet combo of pretzels and peppermint. To package, cut a circle just smaller than the jar?s lid from about 25 layers of holiday-color tissue paper. Use a double-threaded needle to make one stitch in the center of the stack; knot. Snip around the circle at regular intervals. Pull the tissue-paper petal shapes up and toward the center. Use a glue dot to adhere the flower to the jar lid.

Chocolate Slab

Makes: 60 servings

Prep: 20 mins

Stand: 1 hr

Simply Sweet Pomegranate Syrup

Drizzle this tangy syrup over pound cake or ice cream, or add a dash to cocktails. To package, wrap rice-paper tape (also called washi tape) around the top or bottom of an apothecary bottle for a quick embellishment. Tie a gift tag to the neck of the bottle with twine.

Simply Sweet Pomegranate Syrup

Yield: Makes 2 3/4 cups syrup

Start to Finish: 15 mins

Get the gift tag.

Chocolate-Cherry Banana Bread

Standby banana bread gets dressed up for the holidays with cocoa and amaretto-soaked cherries. To package, bake the bread in a wooden basket. When cool, slip it inside a clear bread bag. Band the bread with red velvet ribbon and secure with hot glue. Use a thin-tip permanent marker to write on a wooden tag, and tie the tag to the package with hemp twine.

Chocolate-Cherry Banana Bread

Makes: 20 servings

Yield: 2 loaves

Prep: 30 mins

Cool: 10 mins

Bake: 40 mins to 45 mins 350°

Video: Our Best Food Gifts

Get closer looks and tips on making our top food gifts.

Spicy Lime Pistachio Nuts

Pistachios lend seasonal green color to this nut mix, but you could easily sub almonds or cashews. To package, layer two muffin liners to make a sturdy container and add your favorite nut mix. Punch circles out of cardstock. Fold down the flaps of the liners to cover the mix, and use a dab of hot glue to seal with a cardstock circle.

Spicy-Lime Pistachio Nuts

Makes: 24 servings

Yield: 6 cups

Prep: 10 mins

Bake: 20 mins 325°F

Stand: 2 hrs

Peppered Orange Gingerbread Cutouts

Orange peel and a bit of pepper join the spice mix in classic gingerbread for amped-up flavor. To package, cut scrapbook paper to fit the interior of a petal envelope and adhere with double-sided tape. Use glue dots to attach buttons to the flap and 1/2 inch from the opposite fold. Wrap twine in a figure 8 around the buttons to close.

Peppered-Orange Gingerbread Cutouts

Yield: about 15 cookies

Prep: 30 mins

Chill: 3 hrs

Bake: 6 mins 375°F per batch

Homemade Marshmallows

Light-as-air homemade marshmallows are a treat to give -- recipients can add them to hot cocoa on a chilly night. Wrap the marshmallows in a cellophane bag topped with a small chalkboard gift tag (found at crafts or hobby stores).

Homemade Marshmallows

Makes: 80 servings

Prep: 30 mins

Chill: 5 hrs

Cook: 12 mins to 15 mins

Egg-and-Bacon Breakfast Casserole

A savory bacon-and-egg casserole goes mobile in a baking dish the recipients will love to add to their stash. Wrap the dish with a festive holiday towel and ribbon, and tie on wooden letters.

Egg and Bacon Breakfast Casserole

Makes: 6 servings

Prep: 25 mins

Chill: 2 hrs

Peanut Butter and Toffee Bars

Individually wrapped in pretty paper and tied with a bit of string, these decadent bars make small but perfect last-minute gifts.

Peanut Butter and Toffee Bars

Yield: 24 bars

Prep: 20 mins

Bake: 15 mins 350°F

Cool: 2 hrs

Peppermint Sticks

To make this simple candy, dip peppermint sticks in dark chocolate, then roll the chocolate portion in crushed nuts, cinnamon-sugar, or sweetened coconut. Wrap in clear cellophane and tie with pretty ribbon for giving.

Peppermint Sticks

Makes: 16 servings

Yield: 16 gifts

Prep: 20 mins

Stand: 30 mins

Cherry-Apricot-Pistachio Baklava

Baklava provides a break from Christmas cookies and stores beautifully in a holiday tin topped with a magnetic clip and a note from you.

Cherry, Apricot and Pistachio Baklava

Makes: 35 servings

Prep: 1 hr

Bake: 40 mins to 50 mins 325°F

Chicken Noodle Vegetable Soup

Mom's classic recipe makes a great gift and looks tasty in a quart jar wrapped with a flour-sack towel and seasonal ribbon.

