51 DIY Food Gifts Way Sweeter Than Store-Bought

By BH&G Holiday Editors
Updated September 28, 2020
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Credit: Andy Lyons
A tasty DIY food gift is the present everyone loves. We have fun food gift ideas for everyone on your list, including creamy chocolate truffles, Christmas cookies, hot sauce, flavored syrups, and more. And with our cute packaging ideas, these homemade edible gifts will be the prettiest gifts under the tree.
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Roasted Red Pepper Soup in a Jar

Credit: Andy Lyons
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Little is cozier come fall and winter than a steaming bowl of soup. Share one of the most soul-warming homemade edible gift ideas: heat-and-eat soup mix! This red pepper soup recipe is gluten-free, fat-free, and low in calories (yet still full of flavor), so it's ideal for gifting. Package with a spoon for easy enjoyment.

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Flavored Syrups

Credit: Andy Lyons
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These bottled syrups are perfect for adding flavor to cocktails, mocktails, and more. (Next-level mimosas, anyone?) Click the link below for our nicely-spiced vanilla, then try our Candied Ginger Syrup and Pomegranate-Herb Syrup, too.

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Cheddar Wafers

Credit: Andy Lyons
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Leave the packaged crackers on the shelf. These easy cheddar crackers can be ready to wrap in less than an hour—and are possible to prep up to a week in advance. From a snack for the kids to a classy cheese board addition, these crackers are among the post crowd-pleasing food gifts available.

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Toasted Seasoning Salt

Credit: Andy Lyons
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Did you know that toasting salt in a skillet imparts a smoky flavor? Whip up a big batch of these savory seasoning blends and give them to the meat-lovers in your life to season their steaks. Vegetarians can toss this no-cook food gift with popcorn, nuts, or roasted chickpeas.

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Spiced Bourbon Cherries

Credit: Andy Lyons
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Like old fashioned cocktails? Then you’ll love these bourbon cherries! Stock them in your bar or share them as a fun food gift. These spiced cherries are flavored with bourbon, vanilla, and pepper—making them a must-have for home mixologists.

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Candied Ginger

Credit: Andy Lyons
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Our spicy-sweet candied ginger is a great food gift. Also known as crystallized ginger, this easy homemade Christmas treat makes a tasty addition to cookies, cakes, chocolate barks, and more. Suggest stirring it into tea, too!

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Dip Seasoning

This unique food gift is actually three presents in one! Create a pack of jars or bottles so your friends and family can season sour cream or plain Greek yogurt three tasty ways: Bloody Mary (tomato, celery, salt), Mediterranean (oregano, cumin, lemon), and Pesto (pine nuts, basil, garlic).

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Individual Brownie Cheesecakes in Jars

Credit: Jason Donnelly
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Combine the best of both worlds with adorable snowman desserts that feature both brownies and cheesecake! Screw lids onto baked and cooled cheesecake jars. Cut off the toe end from one baby sock and wrap the cut end with a length of twine. Glue tiny pom-poms to the twine ends. Slide sock hat over top of the jar lid, then dress up with pom-poms and ribbon. Too cool!

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Pancake Kit

Credit: Andy Lyons
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A tasty pancake kit can make a surprisingly thoughtful and creative Christmas gift. Package together purchased or homemade pancake mix (see the link below for out buttermilk blend), a container of milk, pure maple syrup, and fresh fruit. Make identifying tags from twine and cardstock; an unused guest check transforms into an adorable recipe instructions sheet.

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Christmas Macaroon Mix

Credit: Blaine Moats
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Candied cherries and orange peel spice up our coconut macaroons; pretty embellishments decorate their packaging. Place the disk lid on top of the filled jar, then place a scrapbooking paper circle on top and secure with the rim lid. Lastly, twist a white pipe cleaner on each end of a red pipe cleaner to complete this cookie food gift.

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Pecan Pie Slabs

Credit: Scott Little
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Reuse a plastic cookie tray from a cookie package to gift our delicious pecan pie bars with ease! Line the bottom of the tray with 3.25 x 2-inch mini paper loaf liners ($2, Wilton). Fill the liners with bar cookies and don't forget a decorative sticker to ID the pie-inspired flavor.

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Reindeer Hot Chocolate Mix

Credit: Blaine Moats
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Cute for kids and grown ups alike, this hot chocolate mix makes the perfect last-minute homemade edible gift. It calls for only five ingredients and can be made in 15 minutes flat. Instruct recipients to mix with water and voila: A hug in a mug!

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Cookie Decorating Kit

Credit: Blaine Moats
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A cookie decorating kit is the perfect food gift for a family to use together on Christmas Eve. What a sweet way to welcome Santa! Make a batch of our classic cutout cookies, and package them with sprinkles and frosting. Print our cheery labels for a sweet holiday food gift!

