10 Edible Gifts to Make and Give

Edible gifts to make and give are the ones that pack easily into a tin or a jar, keep for at least a week, and do not require the recipient to have an oven or a mixer of their own.

This is a mix of my own holiday treats plus a few classic gifts from the jar that are almost as fun to package as they are to eat. All of them travel well and none need refrigeration.

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Buy a stack of tins or mason jars before you start. Half the charm of an edible gift is how it looks when it arrives.

Candy and Bark

From the Jar

A Garnish Worth Gifting

Tools for Packaging Edible Gifts

The exact supplies I reach for every year to make these look like they came from somewhere fancier than my kitchen counter.

Tips for Packaging Edible Gifts

• Line tins with parchment before adding bark or fudge – it keeps the candy from sticking to the metal and makes it easy to lift out.
• Layer cookie mix ingredients in the order they get used in the recipe – it makes the jar look intentional and gives the recipient a visual guide.
• Attach a kraft tag with the recipe or baking instructions – a homemade gift with no instructions is a nice thought that goes unused.
• Wrap jars in cellophane treat bags and tie them with baker's twine – it dresses up a plain jar in about ten seconds and holds the lid on during transport.
• Keep candied nuts and fudge in a cool, dry spot, not the fridge – cold, damp air can make sugar coatings turn sticky.
• Make a double batch of whatever you are gifting – one batch for giving and one for keeping is the only way to actually taste what you made.

Edible Gift Questions

How far ahead can I make edible gifts?

Fudge, bark and candied nuts all keep for one to two weeks at room temperature in an airtight container, so they can be made well before you need to give them.

Do edible gifts need to be refrigerated?

Most of what is on this list does not. Fudge, bark, candied nuts and cookie mix all hold fine at room temperature, which makes them easier to ship or transport.

What is the cheapest edible gift to make in bulk?

Candied nuts and cookie mix in a jar are both inexpensive per gift when made in a big batch, and the jars themselves can often be reused or bought cheaply in bulk.

Pick two or three of these, buy the tins and jars ahead of time, and you have homemade gifts covered for everyone on the list.

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