Your Big Guide To Edible Christmas Gifts To Make
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Homemade edible Christmas gifts are always a treat to make and receive. Here are twenty ideas that will delight every recipient on your list this year, whatever their dietary preference.
Whether it’s for family members, a teacher, a neighbour, a friend, or a workplace secret Santa, edible Christmas gifts are always well received. After all, who doesn’t love receiving a bag or a box neatly filled with homemade goodies that have been baked with love?
Plus it’s a super sustainable option – you’re almost guaranteed that your gift won’t go unused or create any waste.
Homemade edible gifts are always the way to go. Whether you are looking to make something handmade for your loved ones, reduce the waste associated with Christmas, or gift something thoughtful on a budget, then they always hit the spot.
The Best Homemade Edible Christmas Gifts to Make
Here are twenty homemade edible Christmas gift ideas to make this festive season, or for inspiration for next Christmas. To help you cater to different dietary preferences, I’ve indicated if each recipe is vegetarian, vegan-friendly, gluten-free or nut-free.
Christmas Pudding Cookies
- Vegetarian / Nut-Free
These Christmas pudding cookies, by Jane’s Patisserie, are so sweet that they are just the perfect thing to wrap up in a box and gift to your friends and family this Christmas. Don’t worry if your loved ones don’t like Christmas pudding – this doesn’t have any Christmas pudding flavours. It’s simply a chocolate chip cookie dipped in white chocolate to stunning effect.
Homemade Vegan Chocolate
- Vegan / Vegetarian / Nut-Free / Gluten-Free
Here’s how to make vegan chocolate – specifically dark chocolate chilli and orange vegan chocolate. And not only is it vegan, but it’s also free from refined sugar, for that healthier edge. Perfect for a health-conscious vegan friend with a bit of a sweet tooth!
Homemade Clementine Curd
- Vegetarian / Nut-free / Gluten-Free
Anna Jones’s homemade clementine curd makes for a great seasonal gift idea – Anna quite rightly describes it as sunshine in a jar. It will definitely wake you up with a smile when thickly smeared on toast!
I’d make this one as close to Christmas as you can. This curd will keep refrigerated for up to two weeks, or up to a month in the freezer.
Rosemary-Spiced Nuts
- Vegan / Vegetarian / Gluten-Free
Looking for an edible gift idea for someone who prefers more savoury foods? Try these rosemary-spiced nuts from The Rising Spoon blog. They can be made in less than 30 minutes, and provided you store them in an airtight jar, they should stay fresh and crunchy for a decent amount of time. This means you don’t have to do a frenzied bake on Christmas Eve!
Lemon-Infused Salt
Vegan / Vegetarian / Gluten-Free / Nut-Free
Another easy savoury make is this lemon-infused salt recipe from Laughing Spatula. It’s really simple to make – if you can use a blender and a potato peeler, then you can make this. Plus, it can keep for around 3 months if stored in an airtight jar. It’s a great way for foodies to add a bit of sunshine to their meals.
Gingerbread Fudge
- Vegetarian / Nut-Free / Gluten-Free
For a super sweet treat that tastes just like Christmas, then this gingerbread fudge, from Delish Magazine, is sure to be a huge hit. It takes just 10 minutes to make, and then requires just one hour to set in the fridge. I find it’s perfect for a last-minute edible Christmas gift for when you’ve invariably realised you forgot to buy a gift for someone on your list!
Fruity Gin and Clementine Marmalade
- Vegan / Vegetarian / Nut-Free / Gluten-Free
For gin lovers, this fruity gin and clementine marmalade makes for a great edible Christmas gift. A little bit fancier than regular marmalade, you can slather it on toast, sandwich it between scones, make delicious marmalade steamed puddings, or even use it in cocktails.
It takes a little bit of time to make, but it is super satisfying to make your own marmalade. What’s more, it makes your house smell delicious whilst making it.
Stout Mustard
- Vegan / Vegetarian / Nut-Free / Gluten-Free
While Christmas is traditionally associated with sweet treats, savoury taste buds don’t have to miss out on receiving edible gifts. Try this vegan mustard recipe, from The Rogue Brussel Sprout. It has a decent shelf life (a few months), so can be prepared in advance of the festive season, for less stress.
It’s also incredibly easy to put together. Whilst the recipe requires the mustard seeds to soak in cider vinegar for a couple of days, once that’s done it is plain sailing. Once the seeds are soaked, it only takes a few minutes to prepare the ingredients and grind the mixture into a paste.)
Do note that once it’s made, it needs to be stored in the fridge.
Infused Olive Oil
Vegetarian / Vegan / Gluten-Free / Nut-Free
If your loved ones like to cook, then try making them this infused olive oil from Live Eat Learn this Christmas. You can make their favourite flavour – Italian, tomato and basic, garlic, lemon thyme or chilli – and these come together in just 20 minutes. These can then be stored somewhere cool and dark until you’re ready to gift them (although do read the full article if you plan on making garlic oil, as there are some safety considerations you need to make).
Raspberry Chocolate Jam
- Vegetarian / Nut-Free / Gluten-Free
Whilst this raspberry and chocolate spread is described as a jam, it isn’t really a jam. Instead, it is more like a chocolate spread. It is rich and decadent, with a fruity taste, and an absolute delight to spread on toast. Your recipients can enjoy it smeared on sourdough toast or spread on brioche buns for a breakfast treat.
