Shop our picks for the best holiday gifts for home cooks and food lovers! All products tested – and loved – by us, in our own kitchen.
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It’s that time of year again, when we all start frantically searching for gift ideas for the upcoming holiday season. From family and friends to teachers, neighbors, and that coworker who gets everyone a gift, holiday shopping for all the people in your life can definitely feel overwhelming. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best gifts for home cooks and food lovers: to help you find the perfect Christmas present for everyone on your list!
We personally own and love all of the products on this list, and would absolutely buy any one of them as a gift for the home cooks in our lives. Keep reading to discover our 30 favorite home and kitchen picks for this holiday season!
1. Cuisinel 2-in-1 Cast Iron Skillet
For the home cook looking to start (or add to) their cast iron collection, give them 3 gifts in one with this multipurpose set! Not one, but two skillets – one with short walls and one with high walls – that can also be used as a dutch oven when put together. These pans will cover all their cooking needs, whether they’re making homemade bread, shakshuka, or fried chicken.
2. Le Creuset 5.5 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
If you know a home cook that loves to braise (or wants to learn how), get them this beautiful piece of cookware that’ll last a lifetime. Dutch ovens are so versatile, they can be used to cook virtually anything – making this the perfect gift for experienced cooks and novices alike.
3. 13.5-Inch Carbon Steel Chinese Wok
A high-quality wok makes a great gift for anyone that loves to stir fry. Like a good cast iron pan, this carbon steel wok heats evenly, is nearly indestructible, and will last for years and years with the proper care. Not to mention, it’s a beautiful piece of cookware for the home chefs that appreciate aesthetics!
4. Cuisinart 5.5-Quart Stand Mixer
Who wouldn’t want to unwrap one of these on Christmas morning? This powerful stand mixer is perfect for making dough, batter, whipped cream, and anything else they can dream up. We have this exact model and love how powerful it is without being too noisy.
5. Braun 9-Speed Electric Hand Mixer
For the home cook who’s tight on counter space, get them this nifty handheld mixer instead of a full-blown stand mixer. While it’s not quite powerful enough for pizza dough, it certainly works well for quick breads, frosting, and even cake pops.
6. Live Edge Wooden Serving Board
Any charcuterie lover will be thrilled to unwrap this live edge serving board this holiday season! Give them the gift of a 2-foot long canvas for displaying their favorite meats and cheeses, or any other creative boards they come up with. Bonus: this gorgeous board is made from acacia wood, so with the proper care it will last them a lifetime.
7. Staub Ceramic Casserole Dish Set
If they love entertaining, give them the gift of functional cookware that doubles as beautiful serveware. They’ll be proud to show off these Staub casserole dishes at the dinner table, especially if you can manage to pick out a set in their favorite color. Bonus: they’re dishwasher-safe, which every home cook can appreciate!
8. Lodge Cast Iron Grill Pan
The ultimate gift for apartment-dwelling home cooks who love to grill, but don’t (or can’t) own one. This cast iron pan works so well, it’s basically like bringing your grill indoors! Everything we’ve made on it – from burgers to chicken to chorizo – tastes just like it was cooked over an open flame. Bonus gift: stuff their stocking with these plastic scrapers designed by Lodge to fit the grooves of this pan, making it a breeze to clean after burger night.
9. Crisbee Stik Cast Iron Seasoning
For the home cook with a cast iron obsession, pop a Crisbee Stik in their stocking this year. This cast iron seasoning stick will make maintaining their cast iron collection a breeze! It can even be used to rescue a rusty cast iron pan, a feat that’s nothing short of amazing.
10. Souper Cubes
For the home cook who’s obsessed with freezer meal prep, these Souper Cubes will be their favorite gift to open this year. Freeze perfect portions in half-cup, one-cup, or two-cup trays, and when they need an easy meal they can just pop out a cube to defrost and reheat. Plus, they’ll love the way these trays easily stack in their freezer (#organizationgoals).
11. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat
This New York Times bestseller and James Beard Award-winning cookbook is praised by professional chefs and home cooks alike for its unique approach to teaching the basics of cooking. A perfect gift for any home cook with a hunger for learning and a desire to become the best chef they can be.
12. Material Kitchen Knife Trio
All home cooks need a set of reliable knives for slicing and dicing to their heart’s content. A good knife makes all the difference, and these Material Kitchen knives are some of the best around – perfectly balanced and razor–sharp. Any home chef would be thrilled to open this set on Christmas morning.
13. Dexter Chinese Chef’s Knife
A great addition to an already stocked knife drawer. While this Chinese chef’s knife can be used like any other chef’s knife, it excels in cutting through harder foods such as sweet potatoes and frozen meat.
