Whether it's a gift for a loved one, to mark a special occasion or just to cheer someone up, sending an edible gift you've made yourself is sure to make the recipient smile. Just be sure to wrap any baked goods carefully in kitchen roll, tucking it into any gaps, and add a layer of foil before packing them in a sturdy tin or airtight container. Place this in a larger cardboard box labelled 'perishable', fill the gaps with bubble wrap, and you're all set!
Click or scroll through these edible gift ideas that you can send in the mail – and make someone's day.
A grating of orange zest adds plenty of extra interest to these buttery biscuits. It's a super-simple recipe to make if you're low on time – and you wanted to, you could make life even easier by using a food processor. Just remember one thing: after you've dipped the finished shortbread in chocolate, make sure that it sets completely before you package your biscuits up to send.
These irresistible Florentines are laced with orange zest, studded with almonds and crystallised ginger, and dipped into white and milk chocolate on one side – so if you're looking for a truly stunning foodie gift to send to a loved one, this recipe is for you.
These cherry and poppy seed marshmallows are sure to impress sweet-toothed friends and family members. The taste is much more complex than anything you could buy – and they look professional, too. Pack them into a tin or container lined with baking paper, making sure all the marshmallow edges are covered in mallow dust (an icing sugar and cornflour mix) so they don't stick together. They won’t last as long as shop-bought marshmallows, but they should be fine if you ship them with express delivery.
Robust and long-lasting, apricot and chocolate flapjacks are a foolproof option for sending in the post. Our recipe tops the flapjacks with a drizzle of white chocolate, but feel free to experiment with milk or dark chocolate if you like. Top tip: put a piece of baking paper between each slice before sending so they don’t stick together.
Fail-safe savoury treats that are perfect for practically any occasion, these sesame bagels can be toasted at their destination and enjoyed with butter, cream cheese, jam or any other favourite topping. They keep for up to three days but could be frozen on arrival to make them last longer.
Who wouldn't love to receive a delivery of cinnamon buns in the post? Here, pastry is folded into gorgeous little knots, with sweet cinnamon and cardamom-spiced butter spread between each layer. Allow them to cool completely when they come out of the oven so they don’t go soggy during their trip through the post – and pack them in an airtight container to keep them from going stale.
These chewy, tasty delights contain blitzed dates (for a warm sweetness), dark chocolate (which adds depth of flavour), and chopped pistachios (for a pleasing crunch). Not only that, but the batter is swirled with tahini, a Middle Eastern sesame paste, resulting in nutty notes and an eye-catching colour contrast. The brownies will keep for up to three days in an airtight container, so pop them in the post soon after baking.
Italian biscotti biscuits are hardy and will keep for up to two weeks in an airtight container, making them the perfect make-and-mail gift. In our recipe, the dough is infused with orange zest and rosemary, as well as chopped dried apricots – and the pistachios are a classic addition, providing dashes of green and a satisfying crunch. For an attractive present, we suggest popping the biscuits in a cellophane bag and tying up with a ribbon.
You'd never guess, but these delectable little brownies are free from both eggs and dairy; instead, they get their sumptuous moisture from olive oil. Be sure to make them with good-quality dark chocolate for the tastiest possible results. The perfect treat to enjoy with a coffee, they look particularly tempting cut into bite-sized squares.
If you wanted, you could go all out and make your own fig jam for these sweet thumbprint cookies – so-called for the jam-carrying indent made in the dough – but you could also use shop-bought, or swap in a loved one's favourite type of jam (strawberry or raspberry would be equally delicious). Whatever you use to fill your sweet treats, be sure to place a layer of baking paper between each one to stop them from sticking together in the post.
These dark chocolate and peanut butter fudge bites look so good, whoever receives them will think they've been made by a professional! The recipe goes a little like this: good-quality, natural peanut butter is stirred into homemade fudge, then – once set and cooled – spread with chocolate and sprinkled with coarse sea salt. You’re going to want to make extra so you can keep some for yourself...
Made from cornmeal, polenta cookies have a great yellow colour and a satisfying crunch. These ones are lovely and lemony – and super-rich too, thanks to the addition of two extra egg yolks. Remember to let these bright, crumbly bakes cool completely before you send them off in the mail, otherwise they could go soggy.
So easy to make, and containing just flour, butter and sugar, shortbread biscuits are one of life’s simplest pleasures – so why not make someone's day special by sending them a batch? Our recipe serves them alongside a watermelon granita, which you could make for yourself as a post-baking reward.
Everyone loves decadent dark chocolate brownies. Our recipe also gives instructions on how to make dulce de leche (a creamy, caramelised milk-based sauce) – but you can leave that part out if you’re planning on posting these chewy treats. They'll last a good three to four days outside of the fridge.
Love the texture of brownies, but want to try something a little bit different? These blondies have the same squidgy centre, as well as a delectably sweet and savoury peanut and banana flavour. Be very careful not to overcook them, as they can become overdone in the blink of an eye.
