I come from a family of many amazing cooks — aunts, uncles, and cousins through many generations. We have several family-favorite recipes that make great homemade edible holiday gifts for neighbors, teachers, and friends.
Now I am teaching my girls to make these family holiday favorites. We look forward to making them as a family and deciding who will receive our gifts.
Here are four of my favorite holiday edible homemade gift recipes. They are all super easy to prepare — and fun to make as a family.
These homemade items can be wrapped up in festive boxes or put in canning jars with a little ribbon, a note, and a copy of the recipe and you have the perfect little gift for anyone on your list. Happy holidays!
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Grandma Schrock's Hot Cocoa Mix
This looks really cute in a canning jar with a ribbon tied around the lid...just attach the directions on how to make cocoa below, and you have an instant gift!
Ingredients:
- 16 ozs. instant cocoa mix
- 8 qts. dry milk powder
- 3 oz. powdered non-dairy creamer
- 16 ozs. powdered sugar
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
- Makes 1 gallon of dry mix (or 64 cups). Store in an air-tight container.
To make cocoa: Put 1/4 c. of hot cocoa mix in mug and add 1 cup of hot water. Stir until blended and add some marshmallows. Then enjoy!
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The Best Ever Party Mix
This recipe is very easy to double and even triple!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Rice Chex
- 1 cup Wheat Chex
- 1 cup broken pretzel sticks
- 1 cup Cheerios
- 1 cup Corn Chex
- 1 cup peanuts
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
Directions:
- Melt butter, oil, salt, & garlic salt in sauce pan.
- Mix together remaining ingredients in large bowl.
- Pour butter mixture over dry ingredients and mix well.
- Pour mix onto foil lined cookie sheet and bake at 325 for 20 mins., stirring occasionally.
- Once done, place on layers of paper towels to drain and cool. Store in an air-tight container.
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Aunt Virginia's Soft Caramels
These will melt in your mouth!
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 2 sticks of butter
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 15 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- Dash of salt
- Waxed paper, cut into 3" squares
Directions:
- Melt butter in a heavy saucepan.
- Add sugar, and corn syrup and salt; mix well.
- Gradually add sweetened condensed milk and stir constantly.
- Stir and cook over med. heat to firm ball stage (244-248 degrees on a candy thermometer).
- Remove from heat and add vanilla.
- Pour into a buttered 9x9 pan.
- Let cool completely and then cut into squares.
- Wrap each caramel in waxed paper square and twist ends.
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Aunt Zara's Caramel Corn
This caramel corn will melt in your mouth and will be the best you've ever tasted!
Ingredients:
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 sticks of butter
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 6-8 qts. popped popcorn
Directions:
- Bring brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt to a boil; continue boiling for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add vanilla and baking soda. Stir after each addition.
- Pour over popcorn and stir until well coated.
- Pour popcorn on parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake at 250 for 1 hr. Stir 3-4 times throughout baking.
- Once done, let cool and then store in an air-tight container.
Brigette Schroeder is the publisher of Macaroni KID Yorkville - Geneva - St. Charles, Ill.
