Five viral food trends turned into envy-inducing Christmas gifts

Want to give a foodie gift that feels high-end without spending a fortune? Make your own with these homemade versions.

1. Dubai chocolate truffles

Everyone knows about Dubai chocolate. The bars that took the internet by storm combine chocolate with pistachio and crunchy kataifi pastry. It’s highly likely you have a Dubai chocolate obsessive on your to-buy-for list.

They don’t come cheap though. And, let’s be honest, whether it’s from the corner shop or a high-end confectioner, a chocolate bar doesn’t scream ‘Christmas gift’, no matter how big you go with the ribbon. That’s where these truffles come in.

Simple to make and looking like they came individually priced from a chocolatier’s counter, they give you solid bang for your buck.

We’d be doing you a great disservice if we didn’t also point you in the direction of Nigella’s vintage 2007 recipe for chocolate pistachio fudge at this point.

It’s easy to make, has just four ingredients (one of which being a very low-key ‘pinch of salt’) and gives you 64 squares to divide up and dish out. Nigella, as ever, was way ahead of the curve.

2. Tiramisu (Crumbl-style) cookies

This last year we’ve all caught ourselves mindlessly watching video after video of Americans sitting in their cars reviewing the trending Crumbl cookies. (Right?)

The supersized biscuits, topped with pleasingly piped cream, were big talking (and eating) points of 2025, but for a long time the closest we could get to snaffling one on this isle was through our social media feeds.

But lo! We have created our own version especially for you. The simple recipe takes inspiration from another of this year’s big trends: tiramisu. A box of these will go down an absolute storm as a Christmas gift. Not one to stash under the tree though – the fridge is where they live if you want them still looking at all appealing by Christmas Day.

3. Hot chocolate bomb-style stirrers

Hot chocolate bombs – hollow spheres of choc, classically filled with hot chocolate powder and marshmallows – are made to be drenched in steaming milk. Watch the shell melt, release the hidden treats inside and turn your mug of milk into a luxe hot chocolate.

Homemade versions are all over social media, but we’ve removed the faff (and a lot of the washing up) with these hot chocolate stirrers. Great for kids, whether they’re the ones making or receiving.

4. Bougie chilli sauce

This staple condiment has reached new heights in the popularity stakes lately, and now you can shop for endless versions and riffs on the classic. Thing is, they’re often on the end of a somewhat hefty price tag.

So, if you have a hot sauce fanatic in your life, put a smile on their face and earn yourself solid brownie points this Christmas by gifting them your own lovingly homemade take.

This simple Rick Stein recipe really packs a punch. Decant it into jars or bottles, add a bow and there you have it: a delicious hot sauce that’s ideal for gifting and will keep in the fridge for three months (although we bet it won’t need to).

5. Chocolate-dipped honeycomb

Videos of people making their own cinder toffee – also known as honeycomb – have been sweeping social media sites. It looks very satisfying and impossibly simple – although the risk is real. No one wants boiling sugar anywhere near their bare skin.

So, it’s tempting to buy the fancy chocolate-dipped stuff from shops. But there is a middle ground: make your own by following a solid recipe which shows you how to avoid unpleasant sugar-related injuries. Namely, this one.

And there you have it, five easy-to-make Christmas gifts based on some of 2025’s most tempting food trends. Let us know in the poll below which one you’re hoping to unwrap this year.

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Originally published December 2025