Homemade Christmas Hamper Fillers Everyone Will Love
There is no better Christmas present than a homemade festive treat. Of course, every year there are top toys and Black Friday deals on games and phones and TVs… but when you do away with the expense and the must-haves and share something you worked on yourself, there’s love involved. It’s special. Everyone appreciates a handmade gift!
Whether you’re making gifts with the kids or you’re looking forward to a peaceful day of methodical crafting, there are plenty of great homemade hamper fillers to try. Why not test yourself and try your hand at something you’ve never crafted before? You might surprise yourself with your hidden talents…
Chocolate Treats
Who doesn’t want a chocolate at Christmas? The beauty of making chocolate hamper fillers is that it’s really easy to make them look beautiful and professional. Especially with the rustic food trends that are all the rage at the moment.
For the Kellogs Crunchy Nut fan in your life, why not try making some decadent cornflake crispies with their favourite cereal and high quality dark chocolate? Add chopped glacé cherries and flaked almonds to the mix and you’ve got yourself a batch of easy-peasy florentines without all the fuss. Sprinkle on some edible lustre for a festive shimmer.
Why not have a go at making your own chocolate truffles? It really isn’t as hard as you think. Ruby Tandoh’s cake truffles are especially good — and you get plenty of cake to eat while you’re making them.
Cheeseboard Crackers
Christmas is a time of cheeseboards. We don’t make the rules! Make some delicious crackers to go with a lovely gift of local cheeses and you’ve made the perfect Christmas present.
These rosemary crackers from BBC Good Food are delicious (and extremely moreish), and Felicity Cloake’s oatcakes are perfect for soft cheeses and rustic canapés.
Just remember that these babies need to go in an airtight container to stop them from going soft before your giftees get a chance to eat them, so find some cute tins, or seal them up in a decorated tupperware container.
Pretty Preserves
A Christmas hamper wouldn’t be complete without a jar of jam or two. While making jams and chutneys may seem intimidating, it’s mostly just about melting and stirring on the hob, simmering and pouring. And you can definitely do those things, right? So there you go! Easy!
If you’re a jam making beginner, this easy recipe from the BBC is a great place to start. It’s a ‘flexible’ recipe, meaning you can swap the main ingredients to make the jam whatever you’d like it to be. We’ve tried it with strawberries, raspberries, plums and damsons and they’ve always come out great.
Jamie Oliver’s easy tomato chutney is also a simple but effective recipe ideal for a Christmas hamper. It goes brilliantly with a cheeseboard, but also in place of Branston pickle in a cheese sandwich.
What do you fancy making for your Christmas hampers this year? Whether you’re planning a sweet-toothed festival of sugary treats or a savoury parcel filled with delicious snacks, have fun in your kitchen and remember to turn off the oven when you’re done!