Recipes: Delicious gifts from the heart (of your kitchen)
Holiday shopping can overwhelm even the most organized gift giver. This year, give yourself a break and whip up these easy, delicious gifts from scratch. Whether you have a week or a minute before your celebration, these recipes will bring comfort and joy to everyone on your list.
If you have a week or longer:
Limoncello
Use organic lemons (any variety) to avoid wax on the skin. Make your limoncello with equal parts infused vodka and simple syrup, then taste and adjust the ratio to your preference.
- 3 pounds (about 8 large) organic lemons, washed
- 3 cups 80- to 100-proof vodka
- 3 cups simple syrup (see recipe in “If you have 30 minutes”)
- Use a vegetable peeler to remove the yellow skin from the lemons, avoiding the white pith. Reserve the lemons for another use. Place the lemon peels in a sterile quart-sized jar and cover with vodka. Cover tightly with a lid. Allow the jar to rest on the counter, away from direct sunlight, for 7 days or up to 1 month.
- Strain and divide the vodka into 3 (16-ounce) sterile bottles. Discard the lemon peels. Top the vodka with simple syrup and shake to combine. Keeps, refrigerated, for up to 1 month. Makes 3 (16-ounce) bottles.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per ounce: 72 calories (percent of calories from fat, 72), trace protein, 11 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace total fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 9 milligrams sodium.If you have two days:
Bread and Butter
Basic White Bread
We promise, this is the easiest homemade bread you’ll ever make. But feel free to substitute crusty bread from the grocery store if you are crunched for time.
- 1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm (105-115 degree) water
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon water
- Place the yeast and water in a large bowl. Stir, and let the mixture rest until it bubbles, about 5 minutes. Add 2 cups flour and the salt and mix with a fork until just combined. The dough will be very wet. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit on the counter overnight, or up to 18 hours.
- Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons flour on your work surface. Divide the dough in half. Knead the dough 2-3 times into oval shapes, covering the surface of the bread in the flour.
- Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray 2 (3-by-4-inch) mini loaf pans with baker’s cooking spray. Place the dough in the pans, cover with a clean dish towel, and let the dough rise while the oven heats.
- Mix the egg and water in a small bowl and brush the egg wash on top of the loaves. Score the top of the loaves with a sharp knife. Place the pans on a baking sheet in the oven, and reduce the heat to 400 degrees. (Lowering the oven temperature helps the crust get crispy without cooking the bread too quickly.)
- Bake the bread 25-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the bread reaches an internal temperature of 205 degrees. Remove the pans from the oven and let them cool 15 minutes before removing the bread. Makes 2 (2-serving) mini-loaves.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 247 calories (percent of calories from fat, 7), 8 grams protein, 48 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 2 grams total fat (trace saturated fat), 47 milligrams cholesterol, 499 milligrams sodium.Apple Butter
You can make this sweet treat with any apples. We recommend the softer varieties listed here because they cook more quickly.
- 5 pounds Fuji and/or Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into 2-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider
- 1 cup loosely packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Place all ingredients except lemon juice in a large pot and cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the apples are very soft, about 45 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Use an immersion blender to puree the apples until no lumps remain.
- Return the pot to low heat and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thick and dark brown, about 45 minutes longer. Stir in the lemon juice. Remove the pot from the heat and let the apple butter come to room temperature. Spoon the apple butter into 3 (8-ounce) sterile jars with tight lids and refrigerate. Keeps up to 1 week in the refrigerator. Makes about 3 cups.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per 1-tablespoon serving: 44 calories (percent of calories from fat, 3), trace protein, 11 grams carbohydrates, 1.5 grams fiber, trace total fat (trace saturated fat), no cholesterol, 14 milligrams sodium.If you have one day:
Sea Salt Dulce de Leche
This decadent dessert is made from just two ingredients, and it never fails to impress. It can be served over ice cream, apple pie, or cheesecake, or enjoyed straight from the jar with a spoon.
