Homemade Gift Guide

Whether you're looking for a special gift for that difficult person on your list, a delicious gift for friends, or for a unique and useful hostess gift, something made with love at home can be much more meaningful and memorable to receive. Making your own homemade gifts can be satisfying for many, and a fun activity to do with children. And, in the case of truffles, some gifts are delicious to make. If you're on a budget, making homemade gifts are also a way to save some money without skimping on quality.

Here are some of our favorite homemade gifts to both give — and get.

1. Flavored Sugars

Flavored sugars are a perfect holiday gift. They are versatile enough to be used in a variety of ways, whether to sweeten your coffee, add extra flavoring to pancakes, or in curing salmon, and are always made with love.

2. Chocolate Truffles

Who doesn't love chocolate, especially when it's made by hand and infused with love? Making homemade rolled truffles is easier than you think, and a delicious process, too.

3. Handmade Cookie Ornaments

Making cookies is a holiday tradition for many families. This year, instead of baking the standard sugar cookie, why not make your own edible ornaments to give? Every year, Nancy Olson decorates the tree at Gramercy Tavern with homemade decorated sugar cookies — and it's easy for you to do at home, too.

After you have made the dough, all you need to do is roll the dough a bit thicker, and bake them for longer, at a lower temperature – and don't forget to punch a hole for the ribbon. Decorate as you normally would before threading them with ribbon.

4. Cookie-in-a-Jar Mix

Gift the gift of the aroma of freshly baked cookies. Instead of gifting already made cookies, give your own custom cookie-in-a-jar mix, as Elana Amsterdam of Elana's Pantry does. One of her favorite gifts, her high-protein, gluten-free cookie mix is easy to make into cookies, and a perfect homemade gift for shipping.

5. Homemade Infused Whiskey

A perfect gift for whisky-lovers, and fun alternative to gifting wine, is homemade spice-infused whisky. Just be sure to include a recipe for a cocktail they can make using the gift, in the event they're looking for something more fun than just whisky straight or on the rocks.

6. Homemade Pickles

For those on your list who don't like sweets, or in the event you have a bumper-crop of cucumbers, beets, or carrots this year, make your own pickles to give as a holiday gift.