Christmas Gifts from my Kitchen – Hot Chocolate Spicy Mix

EVENT: FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP
THEME: #225 CHRISTMAS TREATS
FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP THEME
With Christmas approaching, I was hoping that my friends from this group would choose Christmas Gifts From Your Kitchen as opposed to the second option which was Curry Leaves. Don’t get me wrong, curry leaves too is a good theme but perhaps for a later time. For now wanted to jump onto the Christmas preparation bandwagon. Nowadays, Christmas is a festival celebrated by almost everyone even if they are not Christians. My family in UK tend to celebrate Christmas with the same fervor as Diwali or perhaps even more. You just cannot help but get into the joyous celebration mood because of the decorations, carol singing, festival deals in the shops etc.
CHRISTMAS GIFTS FROM MY KITCHEN
My hubby’s birthday falls on the same day as Christmas, as a result its always party time for us. Usually I like to celebrate it with friends and family whenever possible. That means I tend to gift my guests with home baked cookies or cakes. However, this year I thought that the gifts have to be different as we all get inundated with cakes and cookies around Christmas.
When you really put your brains into full speed gear, gifts that you can make from your kitchen are endless. Not only are they edible, but are cheaper to make, adds a personal touch to a gift, are free from additives, preservatives, artificial colour and usually its more appreciated than any store bought gift. Have you noticed how sometimes you land up with a gift that you don’t like, or is not really useful to you or you don’t have an appropriate place in your home to display it? That’s why I prefer to give and receive edible gifts. You enjoy it and then its gone. Don’t get me wrong, I usually remember my favorites like a Sesame Halwa my best friend brought for me from London, it was super delicious. If its not edible then I prefer something that I can use as a prop for my photo shoots and food presentation.
Get everything you need ready
- You first need to decide what you’d like to make. Are you making one thing for all or are you going to gift them what they like? Usually with close friends and families we tend to know what they would prefer. Like a friend of ours always likes me to make Red Chili Sauce as he loves to enjoy it with all the Indian snacks and with parathas. Make sure what you gift doesn’t have to be consumed immediately.
- Once you’ve got a list of what you’re going to prepare, next you need to get all the ingredients together.
- Also decide on how you’re going to package whatever you’re making. Bottles, recycled jars, fancy tins, wooden boxes, cake boxes, brown paper bags are some options.
- Decide on how you’re going to present it. Add ribbons, bows, pack it in little cloth bags, use Christmas trinkets and trimmings.
- Make whatever you’ve decided, pack it and its ready for gifting.
What Christmas Gifts you can make from your kitchen?
Here are some suggestions that are not cookies and cakes:
Sauces:
- Homemade Chocolate Sauce
- Spicy Homemade Chilli Sauce
- Hot Homemade Schezwan Sauce
- Tangy Homemade Tamarind Sauce
- Delicious Homemade Passion Fruit or any other fruit sauce
- Passion Fruit Hot Sauce
Spice blends or Mixtures:
- Podi Masala – Check out the kind of spice mixture or podi Preethi makes at home
- Tea (Chai Masala)
- Garam Masala
- Taco Seasoning
Homemade Chocolates:
- Bombay Mix Chocolate Bark
- Chocolate Medallions
- Cardamom Chocolate Fudge
- Coconut Chocolate
- Chocolate Pistachio Fudge
Pickles or Chutneys:
- Lemon Pickle
- Amla Pickle
- easy Lemon Chutney
- Green Apple and Spring Onion Chutney
- Date Tamarind Chutney
Savory Snacks:
- Healthy Roasted Makhanas/Fox Nuts
- Roasted Makhana (Lotus Seeds) Roasted Snack with nuts, the way Archana makes it.
- Gur Makhana/Jaggery Makhana a sweet snack like my friend Swaty makes
- Turmeric Popcorn
- Popcorn and Nut Trail Mix
- Turmeric Aniseed Rusks
- Home Roasted Nuts
Jams/Jellies/Butters/Margarine
- Mango and Passion Fruit Jam
- Papaya Lemon Jam
- Orange Marmalade
- Peanut Butter which Poonam always makes at home
Ready Made Mixes:
- Homemade Granola
- Oat Mix, just mix quick cooking oats with chopped mixed nuts and dried fruits of your choice, cinnamon powder or any other spice mix for flavour and chia seeds.
