Mailing Gifts This Holiday? Here Are 8 Edible Presents That Travel Well in the Mail
Whether you're across the country or across the world, you can spread the joy this holiday by mailing sweet treats to the people you love most—that is, if you pick edibles that travel well! Below, you'll find the top goodies that you can make at home or order online and mail in one piece.
Fudge
Fudge is dense, delicious, and definitely a treat that makes it through the mailing process. It's also something you can find online and ship to friends and family or make in the kitchen. Out of the thousands of fudge recipes, we picked this red velvet rendition, since it has the festive hue of the holidays and would look lovely tied up in a bow. Give it a try if you're into DIY holiday presents that are scrumptious and thoughtful.
Not a fan of red velvet? You can peruse 21 other fudge recipes that will make your gift recipients feel special. No matter what you pick, wrap your fudge up tight and put it in a box that's big enough for extra padding, so it doesn't get jostled and broken during transit.
Holiday Candy Bark
Candy bark is so versatile and amazing because you can customize flavors to fit any preference. Plus, it's already broken into pieces, so it's perfect for the rugged mailing process. The reindeer candy bark featured below is an ideal recipe for the holidays because of its red and green color scheme and peppermint flavor. Plus, this one takes minutes to make, so it'll be a quick and affordable gift you can ship to multiple people.
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For those who aren't sold on reindeer-themed gifts or celebrate a holiday other than Christmas, here are 40 holiday bark recipes you can make at home too.
Homemade Marshmallows
Marshmallows out of the bag seem fluffy and soft—that is, until you try a homemade version. When made fresh, marshmallows seem like clouds floating on air and literally melt in your mouth. Plus, they're soft, so they ship well as long as you pack them so they don't get squished.
We wouldn't recommend shipping these if they're going to be in the mail for days on end, as they tend to get stale quickly. However, if you can overnight these soft, yummy marshmallows and include a hot chocolate mix, you'll make Santa jealous. Want to give them a holiday look? Use Taste of Home's wonderful holiday marshmallow recipe tutorial.
DIY Caramel
Caramel is a tricky thing to get right, as one second too long on the burner will give you a burnt and stinky sugary mixture. However, when done right, caramel is one of the cheapest and most delicious confections you can make and give away as presents.
The recipe above is for soft, chewy caramel bars, but you can also make caramel sauce, caramel covered pretzels, and more depending on your technique. Caramel travels extremely well, but make sure to box it up to keep air out and prevent the caramel from being bumped around.
Holiday Hot Chocolate Mix
Hot chocolate mixes are a fantastic thing to ship around the holidays because they aren't super perishable. And when you follow the lead of this creative cook below and use a reindeer theme, you'll give your holiday present another festive element.
There are plenty of other versions of hot chocolate mixes that use mason jars, but glass is fragile and heavy, so and if you're shipping it you might want to opt for a more durable option that won't be as expensive to mail. (Hence why we love this recipe and execution!)
Candied Nuts Recipe
Cinnamon roasted almonds make your house smell wonderful while roasting and provide your giftee with something delicious to munch on! We love candied nuts because they can be used on top of baked goods, in salads, or eaten on their own. Put this particular recipe over-the-top by adding a handful of chocolate chunks, marshmallows, or coconut to the mix once it's baked.
You can also make candied pecans, honey roasted peanuts, and other savory versions you think your loved ones will enjoy most. Nuts, especially when candied, stick together and resist damage in the mail, which is why they're one of our favorite treats to send during the holidays.
Holiday Jam, Jelly, and Honey Recipes
Cranberry and strawberry jam for the holidays is a delicious treat. People can enjoy it on scones, toast, muffins, and more. When canned correctly, jams, jellies, and honeys keep for a really long time, which is why they're awesome to ship. In case the postman forgets to deliver your package on time, your goodies will still be good when they arrive.
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When canning, you'll need to use sterilized glass jars, so make sure you adequately wrap them in bubble wrap and put them in a big enough box, so they don't get squished and break in transit. You can also try amaretto honey with almonds, mint jelly, pepper jelly, raw honey from your own hive, homemade chocolate sauce, and more.
Gummy Candy
Gummy candy is very durable since it's soft and pliable—making it perfect to ship for the holidays! Shop from our selection of red and green gummy candy to stay within the Christmas theme, or look for blue and white for Hanukkah. We can ship directly to you, so you can wrap presents the way you'd like, or we can send shipments to your loved ones to speed up your gift-giving.
Curious about what other candies ship well and some tactics for getting your goodies to arrive in one piece? Read an interview with CandyStore.com founders, Tom Hoeck and Ryan Krueger.