Holiday Gift Guide
Posted by Ari on November 28, 2008 in Books, Life | 84 Comments
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Baking and Books has been around for two years, and though I’ve wanted to create a gift guide every time the holiday season rolled around, somehow the task always eluded me. “This is the year!” I’d tell myself in early November. Then before I knew it December had come and gone. Darn.
But not this year! This year, I’m all over it. So without further ado I’m happy to share my picks for this season with you. I hope you enjoy this post – I had fun putting it together. 
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| More recipes from the waaay back machine (please forgive my early photography skills, lol) : Chocolate Pull-Apart Kuchen | Chocolate Apricot Challah | Sugared Monkey Bread | Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Cookies | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Don’t forget about the monthly book giveaway! November’s books include one copy each of the Field Guide to Cookies by foodblogger Anita Chu; Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois; and I’m Dreaming of a Chocolate Christmas by Marcel Desaulniers. Winners names will be posted on the giveaway page on December 1st. Visit the page now to see what’s in store for December!
- Bakery Style Sweet Buns & A Holiday Game
- Anita’s Molasses Spice Cookies
- Butternut Squash Muffins with Golden Raisins & Currants
- Chocolate Chipotle Brownies
- Chocolate-Cranberry Sweet Buns
- Chocolate Toffee Cookies with Toasted Pecans
- Creamy Carrot Potato Soup
- Apple Pie Interlude
I also write for 
What a delicious post! There’s something for everyone. How lovely.
Reeni´s last blog post -> Traditional Thanksgiving… Or Not?
Awesome post! What a fabulous idea and I can’t imagine how much time it must’ve taken you to put this all together…brilliant!
Thank you so much for all of the resources together. This is an amazing list of places to search this weekend
TheAngelForever´s last blog post -> Favorites from Thanksgiving
Jan » It took a very, very long time. But if you like the end result then all my efforts were worth it!
This is great! You have made my holiday shopping to-do’s much easier.
I’ve had fun doing my holiday gift guides this year, too. Couldn’t manage to get everything into one post, though — I like the way you’ve done it.
Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)´s last blog post -> All-purpose flour (Recipe: cheddar cheese biscuits)
Hi, visiting you via a link from Artisan Bread in 5 blog, so this is my first time here. WOW – such a lot to see. I’m looking forward to exploring more and I’ve also subscribed too.
Barb´s last blog post ->
Thank you so much! Since I now have a daughter I was planning on testing lots of recipes this season to find some that can become traditions. I think that will be easier now!
Ashley » Glad I could help! I hope you enjoy baking with your daughter, what a lucky pair you are.
Barb » Thank you for stopping by! I hope to see you in the comments again soon.
(p.s. Lovely blog you have!)
SENSATIONAL gift guide!!
VeggieGirl´s last blog post -> The Best Parts of the Thanksgiving Feast
You just made holiday shopping so much easier
Great post, I printed out the peanut butter cookie one… You wouldnt happen to have a recipe for vanilla bean cheesecake? I have been looking for a good recipe since hubby loved the starbucks one he tried.. Never to see it again, if i could find a recipe i would make it for hubby…
draven´s last blog post -> fun
Thank you! So great
I’ll be featuring this list on my own gift guide, on December 8.
amber » Awesome, thank you!
good timing! i was just thinking that i wanted to make gifts this year, and treats are perfect… easy to do in batches, easy to package and relatively inexpensive!
This is wonderful! Thanks so much! It will help me make/buy gifts for my fellow foodie friends.
This is so awesome! I bet it took a long time too…thanks for making it easier for us with great gift ideas! =)
Thanks Ari -delicious as usual! I’m itching to make the strawberry cake…
Crypt Stitch´s last blog post -> Flashback Friday…
Oooh! Thank you!
