While the joy of the season brings merrymaking, for many it also comes with the stress of shopping for that perfect present for everyone on your list. This year, go the budget-friendly route without skimping on sentiment with these DIY gift recipes.
Creating a thoughtful gift can be a collaborative effort; invite friends over and craft homemade treasures over eggnog and Bing Crosby tunes. Involve the kids in a cathartic session of gift assemblage, teaching them that time invested in generosity is a gift in itself. To put a bow on it, reusable packaging of a consumable treat offers an eco-friendly option that won’t add to post-party refuse.
We’ve curated a collection of easy-to-make treats that will make holiday gift-giving a breeze. Inspire a traditional English tea by gifting your neighbor or boss spiced apple tea with gingerbread tea biscuits. Adding dried apples and woodsy spices to loose-leaf tea transcends an ordinary cup to a warm hug. This tea kit is packaged with a handmade coffee cup from the Nathaneal Huffman collection, only available at Wildflowers.
Personalized spice mixes will delight the teacher, pastor or colleague who seems to have it all. Save your sanity this holiday season by making gifts for those you love because, after all, a gift from the heart is the greatest gift of all.
Gingerbread Tea Biscuits
Makes 2-3 dozen
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes, per batch
Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup milk
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Pulse dry ingredients in a blender or food processor for 30 seconds to mix. Add remaining ingredients and pulse another 30-45 seconds until a wet dough forms.
Line your work surface with parchment paper and sprinkle with flour. Transfer the dough to the floured surface and form into a disk. Cover the dough with another sheet of parchment and roll it out to 1/8-inch thickness. Use a 2 1/2 inch biscuit cutter to cut round shapes into the dough.
Remove the excess dough, form into a disk and roll it out once more to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut out more round cookies, repeating the process until all the dough has been used. Transfer parchment with prepared cookies to your baking sheet. Prick the biscuits with the tines of a fork to ensure no bubbling during the baking process. Bake biscuits for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
Spiced Apple Tea
Makes 6-8 tea bags
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons loose-leaf English Breakfast tea
- 6 dried apple chips, finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 6 cinnamon sticks
- Special equipment: tea filter bags
Directions:
Combine tea, dried apples, ginger, cloves and allspice in a small bowl and stir to combine. Spoon a generous tablespoon into a tea filter bag. Cinch the tea bag and tie the strings around a cinnamon stick to close.
Barbecue Rub
Makes 1 cup
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
Whisk ingredients together in a bowl and transfer to decorative spice jars. Store in a cool, dry place for 3-6 months.
Cinnamon Spice
Makes about 1/4 cup
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon ground Ceylon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon dried orange zest
Directions:
Combine spices and zest in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Package in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.
Baharat Blend
Makes about 3/4 cup
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon cardamom seeds
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- 1 whole nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
Directions:
Place whole spices in a clean coffee or spice grinder and grind until fine. Stir in paprika and salt until combined. Sieve mixture to remove any large pieces before transferring to an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months.
