Homemade Holiday Gift Ideas

I'm a little bit of a freak.

I've already gotten almost all of my Christmas presents, most are even wrapped.

One thing I'm super excited about this year is some of the homemade gifts I'm giving: some people are getting homemade cookies, a certain person is getting cookie dough (with instructions on how to bake), someone else is getting some homemade vanilla extract, and another person is getting homemade chocolate peanut butter. Oh yes. This is going to be good. If you like the idea of making some of your gifts this holiday season, I've listed a few ideas below:

• Homemade Vanilla Extract
• Homemade Chocolate Syrup
• Homemade Peanut Butter/Variation of Nut Butters
• Raspberry Jam
• Caramel Corn
• Puppy Chow
• Chocolate Truffles/"Oreo Balls"/Peanut Butter Pretzel Truffles/Other Candy
• Homemade S'mores Kit:
  Include marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers (may I suggest homemade ;P)
• Cookies/Cookie Dough:
  (If giving cookie dough, I particularly like the idea of these two methods)

• Cookie Dough Balls
• Levain Chocolate Chip Cookie Copy Cat
• Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies 
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
• Browned Butter Dark Chocolate and Marshmallow Cookies
• Candy Bar Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Momofuku's Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow Cookies
• Chocolate Cookies and Cream Cookies
• Browned Butter Peanut Butter Cookies
• Whole Wheat Butter-less Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• NY Times Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
• (For the gluten free): Butter-less, Flour-less, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

For more ideas you can also check out my Homemade Gift Ideas board on Pinterest-I'm always updating it with new stuff I find, too!

Brown Butter Dark Chocolate and Toasted Pecan Cookies

Do you want a cookie that seems gourmet as all get out?

Do you want a cookie that tastes complex and comforting all at the same time?

Do you want thick cookies, with a soft center and wonderful little bites of crunch?

Do you want cookies with all the nutty, caramelized flavor of browned butter + the rich molasses goodness that is dark brown sugar + ooey gooey bites of dark chocolate + surprising bites of salt that create a yummilicious sweet/salty combo thing + the surprising perfection that is toasted pecans?

DO YA?

...yes. You do.

Trust me.

When I first saw this recipe on Baker Bettie, I was actually surprised by how intriguing I found them. But something about them just...sang to me. I knew I needed to try them. It took me a bit, but last week it finally happened. Now, I'm not sure if you've noticed but, as a general rule, I don't much enjoy nuts in my cookies (or brownies, etc.)-nut butters are always fair games, but usually nuts are just not accepted into my cookie-dom. Maybe you also feel this way, maybe you don't. Either way listen to me when I say: DO NOT OMIT THE PECANS FROM THIS RECIPE! I'm serious...the toasted pecans might be the best part. I actually used just slightly less pecans than the recipe calls for (a very scant amount less, but still)...I regret it. There was nothing more amazing than taking a big bite of cookie that encompassed chocolate, salt, cookie, and pecan. It is a perfect flavor marriage. This cookie without the pecans is just missing part of what makes it so amazing. It's like...Superman without the Kents, Batman without Alfred, Dean without "Baby" (aka The Impala), Damon without his eyebrows...you get the idea. I mean it when I say these cookies are like a whole 'nother level. They are incredibly unique and wonderful and amazing and delicious. They're like cookie masterpieces. You need to be a part of this. You need to make these. I mean it. 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins

We're gonna have a little fun this week.

You see, next week is my birthday.

Christmas time is quickly approaching.

Also, I have a lot of cookie recipes that I've made and need to share.

So, let us declare this week:

COOKIE WEEK!

Yayyy cookies!

To start us off, a cookie-like breakfast recipe.

Technically they're muffins, but trust me...they're almost cookies. Like...eating cookies for breakfast prob. would be just as acceptable as these muffins, but since they're muffins they're breakfast food and you don't feel as guilty for eating them in the morning. Ya know?

Soft and fluffy, like a muffin.

Oatmeal, chocolate chips, and all the brown sugar goodness of a cookie.

There's really nothing not to like about these.