This is the third week of A Gluten-Free Holiday, which focuses on gifts of good taste. I hope you’ve been enjoying the event; I certainly have. Even when I get a little overwhelmed with all the holiday season can entail, I know I can fall back on all the helpful information (recipes, tips, holiday strategies, etc.) offered in this series! Certainly one of the most stressful areas of the holidays can be gift giving. I know that should not be the case, but it often is.
There’s the fact that these are tougher economic times for many, there’s the fact that lots of folks don’t really “need” anything, and there’s the fact that you just don’t know what to buy Aunt Margie, Uncle Frank, or their son, Joey (who you only see once a year and you’re not sure he remembers your name) … just to name a few of the facts that can add stress to the holidays. In my opinion, the solution can be to go back to basics, back to everyone’s common denominator, so to speak—food.
This week’s hostess for our Gluten-Free Holiday event, Alta (Tasty Eats At Home), is sharing her recipes for gifts that will make everyone happy. Her choices are Macadamia Almond Brittle and Pistachio Coconut Macaroons (photo courtesy of Alta). Oh, to be closer to Alta and be on her gift list! But, no worries, because she tells us all how to make these heavenly delights, so I can enjoy some of these treats and make some for gifts, too. There’s a roundup for everyone to enter their foodie gifts or packaging ideas, as well as another giveaway you won’t want to miss.
This time you can win copies of two more well-loved cookbooks—Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking: More than 250 From Scratch Recipes from Around the World, Perfect for Every Meal and Anyone on a Gluten-Free Diet—and Even Those Who Aren’t by Pete and Kelli Bronski and Free for All Cooking: 150 Easy, Gluten-Free, Allergy-Friendly Recipes the Whole Family Can Enjoy by Jules E. Dowler Shepard. I had the ultimate honor of getting to preview Pete and Kelli’s cookbook. I found their wonderful blog, No Gluten, No Problem, long ago. It’s still one of my favorites. You’ll find my review of Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking here at gfe and my recommendation right inside the front cover of their book. I consider it a comprehensive resource for gluten-free cooking. Be on the lookout for Pete and Kelli’s new cupcakes cookbook in Spring 2011.
I haven’t yet had the pleasure of reviewing Jules’ new book although I plan to soon and the few reviews that are on Amazon are 5-star ones! (FYI–Her first book, The First Year: Celiac Disease and Living Gluten Free: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed, is one I often recommend to new support group members.) Jules is also well known for her gluten-free flour mix that produces amazing results, as well as other products, including helpful e-books. You can check out her site here.
So head on over to Alta’s to check it all out, but please return to read some more gift ideas here and what’s in store for the Gluten-Free Holiday event the next few weeks!
Crustless Coconut Pie
This year, another niece and nephew have both requested my Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies. Now they didn’t just say please have your cookies when we get together for Christmas; they specifically asked for those as their gifts—sweet!
Mr. GFE’s late aunt and uncle always loved a particular snack mix that I made. A big tin of Gluten-Free Sweet and Crunchy Snack Mix was truly all they wanted or needed.
If you know that you have family members who love certain recipes, just make them as a gift for them. They will love your thoughtfulness and the fact that they don’t have to share!
How about “homemade” Turtle Treats for someone on your list? Made from Rolos, pretzels, and pecans, these turtles aren’t completely homemade, of course. But, they come together quickly, and, seriously, nobody on your list will complain. Place some tissue paper in a small box or tin, add a few of these turtles, and I guarantee your recipient will be pleased.
I’ve been told by several gfe readers that they’ve made my Pumpkin Butter in a “test run” and will be making more for holiday gifts. Great, easy recipe that only requires a few ingredients and some small, clean jars. (Recycled ones would work just as well as fancy canning jars.)
Last year, I shared how to make Honey Butter and Homemade Vanilla Extract (both shown in top photo). Honey butter is a gift that you can make pretty close to last minute and while the vanilla extract takes weeks to be at its full potency, most gift recipients don’t immediately open it and start using it. So it’s still a wonderful homemade gift option if you make it soon.
Are you familiar with the 3-Minute Chocolate Cake that is made in the microwave in a mug or a bowl? Give an oversized mug or pretty bowl with the dry ingredients included, all sealed with plastic wrap. Attach the recipe. The recipients will only have to add the liquid ingredients for an instant treat. They’ll think of you fondly every time they make that chocolate cake, and they will make it again, because it’s so easy to make and it’s somewhat addictive–so it’s sort of a gift that keeps on giving!
