These 30+ edible vegan gifts are the ultimate in eco-friendly Christmas pressies! They’re cheap, and easy to make, too!
By Lora O’Brien
For the eco-conscious, Christmas presents a bit of a dilemma. Seeing the carnage of bags and bags of packaging, paper, ribbon and cards discarded after friends and family have unwrapped their gifts can be rather horrifying!
But the worst part is that many of those gifts will not even be wanted. They’ll just go to waste, sitting unused in a closet until it’s decided they need to be donated to a charity, or worse, binned. How sad!
The solution? A gift everyone would want, packaged in something recyclable or reusable. And what does everyone want? Food!
That’s right. We all need to eat, and these edible vegan gifts to make for Christmas not only appeal to our most primitive of pleasures, but also indicate that you’ve put a bit more effort into your gift-giving than pressing ‘click’ on Amazon.
Try to make these homemade food gifts more personal by thinking about what your recipient really likes. Do they have a sweet tooth, or are they more into spicy foods? Is cooking their hobby, or do they prefer ordering out?
Here are some tips to make these edible vegan gifts the BEST gifts people will get:
- Spoil someone by preparing a few of these recipes and placing them into a huge, reusable gift basket
- Make the packaging part of the gift! For cake, for example, gift it on a gorgeous platter. For hot chocolate sticks, gift them in the perfect mug
- Add something bought that’s appropriate to the gift. For homemade coffee syrups, why not include a bag of fresh ground, premium coffee? (Or, if you prefer, an awesome coffee substitute).
- For a jar of pancake mix, gift it with a natural iron frying pan (they’re much healthier than toxic Teflon, did you know?)
- Include a great cookbook like this along with kitchen basics, like preserved lemons or spices.
- Add a subscription to Netflix or Amazon Prime with bags of homemade spiced popcorn
- Give a hand-drawn coupon for dog walking services (done by you or a pro) along with homemade doggie biscuits
You get the idea! Oh, and by the way – though some of these recipes are pretty seasonal (when else but Christmas do we eat mince pies?) many of these edible vegan gifts are perfect for giving for any time of the year.
33 Edible Vegan Gifts To Make For Christmas
1. Snickerdoodle Pancakes Gift Jar
This edible vegan gift idea is brunch in a bottle! love the ‘gift in a jar’ type present. It encourages a bit of creativity and it’s kind of three gifts in one. The first one in the jar, and the second one is the food after the recipient makes it. The third gift? The useful jar, of course! All you have to do is grab a jar, combine the ingredients and pop them in. Wrap a bow around the lid and attach a recipe sheet and you’re good to go. No plastic, yay!
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A healthy, iron frying pan.
2. Homemade Granola
Are you like me: a sucker for expensive, homemade jars of stuff that you find at little farmer’s markets? This salty olive oil granola is a great example of that trendy, artisanal food. It’s a wonderful recipe that’s packed with healthy fats and isn’t too sweet. Make large batches and put them into lock tight jars with a hand-written label. Again, this is 2 edible vegan gifts in 1 – granola AND a cool jar!
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: The recipe, hand-written on thick paper.
3. Almond Coconut Granola Hearts
The perfect little granola treats blend oats, fruit and nuts to create super healthy ‘cookies’ that look super cute wrapped in bows, or piled up in a cookie tin. The best part? This is one of those edible vegan gift ideas that will stay fresh for ages!
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A gorgeous platter, or pretty cookie tin
4. Gingerbread Jars and Boxes
Remember when you were a kid, and dreamt of living in a kind of Willy Wonka wonderland, where the rivers ran with chocolate and everything was edible and tasted of candy? Well, these gingerbread boxes and jars are kind of like that – edible containers you can stuff with truffles, protein balls, spiced nuts, and other goodies! Imagine the delight of your guests when you inform them their entire gift is edible…
Strictly speaking, this isn’t one of our edible vegan gift ideas, as it requires eggs, honey and butter. But you can sub in an egg replacer for the egg, and butter for a dairy-free alternative and switching the honey for agave syrup.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: Vegan chocolate truffles. See below for a recipe!
5. Soft & Chewy Gingerbread
I’m sold whenever I hear ‘gingerbread’ anything! So I was excited to make these cookies this Christmas for my family. This recipe uses powdered sugar to dust traditional round bikkies, but you can make these into ‘men’ or reindeer shapes if you have the cutters. Also, I’m loving the little bucket package – how cute!
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A decorated bucket, or lovely cookie tin.
6. Hot Chocolate On A Stick
Edible vegan gifts don’t get cuter than these! Gift them alongside a special tin of coffee or a new mug, or pop them into stockings. They work by simply dipping them into a hot cup of steaming almond milk to make the most delicious drink, ever!
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A personalised mug
7. A Jar Of Creamy Treacle Toffees
A bit of waxed paper and a Mason jar, recycled or vintage cookie tin are all you need to house these individually wrapped toffees. You could even drop a few in the bottom of a stocking for a little surprise!
