The Best Artisanal Food Gifts of 2016

Move over, sriracha. There's a new must-have condiment in town, and it's buzzed together by our favorite flying bugs: bees! Bee Local Hot Honey is a secret weapon for cooks who love to add a hint of heat and sweat to just about every dish. The makers infuse honey with Scorpion Chili Peppers, which are some of the world's hottest peppers. Drizzle over ice cream, stir into cocktails, or baste chicken over a hot grill. No matter what they do, any recipient on your gift list will be lucky to have this botttle.

$12, beelocal.com

Add a dash of sophistication (and boozy flavor) to your next stack of pancakes. Runamok Bourbon Maple Syrup is created by aging organic maple syrup in bourbon barrels, which adds a rich flair to the finished product.

$20, runamokmaple.com

Olympia Provisions uses local produce and ingredients sourced from the Northwest to create their quality pickles. Each month, the recipient of the Pickle of the Month Club will get a 9-ounce jar of various pickled veggies. With picks like fennel, green beans, and giardiniera, they're sure to never be bored with this gift that gives all year long.

$190, olympiaprovisions.com

Based out of Durham, North Carolina, Big Spoon Roasters makes a mean nut butter. Made with all-natural ingredients and none of those fillers and preservatives that you'll find in the grocery store, these nut butters are no joke. With nontraditional flavors like hot peanut, almond cocoa, and chai spice, this variety pack is sure to make your loved ones go nuts!

$40, bigspoonroasters.com

For the gourmet in your life, this Cortez sea salt is sure to thrill. Packaged in a hand-embroidered bag, each is distinctly unique in color scheme and design. 

$15, halfhitchgoods.com

Founded by a husband-wife team based out of Raleigh, North Carolina, Slingshot Coffee Company has been brewing award winning cups of coffee for over 15 years. In this variety pack, you'll get a bottle of cold brew concentrate, ready-to-drink coffee, as well as ready-to-drink tea. Appeal to the java lovers in your life by offering them is caffeine-filled gift pack.

$19, slingshotcoffeecompany.com

Offering a strawberry, raspberry, and black cherry preserve jar, these gifts offer a smooth and ever so sweet spread that's great on toasts, breakfast bread, or even a scoop of ice cream. Fortnum & Mason is an artisanal English brand that has been creating products for over 300 years, and we love the soft, aromatic notes that their preserves carry.

$30, williams-sonoma.com

Between the jar of Big Spoon Roasters Ginger Almond Nut Butter and the Allgood Provisions roasted pistachios, we're not sure where to start with this snack-packed gift bag. Each item comes individually wrapped, making the reveal process that much more exciting. Our favorite might be the roasted pumpkin seeds, but we couldn't keep our hands off all the treats.

$74, mouth.com

From prosciutto, to salami, to Swiss-styled mountain cheese, this crate might be the mother of all artisanal food gifts. Delivered with adequate gel packs and insulation, this gorgeous crate takes the hassle out of selecting individual food items and does all the tricky pairing for you.

$100, williams-sonoma.com

Food lovers need great salt, and if the only salt you know comes in a shaker on your kitchen table, it's time to open your eyes. Jacobsen's Start Set includes three varieties of their exalted salts, which are hand-harvested on the Oregon Coast: Flake Finishing Sea Salt, Pure Kosher Sea Salt, and Coarse Grinding Sea Salt. Let the food lover in your life explore all the delicious ways salt can change everything on their plate.

$30, jacobsensalt.com

If you've never felt the artistry of handcrafted wooden spoons, it's time you did. Old World Kitchen's Artisan Coffee Scoop Set is a wonder to behold and hold. Each spoon is crafted by craftsmen and accurately made so you really can use them as a coffee scoop. The set includes three scoops, Simple Scoop (approximately 5 inches long), Chef's Scoop (approximately 4.5 inches long), and Sunrise Scoop (approximately 3.5 inches long). Pick your preferred wood type, and soon you'll have beautiful, one of a kind art on your table.

$159, poldersoldworldmarket.com

Know a health-conscious cook who just can't give up their sweet tooth? Good news! You now know the perfect gift to give them: Cake in a Crate. These recipe kits include everything a baker needs to make homemade treats, from Salty Date Caramel Scotcheroos to Tahini Cookies. Each kit happens to also be gluten-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free, kosher-friendly, and vegan. Order just one to send to their box, or order a monthly delivery. You can't go wrong.

Starts at $25, cakeinacrate.com

If you have an eye cream fanatic on your gift list, it's time to delight them in a whole new food experience: tea ice cream. Tea-rrific! Ice Cream sources hormone-free cream from New England farms and combines it specialty blends of loose leaf and herbal teas to create unique and delicious ice cream flavors you can't get anywhere else. Order a few pints, and have them shipped to your loved one's doorstep for a gift that will knock their socks off.

Starts at $10, tearrificicecream.com

Specialty salts are a great gift idea for the avid cook, and this salt embodies all of the rich, dark flavors of Italian black truffles. Whether you're seasoning meats, popcorn, eggs, or vegetables, a small pinch of truffle salt is sure to enhance and brighten up all of your favorite foods.

$30, williams-sonoma.com

Sweetdragon, founded by Hway-ling Hsu, is a baking company that prides itself on using science and chemistry to create the best and tastiest products. Though there are plenty of candy and brittle options to choose from, we couldn't keep away from the aromatic crunchiness of the ginger almond brittle.

