DIY Gift: Chai-Infused Sugar

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This chai-infused sugar is the very definition of a “last minute homemade gift idea.” Crush some spices, mix them with some granulated sugar and pour it into a pretty little jar. Boom! You’re done!

Plus, this gift re-gives itself again and again. Just tell your lucky recipients to add more sugar now and then to the spices, and they will have a continuous supply of chai-infused sugar.

Chai-Infused Sugar // Savvy Eats #DIYGift #Chai #Recipe #FoodGifts

In case you haven’t picked up on it yet, I have a bit of a chai “problem.”

Well, some people would call it a problem. I call it a deep and abiding love.

I drink chai nearly every day, and I’m constantly brewing up ideas for new chai-flavored recipes (Ha! Brewing…see what I did there?)

This chai-infused sugar might actually be my first chai flavored recipe that doesn’t contain actual tea.  But, it is packed full of the spices that make chai what it is, which is really the most important part. Cinnamon, cardamom, pink peppercorns, ginger all come together to lend a warm spiciness to everything you might add this sugar to.

Personally, I’m loving it in my coffee on those days when I want a bit more caffeine, but am missing that chai spice flavor.   I also used it in these chai shortbread cookies (and skipped the vanilla and ground tea), and think it would be excellent in scones, brownies, or other cookies, too. I want to try it in hot cocoa next!

Plus, pack it in a pretty jar and you have a DIY food gift that feels decadent and fancy, but is super-simple to make. This gift would be perfect for tea & coffee lovers, creative bakers, and anyone else who is obsessed with all things chai.

Bonus! Once you strain the sugar, you can reuse the spices for another batch or two of sugar to get more bang for your buck. Which means you can make one batch for a gift, and keep one all for yourself.  It’s a win-win.

Chai-Infused Sugar #DIYGift #Chai #Recipe

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Cherry Marshmallows

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Homemade cherry marshmallows are a welcome addition to any mug of hot cocoa or chocolate this holiday season. They’re a real treat for the whole family.

Cherry Marshmallows on Savvy Eats

When I wrote about my new favorite Russian tea cake cookies recipe, I mentioned that I am always striving for a balance of flavors when I put together my holiday cookie plates. But I forgot to mention my new secret weapon for gifting said cookie tins: they also include homemade marshmallows.

Last year, in my quest to perfect my creamsicle marshmallows recipe, I made way more marshmallows than Dan and I could ever hope to eat. We’re talking “drink hot cocoa two times a day and some of the marshmallows will still go bad before you can get to them” levels here. So I added a few to each tin of cookies that I handed out to family and friends.

They were an immediate hit. Everyone reported back that they loved having fluffy, pillow-y marshmallows to add to their hot chocolate while they were trimming their trees or watching holiday movies or doing their own holiday baking. So I plan to make “add homemade marshmallows to the cookie plates” an annual tradition – because who doesn’t love homemade marshmallows?

Homemade Cherry Marshmallows // Savvy EatsFor this homemade cherry marshmallow recipe, I used the juice from my maraschino cherries (though store-bought will work just as well!), whipping it in at the last minute or so. Because the cherries themselves don’t contain any dyes, the marshmallows turned an unappealing brown-ish color, so I also added a few drops of gel-based food coloring to make them a pretty pink. This part is totally optional, though it does make everything look a little more appetizing.

We’ve enjoyed these with both milk and dark hot cocoa. If you really want to get fancy, they are also amazing with an almond-spiked hot chocolate (just add a few drops of almond extract or a shot of amaretto).

Want to spike your homemade marshmallows? These chambord marshmallows would be great for the holidays as well!