Get the recipe for white chocolate, peanut butter and banana blondies here
Made with oats, desiccated coconut and golden syrup, these crisp and chewy biscuits – also known as Anzac biscuits – have oodles of texture. Happily, they're incredibly easy to make too; you can whip them up in well under half an hour. If you bake a batch of these to post, they’re sure to arrive in tip-top condition!
White chocolate and dried cranberries are the perfect ingredients to sweeten these soft cookies. To make them, you can use either gluten-free flour or plain flour, plus baking powder (some people say gluten-free flour makes for a better cookie). Here’s a mailing tip: don’t package soft and hard cookies together, as the moisture from the soft cookies will make the hard ones go stale.
Get the recipe for white chocolate and cranberry cookies here
These aren’t your average oat bars; they're delicious, crowd-pleasing slices of goodness that contain peanut butter, banana, cinnamon, vanilla and desiccated coconut, giving them the fruitiest of flavours. They're also free from added sugar and fat, making them great for an all-natural treat.
These glitzy mini bundt cakes are just the thing to send as a gift; fruitcake is known for lasting well. Incredibly tasty, they're packed with chunky pieces of pineapple, dried fruit and spices, then drizzled with pineapple icing – made from icing sugar and pineapple juice. You can leave the edible gold glitter off if you don't have any, but we think it's worth buying some for a sparkly finishing touch.
Ginger snap cookies are the perfect treat to enjoy with a hot drink on chilly days – and these easy-to-make versions contain just the right amount of cinnamon and ginger to give them a fiery kick. Not too thin or fragile, they should be able to survive a journey through the post with a bit of careful packaging.
These sophisticated brownies are perfect for people who love the rich flavour of dates. They also pack really well: simply wrap them in foil in an airtight container, with a sheet of baking paper or kitchen roll between each slice. If you’re going to post two different types of brownie, be sure to package them in separate containers so the flavours don’t mix.
These classic bagels have a wonderfully chewy, dense crust, so you won’t have to worry about them getting squashed in the mail. The dried cranberries and blueberries will go really well with cream cheese or fruit jam when they arrive at their destination – ideal for a tasty breakfast or snack with a cup of tea.
These buttery, cardamom-infused cookies look stunning sprinkled with green pistachios and almonds, making them a lovely treat to send to a friend. Although they're pretty hardy, they can be brittle – so be sure to wrap them with care. However, if a few do break in transit, they’ll still taste delicious!
Big, chewy double chocolate cookies are always a nice surprise – and if you follow our recipe, you won’t have to worry about them squashing or snapping en route to their destination. You’ve got a good few days before they'll go hard and stale, but you could send them via express or overnight delivery to ensure they arrive nice and early.
Unlike shortbread and butter cookies, sugar cookies aren't bendy or crumbly – which means they can be cut into delicate shapes like stars. This also makes them the perfect durable bake to send in the mail. Use the recipe to create whatever shapes you like; wrapping pairs of cookies in foil will help to prevent any pointy edges from breaking off.
Mashed bananas, nutty tahini and rich brown butter (melted butter that's kept on the heat until it turns dark and toasty) all come together to make these cookies extra special. Don't be tempted to skip chilling the dough; it's what ensures a chunky, chewy result. Once baked, be sure to cool your cookies completely before packing.
Get the recipe for brown butter, banana, tahini and chocolate cookies here
Anyone would be lucky to receive a batch of these sweet and chocolatey cookies in the post. Good-quality dark chocolate chips and walnuts are always a winning combination – but dried fruit would make a good replacement for the chocolate if you’re worried about the chips melting in transit.
Get the recipe for chocolate chip and walnut cookies here
Small and sturdy, these beautiful shell-shaped madeleines will survive a trip through the post, no problem – and they're incredibly moreish too, flavoured with cardamom, ground almonds and a hint of orange zest. They're best eaten as soon as possible after baking, so short journeys via express or overnight delivery are the way forward here.
Get the recipe for orange, almond and cardamom madeleines here
One for the chocolate lovers and peanut butter fans alike! These brownies have a pretty contrast of colours, with golden peanut butter caramel swirled into the batter before they’re baked – and not only do they look good, but the sweetness and saltiness of the caramel complements the rich chocolate perfectly.
Cocktail lovers and fans of booze-infused bakes will adore this biscuity take on a classic cocktail: the Dark 'n' Stormy. Made with golden syrup, cinnamon and a good splash of rum, they're dipped in chocolate and sprinkled with lime zest after baking. Simply package them up in an airtight container, and they're ready to send!
If you're not into baking (or the person you're planning on surprising is more into cheese than cake), why not try your hand at making a simple chutney? This irresistibly tangy apple and red onion version will go with anything from a slathering of soft goats' cheese or Brie to a crumble of Stilton, spread on a cracker. Not only that, but it requires very few ingredients, and it couldn't be simpler to make.
Combine green tomatoes, cooking apples, sugar, lemons and cider vinegar, cook them all up, and you'll get this tongue-tinglingly tasty chutney – the perfect accompaniment for cheeseboards, sandwiches, meat platters and more. This recipe will yield enough chutney to fill several jars, so it's the gift that keeps on giving!
Get the recipe for green tomato chutney here
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Last updated by Dominique Ayling.