14. Mastering Pizza Cookbook by Marc Vetri
If they’ve been itching to make delicious homemade pizzas, you’ll want to get them this cookbook for Christmas. It’s the most thorough guide on how to make pizza dough, including specific instructions for a ton of different baking methods, plus topping ideas and other non-pizza recipes you can make with pizza dough. This cookbook is so thorough that it’s nearly impossible to mess up if you follow the instructions – a win for any home cook!
15. 11-Piece Cocktail Shaker Set
If your home cook aspires to become a bartender, too, this starter kit will give them everything they need to make high-quality cocktails at home: a weighted Boston shaker, three types of strainers, two pourers, a jigger, muddler, bar spoon, ice tongs, and cocktail recipe cards. Pair it with a bottle of their favorite liquor for a gift they can start using Christmas night.
16. Victoria 8-Inch Cast Iron Tortilla Press
If they love tacos, give them the tools to make homemade tortillas in their own kitchen and they’ll be forever grateful! Combine it with this heirloom masa flour for a well-rounded gift they can start using right away. Bonus: you can even use this press to flatten homemade dough for empanadas, dumplings, and pierogies.
17. A One-Year MasterClass Subscription
For the ambitious home cook, give them the gift of education as they embark on their journey to improve their skills! MasterClass is a trove of information when it comes to cooking, with classes by renowned chefs such as Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsey, and Alice Waters. We’ve learned some of the most valuable cooking lessons we know from watching MasterClass, like how to cook intuitively and use seasonal ingredients, and can’t recommend it enough.
18. 4-Quart Slow Cooker
Slow cooker meals make dinner parties a breeze, so why not give the gift of convenience this season? They’ll be thankful for this gift every time they’re feeding a crowd, or need a break from spending all day in the kitchen.
19. Lodge 10.5-Inch Cast Iron Griddle
For the home cook who’s already obsessed with their cast iron skillet, get them this flat griddle version. It’s perfect for making pancakes, quesadillas, and even Neapolitan-style pizzas.
20. DASH AirCrisp Pro 3-Qt Air Fryer
If they haven’t already jumped on the air fryer bandwagon, this model by DASH will get them hooked! This air fryer produces impressively crispy results every time, making it the perfect gift for health-conscious home cooks who want to use less oil.
21. Cactus Bottle Stopper & Drink Markers
The cutest stocking stuffer for home cooks (and plant lovers!) that enjoy entertaining. With these adorable little cacti adorning their wine glasses, no one will lose track of their drink at this year’s Christmas party.
22. Acacia Wood Pizza Peel
For the home cook who’s obsessed with pizza and charcuterie boards, this pizza peel is like two gifts in one. It’s just as beautiful as it is functional – the perfect surface to display the fruits of their labor.
23. Unicook Rectangular Pizza Stone
Pizza-makers and bread-bakers will love to open up this heavy-duty pizza stone on Christmas morning! Help them fulfill their dreams of making restaurant-worthy pizza at home and invite yourself over for dinner once they perfect their recipe.
24. OXO Precision Digital Thermometer
A great stocking stuffer for any home cook who’s just starting out. Next time they invite you over for dinner, you won’t have to worry about being served overcooked chicken or underdone burgers with this trusty tool in their kitchen!
25. Two Tier Bamboo Steamer
If they love making dumplings and steamed vegetables, this double layered steamer basket is a kitchen essential. It even comes with a set of chopsticks and a cute little sauce bowl shaped like a leaf for serving dumplings in style.
26. Set of 4 Taco Holders
Any home cook who loves making tacos needs these taco holders in their life! They’re oven-safe, dishwasher-safe, and come in a 4-pack, perfect for hosting a Taco Tuesday get-together with friends or family. Cute presentation and easy cleanup? Check.
27. SodaStream
For the home cook who always needs a La Croix in hand, give them the gift of unlimited seltzer water this year (and help them say goodbye to aluminum cans). This sustainable solution for bubbly water will save them some money and let them create custom flavors, all while saving the planet, too.
28. Microplane Classic Zester
Add a little zest to their stocking this year with a super sharp zester by Microplane. While they won’t necessarily use it every day, this is a great tool to have on hand when they find a new recipe that inevitably requires lemon zest.
29. Cuisinart 3-in-1 Stuffed Burger Press
If they love making all kinds of burgers, this handy tool makes shaping and sizing patties so much easier – and gives them the option to make restaurant quality stuffed burgers at home. The perfect gift for burger lovers who like to get creative with their recipes!
30. Fiberglass Chopsticks
This set of high-quality chopsticks is a great gift for sushi or dumpling-lovers who want to serve dinner in style. They’re weighted nicely, which gives them a premium feel, and they look beautiful alongside any dinnerware set.
If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this post, please refer to our Nutrition Disclaimer here.
Looking for kitchen inspiration? Head over to our shop to see what we cook with every day, plus recommendations for foodie gifts and eco-friendly products.