10 Unique Edible Gifts

It’s no secret that any handmade gift will always be more special than a store-bought one. Homemade food gifts are especially wonderful, a labour of love that shows someone you care about them. If you have a special occasion coming up and you’re wondering what to give your loved one, how about a unique edible gift? You can easily personalise them according to your giftee’s favourite flavours. And with Christmas round the corner, this is a good time to start thinking of festive food ideas to make. Luckily, we have you sorted with our blog post on Christmas-themed foodie presents. So, keen to get cooking? From fun savoury edible homemade gifts in a jar to flavoured oils and sweet treats, take a look at these 10 unique edible gifts.

Supercharged Garlic Butter

Flavoured butter is that much more special than regular butter. Garlic and butter is a classic combination, and this Jamie Oliver recipe from Tesco Real Food shows how you can easily make it at home. You’ll only need five ingredients, including parsley, garlic, nutmeg, lemon and butter. Wrap it up in some festive butter paper and you have a delicious gift that will please any palate. It’s very versatile too, and you can serve it with steak, roasted veggies, salmon and pasta dishes.

Florentine Biscuits

Florentines are a delicious Christmas treat (fun fact: despite their name, these biscuits originated in France and not Florence). This recipe by Cassie Best from BBC Good Food is a spin on the classic, and has been given a chocolatey biscuit base which is perfect for dunking into hot tea or cocoa. Just a touch of ground cinnamon adds warmth and fragrance to these treats. Biscuits make fantastic gifts as you can easily arrange them in a decorative tin or festive packaging.

Spiced Boozy Prunes

If you know someone who loves all things boozy, then this recipe by Cherie Denham from Delicious Magazine is one to make. Potent Irish whiskey and port pair well with pungent and warming spices like cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves, coriander seeds, allspice berries and star anise. You can use these prunes in all kinds of ways, whether that’s topped onto porridge, stirred into yoghurt or spread onto shortbread biscuits.

Hot Garlic Rosemary Oil Dip

For something a little less powerful, how about this recipe for garlic and rosemary oil? Only four ingredients are required, and it only takes 20 minutes to make. A bottle of this fragrant oil makes the perfect gift for any foodie who can use it as a dip with breadsticks, poured onto flatbread, added to salad dressings and marinades, or even drizzled over eggs.

Speculaas

Also known as speculoos, these spiced biscuits are traditional to the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg on St Nicholas’ Day, and in Germany and Austria around Christmas. It’s similar to gingerbread, although speculaas has a more sugar and spice feel, with their spice blend leaning more towards aroma than heat. This recipe is super easy to follow, and uses spices like ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves and ground cinnamon.

Peach & Cardamom Jam

When it comes to homemade foodie gifts, you can’t go wrong with a jar of homemade jam. Looking for something beyond raspberry or strawberry? This recipe for peach and cardamom jam by Cassie Best from BBC Good Food is just what you need. Sweet peaches pair perfectly with the floral and fruity notes of cardamom. Decorate the jar with Christmas ribbons and you have a winning gift.

Sichuan Chilli Oil

For the chilli enthusiasts in your life, spice up their Christmas with some homemade Sichuan chilli oil. This recipe uses Chinese Sichuan peppercorns, known for their tongue-tingling spice and numbing effect. Together with garlic, shallots, star anise, cinnamon quills, bay leaves and cloves, simmer the spices in oil until you get a toasty fragrance. You can use your chilli oil in many different ways, from light frying to drizzling over noodles.

Chipotle Chilli And Pineapple Chutney

Another excellent gift for any chilli enthusiast is this recipe for chipotle chilli and pineapple chutney From Tesco Real Food. This is one of our favourite savoury edible homemade gifts in a jar, as it makes the ideal companion to your Christmas cheeses. The combination of sweet pineapple and bell peppers with spicy chillies and smoky chipotle chilli flakes, ground turmeric and yellow mustard seeds will have your mouth watering.

Gingerbread-spiced Granola

Know someone who’s big on breakfasts? Make their mornings something to look forward to with this festive granola recipe from Tesco Real Food. It’s much easier to make than you think, and is ready in 25 minutes. As well as Christmassy spices like ground ginger, ground cinnamon and ground allspice, you’ll also need your classic granola ingredients like oats, nuts, seeds and dried fruit. The recipe calls for dried cranberries but you can swap them out for raisins, sultanas or dried apricots. You can also use gluten-free oats instead. 

Personalised Tea Bags

Any tea lover is bound to appreciate this gift. This recipe for personalised tea bags from Delicious Magazine lets you have fun with it and create delicious flavour combinations. You’ll need black loose-leaf tea, as well as empty loose-leaf tea bags. Mix and match flavourings such as: crushed cinnamon sticks, rose petals, orange zest, cardamom pods, star anise, fennel seeds, mixed peppercorns and dried ginger pieces. You can even use our chai spices for a comforting cuppa.