$10, sweetdragonbaking.com

A celebration of Greek cuisine, this hand-painted set is the ideal choice for food lovers. High-quality olive oil and vinegar are included, and they're perfect for creating a superior homemade salad dressing. You can also enjoy them in the simplest of forms, by drizzling of fresh, crusty bread. 

$30, gaeaus.com

The gourmet marshmallow trend is getting hotter by the month. Now you can buy all-natural marshmallows made with 100% organic sugar and gluten-free ingredients from SmashMallow. These 'mallows aren't the ones you want to drown in chocolate and smash between graham crackers (though that would be delicious). Instead, these marshmallows are meant to be savored. Gift a bag or three of these confections to the friend who loves decadent little sweets or hot cocoa. Flavors include Mint Chocolate Chip, Toasted Coconut Pineapple, Strawberries & Cream, Root Beer Float, Meyer Lemon Chia Seed, Cinnamon Churro, and Espresso Bean.

Starts at $4, smashmallow.com

Is it really the holiday season if you didn't gift a variety pack of gourmet popcorn? We don't think so. With sour cream & chives, white cheddar, and ranch all packed in the same tin of popcorn, we can't see what other snack you could possibly need. Just make sure you've got some napkins, because this stuff is finger-licking good.

$40, brooklynpopcorn.com

If you're like us, the cookie dough is the most irresistible part of any cookie-baking experience. That's why we can't get enough of Cookie DŌ, a company based out of New York City that concocts some seriously delicious (and safe to eat) cookie that goes down smoothly, spoonful after spoonful. In the Health Nut pack, you'll get the chewy coconut granola, breakfast banana, peanut butter chickpea, and peanut butter Snickerdoodle, but quite frankly, we're crazy about all their delectable doughs.

$45, cookiedonyc.com

An all-purpose present, everyone appreciates a good oil and vinegar combo. This world-class set includes interesting oil flavors like Meyer Lemon and Italian Varietal, and red wine vinegars like Cabernet and Sangiovese Blend. 

$38, shop.roundpond.com

For the chocolate lover on your list, these stone-ground chocolate blends are made the traditional Mexican way and feature bold flavors like cinnamon, chiles, and salted almond. 

$28, rodales.com

Available in dark chocolate hazelnut, caramel, cappuccino, and chocolate, these rich, indulgent truffles are everything that the chocolate-lover in your life needs this holiday season. Prepared with wholesome ingredients and made in France, this is a sweet treat that you can feel good about giving to your friends.

$7, Whole Foods Markets

Say hello to the ultimate crowd-pleasing gift. Piled high with candied pecans, peppermint sticks, chocolate bars, and caramels, there is no shortage of sweet-tooth fixings in this gift bag. On top of all the delectable treats, there's also some savory additions, like cheese coins and pistachio nuts. Take the stress out of picking out a gift that you're not sure if the recipient will enjoy, and opt for this fuss-free, all-in-one goodie bag.

$63, mouth.com

Fresh lime and mint with earthy notes of dark rum come together in this wildly soothing and aromatic candle. Inspired by the ultimate refreshing, zingy cocktail, this cool candle makes for the perfect gift that will last a long time. We think the candle is best enjoyed with a mojito in hand.

$52, malinandgoetz.com

Firstleaf offers a six-bottle wine set that pairs perfectly with holiday dishes. Have it delivered for $79, which includes shipping.

firstleaf.wine/cookgift

Available in geranium & citrus, lavendar & lemon, frankincense & ylang ylang, and fresh pine (and also available as room sprays), these cozy soy wax candles are an easy gift for anyone. And if that wasn't enough, the sale of these essential oil blends will go towards the nation’s largest social enterprise led by women survivors of trafficking, addiction, and prostitution.

$14-22, Whole Foods Markets

Whether your gift recipient has been naughty or nice this year, they are definitely deserving of this "lump o'coal." Each bag is hand sewn, and a portion of the profits go towards providing careers for Burundian women. The bag includes three clarifying and beautifully aromatic facial soaps made from active charcoal for a deep clean you can feel good about.

$10, Whole Foods Markets

Matcha green tea is a powerhouse of antioxidants. It just also happens to be a festive holiday color. This tea boasts a nutty, vegetal flavor that tea lovers are sure to enjoy sip after sip. Whole tea leaves are ground to make matcha powder, so this matcha tea making set includes everything you need for the perfect cup, including a stoneware tea bowl set, bamboo tea whisk, scoop, and tea.

$68, rodales.com

Cult-favorite Counter Culture Coffee brings back their limited-edition blend Iridescent for each holiday season. Sourced from Central America, this coffee is certified organic and carries complex and sweet notes of chocolate and berry. It's the perfect coffee for winter days, so gift this to any avid coffee drinker. The best part: CCC will donated a nickel per pound from Iridsecent and all coffees sold during the holiday season to fund development projects in coffee-growing regions.

$17.75, counterculturecoffee.com

Earlywood specializes in truly unique wooden kitchen tools that you can't find anywhere else. These spatulas and spreaders work differently than all the utensils you currently have in your kitchen. Sharp edges allow you to clean cast iron skillets or peel garlic, thus adding a whole new level of functionality to your kitchenware. Included in this three pack is the flat sauté, the super useful scraper, and the favorite spreader. We can't think of a better gift for the cook in your life who is difficult to shop for.

$35, earlywooddesigns.com