Make It Take It Gift Ideas 2024

Posted December 4, 2024

Royal Cookies

1 cup of butter (2 sticks) softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsps vanilla extract
1/2 cup coconut extract (optional)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups chocolate chips (dark is recommended – but use what you want)
2 cups shredded coconut, toasted
1 cup macadamia nuts, choppe and toasted

Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

TOAST the coconut and Macadamia nuts for a few minutes until lightly browned. Remove that pan, don’t let this stuff burn! It will cool nicely while you’re mixing the other ingredients.

With a mixer or by hand – cream together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add in the eggs, 1 at a time, until smooth. Then add the extracts and mix until they are combined.

Next add in the flour, salt and baking soda. Mix until all the flour has been incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips next, then the macadamia nuts and toasted coconut.

Shape into balls (using a cookie scoop or spoons) and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until golden.

**These are Murphy’s favorites and I buy them anytime I find them at grocery store bakeries. THIS is the best “copycat” recipe I could find. Serve warn IF you can. Or put in tins and “MAKE IT TAKE IT!” Delicious cookies. -Jodi

Sam’s Bacon Onion Jam

1 pound bacon, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 shallot, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon chili powder

Dice up the whole package of bacon before cooking. Cook bacon in a skillet until it just gets crispy. Don’t overcook it. Remove cooked bacon from the skillet and drain the bacon grease, leaving about 2 TBS. Use that to caramelize your onions and shallots. Once the onions and shallots are caramelized, add the rest of the ingredients (including the cooked bacon) and mix them together.

I like to take it all once it’s cooked and use my immersion blender (stick blender) to chop up those bacon pieces a little more and blend it together like a jam. But you don’t need to do this – it’s good either way!

Christmas Punch

2 cups of orange juice
2 cups of cranberry juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup ginger ale

Combine ingredients in a pitcher and serve cold.

Millionaire Pie

1 can condensed milk
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup pecans
1 small can of pineapple
1 9 oz. tub Cool Whip
1 large Graham cracker crust

(Jodi’s grandmother’s recipe!) Add lemon juice to condensed milk. Then add partially drained pineapple, nuts, and cool whip. Pour into crust. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Jodi’s Famous Pumpkin Bread

2 cups canned pumpkin (Jodi’s modified this to 1-15 oz can of pumpkin)
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves (Jodi leaves out the cloves!)

Heat the oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, sugar, water, vegetable oil and eggs. Beat until well mixed. Measure the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, nutmeg and ground cloves into a separate bowl, then stir until combined (great job for the kids). Slowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, beating until smooth.

Grease two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans and dust them with flour. Evenly divide the batter between them. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from pans by inverting them into a rack and tapping the bottoms. You can also take a knife or fork and slide it around the edge of the pumpkin bread to help it comes out of the pan!

Slice and serve plain, buttered, or with cream cheese.

Jodi’s Super Easy Toffee Recipe

2 cups of butter (4 sticks)
2 cups of sugar
¼ tsp salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup sliced almonds

Pour softened butter, sugar and salt into heavy bottomed pot, cook on medium heat until bubbling/boiling. Stir often, but not constantly. You are waiting for it to be an amber color. A warm light brown.

While it’s cooking, place parchment paper on a cookie sheet/pan. When the butter mixture is the right color (it took me about 10-15 minutes) pour onto the parchment paper and spread to all corners with spatula or wooden spoon. While still hot – evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. Then use a little parchment paper on your hand to spread the chips on top. They will melt into a layer. Sprinkle with the almonds pieces. Put in fridge to set – about an hour. Break into pieces and serve or store for 2-3 weeks in airtight container. You can substitute any kind of chopped nuts. Murphy LOVES this!

Jodi’s Famous Snack Mix

1 can of cocktail peanuts
1 big bag of plain M&M’s
1 big bag of peanut M&M’s
1 large box of raisins
1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Mix even amounts of all ingredients in a large bowl. Enjoy!

Add lemon juice to condensed milk. Then add partially drained pineapple, nuts, and cool whip. Pour into crust. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Sam’s Sorta Spicy Party Mix

1 12oz. box crispex
1 cup peanuts
1 cup sesame sticks
1 cup pretzel sticks (snapped in half)
3 tsp. cajun seasoning
2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
6 tbs. melted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar

Mix butter, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and cajun seasoning in large bowl. add the rest of the ingredients. mix gently until thoroughly blended. pour into roasting pan. Bake at 250 for 1 hour. Mix every 20 minutes while baking. Cool in the pan or on paper towels

Sam’s Puppy Chow

1 12 oz. box crispex
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 oz milk chocolate chips 1 stick butter
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups powdered sugar

Mix butter, chocolate chips and peanut butter in a sauce pan over medium heat until melted. Pour melted mixture over cereal in a large bowl and mix until all the cereal is covered in the melted sauce. Add the powdered sugar to a large paper bag, pour in covered cereal, close the bag and shake until all the cereal is covered with the powdered sugar. You may have to separate any cereal that clumps. Pour into a decorative bowl to serve.

