It’s that time of year when you suddenly need “mini gifts” for all kinds of situations—host gifts for multiple holiday parties, a gift for your kid’s attentive teacher, and a little something for the dog walker.
Traditionally, baked goods like sugar cookies or fudge have been a great solution. They totally still are. But if you want to give something a little more nutritious that still has tons of flavor and looks creative, we have some (brilliant, naturally) ideas.
RELATED: The Healthy Baking Hack You’ve Got to Try
Here are five healthy baked goods that are easy to package and hand out as delicious holiday gifts.
5 Healthy Baked Holiday Gifts
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Dark Chocolate Superfood Bark
Chocolate bark is already a recognized holiday favorite. This version is made with antioxidant-rich dark chocolate and decorated with superfoods like goji berries and chia seeds, for a festive look and a nutritious boost.
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Sweet Potato Pie Cookies
Imagine a pretty holiday tin filled with cookies that have all of the holiday flavors people love (like warming sweet potato, ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon) and none of the ingredients that will lead to a sugar crash. In addition to being grain-free, they’re sweetened with dates instead of refined white sugar and even provide protein, thanks to hemp seeds.
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Mini Pumpkin Pie Bites
Pie baking is notoriously labor-intensive, and if you try to bake a single pie for every party you’re invited to, you’ll never get to another holiday task on your list. But if you make a big batch of these adorable bites—make with nutritious ingredients such as flax seeds and coconut milk—you’ll have plenty to divvy up and hand out. These will require slightly more careful packaging than a cookie, for example, but it can absolutely be done.
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Apricot Cinnamon Scones
Give a party host the gift of not having to worry about what’s for breakfast the next morning. These creative scones come with holiday flavors and are made with spelt and almond flour instead of white flour.
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Lavender Honey Granola
Grab some super cute bags with pretty ribbons, and you’ll be set to dole out this next-level granola for the holidays. It’s grain-free, filled with satiating nuts such as almonds and cashews, and has culinary-level accents like Manuka honey and lavender. Whoever you gift this to is bound to ask if you spent the last year in chef training.