Chicken Noodle-Vegetable Soup

Makes: 6 servings

Yield: 2 jars (three 1 1/3-cup servings each)

Prep: 30 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Pumpkin-Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel

A crunchy streusel topping adds a festive twist to this brunch favorite. For simple packaging, try an inexpensive basket with a satin ribbon.

Pumpkin-Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Pecan Streusel

Makes: 12 servings

Prep: 45 mins

Cool: 10 mins to

Bake: 1 hr 325°F

Chunky Cranberry Relish

Cinnamon and orange zest add pizzazz to this delicious relish, which can be made up to a week in advance. Decorative jars, topped with a cute wooden spoon and personalized note, make ideal packaging.

Chunky Cranberry Relish

Makes: 16 servings

Yield: 4 to 5 cups

Start to Finish: 20 mins

Chocolate Doughnut Delights

Chocolate-dipped doughnut holes get a holiday makeover with coconut, sprinkles, and edible glitter. For a lovely gift, place them in a pretty tin lined with a colorful napkin.

Chocolate Doughnut Delights

Yield: 24 doughnut holes

Stand: 1 hr

Roasted Spiced Almonds

Simple metal tins look cheerful when decked with leftover wrapping paper or bold grosgrain ribbon. A handwritten tag under the ribbon lets recipients know what delightful treat is nestled inside -- pumpkin pie-spiced nuts.

Roasted Spiced Almonds

Makes: 22 servings

Yield: 5 1/2 cups

Prep: 50 mins

Bake: 30 mins 350°F

Butterscotch Brownies and Deep Chocolate Brownies

This two-in-one brownie gift looks lovely in a pretty confection box (available at crafts stores). Alternate brownie squares for a fun checkerboard effect.

Butterscotch Brownies

Makes: 24 servings

Yield: 24 bars

Prep: 30 mins

Cool: 2 hrs

Bake: 20 mins 350°F

See Deep Chocolate Brownies Recipe

Marinated Feta and Olives

Give your friends and family a ready-to-devour appetizer -- cheese cubes, Kalamata olives, green olives, roasted peppers, and onion wedges marinated in an herb vinaigrette. Fabric dresses up screw-top jars, which are personalized with a homemade label.

Marinated Feta and Olives

Makes: 20 servings

Yield: 5 cups

Prep: 30 mins

Marinate: 4 hrs to 6 hrs

French Market Pull-Aparts

With the tempting flavors of pumpkin pie spice, espresso powder, and maple syrup, these flaky rolls are anything but ordinary. For stylish packaging, place them in a baking dish and wrap with colorful ribbons.

French Market Pull-a-Parts

Makes: 16 servings

Yield: 2 loaves

Prep: 25 mins

Bake: 40 mins 350°F

Cool: 10 mins to 30 mins

Holiday Cheese Straws

These crisp, flaky snacks make a delightful gift when wrapped in a starched cotton napkin that's lined in waxed paper. Personalize it with a vintage card and raffia.

Holiday Cheese Straws

Yield: 32 to 36 cheese straws

Prep: 20 mins

Bake: 15 mins 375°F

Vanilla Bean Liqueur

For a make-ahead gift your friends and family will love, combine vodka, sugar, and vanilla beans, and then store for a month in a cool, dark place. Copy your favorite drink recipe onto a cute card and attach it to this luscious liqueur for a personal touch.

Vanilla Bean Liqueur

Yield: 2-1/2 cups

Start to Finish: 10 mins

Hazelnut-Mocha Sauce

Cook chocolate pieces and chocolate-hazelnut spread with evaporated milk and sugar for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour it in a glass jar and refrigerate until serving or giving as a gift.

Hazelnut-Mocha Sauce

Yield: 6 half-pint jars

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 8 mins

Mocha Hot Cocoa Mix

What's more festive than coffee and chocolate? For stylish packaging, spoon this hot chocolate mix into a bag, tie with thread, and tuck it into a cozy mug with directions.

Mocha Hot Cocoa Mix

Makes: 15 servings

Yield: 5 (3-serving) bags

Start to Finish: 15 mins

Cran Crackle Bars

These salty-sweet bars feature mixed nuts, dried cranberries, white chocolate, and pretzel bits. To give them as gifts, put a few on a pretty plate and tie a bow around them.

Cran Crackle Bars

Makes: 24 servings

Prep: 20 mins

Bake: 30 mins 325°F

Honey-Nut Topping

Toss nuts with honey to coat and place in a decorative container; the sweet topping is delicious on pound cake, ice cream, or even oatmeal. You can store it at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Honey-Nut Topping

Malted Fudge Brownies

The crunch of malted milk balls and toasted walnuts adds a fun twist to classic chocolate brownies. Affix decorative paper around a container or tin for a delightful gift.

Malted Fudge Brownies