12 DIY Food Gifts for the Holidays to Start Making Now

Homemade vanilla sugar is the easiest make-ahead present you'll ever whip up. It's the perfect Christmas in July project!

Start these DIY food gifts for the holidays now, so they’ll be ready in time for holiday giving!

Start these DIY food gifts for the holidays now, so they'll be ready in time for holiday giving!

It’s no secret that I love food gifts for the holidays. Some food gifts, like baked goods, are best given right away, but some of them take a little bit longer. If you’re planning to make slow food gifts for the holidays like infused booze or flavored oils and vinegars, though, you need a little bit more lead time. Start these DIY food gifts now, so they’ll be ready to rock in time for holiday giving.

DIY Wine

1. Homemade Wine – This is not a fine, fancy wine, but there’s something special about wine you’ve made yourself. Just be sure that you sterilize your bottles and tools before starting!

2. Lemon-Basil Vodka – This tastes best if you let it steep the full three weeks before straining. Once it’s strained, store in the freezer until it’s gifting time!

Read on to learn how to make as much of your own mint extract as you could ever want with our nearly effortless method!

3. Mint Extract – Homemade mint extract takes about six weeks to fully infuse. It’s a great gift for bakers in your life.

4. Vanilla Extract – Homemade vanilla extract is so much tastier than store-bought, but it takes a minimum of three weeks to steep. Start now, and you’ll have rich, flavorful vanilla extract in time for the holidays.

DIY Gifts for Cooks

5. Vanilla Glycerite – This is an alcohol-free vanilla extract that uses vegetable glycerine instead of alcohol as the base. Steep for at least four weeks for a good, strong flavor.

6. Almond Extract – Another great gift for cooks on your list! This one takes two months and then needs straining, so start it ASAP!

cherry-vanilla-bitters

7. Homemade Bitters – Bitters are a great gift for the cocktail connoisseur on your list. This recipe needs to infuse for two weeks to get a good flavor going.

8. Apple Pie Bourbon – Your recipient can bust out this holiday-tastic gift right away. Serve on the rocks with or without a splash of soda water.

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9. Infused Vinegars – Flavorful, infused vinegar is a lovely addition to salads or for finishing soups. Vinegar infuses quickly – you steep for a little less than a week before straining – so you don’t need quite as much lead time for this holiday food gift.

10. Rosemary Olive Oil – Another great addition to soups or salads. Rosemary olive oil is also a nice addition to the table if you’re serving bread. Who needs butter, when you can dip in flavorful, infused oil? This recipe takes 1-2 weeks to steep, so start sooner than later.

Homemade vanilla sugar is the easiest make-ahead present you'll ever whip up. It's the perfect Christmas in July project!

11. Vanilla Sugar – The longer this mixture sits the better, so start now for maximum vanilla goodness!

12. Vanilla Maple Syrup – This easy infusion needs at least a week to steep, and the results are so flavorful! Your recipients’ pancakes will never be the same.

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