Speaking of cakes, a favorite gift of many is pound cake. Perfect Pound Cake will please any recipient. The fact that it’s gluten free and dairy free only needs to be mentioned to those who have those intolerances. Others don’t need to know and won’t have any idea; as the name says, it’s perfect. Make smaller or even super mini-loaves, if you like. Finally, if you have a lemon lover on your gift list, a reader’s question just reminded me that Alta (Tasty Eats At Home) made a lemon version of my pound cake. Check that out here.
This past weekend in the USA Weekend supplement to our newspaper, there was an article on Gifts from the Kitchen. All of the recipes came from well-known chefs. I scanned the recipes and the ingredients: Salsa All’Amatriciana … yes, gluten free … Basil Butter … basil, butter, and salt—gluten free … Honey Walnut Butter … a lovely variation on my honey butter, and, gluten free … Chocolate Bark … chocolate chips, oil, extract, nuts, etc.—gluten free? check! … Spiced Cocoa … just brown sugar, Dutch-processed cocoa, and cayenne pepper—again, gluten free … Pumpkin Seed Dried Cherry Trail Mix … nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and maple syrup—okay, safe! … and finally, Orangecello made using navel oranges, vodka (distilled alcohol is gluten free), water, and sugar—yippee—every single recipe was gluten free!
Now how cool is that? A whole section of gift ideas that were naturally gluten free—gfe, baby! Now there was not one mention of them being gluten free, but that’s perfectly okay. In fact, it’s better than okay, because chances are if they were recipes that were identified as gluten free, they’d most likely contain processed foods and gluten-free specialty items. Not everyone wants to eat those or wants to pay what are usually high prices for them. Once you know which basic ingredients are safe, you can scan any recipes in an article or a cookbook and know if you can make them “as is” or make a simple substitution to make them gluten free.
Here are some other great Christmas gift ideas that are most definitely gifts of good taste:
Diane (The W.H.O.L.E. Gang) with Twisted Chocolate Bark (with a surprise ingredient … one of my favorites!) and rockin’ video to boot.
Stephanie’s (A Year of Slow Cooking) Slow Cooker Sugared Cinnamon Almonds—made in the slow cooker.
Heidi’s (Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom) Handcrafted Dairy-Free and Casein-Free Caramels … check out the photos. Caramels that you can twist or sprinkle with sea salt and cut into squares.
Cathy (Noble Pig) just made some Nutty Vanilla Granola. I’d be thrilled if someone gave me this homemade granola. (Again, be sure to use certified gluten-free purity protocol oats.) (Read more here.)
Shelley, a reader at Get Rich Slowly (a personal finance blog I enjoy), shares inexpensive food and non-food gift ideas here. Even if you’ve read some of them before, I think you’ll appreciate the “jog” to your memory.
Originally published November 20, 2010; updated November 27, 2022.
Heidi @adventuresofaglutenfreemom.com says
I love it Shirley! I’ve got 6 bottles of your vanilla just about ready to go and I have been meaning to make your poundcake for some time now, they will look cute baked in a mini loaf pan.
And I will definitely be making some dairy-free turtles (btw, thanks for the link love).
xo,
Heidi
Shirley says
Hey Heidi–I can’t wait to see what you think of the pound cake! I got another rave testimonial on it just today. And, Son was bummed that I didn’t have on waiting for him when he popped home today. LOL (Bad mom.)
I’m so glad you made the vanilla … it just couldn’t be easier and it so much cheaper and better quality. Did you know that McCormick’s now adds corn syrup to their vanilla? A friend shared that info on FB the other day. 🙁
Those turtles are divine! Can’t wait to see you dairy-free version. Those caramels you made are just so amazing, Heidi!
Shirley
Ricki says
How fabulous–a surfeit of amazing gift ideas! Thanks so much for all of these. And how great to know that GF gifts abound in general (whether acknowledged as such or not!). I’m leaning toward the pumpkin butter and homemade vanilla, but I love the idea of the cake-in-a-mug kit–as I said, fabulous! 😀
Shirley says
Hi Ricki–Ah, thanks so much, dear! 🙂 Wasn’t that article with gifts of food that were naturally gluten free, amazing? I forgot to note it in my post, but many were also dairy free and/or refined sugar free, or adaptable.
I haven’t made one of those 3-min cakes in a while, but I’ve had fun with them in the past! One can go basic or upscale with them and the containers used to “gift” them. 😉 But pumpkin butter and vanilla are great choices, too.
Hugs,
Shirley
Kim @ Cook It Allergy Free says
What a great conglomeration of holiday gift ideas. I have had the vanilla going for about 4 weeks now, and now I just need to find some time to work on all of these other great ideas! What an awesome post, Shirley. So so many thought going through my head now on what to do. (Just. Need. More. Time.) 😉
Shirley says
Hey Kim–Thank you! So happy you’re well on your way on the vanilla extract path. 🙂 Four weeks in at this point means you’ll have some beautiful, fragrant vanilla come Christmas!
