6 Homemade Food Gift Recipes

Making your list and checking it twice? These made-from-scratch lovelies--including sweets, savories, and even some sippables--are certain to make your holidays easier.

Pear Tarte Tatin

Pear tarte tatin is an easy riff on classic apple tarte tatin with caramelized autumn fruit atop buttery pastry. Um, yum.

2 hrs 30 mins

Caramel Apple Pie

Classic apple pie just went next level with the addition of sweet caramel on top.

5 hrs

Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

These peanut butter cookies are filled with a creamy milk chocolate filling for a taste that takes you back to childhood. The cookies are easy to make and can be filled later.

1 hr 10 mins

Ricotta Cheesecake from Rome’s Jewish Quarter

This Italian classic is imbued with citrus and cinnamon and is slightly more pudding-like than what most of us are accustomed to in a cheesecake. Though no complaints here. None whatsoever.

1 hr

Corn Pie

This corn pie is overflowing with a buttery corn filling. Think corn on the cob but all encased in a flaky golden crust. Corn pie is great for Thanksgiving.

3 hrs 35 mins

The Franco-American Butter Wars

At onetime French butter ruled in just about every pastry kitchen of note. But over the past decade, new American butters have been storming the gates.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Pecans. Chocolate. Bourbon. Dunno about you, but that's sufficient to make us forget all about that other traditional Thanksgiving dessert. Pumpkin who?

55 mins

Spiced Maple Pecan Pie with Star Anise

Here's a nifty little trick. Reduce maple syrup until sticky, infuse it with spice, and rely on it to impart its ridiculously intense essence to pecan pie.

4 hrs 20 mins

Caramel Pear Tarts

Nothing says sassy like swapping pears for apples in the classic French tarte tatin. What can we say? We like to live on the edge.

1 hr

One-Pot Cocoa Brownies

"Could not have been easier.” “Perfect." "A one-pot wonder!" That's what folks are saying about these super simple brownies that toe the line between cakey and fudgy.

55 mins

Edna Lewis’s Apple Cake with Caramel Glaze

Warmly spiced with a pudding-like texture, this apple cake from Edna Lewis is truly easy—just stir together by hand. And it's unforgettable for reasons that have nothing to do with its ease.

1 hr 45 mins

Country Pâté

Easy as meatloaf (we swear), this melding of some of the richest things we know—pork shoulder, liver, and duck fat—along with spices, a splash of brandy, and some wine makes a simple, rustic country pâté that's perfect for entertaining.

7 hrs

Classic Apple Pie

The secret to this classic? Could be the two types of apples, one tart and one sweet. Then again, the uber buttery pie crust ain't bad, either.

3 hrs

Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Oh, the places you'll go with this sweetly spicy pumpkin syrup. So long, Starbucks. DIY pumpkin spice latte, here we come!

30 mins

Affogato

Drowning gelato in espresso has got to be the most spectacular sort of tragedy ever to take place at the dinner table. Here's how to add a little drama to your dessert.

5 mins

Chocolate Fudge Pops

They look like fudgsicles. They taste like fudgesicles. Yet they're made from cocoa, coconut milk, and honey, so don't give a second thought to indulging in them.

2 hrs 10 mins