Food Holidays & Occasions Christmas 12 Homemade Food and Drink Gifts for Anyone on Your List Treat the food and drink lovers in your life to festive cookies or homemade cocktail syrups and candy this holiday season. By Ashley Day Ashley Day Ashley Day is Food & Wine's associate editorial director. She's edited and directed food and travel content at USA TODAY, the Institute of Culinary Education, and Chef & Restaurant magazine, and contributed to The Food Institute, The Daily Meal, and the recipe app meez. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on December 6, 2024 Close Photo: Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Homemade food and drink gifts can be a labor of love or a quick way to treat a lot of people this holiday season. Whip up flavored syrups for cocktails or baking, bake and break a big batch of chocolate bark or brittle, or decorate festive cookies for fans of seasonal flavors. Whether you want to make your own candy or caramels, rely on these pro recipes for thoughtful treats that are ideal as host gifts at holiday parties; or surprises for colleagues, neighbors, teachers, coaches, and loved ones alike. 01 of 12 Toffee with Sliced Almonds Food & Wine / Photo by Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Joseph Wanek Nicole Hopper in the Food & Wine Test Kitchen seasons chocolate and almond-topped toffee with salted butter, kosher salt, and flaky salt, swapping the traditional corn syrup for maple syrup and baking soda for this hard (but not too hard!) toffee perfect for snacking and gifting. Get the Recipe 02 of 12 Peppermint Rock Candy Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Take on a captivating (and sweet!) science experiment that yields shimmering clusters of peppermint-flavored crystals — plus leftover peppermint syrup that can be stirred into hot chocolate or cocktails. Get the Recipe 03 of 12 Ginger Syrup Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Ali Domrongchai Peeling fresh ginger is as complicated as this 10-minute gift gets. Simply curate a cute bottle for portioning, and treat the cocktail or sparkling water fans in your life with a syrup they can use for homemade sodas and cocktails. Get the Recipe 04 of 12 Dark Chocolate Bark with Roasted Almonds and Seeds Julia Hartbeck This quick recipe from famous chocolatier Jacques Torres only requires three ingredients and yields 25 chunky pieces of giftable bark. Get the Recipe 05 of 12 Hot Buttered Rum Biscotti Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Blogger Jonathan Melendez flavors this holiday treat with sweetened browned butter, rum, and warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Get the Recipe 06 of 12 Fudgy Grasshopper Sandwich Cookies Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Cookbook author Jesse Szewczyk sandwiches two tender chocolate cookies around minty white chocolate ganache with streaks of dark chocolate in a swirling chevron pattern for an eye-catching, cocktail–inspired treat. Get the Recipe 07 of 12 Toasted Pepita and Ancho Chile Peanut Brittle Toasted Pepita and Ancho Chile Peanut Brittle. Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Chef LaMara Davidson's brittle gives the gift of smoky sweetness with toasty peanuts, pepitas, warm cinnamon, and smoky, sweet ancho chile powder — and is ready in one hour. Get the Recipe 08 of 12 Cinnamon Syrup Eva Kolenko Infuse a mixture of sugar and water with whole cinnamon sticks for a versatile, seasonal syrup that can be incorporated into hot and cold beverages, yogurt, pancakes, or even as a soak to moisten cakes. Get the Recipe 09 of 12 Vegan Coconut-Ginger Caramels Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Thai chile brings complex, fruity heat to these fragrant caramels perfect for a friend who prefers vegan treats. Get the Recipe 10 of 12 Bee’s Knees Snowballs Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Thom Driver Give cocktail-inspired and winter-themed cookies flavored with floral orange blossom honey and fresh lemon zest from cookbook author Leah Koenig. Get the Recipe 11 of 12 Chocolate-Peppermint Brownies © Kristin Perers Claire Ptak — from London’s cult-favorite bakery Violet — swirls peppermint chocolate into the fudgy batter, then tops the brownies with crushed candy canes for this delightful treat. Get the Recipe 12 of 12 Soft Apple-Cider Caramels © John Kernick Use a flavored apple cider or add different spices to customize these chewy treats from Justin Chapple. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit