A homemade food gift created in the kitchen is truly a joy to give or receive. From snack mixes and candies to mini Bundt cakes and more, homemade food gifts deliver a taste of the holidays. Dress up your beautiful work with these ideas for packaging edible gifts.
Gift-Wrapped Oatmeal Canister
Give your leftover oatmeal container another life! Reuse and decorate it with cute Christmas wrapping paper (like this gingerbread house paper from Etsy) and a thin, curled ribbon bow. (Tip: to curl ribbon, slide one scissor blade down a cut piece of ribbon. The ribbon should bounce into a curl once you reach the end of the ribbon strand.) Tuck a sweet surprise, like these fudgy four-ingredient cookies, inside.
Layered Mason Jar Mixes
Fill up mason jars for a sweet gift. Just snag these 1-pint mason jars from Amazon to start. To limit mess, use a funnel or waxed-paper cone to pour ingredients inside. Try it out with this hot cocoa mix recipe or if you’re gifting to the baker in the family, fill your jar up with this brownie recipe.
Twine-Wrapped Parchment Paper
Put parchment paper to good use with this idea for packaging edible gifts: Carefully wrap your favorite Christmas fudge inside a DIY parchment paper wrapping paper. Complete the rustic look by tying a twine ribbon adorned with a cheery candy cane.
Decorated Bread Tin
Add a holiday touch to your favorite Christmas quick bread recipe. Keep the loaf inside its bread tin and nestle a sentimental Christmas card under the bow. This almond tea bread would make the perfect gift.
Kitchen Towel Ribbon
Give two gifts in one! Wrap ingredients together using a fun kitchen towel, like this olive oil dip with a freshly-baked bread loaf, for a DIY food gift any foodie would adore. This Christmas kitchen towel from Etsy is useful and beautiful.
Tissue Paper-Filled Cookie Tin
Who doesn’t want candy for Christmas? Store individually wrapped homemade caramels together in a cookie tin wrapped in festive tissue paper for a classic Christmas food gift.
Glass Milk Jugs
Pour homemade Irish cream or your favorite holiday drinks inside decorated milk jugs. Make it a showstopping presentation by placing filled milk jugs inside a ribbon-wrapped metal bucket. This milk jug set from Amazon comes with four containers—perfect for mixing and matching different festive sips. Looking for a kid-friendly sipper? Peppermint white hot chocolate will serve up smiles.
Tied Plastic Bags
Show off your candied pecans in these simple, yet elegant, plastic bags. Scoop a few handfuls and tie them up with a string bow and voila! This edible gift is all ready to go.
Bow-Wrapped Jam Jars
Make their jam jar even more special by attaching recipe cards so they can make their own! Or, better yet, write down recipes that pair well with this orange pear jam. These canning jars are perfect for this idea since they come with a pretty clip top that you can tie the ribbon through.
Mini Stocking Stuffers
Stuff mini stockings with our bite-sized beer and pretzel caramels. These buffalo plaid mini stockings from Amazon are super festive and fun. For variety, toss a few other homemade Christmas candies in there, too. (This easy truffles recipe would pair nicely!)
Exploding Takeout Box
Foldable boxes aren’t just for your favorite takeout recipes anymore! Keep the box popped open for an exploding effect or slip the box tabs on top and tie up this chocolate peppermint bark with ribbon or yarn. Maybe even slip a homemade ornament (or two!) onto the bow for extra Christmas cheer. Put these foldable boxes from Amazon to good use by using them as favor boxes, leftover containers or serving popcorn on movie night.
Paper-Topped Mason Jars
Ditch the metal lid on top of your mason jar for something a bit homier. Cover the top of this cranberry recipe with brown paper or a vintage tea towel and tightly fasten with a rubber band or ribbon. Personalize it by writing and drawing on the top with a fine-tip pen.
Brown Bag Mixes
Fill up a brown food bag with their favorite snack mix. These see-through bags from Etsy that’ll give them a sneak peek of their gifted treat. Clamp the top with a clothespin and a handwritten note. If you’re feeling crafty, add some Christmas stickers onto the bag.
Packaged Food Gift Tray
Create your own dessert “grazing tray” by adding a jar of chocolate sauce, mini containers filled with fun sprinkles and plastic-wrapped ice cream cones onto this white serving tray. Or gift a homemade hot chocolate board! Here are some other amazing grazing table gift ideas.
Makeshift Chocolate Box
Make a DIY chocolate box using a metal tin, wrapping paper and individually wrapped homemade peanut butter cups. Go above and beyond by alternating different chocolate truffles to mimic a store-bought chocolate box.
Wooden Serving Trays
One of our favorite food wrapping ideas is this modern take on packaging an edible gift. Snag this rustic wooden tray from Sur la Table to display your finest baked creations (because after all, your gift wrap needs to be just as amazing as your baking skills). Finally, rest the macadamia nut loaves on a piece of wax paper and tie with a piece of twine.
Festive Snack Mix Bowl
Dress up a zip-top bag of goodies with a classy, minimalist ceramic bowl and bow. This white bowl from Kohl’s is deep enough to tuck your snack mixes inside.
Wrapped Ready-to-Baked Goods
Send off tasty slice-and-bake cookies in style. First, roll them in parchment or waxed paper and then roll crepe paper on top for a pretty display. Use tissue paper, gift wrap or paper doilies to embellish the outside of the roll and label baking instructions with a dazzling gold Sharpie marker.