Features
Last-minute edible Christmas gifts
by Jessica Lockyer-Palmer
published on 30 November 2023, last updated on 12 November 2024
Want to give your loved ones something a bit more thoughtful this Christmas? Even if it’s the eleventh hour, there’s still time to make anything from white-chocolate dipped biscotti to Christmas pudding petit fours.
The Ottolenghi Test Kitchen’s Almond, Barberry and Orange Brittle with Aleppo Chilli
Easy to make but full of complex flavours, the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen’s brittle is studded with barberries, nuts, and seeds, and flavoured with orange zest and a touch of Aleppo chilli. Bag this up as a sophisticated and surprising gift.
Nadiya Hussain’s Chocolate Salami
Nadiya’s creative twist on tiffin, this chocolate salami is made with macadamia nuts and shortbread chunks. It’s a no-bake recipe, and takes just twenty minutes to prepare.
Jane’s Patisserie’s Fruit and Nut Chocolate Bark
The perfect gift for chocolate lovers, this homemade fruit and nut chocolate bark is studded with raisins, sultanas, pistachios and pecans.
White Chocolate Biscotti
Dipped in white chocolate and your choice of freeze dried raspberries or chopped nuts, these pretty biscotti won’t disappoint.
Bread Ahead’s Amaretti Biscuits
These soft, cakey and gluten-free biscuits with a slight crunch on the outside are made with ground almonds, egg white and sugar. We recommend saving a couple for yourself this Christmas and enjoying them as per Italian tradition with an after-dinner liqueur.
Cranberry, Oat and White Chocolate Biscuits
Tart cranberries, chewy oats, nutty almonds and a rich, white chocolate coating make these an all-rounder for Christmas.
Fitwaffle’s Melted Snowman White Chocolate Bark
With its adorable melted snowman decoration, this easy chocolate bark from Fitwaffle is our top pick for an edible gift to pack into the kids’ Christmas stockings.
Nadiya Hussain’s Raspberry Amaretti Biscuits
“Home-made amaretti are the best”, says Nadiya of these soft almondy bites with a subtle hint of raspberry. With fresh fruit in the middle, these biscuits don’t have a long shelf-life but they make a beautiful gift all the same. Nadiya suggests using freeze-dried raspberries if you want them to last longer.
Christmas Pud Petit Fours
Use up the last of the Christmas pud with these mini bites, ready in just six minutes. Simply crumble Christmas pudding into dark melted chocolate, give it a mix with some nutmeg, then roll into little balls. Decorate with melted white chocolate.
Pecan and Prosecco Truffles
These Prosecco truffles, shaped into Yule logs, were made for the Christmas menu at the Ottolenghi restaurant. With a thin shell and rich, smooth truffle underneath, they’re irresistibly elegant.
Florentines
Candied peel, cranberries and glacé cherries make these chewy caramelly biscuits a Christmas classic. Package into boxes or cellophane bags with ribbon to give as Christmas gifts.
Jamie Oliver’s Rocky Road with Popcorn, Nuts, Clementine, Ginger, Soured Fruit and Chocolate
This throw-it-all-in sweet treat is a colourful megamix of popcorn, Turkish delight, marshmallows, gingernut biscuits, nuts, clementine, ginger, soured fruit and chocolate. Once ready, break it into random chunks or slice up more delicately, then bag it up to give away.
Three Ingredient Oreo Fudge
White chocolate, Oreos and condensed milk are all you need to make these last-minute bites. If you don’t have Oreo cookies, try this with chocolate digestives, Hobnobs or bourbon biscuits.
Gingerbread Truffles
Who knew just three ingredients could create a gift that tastes this good? In these truffles, subtle white chocolate encases a gooey cream cheese and gingerbread middle.
Coconut and Orange Granola
A gloriously crunchy combination of some of our favourite festive flavours – zesty orange, vanilla and cranberries. With just twenty minutes’ prep and cook time, it makes for a perfect last-minute treat to present in bags or jars for family or friends.
Two Nuts to Nibble
Take your pick from these two salty, moreish nut recipes, each requiring just six ingredients and less than half an hour of your time. Dominique’s black pepper and chilli cashews or five-spice roasted peanuts are the perfect low-effort, maximum-flavour gift.
Chilli Chocolate Nut Clusters
These three-ingredient nut clusters are giving salty, sugary, chocolatey goodness and best of all, they’re giving heat . They make for an inspiring last-minute present but be warned they’re particularly moreish and you’d be forgiven for eating most of them yourself…
Clissold Park Christmas Crinkle Cookies
Package up these chocolate and vanilla cookies from Debora Robertson’s Notes From A Small Kitchen Island , for a special festive gift for loved ones. For extra decadence, add shards of milk or dark chocolate into the batter.
Negroni Marmalade
A jar of this sticky, sweet, boozy jam is a sure fire win for fans of a negroni. The bitterness of the Campari pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the blood oranges.
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