Santa’s Hot Chocolate Cookbook Gift Box.

You guys! It’s my Santa’s Hot Chocolate Cookbook Gift Box!

How cute is this gift box? And how fun? It’s my recipe for Santa’s Hot Chocolate in a gift box with my cookbook all snuggled inside. As you guys all know, I’m very excited for this holiday season. This has been a year filled with highs and lows. Most notably marked by my grandmother’s passing and the release of my first cookbook. Spending this next month simply enjoying the moment and the magic this season brings is something I am very much looking forward to.

I mentioned in last Sunday’s Favorite’s Post that I’d be sharing some more holiday inspired content and today’s gift box is the first of several fun craft/holiday ideas I’ll be sharing on the Sundays leading up to Christmas.

The idea for a gift box came to me a while back and I’ve been dying to put it together since. I was flipping through the cookbook and landed on the recipe for Santa’s Hot Chocolate. If you own the book then you know that this is the recipe with the photo of my little sister, Asher, cozying up to a steaming mug of hot cocoa. When I came across the photo I was sad, because even though I took that photo less than a year ago, Asher has grown so much. But then a thought popped into my head and as soon as it did I was excited again.

My thought was this very box you see here. So many of you have mentioned to me that you’ve purchased the cookbook as holiday gifts for friends and family. I thought this would be such a cute way to make the gift of the Cookbook even more special. In this box I’ve included the dry mix for the Santa’s Hot Chocolate along with a few extras…because hey, it’s Christmas so why not make it extra special!

The best part is that not only is this a relatively affordable gift, it’s also easy, and extremely thoughtful. I personally would take a thoughtful gift like this over anything picked up at the store. A gift with a homemade touch is always the most meaningful in my opinion.

This gift is perfect for anyone who loves cooking or just a delicious cup of hot chocolate. Meaning your mom, your best friend, your boss and almost anyone in between.

Here is what’s in my box:

1. A box! I used one that I had around the house, but you’ll want your box to be sturdy and big enough to fit the cookbook, which is 8.3 x 10.3 inches. Something cute and festive is best!

2. The Half Baked Harvest Cookbook! You can buy the book here on Amazon, Anthropologie, or any of the other retailers listed here. I’d wait until tomorrow to purchase the book, as both Amazon and Anthropologie will be having Cyber Monday sales!

3. Hot Cocoa Mix! I used the Santa’s Hot Chocolate recipe from the cookbook. Just combine the dry ingredients in a small plastic gift bag, and seal it up. Then all the gift receiver has to do is pour the mix into hot milk.

4. A small jar of good vanilla extract! My recipe for Santa’s Hot Chocolate calls for one tablespoon vanilla extract. It is a key ingredient in this hot chocolate, so I knew it needed to be included in the gift box. I sealed the vanilla in a small glass jar I had lying around my house, but I also LOVE these. They would be so cute

5. Marshmallows! I have a recipe for homemade marshmallows in the book that I included in my box, but store-bought marshmallows work great too!

6. Chocolate Bars! Yes, chocolate bars. The recipe for Santa’s Hot Chocolate is topped with a brownie, and while it takes this cocoa over the top, it also makes it delicious. Plus, this is Santa’s Hot Chocolate, so it needs to be extra sweet! However, including a brownie in these boxes would mean you need to gift them pretty much immediately. The compromise here? A quality chocolate bar!

7. A small Candle. The only reason I Included this is because I am obsessed with candles, and they make the perfect cute addition to this box. This one (in spiced cider) is my current favorite.

8. A Hot Chocolate Mug! I used some old mugs from last year, but this mug and this mug are my current favorites.

9. A simple Recipe Card. I included a simple recipe card on how to make the perfect cup of cocoa.

10. Tissue Paper and or Crinkle Craft Paper. To layer on the bottom of the box and keep everything nice and snug.

Here is How To Assemble:

1. Layer the tissue paper (and or crinkle paper) in the bottom of your box. Add the cookbook and recipe card. Stuff the cocoa mix inside the mug and add it to the box. Arrange the vanilla, marshmallows, brownies, candle, and chocolate bar around the mug. Add a little more crinkle or tissue paper. Seal the box and wrap it up!

2. DONE.

Below is the recipe card I included in my box: