60+ Homemade Christmas Gift Ideas for Everyone on Your List

homemade christmas cookie tins

Gifting Christmas cookies is a long-standing tradition in my family. Every year, my mom would bake dozens upon dozens of cookies to bring to office parties and gift to coworkers, neighbors, and our teachers. As an adult, I’ve carried on the tradition and love putting these tins together each year! People really appreciate the time and effort that goes into a homemade Christmas gift like this one, and of course everyone enjoys cookies!

Best of all, your Christmas cookie tins can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like. I personally opt for about 4 types of cookies, toffee, and a bark of some sort each year, but you can absolutely keep it simple with just one variety of cookie! Once you have your cookies baked, you’ll assemble them into tins and attach a tag detailing which cookie is which. Below are a few of our favorite cookies for the holiday season.

Now that you’ve picked out which cookies you’re going to bake, let’s talk about packaging! My personal favorite way to package cookies is in cookie tins, because they keep the cookies fresh for longer. This is especially important when working with gluten-free cookies, which don’t hold up as well as their gluten-filled counterparts. If you don’t want to do cookie tins though, bags or boxes also work! We also recommend adding a gift tag explaining what the cookies are. Below are some of our favorite packaging options.

Previous
Next

More Christmas Cookie Recipes from Around the Web

These are a few of our favorite Christmas cookie recipes for homemade Christmas gifts! I’m gluten-free, but I’ve found that most cookies can easily be made gluten-free using either King Arthur’s Measure for Measure flour or Cup4Cup.

Soft Gingersnaps from Two Peas in a Pod – these are the BEST ginger cookies ever. I swapped the flour for King Arthur 1:1 to make them gluten free last year and they were a huge hit.
Mexican Wedding Cookies – we called these ‘cocoons’ growing up because my mom formed them into crescent shapes, and they also go by the pecan sand tarts. Either way, these buttery pecan shortbread cookies rolled in powdered sugar are a holiday classic!
Lemon Crinkle Cookies from How Sweet Eats – these are another holiday staple for me! They are soft, fluffy, and I love the bright pop of lemon in contrast to all of the other holiday flavors. I use Cup4Cup as a gluten-free flour swap for these.
Dirty Chai Earthquake Cookies from NYT Cooking – I saw these this morning and immediately put them on my ‘to-make’ list – espresso + chai + melt-in-your-mouth cookies? Count me in!
Chewy Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies – I’m a sucker for all things chocolate and peppermint, and these look so easy to make!
Egg-Free, Nut-Free Snickerdoodles from PaleOMG – It can be hard finding an egg-free cookie recipe, and these classic cookies deliver!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies from Gluten Free on a Shoestring – These chocolate crinkle cookies are naturally gluten-free as they contain no flour at all! Made with dark chocolate, these have a rich dark chocolate flavor and a crispy outside.

Homemade food gifts

Food-related Christmas gifts aren’t just all about the cookies! Truffles, barks, mini loaves of quick breads, caramel sauce, and even homemade vanilla extract or seasonings all make for wonderful gifts as well. Here are a few of our favorite edible homemade Christmas from Fed and Fit.

Edible Homemade Christmas Gifts from Around the Web

Below are a few of our favorite homemade food gift ideas from around the web!

Homemade Vanilla Extract from Natasha’s Kitchen – did you know that making vanilla extract is as simple as soaking vanilla beans in vodka? These make for an adorable and thoughtful DIY Christmas gift!
Homemade Vanilla Bean Salt from My Baking Addiction – this vanilla bean salt would be perfect on top of dark chocolate or for a salted hot chocolate.
Pecan Pie Truffles from NYT Cooking – things I love include pecan pie, dark chocolate, and graham crackers, so when I saw these truffles I knew they were a must this season!
English Toffee from Simply Recipes – I LOVE toffee and make this one every year at Christmas. It can be a pain because you have to get the temperature just right, but it is worth it!
Magic Mushroom Powder from Nom Nom Paleo – This is the ultimate savory seasoning – perfect for steaks, burgers, or anytime you need a flavor boost.
Candied Nuts from Minimalist Baker – these candied spiced nuts make for an easy and delicious homemade Christmas gift.
Compound Butter from I Heart Naptime – whether you go sweet or savory, these compound butters make for great gifts that will be used again and again.

diy drink gifts

If you don’t want to go the food route, drink mixes and cocktails also make for wonderful homemade Christmas gifts! From hot chocolate to dairy-free Bailey’s there’s something for everyone here. These are also great for creating baskets. For example, a hot chocolate gift basket with hot chocolate mix, mugs, and marshmallows would make a great gift for anyone on your list! For an adult basket, you could make the simple syrup for our Harvest Sparkle and pair it with a bottle of champagne, whiskey, and some fun champagne flutes.