- 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk, not fat-free
- Sea salt
- Divide the condensed milk equally among 3 sterile 8-ounce canning jars. Sprinkle each jar with a pinch of sea salt and stir well. Tighten the lids onto the jars. Place the jars upright in a slow cooker. Add hot tap water to the slow cooker until the jars are completely covered. Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove the jars from the hot water and allow the jars to rest, unopened, until they reach room temperature. Refrigerate. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Makes 3 (8-ounce) jars.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per 1/4-cup serving: 212 calories (percent of calories from fat, 24), 5 grams protein, 36 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, 6 grams total fat (4 grams saturated), 22 milligrams cholesterol, 124 milligrams sodium.If you have three (ish) hours:
Millionaire’s Bars
Most of the cook time is hands-off, except for the arm-strengthening 20-minute caramel whisk. However, your efforts will be rewarded with the richest, most sigh-inducing bar you’ve ever enjoyed. If you make only one cookie this season, make these.
- 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 large egg
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 10 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving an inch hanging over all edges.
- Use a mixer on medium speed to cream 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Add the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and egg and beat again using medium speed until the ingredients form a thick dough. Press the dough evenly on the lined baking dish. Use a fork to poke holes in the dough. Bake until the edges brown, about 20 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and set aside.
- Place remaining 4 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, heavy whipping cream, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the caramel reaches 230 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla. Carefully pour the caramel over the shortbread in the baking dish.
- Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the hot caramel. Let them sit undisturbed for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to lightly smooth the chocolate into a single layer. Refrigerate until the chocolate is just set and no longer glossy, about 60-75 minutes. Lift the dessert out of the baking dish using the liner. Slice the bars into 1-inch-by-2 1/2-inch pieces. If the dessert is too firm to slice the bars neatly, let it rest at room temperature for 15 minutes and try again.
- Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in an airtight container. Makes about 39 bars.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per bar: 175 calories (percent of calories from fat, 45), 2 grams protein, 23 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 9 grams total fat (6 grams saturated), 24 milligrams cholesterol, 69 milligrams sodium.If you have 30 minutes:
Simple Syrup
This gift is all about the presentation. Pair your simple syrup with small bottles of bourbon and bitters as an Old-Fashioned cocktail gift kit. Or arrange a variety of tea bags to make a sweet tea basket. You can also use this simple syrup to make the limoncello recipe, above.
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- Pour the sugar and 2 cups water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar is fully dissolved, and the liquid is no longer cloudy, about 5 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature and pour into a sterile container. Keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Makes about 3 cups.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per 1/4-cup serving: 132 calories (percent of calories from fat, 0), no protein, 33 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, no fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 2 milligrams sodium.If you have 15 minutes:
Herb-Infused Vinegar
While we like Champagne vinegar the best, this recipe works with most mild vinegars. Avoid plain white vinegar, which tastes too harsh. The vinegar will corrode a metal lid, so if you use a canning jar, place a piece of plastic wrap between the vinegar and the lid.
- 3 sprigs fresh organic tarragon or thyme
- 2 cups Champagne vinegar
- Place the herb sprigs in a sterile 16-ounce bottle. Heat the Champagne vinegar in a small pot to 190 degrees, about 2 minutes. Use a funnel to carefully pour the hot vinegar over the herbs. Allow the vinegar to cool to room temperature and cover with plastic wrap or a tight-fitting, nonmetallic lid. Vinegar will become more flavorful with time. Keeps at room temperature for 1 month or in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. Makes 16 ounces.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per ounce: 6 calories (percent of calories from fat, 1), trace protein, trace carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 2 milligrams sodium.If you have five minutes:
Barbecue Spice Rub
You can easily double or triple this recipe to make multiple gifts at once, or to keep some for yourself. We love this rub on pork and chicken any time of year.
- 1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground oregano
- Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Pour into an 8-ounce sterile jar. Keeps at room temperature indefinitely. Makes 1 cup spice rub.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per tablespoon: 26 calories (percent of calories from fat, 10), trace protein, 6 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 377 milligrams sodium.Sign up for the AJC Food and Dining Newsletter
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