- Buckwheat and Moong Khichdi Mix or any other khichdi mix
I made a mix of ½ cup rice, ½ cup moong dal and ½ cup buckwheat groats. Attach a handwritten recipe.
- Lentil Soup Mix
- Hot Chocolate Spicy Mix
Hot Chocolate Spicy Mix
Remember the friend I mentioned above, who brought some Sesame halwa for me, well, she also brought a mega packet of organic cacao powder for me during her last trip to UK. I decided to use the cacao powder to make a hot chocolate spicy mix. Because of the cold weather, hubby and I always feel like drinking something hot at night while watching telly. Tea and coffee are out as we’d probably stay awake the whole night, herbals teas is not what hubby likes so he insists on hot chocolate drink. As he is diabetic, I used coconut sugar instead of refined sugar. Adding spices makes it more tastier and warm.
Cacao vs Cocoa
Cacao is a tropical plant native to South America and is known as Theobroma cacao tree. It usually made by cold pressing unfrosted cacao beans and is usually pure. Cocoa powder is made from roasted cacao beans. Cacao is rich in iron and the amino acid called tryptophan. The body uses tryptophan to make serotonin a brain chemical which helps one to relax. Isn’t that a good enough reason to use cacao instead of cocoa powder. Cacao is usually without any sugar added to it. Inferior quality cocoa powders may contain cornstarch, sugar and milk powder.
So lets get to how I made this so easy Hot Chocolate Spicy Mix

HOT CHOCOLATE SPICY MIX
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup cacao/cocoa powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- ½ tsp nutmeg powder
- ¼ tsp sea salt or Himalayan Pink Salt
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients in a bowl till there are no lumps. Best is to sift it using a sieve.
- Store in an airtight container.
- To use hot chocolate spicy mix, add about 1-2 tbsp in one cup of hot milk.
- Serve it plain or add a bit of whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate chips, sprinkles or cocoa puff cereal.
Notes
- Add spices of your choice
- Add about ¼ cup nut powder like almond powder.
- For a more creamier hot chocolate drink add ¼ cup milk powder (dried milk).
- Replace cacao powder with a good quality non sweetened cocoa powder.
Pin for Later:
A little request:
If you do try this recipe then please either
- add a comment below,
- send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
- tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
- or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962
57 Comments
poonampagar
December 16, 2019 at 2:08 pm
I love your innovative concept of gifting different homemade stuff over bakes and i must say, you have a wonderful collection here ! Coming over to the hot chocolate spicy mix, it is so handy and apt for the winter season.
mayurisjikoni
December 16, 2019 at 6:02 pm
Thank you so much Poonam, when I was teaching, we teachers would gift each presents and usually most of them would want me to make for them tea masala.
Lata Lala
December 19, 2019 at 6:23 pm
Hey that’s a lovely collection of edible gifts to choose from. One can be spoilt for choices. It’s a one stop post to choose and makes the gifting idea so easy.
Loved the way you have decorated each and every gift so thoughtfully.
Wonderful share.
mayurisjikoni
December 19, 2019 at 7:17 pm
Thank you so much Lata.
The Girl Next Door
December 16, 2019 at 10:19 pm
Wonderful post, Mayuri ji! Love your collection of edible gifts. 🙂
I’m also completely for edible gifts. They are so much more meaningful than store-bought ones, somehow.
mayurisjikoni
December 17, 2019 at 4:53 pm
Thank you so much Priya. Homemade gifts are more thoughtful.
Jo Allison
December 17, 2019 at 2:27 pm
Some great gift ideas here. Homemade gifts are so much more thoughtful and personal too and your spicy hot chocolate recipe sounds delicious! Perfect winter drink!
mayurisjikoni
December 17, 2019 at 4:50 pm
That’s so true, Jo homemade gifts are more thoughtful and thanks.