This recipe keeps for up to 8 to 10 months unopened. Therefore, it’s best to make this in the summer months, between July and September, when raspberries are in season, and then stash the jars away until Christmas. If you have the willpower to resist eating them all, that is! Alternatively, source frozen raspberries, that have been picked in season and then frozen for later.
Spiced Pear Chutney
- Vegetarian / Vegan / Gluten-Free / Nut-Free
Again, one to make in the autumn and then stash away until Christmas, this spiced pear chutney from Moon, Spoon & Yum is a tasty edible Christmas gift idea. Gift it with some crackers and a nice cheese (vegan or otherwise) and you’ve got the perfect present!
Gingerbread Biscuits
- Vegan / Vegetarian / Nut-Free
This vegan gingerbread biscuit recipe is fun to make, and for extra bonus points, it makes your house smell like a Christmas grotto in the process! Pop these into a box and you’ve got the quintessential Christmas gift sure to be loved by all – old and young.
Christmas Bread
- Vegetarian
My very favourite book on Christmas baking is Advent by Anja Dunk. It’s such a beautiful book, filled with the most delicious festive recipes. I’d say read it when you’re curled up in a blanket with a cup of tea to embrace the full-on cosy Christmas vibes.
There are so many of Anja’s recipes that I would love to include in this post – most of them would make amazing edible Christmas gifts.
Purely to avoid copyright infringement, I’ve included just one! This Christmas Bread recipe is so delicious and easier to make than traditional Stollen. It’s best eaten freshly baked though, so this isn’t one to prepare in advance.
Cranberry & Orange Infused Gin
- Vegetarian / Vegan / Gluten-Free / Nut-Free
Say you care with homemade infused gin this Christmas time. This cranberry and orange-infused gin tastes just like Christmas. The best bit? This recipe has a skill level of precisely zero. If you can add some berries to some gin then you can make this Christmas gin recipe! Aka, my favourite kind of recipe!
The only thing this recipe takes is time. The gin needs at least 3 weeks to infuse, so do make it ahead so that it tastes its absolute best.
Homemade Spiced Rum
- Vegetarian / Vegan / Gluten-Free / Nut-Free
If your loved ones aren’t gin fans, then you could try making this homemade spiced rum by Feast & West. You can follow the recipe, for Feast & West’s blend. Or you can flavour it exactly how you like, with what you have to hand, and the end result will be a beautifully unique blend.
Vegan Chocolate Truffles
- Vegetarian / Vegan / Gluten-Free
These no-bake dairy-free truffles by Delicious Magazine will delight even non-vegans come Christmas time. They’ll also delight you, as you don’t even need to put your oven on to make these! All you need to do is work the mixture into balls and then chill them for 1-2 hours until firm.
Made with cacao powder, dates and Brazil nuts, they make a lovely edible Christmas gift when wrapped up in a box. The recipe makes 40, so you’ll also have plenty to gift to your friends.
Chocolate-Covered Candied Orange Peel
- Vegetarian / Vegan / Gluten-Free / Nut-Free
Every winter, one of my favourite shops makes these deliciously zingy chocolate-covered candied orange peels. They are so addictive, but a little bag costs an absolute arm and a leg.
The good news is that you can make your own using this candied orange peel recipe. It makes for a much more frugal version and can be stored for up to 3 months. This means you can make it in the run-up to Christmas, rather than trying to bake up a frenzy come Christmas Eve.
Chocolate Bark
- Vegetarian / Gluten-Free
Chocolate bark is an easy yet decadent edible treat to make this festive season, ready to gift to your friends and family.
This recipe from The Cozy Apron is prepared with dark chocolate swirled with a touch of white chocolate. It’s then topped with chopped pistachios, roasted almonds, and dried cranberries and apricots, which lend a colourful texture and a sweet fruit and nut flavour! Of course, you can swap your toppings to suit the taste of your recipients, or with what you have in your cupboards.
Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
Vegetarian / Vegan / Gluten-Free / Nut-Free
These spicy roasted chickpeas, from Sweet Peas & Saffron are another good savoury recipe that makes from a great edible Christmas gift idea. They take up to 45 minutes to roast in the oven, and can store for up to one week, so this is one to make closer to the big day.
Three Seed Crackers
- Vegetarian
Finally, these savoury Three Seed Crackers look an absolute delight for those who prefer savoury foodstuffs. Pop some in a jar and you’ve got the perfect homemade gift. Each batch makes 240 crackers, so you’ll have enough to gift everyone on your list!
More Sustainable Christmas Gift Ideas
Looking for more Christmas gift inspiration? I’ve got lots:
- Try my eco-friendly Christmas gift guide for loads of ethical and sustainable ideas for everyone on your list.
- My guide to secondhand gift ideas proves that second-hand is never second-best.
- And my guide to homemade gift ideas is packed full of crafty ideas that would make perfect gifts.
And for even more Christmas inspiration, do check out my ultimate guide to a green Christmas. It’s packed full of ideas on greening the festive period – from eco Christmas trees and plastic-free decorations to tackling food waste, and much more.
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