I think I messed up the first time I left the comment, so I am redoing it.. I was wondering if you know of any good vanilla bean cheesecake recipes… Its my husbands favorite after a trip to starbucks while out shopping and we have never seen it there again and he always looks when we go… I would make him one if i had a recipe… Ive searched online and havent found anything, I stink at searching for things…
draven´s last blog post -> fun
A great guide! What wonderful ideas! Thanks!
Cheers,
Rosa
Rosa´s last blog post -> CARAMEL CAKE WITH CARAMEL FROSTING
This is perfect! Thank you for posting this!
Wow. That raspberry cake is beautiful!
It is great! Good inspirations!!! Congratulations!!!
draven » There are a number of good looking recipes over here (click). See which one you like best and give it a go! I recommend reading all the reader reviews before trying a recipe – often if there is a problem someone else will have found it and posted about it.
Excellent ideas! I need to write my letter to Santa!
Shellyfish´s last blog post -> Come For The Daring Bakers Challenge, Stay For Diann’s Soup!
Homemade gifts are the best, thanks for all the great ideas!
I just found your blog through foodgawker. WOW. I’m adding you to my faves.
Congrats on your weight loss.
Oh, thanks so much for these ideas! The molasses marble bread and spiced sugar coins are two recipes that I sure must try! I wanted to make sugar cookies this season, but they seem so… ordinary. The spiced ones have that something extra that makes me excited to get baking again!
Karen » That’s great! Thanks for stopping by and adding me to your favorites.
This Christmas edition of Saveur actually has a feature on Philippine cuisine… of course, everyone here is thrilled! Go check it out!
Wow, great collection of ideas! Thanks for linking to my doughnuts.
Susan/Wild Yeast´s last blog post -> YeastSpotting 11.28.08
I just discovered your blog and am enjoying it so much. So many amazing ideas just in this post and so many I want to try! But not sure how I’m going to find time for everything! K x
kristina´s last blog post -> buns in the oven
I love the way you set this up! It’s like a buffet, and everything is appealing. …and off subject, we had your sweet potato/sage muffins at Thanksgiving dinner — much appreciated.
What a great list. You get an A+ for a wonderful post. I’m itching to break out the Kitchen Aid and start baking!
Thank you for this wonderful post
It’s great to see all these things in one place, with images to help me decide what to try (before I consider the what to buy section 
)
Love this post!! I can’t wait to try some recipes…and buy some gifts!
Maria´s last blog post -> A Few of our Favorite Things
Janel » aw shucks, thank you!
susan g » So happy to hear you enjoyed the muffins at Thanksgiving.
kristina » Thank you for stopping by! I’m glad you found me.
Susan/Wild Yeast » Thank you for making them! They look delicious.
Amanda Smith » Yay! My mission is accomplished if you’re inspired to bake again.
What a fab list!
Ariela you so make me want to put a holiday gift list together! thanks for inspiration…
xx fanny
fanny´s last blog post -> Pâtisserie Lac, part one – She who called herself ‘le maître des fraisiers’
Ari, you do know how to seduce! Thank you for this beautifully delicious post!
Thanks for the recipe links!
this post is just awsome! U just gave me plenty ideas of Holiday gifts~ Thumbs up!
Thank- you I love a post like this
Thank you so much for all the great ideas. This holiday season I am making alot of food gifts to give to family and friends, I had run out of ideas and this helped me give out more, especially the Chocolate Chipolte Brownies.
Thanks for all the great ideas and for putting it all together in one place.
It is awesome!
Thank you! I have printed several recipes I can’t wait to try.
You are a doll… thanks for including the Oreo cake.
Everything looks so good. I am going to have to restrain myself from doing some internet shopping from your great post. Looks like lots of things I would love!
Kristen´s last blog post -> Caramel Rolls – A Welcome Gift
I bet this did take a long time. SO much effort gathering all this info. You have some good ideas here! Thank you.
Lori´s last blog post -> DARING BAKERS: Caramel Cake & Caramels
I love to bake gifts and your photo collage is just the kick start I need!
Wow, the time you have put in this will surely be appreciated by both givers and receivers this holiday season! Thanks so much!