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A vintage candy dish
8. Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti
Biscotti last forever, so no need to worry about these going stale. To make an awesome edible vegan gifts package, pack these into a cute mug, and tie it up with a ribbon. Oh, and maybe add a bag of premium coffee or a box of chai tea (see a homemade recipe, below!).
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A bag of organic coffee
9. Spicy Roasted Chickpeas
Popcorn is all fine and well, but roasted, spicy chickpeas are next level stuff! They’re easy to make, healthy, filling, and when packed into a Mason jar with a gorgeous label, they make a great gift. And did I mention they add these lovely labels to print at the end of the recipe? These are perfect for snacking on before Christmas dinner!
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: Mason jars, of course!
10. Smoked Cashew Vegan Cheese
If you know someone who has just gone vegan, but misses cheese – they’re gonna love this gift! Wrap the cheese up with some Kraft paper and a bow, and gift it with a gorgeous bottle of (vegan) wine, some vegan crackers, and maybe some grapes, too!
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: Homemade vegan crackers (recipe below)
11. Vegan Peanut Brittle
Crunchy and sticky, peanut brittle is a candy classic. Here, the addictive blend of (vegan) caramel and salty nuts comes together gorgeously in a vegan recipe that’s actually not too sweet.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A bamboo toothbrush! (Just kidding). These would look great in a nice straw box.
12. Maple Spiced Nuts
I remember when I was a kid, I’d go to weddings and get these coloured, sugared almonds in a little bag on the table. And damn, they were sweet. Even as a kid, I thought so! This recipe gives a subtle, welcome sweetness to enhance the natural flavour of the nuts. The recipe calls for pecans, but I prefer to use mixed nuts. What about you?
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A gift hamper with vegan cheese and crackers
13. Chai Tea Kit
There’s seriously nothing like a hot, steaming cup of chai tea on a cold day! I love mine with loads of almond milk, but coconut or cashew milk will do, too. This spicy, tasty tea blend is the ideal gift to give packed into a stylish mug.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A beautiful vintage teapot
14. Mocha Chocolate Balls (Kokosballs)
This traditional Swedish recipe combines chocolate with what we all love the most: coffee! I love the idea of chocolates that actually wake you up a bit. The fact they look like snowballs is super cool, but I really love the idea of gifting these in a graphic paper bag.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: Gingerbread boxes (recipe above)
15. Chocolate Toffee
I always thought toffee would be pretty hard to make, so I was thrilled to discover this recipe has just five basic ingredients. FIVE! And it’s way healthier than any toffee you will find in the supermarkets. It makes one of the prettiest edible vegan gifts when it’s packed into a festive cookie tin.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: The hot chocolate bars on a stick and chcolate truffles (recipes above), for the ideal gift for chocoholics
16. Creamy Dreamy Peppermint Patties
Peppermint patties always remind me of After Eight chocolates. You know, those little slithers of chocolate with creamy peppermint fondant inside, that are often served with coffee after dinner. They’re delicious and refreshing, especially after a heavy meal. Personally, I love these frozen! Just saying…
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: Some homemade, plastic free Christmas decorations like these
17. Homemade Extracts
Got a friend who loves to bake? Why not make them some extracts? This is one of the best edible vegan gifts for someone who’s handy in the kitchen. They are really easy to do – you just need about two weeks to make these. The recipe page comes with a link to print these cute labels, and I’d suggest also including some recipe ideas for each extract.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A handwritten recipe book these could be used with
18. Vegan Marzipan Truffles
Marzipan chocolates are a European Christmas classic – apparently, they were a favourite of Mozart’s! And these little balls are like music for your mouth.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A book on the history of chocolate
19. Flavoured Salt Gift Pack
This is another one of the best edible vegan gifts for the gourmet in you life! Flavoured salts are a must have for any foodie, and they can be added not only to loads of different recipes, but also to more basic foods, like fresh tomatoes, or popcorn!
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A wooden salt and pepper mill set
20. Whisky Truffles with Almond Praline
Because Christmas is the perfect excuse to sneak booze into your chocolate! I can imagine the men in my life absolutely loving these. I’m definitely going to be whipping up a few boxes of these to hand out. I may even give some to the postman.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A great bottle of whisky, of course!
21. Healthy Vegan Christmas Tree Brownies
These Christmas tree brownies are a little bit of an elaborate take on the ‘cake pop’ craze. But bigger and much better! These pops are individual slices of fudgy brownie, topped with icing and goodies. Just pop them into some cellophane with the sticks out, then tie them together with ribbon to make one of the prettiest edible vegan gifts for Christmas.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: Pretty, reusable ribbons
22. Clean Mince Pies
Mince pies go hand in hand with Christmas, but I’m under no illusion that mince pies are anywhere near healthy: all that buttery pastry and sugar is seriously not good for you. So I’m so happy to find a healthier and waistband friendly version of my own personal favourite Christmas treat. These are gorgeous boxed up by the half dozen – or gift them on a beautiful plate (which, of course, would be part of the gift).
