Homemade Holiday Gifts

The holidays are fast approaching and no matter how many times you have checked and rechecked your list, sometimes you still end up with a few last minute gifts that need to be found. Instead of braving the crazy crowds at the mall, stay home and create some homemade gifts that your friends and family will love! Who knows, you may have so much homemade fun, you might just skip store bought gifts altogether next year!

 

Homemade Bath Bombs

 There is nothing quite so nice as soaking in a warm tub at the end of a long cookie swap. After hours of mixing, baking, and decorating, your poor muscles could use some rest! Mix up these fun and easy bath bombs with Hodgson Mill Cornstarch for a gift that really is a treat! Make them festive for the holidays when you use holiday themed silicone molds. Wrap in cute packaging and you have a fantastic gift!

Instructions

½ cup baking soda
¼ cup Hodgson Mill Non-GMO Corn Starch
¼ cup Epsom salt
¼ citric acid
3-4 Tbsp. coconut oil
1-2 tsp. essential oil (optional)

1.     Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.
2.      Add in coconut oil and mix well.
3.     Slowly add in water, whisking well to ensure the mixture does not bubble. Whisk, until the mixture sticks together in clumps.
4.     Press into molds or cookie cutters and let stand for 5 minutes.
5.     Carefully remove from molds and let dry for up to 24 hours before packaging.

Gingerbread Pancake Mix Jars

Skip the usual cookie mix jar this year and instead whip up some Gingerbread Pancake Mix Jars! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it can be tough to whip up a delicious and healthy breakfast in the days leading up to and the days after Christmas. Made with Hodgson Mill Graham Flour, this mix is good for you, as well as good to eat!  As an added bonus, mix in a tablespoon of Hodgson Mill Milled Flax Seed. Your loved ones will thank you for the delicious (and healthy!) treat on a chilly morning!

Instructions

1 ¼ Hodgson Mill All Purpose White Whole Wheat Flour
1 Tbsp. Hodgson Mill Flax/Chia Blend
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground allspice
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

Whisk together all ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer to 8 oz. jars. Attach the following instructions:

1.     Add pancake mix and 2 cups milk, or dairy alternative, and mix well.
2.     Over medium-high heat, add ½ tsp. coconut oil or butter to a skillet or griddle. Measure ¼ cup of the pancake mix into dollops on griddle.
3.     Cook until bubbles form, about 2 minutes, and flip the pancake.
4.     Cook for an additional minute, until golden brown.
5.     Repeat until pancake mix is gone.

Makes 12 pancakes

Salt Dough Ornaments

Still searching for the perfect gift for grandma or grandpa? Skip the tie and apron and instead grab the kids to make an adorable Christmas treasure for their tree. With only three ingredients, these ornaments are the perfect last minute gift or last minute decoration for your own tree! 

Instructions

1 cup Hodgson Mill All Purpose White Whole Wheat Flour
½ cup salt
½ cup water

1.     Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.
2.     Knead mixture until all clumps are gone.
3.     On a clean surface (tin foil works great!), roll out dough to ¼ inch thickness and cut with cookie cutters.
4.     Stamp designs onto soft dough cut outs and use a straw to add a hole for hanging.
5.     Bake for 1-2 hours in a 250 degree preheated oven, until ornaments are no longer soft.
6.     Remove from oven and let cool.
7.     Decorate and let dry.

Whether you are searching for the perfect gift for that special someone or are looking for a last minute gift, homemade is definitely the way to go!