Danielle@wenthere8this.com
December 17, 2019 at 2:41 pm
There are so many great options here for gifts! I have got to try that tamarind sauce.
mayurisjikoni
December 17, 2019 at 4:49 pm
Thanks Danielle and hope you like it.
Julie Zimmerman
December 17, 2019 at 3:00 pm
Such great gift ideas. Thank you for sharing!
mayurisjikoni
December 17, 2019 at 4:49 pm
You’re welcome.
paula
December 17, 2019 at 3:30 pm
Homemade gifts are always the best! Thanks for sharing so many ideas and ways of getting them ready! Love this post.
mayurisjikoni
December 17, 2019 at 4:48 pm
Thank you so much Paula and you’re welcome.
kimscravings
December 17, 2019 at 3:52 pm
I love these recipe ideas! So many good ones to try!
mayurisjikoni
December 17, 2019 at 4:48 pm
Thank you so much.
ARCHANA
December 19, 2019 at 7:27 am
Mayuri! I love homemade edible gifts and wish I can carry them for all our friends. In fact I should carry them the only problem is planning and packing. I do love the way you have packaged the gifts. I have tried this spicy chocolate I have tried in the past but I am loving your method. Must try it out.
mayurisjikoni
December 19, 2019 at 12:36 pm
Thank you so much Archana, doing this post was so much easier in India because of all the cute jars available in the market. Its thanks to my daughter had those fancy ribbons and decoration stuff handy.
Shailender Sharma
December 19, 2019 at 1:17 pm
“So much to choose from, rather everything is worth putting in bag and distribute as gift” must be in the thoughts of santa 🎅 reading this post 😃.
Really an awesome collection and not just confined to the festival of Christmas but any occasion comes & goes around us.
mayurisjikoni
December 19, 2019 at 1:51 pm
Thanks Shailender, and you’re so right these gifts can be made for any occasion.
shobhakeshwani
December 21, 2019 at 12:13 am
This is an amazing spice mix for winters. My hubby likes chocolate drinks. I will make it for him.
mayurisjikoni
December 21, 2019 at 9:52 pm
Thanks Shobha, hope he likes it.
Mina Joshi (@GiveMeSomeSpice)
December 21, 2019 at 1:33 am
Wow what a lovely selection of gift ideas – all packaged so lovingly. The mango and passion fruit jam is my favourite.
mayurisjikoni
December 21, 2019 at 9:51 pm
Thank you so much Mina, I too love the mango and passion fruit jam.
vandanahr2gmailcom
December 21, 2019 at 7:23 am
Loved this post. Home made edible gifts are my favorite too. I love receiving as well giving them. You have really complied everything in a very nice and useful manner. Bookmarking it.
mayurisjikoni
December 21, 2019 at 9:51 pm
Thank you so much Vandana. I’m glad you love my post and find it useful.
Vasusvegkitchen
December 22, 2019 at 6:41 pm
Lovely christmas gifts collection di, they are looking beautiful with attractive presentation. I am bookmarking this to try all, to present my friends 😍. Hot chocolate spicy mix is very interesting di, loved the ingredients like nutmeg, cinnamon nd other powders sounds very yummy.
mayurisjikoni
January 2, 2020 at 7:35 pm
Thank you so much Aruna. Give me your feedback when you make the gifts.
Vasusvegkitchen
December 22, 2019 at 6:42 pm
Lovely christmas gifts collection di, they are looking beautiful with attractive presentation. I am bookmarking this to try all to present my friends 😍. Hot chocolate spicy mix is very interesting di, loved the ingredients like nutmeg, cinnamon nd other powders sounds very yummy
mayurisjikoni
December 22, 2019 at 9:42 pm
Thank you so much Aruna, most of them are really easy to make so please do try out the recipes.
Renu Agrawal Dongre
December 23, 2019 at 2:08 am
A wonderful collection of edible gifts this is. You are right we have so many wonderful gifts to give from our kitchen too. Happy Birthday to your husband in advance.
mayurisjikoni
December 23, 2019 at 11:23 am
Thank you so much Renu.
