I love making edible gifts! This year I plan to make ginger cookies, orange and thyme shortbread cookies, and some spiced nuts. All three are awesome recipes. In the past I've made Robert Linxe's truffles (plain and spiked), French-style nougat, and candied citrus peel—if I had unlimited time and $, which I don't, I'd make all of these things again.

I made raspberry vinegar this summer, which was delicious (although it was more like jam than syrup for me), and I think it would make a nice gift. I like the idea of making apple butter, but it seems difficult to make a large enough quantity to give as gifts. And sometime I'd like to give out marrons glacés, although I'm still experimenting with the method (my first attempts have been decent but not perfect).

This year I bought a really gorgeous pie plate from etsy (JClayPottery) and I'm baking my brother a meat pie in it. Along with a book filled with his favourite pie recipes of mine.

My Nana's favourite gift from me ever was when I made her single serving size chicken pot pies (without salt). She just popped one out of the freezer and thought of family all year.

This year I am making her sugar and salt free granola. People with special eating requirements really love food presents because it can be so hard to buy pre-made anything. I know, I am one of them :)

Oh - and one year (when I was 8... long long time ago) I gave my teacher a 6-pack of really nice beer and home made bits and bites. He laughed so hard and told me it was the best present ever! No teacher really wants another "best teacher" mug.

I didn't see any of the food gifts I've given during the last several holiday seasons:

- Vanilla extract - 1 oz. beans per 1 cup vodka. This one has some real value. For $5, including the bottle, you can give someone 8 oz of fantastic extract, which would set you back about $20 if you bought it pre-made. (Recipe here: http://www.vanillareview.com/make-vanilla-extract/ and my favorite source of vanilla beans here: http://www.vanillaproductsusa.com/)

- Dulce de Leche: This year I work at a goat dairy so I'm actually making the goat milk equivalent, cajeta. This is very easy, keeps forever in the fridge and is SO delicious. (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/dulce-de-leche-recipe/index.html)

My husband found a recipe for nut brittle in Food&Wine several years ago and has made it ever since. It's decadent and seems like a little luxury, but is simple to make. Last year we made nougat, which was also pretty easy, and this year we're trying our hands at egg nog toffee.

There's also a fab recipe for homemade magic shell out there (did I first read about it here...?), which is coconut oil, chocolate and salt. We make that every so often but have given it as gifts before in a squeeze bottle packaged with snowflake sprinkles in an ice cream bowl.

Great ideas. There is a missing category--chutneys. Easy to make, frugal and slmost everyonelikes them.

My husband made everyone jars of harissa a few years back. It was unusual and well received!
the next year I made my own vanilla extract and bottled it in pretty bottles with a vanilla bean.
It had a rum base and was sooooo good!

This is my plan this year - to make all my gifts. As usual, such a timely article - huge thanks!

I'm trying this for the first time this year. I'll be making apple butter this week as gifts for individual people (my mentor at work, my boss, etc) and for our Christmas party I'm planning on giving out edible favors. That bark in the picture looks fantastic.