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A vintage platter to serve them on
23. Vegan Sticky Toffee Puddings
I think if you follow my food posts by now, you’ll have learnt one thing: I have a sweet tooth, and I’m not afraid to feed it! But c’mon, who doesn’t love a warm sticky toffee pudding? The light and fluffy sponge, the gooey, sweet date-based sauce… Yep, I’ll be eating this Christmas Day, whether I have room or not!
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: Box up 4-5 puddings, tie with a bow, and add the sauce in a Mason or jam jar separately.
24. Cranberry Brandy Holiday Bundt Cake
I have two words for this cake: fab and festive! If you’re going to visit friends or family during the build up before Christmas, why not make a cake and take it along? People will really appreciate the gift, and when it looks as decorative and yummy as this, they’ll love eating it just as much.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A vintage cake plate, complete with glass dome
25. Ina’s Spicy Rosemary Cashews
Let’s face it – not everyone loves sweets. And for those people, may I suggest a Mason jar bursting with sweet and spicy cashews? To make these 100% vegan, just swap coconut oil in place of the butter. This is definitely one of those edible vegan gifts that will disappear pretty fast!
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A useful Mason jar
26. Scottish Spinach Oat Cakes
Perfect for smothering with dip, hummus, or if your recipient isn’t vegan, cheese. These savoury crackers are healthy, and can even be gluten free if you buy the right kind of oats. Pack them up in cellophane, then tie with a ribbon. Even better: gift these as part of a hamper that includes homemade hummus, spiced nuts, and vegan preserves.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A homemade vegan cheese, with the recipe above.
27. Homemade Almond Butter
It’s a smooth, salty favourite, and a source of good vegan protein, not to mention fibre and vitamins. But as practical as almond butter may be, there’s also something rather luxurious about a batch of the homemade stuff. Pack it into jars, topped with little cloth or paper caps, held in place by ribbons or elastics. I’d gift this with a loaf of homemade banana bread.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A fresh loaf of homemade bread or vegan crackers
28. Preserved Lemons
For the foodie in your life, preserved lemons are a godsend. They go perfectly in a variety of recipes, from Moroccan tagines to Sicilian lemon pasta and more. In fact, why don’t you gift these with a booklet packed with some handwritten recipes they can be used with? This recipe is a bit spicy, but of course you can adapt the spices to taste.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A terracotta tagine dish
29. Cranberry Quince Conserve
A fruit conserve with a little superfood boost! And this conserve is perfectly seasonal from the cranberries and pears to the brilliantly red colour. It just screams Christmas! Whether it’s topped onto a scone, added to a tagine or piled onto a cracker, this preserve will be well received. Especially so if it’s part of a hamper that contains some homemade crackers, breads, sweets and spiced nuts, for example. Honey is used in this recipe, so swap it for agave or maple syrup to keep it vegan, and if you don’t have quince where you are, oranges will do.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: Homemade vegan crackers and/or nuts
30. Vegan Doggie Biscuits
Whilst these could be edible for humans, this is one of those edible vegan gifts for the beasties! Although we’re not sure here at Eluxe whether it’s a good idea for dogs to be vegans, this recipe is basically a treat that any canine will love.
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A dog dish made of recycled plastic
31. Vegan Nacho Popcorn
This is one of the best edible vegan gifts for movie buffs! Pack the gift into a waxed paper bag or Mason jars and bring along with some films: The Grinch Who Stole Christmas is an all time favourite, or try It’s A Wonderful Life. It never gets old!
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A subscription to HBO or Netflix, or a cinema ticket subscription
32. Coffee Syrup Trio
I like to think that I’ve saved the best until last, but this may just be my love of coffee talking. Java syrups aren’t something I enjoy daily as they’re super high in sugar. But Christmas time calls for a little something special, and there’s nothing more indulgent than a freshly made, steaming cup of coffee with a sweet kick. These make some a great vegan gift, and I highly recommend making all three. It’s so easy!
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: Some organic, Fairtrade coffee of course!
33. Minestrone Soup In A Jar
Finally, this is one of the best edible vegan gifts for the person who’s too busy to cook. All they need to do is add a quart of veggie or tomato broth, and they’ve got a healthy, hearty dinner ready any time!
Get the recipe here.
Gift with: A bunch of homemade vegan crackers
Main image: Banana pecan pancake mix. Get the recipe here.
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Thank you so much for this idea. the best gift is always homemade with much love. there are super easy ideas and those that are a bit fancy.
Glad you like them! 🙂
What a wonderful compilation of homemade edible gifts. Sharing further!
Thanks for saying so! And, Merry Christmas!
Such a wonderful list of edible gifts. I’m convinced that people enjoyed making it, and eating it as well, and I’m honored you included my truffles recipe among them… Happy and healthy new Year to all