12 Holiday Food Ideas to Give to Neighbors Besides Cookies
Some of the best parts of the holiday season are the joyous gifts you give to others. Homemade gifts are often some of the most well received because they are tasty and crafted with love. And while Christmas Cookie exchanges are fun and traditional, there are several other holiday food ideas you can give to friends, family, and loved ones.
Many of these are year-round recipes to share, but they are extra special during the holiday season. Adding festive holiday toppings, such as pomegranate arils, cranberries, cinnamon, peppermint, rosemary, sage, and thyme, are great ways to add additional holiday flavors and scents as well.
Here are 12 of our favorites (in the theme of the 12 days of Christmas) that will make your kitchen smell lovely and help spread the holiday cheer to you and your loved ones.
1. Sweetpotato Muffins – There’s nothing like a homemade muffin and you can surprise your loved ones with these muffins. They won’t even know there are two servings of veggies in there! The maple syrup adds the perfect sweetness without making these overly sweet.
2. Pie – Who doesn’t like pie during the holiday season? We’re drooling over this traditional Sweetpotato Pie and Fluffy Sweetpotato Bourbon Pie!
3. No-bake Sweetpotato Pie Bites – If you’re intimidated by the idea of making a whole pie, consider surprising your loved ones with no-bake sweetpotato pie bites – there is no baking involved and they are the perfect single-serving size!
4. Sweetpotato Cookie Dough Bites – Healthy, single-serving frozen treats are dinner are the epitome of perfect and convenient. These frozen cookie dough bites are great to store in the freezer and can quench that sweet tooth after a meal. Add red and green sprinkles or pomegranate seeds for a holiday twist!
5. Scones – A great breakfast option that can be sweet or savory, and one that your busy friends will appreciate! These Sweetpotato Date scones are a crowd pleaser
6. Sweet Potato Pie Fruit Leather – this is a great one for families with kids and neighbors. Better yet, involve your little ones in the prep. These also make for great holiday snacks for children’s classrooms and exchanges.
7. Recipe in a jar – These are fun creations that you can surprise neighbors with for them to bake on their own time! Mix all of the dry ingredients in a jar for these Sweetpotato pancakes, and the recipients can add the wet ingredients once they make them. It’s a win-win for all.
8. Savory Breakfasts – For friends and family members without a sweet tooth, surprise them with this savory make-ahead Sweetpotato Egg Casserole dish or Sweetpotato Bread Pudding. Both feed a crowd, easily, and can usually last for a few meals.
9. Homemade spices – All food enthusiasts will appreciate a homemade blend of spices, and it’s easy enough for anyone to make. Some easy ideas include a homemade seasonal blend of nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves for a sweetpotato spice or a cinnamon-sugar blend to throw on popcorn.
10. Candied nut blends – Have you made candied pecans or walnuts before? Combine your choice of nuts or seeds with sugar, cinnamon, salt, vanilla extract, and egg whites, and bake. Another bonus is how good your kitchen will smell during the process.
11. Sweetpotato Pretzel Bites – Bring these sweetpotato pretzel bites to your friendly holiday gathering and see how people will not be able to put them down! They are garnished with coarse sea salt, and the sweetpotato adds a nice tinge of sweetness to the pretzel dough.
12. Soups – Soups are one of the most appreciated gifts you can give because they are cozy and filling, plus the sweetpotatoes can help with immunity during the winter months. Consider this sweetpotato noodle soup, curried sweetpotato soup, or roasted cauliflower sweetpotato soup to help your loved ones warm up!