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Swap baking for shopping with these four homemade gift ideas:

I was at a Yankee Swap the other night and the gift that I would have loved to take home was full of homemade goodies: a cute cable knit hat, homemade apple butter and homemade granola. It was the gift my friend Tiffany put together, gathered from her stash of homemade items that she has been making over the past few weeks. “We’re doing all homemade gifts this year,” she told us. It got me thinking about easy edible gifts that anyone can make if you can grab a spare half hour.

I love the idea of homemade gifts and not just because I prefer to avoid the mall. Homemade gifts are extra special, always thoughtful and tend to be on the practical side so get put to good use. If you get into an annual habit you’ll find that people will look forward to receiving your special gift and it just might become part of their holiday traditions too.

Making homemade gifts is also a way to cut down on your annual gift spending. I know ingredients aren’t cheap but most of these recipes make enough for at least a couple of gifts.

It isn’t too late to swap baking for shopping with some of your gifts this year. Here are a few suggestions:

Apple Cranberry Sauce: Lightly spiced and a gorgeous garnet colour, this quick and easy holiday staple can last up to two months in the fridge.

Healthy Applesauce Granola: Bagged or packaged in mason jars this cranberry studded granola has a festive feel. (You might want to make extra for yourself.)

“Cookies in a Jar”: A homemade cookie mix that includes the dry ingredients for our popular Orange Spice Crackle Cookies.

Gingerbread Almonds: A deliciously sweet and spicy treat that is surprisingly easy to make.

Make this recipe delicious with Crosby's Molasses.