If you’re looking at some of the gift that could be made well in advance, just spend 15 to 30 minutes here and there on them. For example, the 3-min chocolate cake mixes in mugs could be made that way. Pumpkin butter can be made and stashed at the back of the fridge. Of course, the hardest part can be deciding what to make and who will get what. 😉
I usually feel pretty good about gifts, doing some here and there, noting them on my list, etc. … and then I end up having a big panic attack at the end. LOL So I totally sympathize!
xo,
Shirley
Maggie says
Shirley! As always your post is full of information! And thank you so much for linking to my post – you’re so sweet and supportive. Also, thank you for linking to your vanilla. I bought some beans this week so I Could make it. Here I go!
Shirley says
Hey there, Maggie–Thank so much! And you’re welcome … I’m always delighted to link to all your good stuff over at She Lets Them Eat Cake. 😉
Woohoo on making vanilla extract! So easy to do, but makes you feel brilliant. Truly!
Hugs,
Shirley
Zoe says
I’ve yet to make my own vanilla extract but I intend to one day. The vanilla extracts I’ve used over the years has either glycerin or alcohol, depending on the brand. No added sugar or other additives, my family’s always been careful about that – we go for the real stuff. (That’s shocking that corn syrup would be used in vanilla!) Right now I’m using either Simply Organic or Whole Foods’ 365 organic brand, whichever is available or has the better price, and both use alcohol.
Shirley says
Hi Zoe–When you eventually make vanilla extract, you’ll wonder why you waited so long. You’re quite the baker so I imagine you go through some vanilla in a year. Can’t wait until one day when you make it to see what you think. 😉
I know … shocking and disappointing on the corn syrup added to vanilla for sure. Corn syrup is everywhere these days. All the more reason to read those labels …
Hugs,
Shirley
Neva says
Thanks for all of the excellent gift ideas, several will be going under our tree to give to others
Shirley says
Neva–Thank you! I hope you and the recipients will enjoy these gifts. I think I enjoy making them as much as those on my list enjoy receiving them. 🙂 So, I hope it works out that way for you, too. 😉
Have a wonderful holiday season!
Shirley
Lael Hazan @educatedpalate says
Great ideas! You are always a font of information. Thank you for posting all of the great links, the cake in the cup concept is BRILLIANT! I think I’m going to do that for the teacher gifts this year.
Thanks
Shirley says
Hey Lael–Thanks! I can’t take credit for those cakes in the cup, but I certainly have enjoyed creating them from time to time. 😉 Stacy Miller who commented has two books out of Microwaveable Mug Cakes, one that’s gluten free and one that’s not. I think your girls’ teachers will enjoy receiving the cakes in a cup as gifts. I know I would have as a teacher. After a long day, adding a few ingredients, popping the mug in the microwave for 3 minutes, and ending up with a delightful chocolate cake would have been wonderful!
Shirley
Rachel @ The Crispy Cook says
Terrific ideas. I know the older folks on my gift-giving list don’t want “stuff” so much as food gifts or other practical gifts (books, postage stamps, bird seed) and this list is great. I love Alta’s wealth of GF gift ideas too. Those easy turtles sound like fantastic last-minute gift ideas.
Hugs from upstate New York!
Shirley says
Hi Rachel–Thanks! I liked your gift ideas on your site, too. 🙂 I don’t think you have to be too old to not want “stuff” any more. I’m so over clutter and want gifts like you mentioned. Ones that I don’t have to dust for one thing, or hide away and bring out when Aunt Mary drops by. 😉 There are sooo many options and usually they aren’t in the sales flyers.
Alta’s recipes for gifts were so scrumptious, weren’t they? I wanted to reach through the screen to grab some of her bark or those cookies! Yes, the turtles are super quick and easy. They’re fun for kids to help make and package, too. 🙂
Hugs back!
Shirley
Linda says
I really want to make some food gifts this year and will be going over all the ideas after Thanksgiving.
Shirley says
Hi Linda–Those few days after Thanksgiving are perfect to plan some food gifts IMHO. Have fun with it!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Shirley
Alta says
Great round-up, Shirley! I’m ready for everyone to send ME these edible gifts! Haha. 🙂
Shirley says
Hi Alta–Oh, what fun to just receive all these gifts—you are right! LOL, but remember the joy is in giving. 😉 A little of both will be good though. 🙂
Shirley