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Dark Chocolate Candy Bark

Credit: Karla Conrad
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A candy-lover will chow down on this rich chocolate bark. Customize the recipe for your loved one by using their favorite candy bar in the filling. Finish off this sweet food gift with our adorable pup silhouette and lid liner.

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Spiced Apple Tea Mix

Credit: Blaine Moats
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Meet our #1 pick for "food gift for holiday hosts." This cozy tea mix features ginger, cloves, and dried apple chips, giving it the taste of apple pie in a cup. Craft a tea kit with paper cups, tea filters (from $4, Etsy), and our cute printable tags.

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Pizza Night Kit

Credit: Jason Donnelly
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Delight a neighbor or friend with a make-at-home dinner for the evening. Use our recipes for pizza dough and sauce, and tie up bundles of classic pizza toppings. To package this creative gift, use a pizza box and stick on a cute custom label.

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Triple-Pepper Hot Sauce

Credit: Andy Lyons
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Spice up your (er, their) life! Three kinds of chile peppers make this hot sauce a perfect food gift for the daredevil diners in your circle. Print our custom labels and tie mild dried chiles to the bottles to hint at the heat inside.

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Savory Herb Salt Rub

Credit: Karla Conrad
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A master griller will love our herb-infused custom salt rub, and it's a cinch to make. Package the seasoning mixture in glass bottles, then glue twine in a spiral for a cool top. Wrap burlap and our label around each bottle for a custom finish.

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Triple-Chocolate Truffles

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
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Delight all the chocoholics with a batch of decadent truffles. Plastic boxes, candy cups, and festive fabric are all you need to package these luscious treats. It's really all about the decadent milk chocolate-covered truffles inside, anyway.

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Cinnamon Roll Twists

Credit: Amy Allen
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Great for a post-holiday breakfast, this wholesome cinnamon roll recipe features moist potato dough, a spiced cherry-and-pecan filling, and a luxurious cream cheese icing. Bake the twist in a disposable foil pan, then add the lid and color to your gift with a wide, festive ribbon.

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Lemon-Lavender Cookies

Credit: Karla Conrad
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Delight a foodie friend with these delicate lavender cookies. We made cookie sandwiches for easy packing, but you also can spoon the sweet sugar frosting on top. To wrap the cookies, stack them in a paper-lined roll of corrugated cardboard. Place a round of cork at each end and tightly tie the tube with ribbon.

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Apple-Berry Pie in a Jar

Credit: Karla Conrad
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We're starry-eyed about these sweet mini pies taste as good as they look! Bake the pie in a1-cup, wide-mouth canning jar ($10, Ace Hardware), then place the cooled pie in a pint-size wooden berry basket. Wrap the basket with red yarn and add a personalized label to complete the all-American food gift.

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Spicy Lime Pistachio Nuts

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

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Cherry-Apricot-Pistachio Baklava

Credit: Kritsada Panichgul
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Take their taste buds on an International tour with this flaky pastry treat. Baklava makes the perfect food gift because it offers a unique twist on the concept of Christmas cookies. Package the baklava triangles in a holiday tin topped with a magnetic clip and a note from you.

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Peanut Butter-Toffee Bars

Credit: Blaine Moats
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Individually wrapped in pretty paper and tied with a bit of string, these decadent bars make small but perfect last-minute gifts. Your loved ones will go nuts about the crunchy, salty topping. (Oh yes, and the layer of peanut butter-infused chocolate, too.)

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Black-and-White Pretzels

Credit: Jason Donnelly
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Double-dipped chocolate and vanilla pretzels are a salty-and-sweet food gift that anyone will love. For the packaging, glue scrapbook paper around a potato chip can. Adhere a homemade label to the can using glue, then wrap the can with twine.

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Oatmeal Jam Bars

Credit: Jason Donnelly
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Surprise your loved ones with a box of luscious berry jam bars. The buttery cream cheese crumble on top will have them clamoring for the recipe. To package the bars, line a gift box with waxed paper and glue ribbon to the top of the box. Write with chalk on a cardstock tag to finish the gift.

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Cinnamon and Fruit Cookies

Credit: Karla Conrad
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Gift this classic childhood favorite with a grown-up twist for the holidays. A bold dose of cinnamon and dried fruit adds some sophisticated flavor to oatmeal cookies. To package, line a small burlap gift bag with brown parchment paper. Tie the filled bag with ribbon and add a tag.

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Petite Peppermint Petits Fours

Credit: Scott Little
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Need a last-minute gift? Don’t fret. These French-style peppermint cakes have a trick up their sleeve: A frozen pound cake base allows you to put them together in just 30 minutes. Dress them up with paper candy cups ($4, Etsy) and a gift box.

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