Sam’s Firecrackers

1 box saltine crackers
1 pkg. dry ranch dip mix
3 tbs. crushed red pepper
2/3-1 cup canola oil

Mix oil, ranch mix and pepper in measuring cup or small bowl. Put all crackers in the largest bowl you have. Pour oil mixture over crackers and begin carefully and lightly stirring with hands(being careful not to break crackers) until all crackers are covered. You can serve right away and they’ll be a bit greasy, or put the crackers on paper towels in another bowl for about an hour to dry a bit.

Sam’s Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls

1 lb. breakfast sausage
1 box Red Lobster Cheddar Bay biscuit mix
8 oz shredded sharp cheddar
8 oz shredded pepper jack
½ stick of butter, melted
*Set aside the seasoning packet from the biscuit mix

Preheat your oven to 350.

Mix together the sausage, cheeses and biscuit mix until well blended. Best to mix this by hand. Roll the mixture into balls about half the size of a golf ball and place them on a greased cookie sheet. Cook in the oven for 25 minutes until lightly browned.

While the balls are cooking add the seasoning packet to the ½ stick of melted butter and mix.

Once you take the balls out of the oven, brush the butter/seasoning mixture on each ball. Once cooled, you can serve.

Sam’s Bacon Crackers

1 pkg of bacon (12oz or 16oz depending on how much you’re making)
1 box Club crackers
Brown Sugar
BBQ seasoning rub

Set the oven for 350.

Place as many Club crackers as you need on a cooling rack and place the rack on a large pan. You’re doing this to keep the crackers out of the bacon grease that will drip into the pan.

Slice the pack of back into 4 pieces (each slice of bacon should give you 4 separate/equal sized pieces). Place a piece of bacon on each cracker. You’ll have enough to do 2 batches.

On each bacon cracker sprinkle a little brown sugar…as much as you prefer. Only a little is needed. Then sprinkle the BBQ rub on top of the brown sugar. Again, use as much as you prefer.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until the bacon is as browned and crispy as you like it. Remove from oven and cool a bit before serving.

*You can also sprinkle on some red pepper if you want some heat added.

*Avoid thick bacon as it will take longer to cook and possibly burn your crackers.

Sam’s Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

3 egg whites at room temp.
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

Set oven to 300 degrees and place wax paper on baking sheets.

Mix together egg whites, salt and tartar until soft peaks form. Add sugar a tablespoon at a time and continue mixing until shiny stiff peaks form. Fold in vanilla and chocolate chips. Place half in a pastry bag with a 1 inch opening (or a Ziplock bag with a corner cut off). Squeeze out inch size kisses onto wax paper. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are just starting to turn light brown on the peaks. Don’t cook too long because they burn easily.

Remove from the baking sheet and place on a wire rack to cool.

Murphy’s Cheese Straws

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups flour
16 oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon red pepper

Mix all ingredients in a food processor. Layout flat on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten and cut into strips. Bake 375 for 12-15 minutes or until edges are firm, not brown.

Murphy’s Grandmother’s Ginger Snaps (Heidi)

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 egg
2 1/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
Granulated sugar

Cream shortening, brown sugar, molasses and egg till fluffy. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon and cloves; stir into molasses mixture. Form in small balls about the size of a walnut. Roll in granulated sugar; place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.

Makes about 5 dozen.

Easy Microwave Hollandaise Sauce (makes 1 cup)

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup light cream or half-and-half
2 egg yolks, well beaten
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a 2-cup measure, melt butter on HIGH 40 seconds. Stir in lemon juice, then add cream and egg yolks. Cook on HIGH 1 to 1 & 1/2 minutes, stirring every 15 to 30 seconds. Stir in dry mustard and salt. Beat until smooth.

Christmas White Chocolate Trash Snack Mix

Christmas White Chocolate Trash Snack Mix with pretzels, cereal, peanuts and chocolate-coated candies all tossed together with a generous coating of white chocolate. Recipe from dinnerthendessert.com

20 ounces white chocolate chips 2 bags
1 Large Box Rice Cereal
16-ounce bag of Mini Pretzels
10 ounces M&Ms

2 cups peanuts, salted (but unsalted works too)

Melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe glass bowl in 30-second increments until fully melted.

Add the cereal, pretzels, ¾ of the chocolate candies (reserve some for sprinkling on top so the red and green color stands out) and peanuts to a large trash bag.

Close and shake the bag for a few seconds to mix the ingredients. Open the bag and add the melted chocolate. Close the bag again and shake until fully coated about 30 seconds. Spread out to dry.

