12 DIY Holiday Gifts From the Kitchen

These 12 DIY Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen (& the heart!) are the perfect last minute teacher, neighbor, hostess, or coworker gifts...

Wowzers, you all. I am trying to wrap my head around the fact that Christmas is next weekend! Luckily, we have most of the gifts already bought, save a few for our neighbors and my daughter's teachers. 

It is definitely getting down to the wire to order gifts online and still be able to get them shipped in time for Christmas. And forget about the stores right now- most of them are an absolute madhouse at this point! 

That is why I love having a few gift ideas on hand that I can make at home with pantry staples I probably already have on hand like these 12 DIY Holiday Gifts From the Kitchen that I am sharing with you all today. ;)

Okay, so let's go over your game plan for this weekend- 1. Browse through this list of homemade & tasty DIY gift ideas, & pick out 1 or 2 that you would like to make. 2. Gather the kids in the kitchen, and then knock out a few of those last-minute gifts you need for your kids' teachers, a next-door neighbor, coworkers, or as a heartfelt hostess gift. 

I also like to whip up a couple of extras just to have on hand for when unexpected guests show up at the door or when we get that last-minute invite to a holiday party (or for when my husband forgets that his coworker invited us over for cocktails)...

Candied Pomegranate-Mandarin Orange Peel

Combining the sweetness of fresh citrus with just a hint of tart pomegranate, this Candied Pomegranate-Mandarin Orange Peel is a must-make for the holiday season...

I know that the holiday season is usually all about the peppermint and gingerbread and eggnog (and trust me- I love all of those flavors too!), but for me there is nothing more festive than the combination of sweet orange with tart pomegranate or cranberries. 

Maybe it is the color combo of the bright orange and the jeweled red. Maybe it's because I need a pop of sweet & tart flavor to give me a break from all of the warm spices and zippy mint that we are bombarded with this time of the year. But this citrusy, sweet & tart combo is a treat not only for my taste buds, but for my eyes as well. :)

Candied orange peel is one of those recipes I have been wanting to try for myself for a while now. I have made candied lemon slices before, but never orange peel. 

I used mandarin oranges (aka, Halos or Cuties) for this recipe mostly because my youngest is obsessed with them, but it seems like we can never get through an entire bag of them before they go bad. So this candied orange peel recipe is a great way to use up a few of them. And since mandarins are much smaller then regular navel oranges, their peels are already the perfect size for candying. 

DIY Chai Spice Mix

The warm & cozy blend of spices in this DIY Chai Spice Mix is perfect for that holiday baking or for easy gift giving...

It is definitely not a secret that I love pretty much all things chai spiced. There is just something about that blend of warm spices that instantly makes me think of cozy winter evenings and the holidays. 

While cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg are classic spices you probably always reach for in your holiday baking, it is the addition of cardamom and ground pepper that give a chai spice blend its distinctness and little extra spicy kick. 

If you have ever enjoyed a good cup of warm chai tea or a creamy chai latte, then you know exactly what I am talking about here. ;)

I have found myself using a blend of chai spices in some of my original recipes for a couple of years now. It all started with my Coconut Chai Biscotti back in April of 2013. And then I baked up a batch of Peanut Butter Chai Cookies, and the chai spiced recipes just kept rolling out from there. 

Getting tired of always having to break out an arsenal of spices every time I baked up one of my favorite chai recipes, I decided to go ahead and whip a ready-to-use DIY Chai Spice Mix. 

It literally took me maybe 5 minutes to whisk this together, and I now I have perfectly mixed chai spices ready to go whenever I need it... 

6 Holiday Treats for Easy Christmas Gift Giving

Make gifts from the heart (and straight to the tummy) with these 6 Holiday Treats for Easy Christmas Gift Giving...

Go ahead and get started on your holiday gift list with these 6 Holiday Treats perfect for easy Christmas gift giving! :) And after you have checked out all 6 of these easy and tasty DIY gift ideas, be sure to scroll down and get entered to win the HUGE Bake Your Holidays Gifts Giveaway below... :)

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix from The Bitter Side of Sweet

Toasted Pecan Pie Crust Mix from Frugal Foodie Mama

Gingerbread Yogurt Waffles with Powdered Sugar Glaze from Melanie Makes

Easy Cherry Pie Cookies from Pint Sized Baker

Candy Cane Swirl Cookies from Clark's Condensed

How to Throw a Cookie and Cocoa Party from Juggling Act Mama

16 Foodie Perfect Holiday Hostess Gifts

Tis that time of the year, folks!

Soon we will all be ringing door bells and knocking on doors, attending various holiday dinners & parties that we have received invites to.  

While a hostess gift is not always necessary or expected, it just feels good to show up at someone's home with a nice homemade gift in hand.  

Sure... wine is nice.  But every other guest in attendance will probably be showing up with a bottle of vino.

You can be that guest.  The one that showed up with that little special something that your gracious hostesses will still be thinking about next year when they send you another dinner or party invite in the hopes that you will show up with some more of those goodies you brought last time. ;)

As a seasoned hostess for family dinners & holiday parties over the years, I can attest that I would be more than thrilled to receive any of the homemade foodie gifts included in this round-up....