By the way, the brownies were a huge hit! Thanks again!!
Thank you for creating this wonderful post of Holday gifts!! I am mesmerized by the visual beauty of the mosaic of ideas!! I will be spending more time here getting ideas, thanks SO much for sharing this. I’m a new reader of your blog and I can’t wait to try out some of the recipes.
Thank you for the link to the site…
many blessings
draven´s last blog post -> fun
Wow, Ari, what an impressive bunch of ideas! Thank you so much for your effort – it’s most appreciated.
Suzana´s last blog post -> DB#25 or a Caramel Dream!
Great post… perfect gifts for the holidays…
One year, I made baskets for every member of my family and included unusual (and cheap) S/P shakers bought from an antique mall, a bag of homemade fry bread mix, a jar of homemade salsa, and packets of flower seeds I collected from my garden. They were a huge hit.
Snow Vandemore´s last blog post -> Can We Please Fast Forward To New Year’s?
Oooh so many awesome ideas. Definitely going to take me some time to go through this…thank you!
ILU! Thank you sooooo much for the guide!
wow,,,this is so helpful!
The Perfect Scoop is an amazing cookbook. It’s my favorite cookbook along with the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream cookbook. A lot of those other cookbooks look amazing. I’ll have to check them out.
Thanks for this post, it’s reminded me of a couple of great recipes I’d found in my wanderings that I’d forgotten about. Better get onto the xmas baking soon I guess…
What a great post!
it sure took you quite a while to write this interesting post. thank you so much for your generosity.
I am just starting on all of my baking holiday gifts – lots of great ideas here! Thanks:)
I can’t image a bigger collection of resources useful for Xmas.
Apart from the intriguing list of ideas of presents to cook, I’m just trying to figure out which book buy for myself for Xmas. I love to do a self-made-present and read it during Xmas afternoon.
Thanks a lot
What a fantastic round up of recipes and ideas! I could certainly use this! I made homemade girts last year but this year is just too hectic…but your list is convincing me otherwise!
What a fantastic lineup of ideas! Thank you so much for going to the trouble.
Fuji Mama´s last blog post -> Getting Sentimental With Creamy Tortilla Pinwheels
I love to bake stuff and give it to people, but living in LA, some people seem to be very weird about this stuff. Should probably limit it to close friends. Can’t ever figure out what to buy my agents–I need to do something nice for them and there are so many at one office…last year I went with a giant box of stuff from Harry & David, but they get so much of that type of thing. I want to be original!!
Thanks for the post!
mouth drops. this is awesome!
Jerry´s last blog post -> Thankful…..
Testing 123
thanks for putting this together. i am definitely doing homemade this year and was looking for ideas.
lara´s last blog post -> vegetarian in miami
Thank you very much for this!
They all look wodnerful and I’ll have a hard time deciding what to try first
Rox´s last blog post -> Comment on Giveaway! by Ilissa H.
This such a great list, I’m excited to try a few of these.
Kristi´s last blog post -> Holiday Gift Idea: Making Your Own Peanut Brittle
What a comprehensive (and tasty) list! I’ve looked at a couple sites each day and feel inspired to bake, cook, and try things I never would have known about. Thank you!
Great gift ideas! They all look wonderful! Thanks for sharing. Happy Holidays!
So many lovely things!!!
This is, by far, one of the most AMAZING blogs I’ve ever come across! Thank you, thank you, thank you SO much for doing this. Wow. You’ve made my day. No; you’ve made my WEEK!! I came for the chipotle brownie recipe and stayed (way too long; I’m at work) for lots of others!!
Congrats on your weight loss; I’ve lost 60 so far this year and plan on another 100+ in the coming year. You’re awesome, Ari!! Totally one of my faves.
R Jill Fink » Wow, thank YOU for this comment! You brought a big smile to my face.
Delicious Post. I should never miss a recipe in ur blog. Happy New Year.