5 DIY Christmas Gifts

stacks of mason jars with tags on them saying made with love for christmas gifts

5 from 1 vote

These 5 edible DIY Christmas gifts are perfect for hostess, teacher and coworker gifts! All simple, healthy-ish and foolproof even for the non-crafty, plus printable gift tags for each gift!

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Total Time1 15

Course: Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 88kcal

Author: Denise Bustard

Ingredients

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

15 oz chickpeas (drained and rinsed)
spray oil
⅛ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon paprika
¼-1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Classic Peppermint Bark

12 oz good quality baking chocolate (cut into small pieces; * see note)
2 teaspoons coconut oil (divided)
1 teaspoon peppermint extract (divided)
12 oz good quality white baking chocolate
2 large candy canes (chopped into small pieces)

Crockpot Apple Butter

6 lbs apples (approximately; see **; peeled, cored and cut into small ½ inch pieces)
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Cinnamon Roasted Pecans

4 cups pecan halves (14.5 oz)
2 egg whites
4 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
2 teaspoons nutmeg
½- 1 cup brown sugar coconut sugar may be subbed; ***see note)
2 pinches salt (generous)

Homemade Citrus Infused Salt

2 lemons (zest only)
2 limes (zest only)
1 cup sea salt

Instructions

Spicy Roasted Chickpeas

Heat oven to 425°F.
Drain and rinse chickpeas, then spread out on a clean towel. Rub with another towel to dry, and let them sit for 10 or so minutes.
Arrange on a large baking sheet. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes.
Give the pan a shake and return to the oven for 5-15 more minutes. Keep an eye on them at this point so they don't burn!
Once the chickpeas are done (they will darken slightly and will get nice and crunchy), remove from the oven and carefully scoop into a large bowl.
Spritz with oil until lightly coated, then stir in all seasoning. Spread out on the baking sheet to cool completely.
Storage- Store in a bowl or container for up to a week, you don't even need to cover them!

Classic Peppermint Bark

Spread a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet (spray baking sheet first with oil to help the parchment paper stick and not roll back up).
Prepare the base chocolate layer: In a double boiler, add the brown chocolate, 1 teaspoon coconut oil, ½ teaspoon peppermint extract.
Stir frequently until melted and smooth, then pour onto the prepared parchment paper. Smooth with a spatula.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes- 1 hour.
Prepare the white chocolate layer: melt the white chocolate in the double boiler with 1 teaspoon coconut oil and ½ teaspoon peppermint extract, stirring frequently until completely smooth.
Pour over the brown chocolate layer, and work quickly, smoothing with a spatula.
Sprinkle with chopped candy cane.
Refrigerate overnight, then cut into bite-sized pieces.
Storage- You can store at room temperature for up to 1 week (unless you live in a warm climate!), or in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 month.

Crockpot Apple Butter

Place peeled and chopped apples in the base of a 6 quart slow cooker. Stir in the spices.
Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. You may want to stir it partway through (only once).
After cooking through, blend it until smooth using an immersion blender. Alternatively you can work in batches and carefully puree the apple butter in a stand blender.
Storage- keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You may freeze for up to 6 months; make sure to leave lids ajar and to leave space for expansion if you are freezing right in the jars.

Cinnamon Roasted Pecans

Heat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
In a large bowl, toss together the pecans, egg whites, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, brown sugar and salt.
Spread nuts out on the baking sheet, then bake for 8-12 minutes...keep an eye on them at the end so they don't burn!
Allow to cool completely, then transfer to a storage container or gift bag.
Storage- store at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the fridge for longer term.

Homemade Citrus Salt

Heat oven to 200°F.
Spread lemon and lime zest on a baking sheet. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until zest is completely dehydrated. Remove from oven and cool.
Mix 2 tablespoons of citrus zest with ½ cup salt. You can use a mortar and pestle to get it mixed well.
Storage- keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 year!

Notes

Classic Peppermint Bark

*I recommend semi-sweet or a mix of dark and semi-sweet chocolate

Crockpot Apple Butter

**I honestly did not measure, but filled my 6 quart slow cooker all the way to the top with peeled & chopped apples. They will reduce in size substantially during the cook time so make sure to fill it right to up!

Cinnamon Roasted Pecans

*** for a sweet version, use a full cup of brown sugar, for a slightly sweet version use ½ cup

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