Holly’s No-Bake Energy Bites

Jodi made these to help during her “snacking hour” at 3pm and the kids and Murphy love them, too! This recipe is in Holly’s Eating Well Through Cancer cookbook – CLICK HERE to get it!

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup toasted coconut
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, stir together all ingredients until thoroughly mixed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until well chilled. Once chilled, roll into heaping teaspoon-size balls. Store in airtight container and keep refrigerated up to 1 week.

Homemade Coconut & Honey Lip Scrub

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon lukewarm water

Start by mixing the coconut oil and honey. Add the brown sugar and the lukewarm water to this mixture. Rub the mixture on your lips in a circular motion for two to three minutes and then rinse with lukewarm water.

Why this works — Coconut oil is filled with antioxidants and fatty acids that nourish the skin, while the brown sugar acts as a natural exfoliate that helps remove dead, dry skin. Honey is rich in natural healing properties.

Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies (sent to us by Angie)

1 box velvet cake mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Combine cake mix, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until a dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips. Roll into balls and bake for 8 minutes.

Makes about 24 cookies.

Killer Oatmeal Cookies with Dark Chocolate Chips

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon each – baking soda, salt and cinnamon
3 cups quick oats
1 cup pecans (optional)
1 6 oz bag of dark chocolate chips

Cream butter, sugars and vanilla. Add eggs, baking soda, flour, salt and cinnamon. Stir. Add oats and nuts and chocolate chips (as much as you like!). Stir. Roll dough into walnut-sized balls and flatten. Bake at 350 degrees for a few minutes.

3 Ingredient Pretzel Turtles

Rolos, unwrapped
1 bag rounded pretzels (twists)
Pecan halves

Place unwrapped rolos on top of rounded pretzels (as many as you can fit on a baking sheet) and bake for 5 minutes at 275. Take them out, and place a pecan half on the rolo and press down. Put the pecan half on it when it’s still melty! Let cool. Delish!

Chewy Brown Sugar Cookies

14 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar, divided
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Adjust two oven racks to upper and lower middle positions and preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir butter, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, and salt in a large bowl until combined. Stir in egg and vanilla until combined. Add flour, baking powder, and baking soda to bowl and stir until combined.

Scoop 1/4 cup sized balls of dough onto baking sheets (7 to 8 per pan). Add remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar to now empty (unwashed) bowl. Roll each dough ball into sugar, return to pan, and press to about 1 inch thick.

Bake until tops have puffed and cracked, and edges are golden, 9 to 11 minutes, rotating pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Let cool on pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool.

Oreo Truffles

1 (16 ounce) package Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1 (8 ounce) package Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages Baker’s Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Rolo Ritz Bites

1 package of Rolos (unwrap many)
1 package of Ritz crackers

Heat the oven to 350. Place Ritz crackers facing down on a cookie sheet, and then place a rolo in the middle of each cracker. Once it’s melting (won’t take long!! – check after 3-5 minutes) remove from oven. Quickly place another Ritz on top and press down. It makes a little Rolo Ritz sandwich.

Crack Dip (sent to us by Stacey)

16oz sour cream
One packet hidden valley ranch dip
4-6 slices of fried crispy bacon
1 cup shredded cheddar (save a little for on top)
Scallions

Mix the sour cream and hidden valley ranch together. Add shredded cheddar and chopped scallions. As much or as little as you prefer. Save a little bit of the scallion cheese for on top. Next add chopped bacon and also save some for on top. Fold in all the ingredients and put leftover cheese, scallions, and bacon on top before covering. Let it be in the fridge for about 24hrs. Don’t skip the fridge…all the ingredients seem to collide together making this dip something you just can’t stop eating!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

Christmas Muddy Buddies

8 cups Chex cereal, divided
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
1 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 cup Red Candy Melts
1 cup Green Candy Melts
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
2-gallon Ziplock bags

Place 4 cups of Chex cereal in a large bowl. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 cup Red Candy Melts, 1/4 cup peanut butter and 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds, stir and cook in 15 second intervals until smooth. Pour melted peanut butter mixture over cereal, toss to coat.

Pour coated cereal into gallon ziplock bag, Pour half of the powdered sugar (3/4 cup) into ziplock bag ans seal. Shake to coat cereal. Pour coated cereal onto parchment or wax paper and allow to set. Repeat process with remaining ingredients and Green Candy Melts. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Cocktail Pecans

2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 Teaspoon seasoned salt
1 or 2 dashes Tabasco sauce
1 lb pecan halves
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Put butter, seasoned salt, and hot sauce in a 12x8x2 inch baking pan. Place in a 300-degree oven until butter melts. Add pecans, stirring until all are coated with butter. Bake for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce, stir again and continue baking another 15 minutes or until crisp.

They freeze well. Makes about 20 servings.