Below are a few of our favorite gift-able drinks and syrups for more inspiration!

More DIY Christmas Gift Drink Ideas from Around the Web

Homemade Hot Toddy Kit from Half Baked Harvest – this homemade hot toddy kit is SO cute and perfect for this time of year.
Homemade Limoncello from Alexandra Cooks – if you have a lemon-lover in your life, they will absolutely love this homemade limoncello!
Homemade Coffee Liqueur from Boulder Locavore – Did you know that all you need for coffee liqueur is vodka or rum, instant coffee, sugar and vanilla? This stuff is delicious and the perfect nightcap.
Simple Syrups from Half Baked Harvest – used for cocktails or mocktails, everyone will love these festive syrups with flavors like ginger pomegranate and vanilla chai.
Chai Tea Mix from Five Heart Home – this chai tea mix is the perfect way to warm up this season and makes a beautiful gift!

DIY Beauty Gifts

Masks and sugar scrubs are SO easy to make at home and make for a great gift for anyone in your life who needs a little bit of self-care time. Below are our favorite DIY beauty gift options from around the web.

Pumpkin Mask – with just 3 simple ingredients, this pumpkin mask is so easy to make and delivers great results! Just make sure you refrigerate it if you’re gifting it.
Holiday Sugar Scrubs from Hello Glow – with scents like mulling spice and peppermint latte, these sugar scrubs make great DIY Christmas gifts!
Peppermint Bath Salts from Crafts by Amanda – these peppermint bath salts are adorable, inexpensive, and only require 4 ingredients to make. You can’t go wrong with this homemade Christmas gift!
Homemade Bath Bombs from Martha Stewart – with just a few ingredients you can customize these bath bombs to your favorite scent.
Herbal Foot Soak from Ever Mine – the perfect way to give your feet a little TLC! Pair with a manicure kit and your favorite safer nail polish for a fun gift.
Relaxing Pillow Spray from Wellness Mama – with a soothing blend of essential oils, this pillow spray is easy to make and helps promote good sleep and relaxation – something we could all use a little more of!
Infused Body Oil from Hello Glow – these infused body oils are the perfect gift to beat dry winter skin!

More Homemade Christmas gift ideas

So far, we’ve tackled cookie tins, homemade food and drink Christmas gifts, and DIY beauty gifts. If you’re more of a crafter, here are a few cute gift ideas from around the web that everyone on your list will love!

Homemade Holiday Potpourri from Half Baked Harvest – this makes for a gorgeous DIY gift that will make your home smell incredible!
Painted Terra Cotta Pots from PJs and Paint – this is a fun gift to get the kids involved in and makes the perfect festive gift holder.
Knitted & Crocheted Gifts – if you knit or crochet, now is the perfect time to gift scarves, mittens, or these adorable mug warmers!
DIY Slow Cooker Candles from The Prairie Homestead – candles always make a great gift, and you can ensure that these are naturally scented with your favorite essential oils.
Homemade Fire Starter Jars from Something Turquoise – these fire starters are so cute, and they’d be perfect to include in a cozy gift box (think: warm blanket, hot cocoa mix, mug, and a good book).
Make a Gift Basket – We’ve mentioned this one a few times, but we love the idea of putting together a gift basket for your loved ones based on their interests! It is easier to do than you think and really shows a lot of thoughtfulness.
Homemade Playdough Kit from Something Turquoise – this is a fun idea for the kids in your life, or even just a great Christmas craft!

We hope that this homemade Christmas gift guide has inspired you with plenty of gift ideas this holiday season! If you need more ideas, check out our Sustainable Gift Guide for gift ideas from our favorite sustainable, eco-friendly companies.