Malini
December 23, 2019 at 8:59 am
Such a lovely collection. I am sure your friends and family must be very happy to receive and use such an awesome home made items. I love the name hot and spicy 🙂 I have heard about cacao powder, I didn’t know much because of you learned about it little more. Every gift idea is very thoughtful. Thank you for sharing!
mayurisjikoni
December 23, 2019 at 11:22 am
Thank you so much Malini. My friends and family are always happy to receive home made gifts.
Batter Up With Sujata
December 24, 2019 at 10:08 am
Wow I am speechless. So many ideas for edible gifts. I also love to gift homemade stuff. But only cookies, cakes and sweets. You have a vast collection of edible gift ideas.
mayurisjikoni
December 25, 2019 at 5:43 pm
Thanks Sujata, I usually try and gift what people enjoy the most. Usually cookies and cakes are there.
FoodTrails
December 25, 2019 at 6:45 pm
Wonderful collection of such different homemade goodies for gifting..homemade are the best and tour collection has something for every age group. Thanks for including my recipe in the collection.
mayurisjikoni
December 25, 2019 at 7:09 pm
Thank you Swaty and also for allowing me link your recipe.
FoodTrails
December 26, 2019 at 7:11 pm
Pleasure was mine!!
preethi76
December 26, 2019 at 6:16 am
Gifting home made goodies is such a lovely idea. You have a wonderful collection of recipes for gifting.Hot chocolate spice mix is absolutely interesting.
mayurisjikoni
December 26, 2019 at 2:18 pm
Thank you so much Preethi, I love making such gifts at home.
sizzlingtastebuds
December 26, 2019 at 1:09 pm
Hot chocolate in this bangalore weather must be so delectable.. thanks for sharing this collection of edible gifts Mayuri – so handy and more so innovative !
mayurisjikoni
December 26, 2019 at 2:15 pm
Thanks Kalyani, the whole idea came about of making the hot chocolate spicy mix because of the cold at night in Bangalore.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
January 1, 2020 at 8:01 pm
Mayuri, this post is making me so happy! I am all about edible gifts during the holiday season and this is giving me lot of good ideas for the next year. This hot chocolate mix is so delicious and will be loved by kids and adult. Happy Holidays to you and your family!
mayurisjikoni
January 2, 2020 at 7:33 pm
Thank you so much Sandhya. Enjoy the hot chocolate spicy mix.
Lathiskitchen
January 1, 2020 at 11:30 pm
You have compiled a great homemade gift choices. I loved the hot chocolate mix.
mayurisjikoni
January 2, 2020 at 7:32 pm
Thank you so much Lathiya.
jayashreetrao
January 2, 2020 at 6:30 pm
Innovative gift ideas here and they look so chic. Lovd this hot chocolate spice mix, do you get that coconut sugar in stores?
mayurisjikoni
January 2, 2020 at 7:23 pm
Thank you so much Jayashree, I buy it from big basket. Hubby has it with his tea everyday also.
jayashreetrao
January 10, 2020 at 9:27 am
Ok. Thankyou Mayuri
namscorner18
January 3, 2020 at 7:32 pm
Wow. Such a huge collection of edible gift ideas. We always think about cakes and cookies only but this post is giving me so many ideas and each one is so unique. I love to gift such homemade goodies for any parties or friends
mayurisjikoni
January 3, 2020 at 7:34 pm
Thank you so much Narmadha, I usually like to gift something different besides cakes and cookies.
Jagruti’s Cooking Odyssey
January 6, 2020 at 11:41 am
Being foodie I always add an edible gift to any hamper package. You have a such great collection of edible gifts here, and I don’t mind receiving all of them.
mayurisjikoni
January 6, 2020 at 1:25 pm
Thanks Jagruti.
Sasmita Sahoo Samanta
January 15, 2020 at 5:23 pm
What an wonderful collection of different homemade gifting ideas !!! These are perfect during christmas or even any other occasion. I will try my hand in some of these recipes surely 🙂
mayurisjikoni
January 15, 2020 at 7:40 pm
Thanks Sasmita, please try them as they make wonderful gifts for any occasion.
Hairstyles
September 3, 2021 at 6:21 am
Hi there, I found your blog via Google while looking for a related topic, your web site came up, it looks great. I have bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.