Edible Gift

16 Edible Mother’s Day Gifts Mom Will Love (Because They're Homemade)

From-scratch cookies, caramels, cakes, and more.

March 23, 2020
Photo by Bobbi Lin

I don’t know about you, but my mom is nearly impossible to shop for. Every year, my sister and I desperately search for something practical or beautiful or trendy (or all three). But 10 times out of 10, my mom returns our gift. Or it sits, unused and collecting dust, in her closet.

I know gifts are not everyone’s love language. My mom prefers a thoughtful note or short phone call. But I have discovered one gift she always appreciates (and can’t return): something totally homemade. As a kid, this meant painted flower pots, personalized aprons, and very rhyme-y poetry. This year, I’m turning to from-scratch cookies, caramels, muffins, or bars.

Here are 16 edible Mother's Day gifts that I’m considering (plus a card, of course!):


16 Best Edible Mother's Day Gifts

1. Smoked Tea Caramels

These one-of-a-kind smoked tea caramels can be made well in advance and wrapped up with wax paper (and ribbon, if you want to make 'em look extra nice for mom).

2. 3-Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies

If you're fridge isn't stocked up with a bunch of the baking necessities, these three-ingredient oatmeal cookies (just rolled oats, light brown sugar, and tahini) are here to save the day.

3. Chocolate Bundt Cake

With over 450 reviews (yes, seriously), this chocolate bundt cake is easily one of our most popular cake recipes ever. Oh, and it happens to be a recipe contest-winner, too.

4. Lime Cornmeal Biscotti

These easy cornmeal biscotti have been described as "not too sweet, just limey enough, and with the perfect crisp." Sold.

5.Giant Chocolate Bar

This totally riff-able chocolate bar can be made with any toppings your mom might like—from cocoa nibs and toasted nuts to dried fruit and coconut flakes.

6. Soleils (Parisian Butter Cookies)

These easy-peasy Parisian butter cookies, inspired by the famous ones from Poilâne bakery, call for lemon zest, but you could easily swap in your mom's favorite citrus zest (like grapefruit or orange).

7. David Lebovitz' Dulce de Leche

There are so many ways to use this silky-smooth dulce de leche: slathered on cookies, drizzled over ice cream, spread on toast, and the list goes on.

8. Sqirl’s Puffed Granola (aka Turmeric Millet-nola)

This recipe from beloved Los Angeles cafe, Sqirl, will change the way you think about granola—it's lighter, crispier, and more perfectly spiced than many of its competitors.

9. Silky Chocolate Truffles

These creamy chocolate truffles look like they came from a fancy-schmancy chocolate shop, when really you made them right in your kitchen with no trouble at all.

10. Yogurt White Chocolate

Adding a dash of yogurt to white chocolate gives it just the right amount of tang that'll have you dipping and dunking everything in the stuff.

11. Wrinkly Chocolate Chip Cookies

A very clever method gives these chocolate chip cookies their signature rippled edges, which makes them perfectly crispy around the edges and chewy in the middle.

12. Torrone Siciliano (Sicilian Almond Brittle)

This nutty Sicilian brittle is super easy to make, but there are a few things you'll want to keep in mind, like keeping an eye on your sugar while it's on the stove (don't let it burn!).

13. Cinnamon and Rye Shortbread

Cinnamon and rye make a most-delicious duo in this flaky shortbread that would go great with a cup of tea, brewed fresh for mom.

14. Nigella Lawson's One-Step, No-Churn Coffee Ice Cream

Whipping up a batch of homemade ice cream doesn't need to be a chore, in fact, it's easier than ever with this version from Nigella Lawson (one step is all it takes).

15. Macaroons

These classic macaroons hit all the right notes: They're wonderfully fluffy and sweet without crumbling (oh, and they also happen to be gluten-free, too).

16. Cook's Illustrated Blondies

Don't be shy when it comes to the vanilla in these blondies—it's the secret to their success.


What's your favorite edible treat to give or receive? Tell us in the comments below!

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • David Crompton
    David Crompton
  • Dee Ann
    Dee Ann
  • Pamela Westcott
    Pamela Westcott
Katie is a food writer and editor who loves cheesy puns and cheesy cheese.

3 Comments

David C. May 4, 2020
Erin McDowell's puff pastry video is the best, watched it once and now cannot find it on the site? Search recipes but does not link that video. where is it??
 
Pamela W. May 9, 2020
In the site search box, type in Erin McDowell puff pastry, and the article she wrote with the recipe will come up.
 
Dee A. May 3, 2020
My never-fail treat is blondies that include almond extract and bits of crumbled Heath bars. An alternate version includes dulce de leche. No one can resist!