Man Crates’ Whiskey Appreciation Crate
Just add your favorite spirit for a knock-out gift
Hitting the stores to find the best gift can be frustrating. If you’re on the hunt for the ideal present for a loved one or friend who is difficult to please — or if you have no clue what to get them at all — the whole thing can become a harrowing go through. If you’re running out of ideas, may we propose a gift basket? They’re always solid options. We here at CNET absolutely love edible gifts. (But also, who doesn’t?) Delicious items appreciate sausages, pastries, chocolates or an array of other yummy snacks can be the quickest way to your gift recipient’s heart. A gift basket is a great option for everyone from grandparents and in-laws to your co-worker. Heck, even if you’re interested in sending a holiday gift long distance, gift baskets are a wonderful way to show you care.
We went ahead and put together a varied roundup of the best gift baskets for the holidays. The items below all cater to different preferences and tastes — you just need to select a theme. If you’re shopping for someone who loves sweets, you can’t go wrong with assortments from See’s Candies or some delightfully cookies from Levain Bakery. Are they more into savory foods? Perhaps a Momofuku ramen pack or charcuterie box will be the winning ticket. From brand-new collections to tried-and-true classics, we’ve got the best gift baskets for every palette. But don’t take our word for it. Start scrolling and pick the perfect present.
Start Christmas morning off the right way with flaky, buttery croissants hot out of the oven. This mixed assortment of 12 pastries will transport your friends or loved ones straight to Paris with each buttery, crisp bite. Each box includes an assortment of chocolate croissants, au beurre croissants, almond croissants, kouign-amann batons, chocolate kouign-amann and pain aux raisins. The pastries reach frozen, so you can defrost them one at a time or eat as many as you want, which may well be all of them.
More favorites from Williams Sonoma:
Panettone used to be a fresh seasonal Italian specialty, but now you can find boxes of it on store shelves at every major grocery chain. However, those cheaper, store-bought commercial versions just don’t contrast to the real thing.
Emporio Rulli’s panettone is the real deal. Pastry chef Gary Rulli learned his craft as a baking apprentice in Milan over four decades ago, and now he turns out the handcrafted sweet in his bakery, based in Larkpur, California, and ships them throughout the US. Our favorite is the traditional Milanese, but he also makes a Genovese panettone and a milk and dark chocolate version.
When it comes to edible gifts, Harry & David is a classic choice. The company is known for its gorgeous boxes of juicy pears, but you can find much, much more that’ll please even the pickiest palate. We’re fans of Harry’s Gift Box, which offers all the greatest hits at an affordable price. For $60, you get:
- A half-dozen pears
- Moose Munch popcorn
- Hickory-smoked summer sausage
- Sharp white cheddar cheese
- Mixed nuts
More favorites from Harry & David:
Nothing says comfort food quite appreciate fresh-baked cookies. We love these massive cookies from New York’s Levain Bakery. One cookie goes a long way, and if you pop it in the oven for a few minutes, it comes out with a marvelous ooey, gooey center. Each batch of cookies arrives thoughtfully wrapped with cellophane and ribbons and comes packed in a beautiful blue box with a personal message. Get a four-pack for $29, an eight-pack for $49, or a 12-pack for $79.
Zingerman’s is a beloved Michigan brand, but since it ships throughout the US for free, these gift boxes can be enjoyed by all. The Weekender Gift Box is the most popular option. The colorful box contains an assortment of sweet and savory treats, including bread, cheese, beef sticks, coffee cake, peanut brittle and more. Everything we sampled had held up well during shipping and arrived fresh, with flavors that invoke the Midwest. We liked that there were instructions on the baked goods about freezing them if you weren’t planning to eat them right away.
More favorites from Zingerman’s:
HBO’s Sex and the City had everyone rushing to try Magnolia Bakery’s cupcakes in the early 2000s, but its banana pudding is the true star of the show. If you’ve never tried it, order immediately. Then order a pudding sampler for a friend. Each sampler pack includes two red velvet banana pudding cups, two chocolate hazelnut banana pudding cups, and two classic banana pudding cups.
Give your friends and loved ones a taste of Southern comfort. Calllie’s Hot Little Biscuit is based in Charleston, S.C., and delivers sweet and savory buttery biscuits straight to your door. Biscuits reach fully cooked and frozen, so all you need to do is pop them in the oven whenever you’re ready for buttery biscuit goodness. We tried the Charleston Cravings Biscuit Sampler (linked below) and especially enjoyed the sausage biscuits and the pimento cheese.
The perfect gift basket for anyone who likes to nibble, the Good as Gold Classic basket includes a variety of sugary snacks. Almond Roca, Ghiradelli caramel squares, truffles, espresso beans, chocolate-drizzled caramel popcorn, lemon cookies and more are tucked into a woven gift basket and topped with a note card.
More favorites from GiftTree:
See’s Candies offers all sorts of seasonal confections (right now, it’s all about the milk caramel apple Scotchmallows), but the famed chocolate purveyor’s Signature Gift Pack is a year-round winner. It’s a box full of delicious treats, including assorted chocolates, nuts and chews, Toffee-ettes, peanut brittle and assorted lollipops. That pretty much covers all of See’s biggest hits.
More favorites from See’s:
The flavors of the storied Momofuku restaurants and culinary brand are now available at home, and this gift box doesn’t disappoint. Chef David Chang includes his faves: five servings of Soy & Scallion Noodles, Chili Crunch and tamari sauce, plus Spicy Seasoned Salt. Pro tip: If you haven’t tried the spicy-crunchy chili oil, you’re missing out. It has a delightful crunch with just the right amount of heat. You can add it to any dish to lift your meal, from ramen to grilled chicken to bagels.
More from Momofuku:
Just skip the savory stuff and go for the sugar! (This option will go over especially well with children.) There are four gift boxes filled with different chocolate treats from famous candy emporium Dylan’s Candy Bar. Chocolate coated pretzels, milk chocolate sandwich cookies, rainbow milk chocolate nonpareils and more will make their day.
More favorites from Dylan’s Candy Bar:
If you’re gifting a cheese-lover, you can’t go wrong with a delivery from Jasper Hill Farm. The Vermonter includes three lovely Vermont-specific cheeses (Whitney, Harbison and Cabot Clothbound Cheddar) plus Brewer’s Sea Salt Crackers and Squirrel Stash Nuts. You can add some barrel-aged maple syrup for an extra $15 if you’re feeling generous.
More from Jasper Hill Farm:
Actual whiskey is not included in Man Crates’ Whiskey Appreciation Crate, but so many other things are. A personalized decanter and glasses, for starters. Your lucky giftee will also find ice sphere molds, coasters, savory snacks and even a pocket-sized whiskey tasting journal to record their notes about favorite drams.
More favorites from Man Crates:
Olympia Provisions has packed bites from all over Europe into this tasty box of snacks. Salami from France, Italy, Spain and Greece is the main event, but there’s also paté, a wheel of cheese, honey, pickled beets, crackers, hazelnuts, olives and a mini mustard in this heavenly package. You may want to sample some of this gift before you send it out.
More favorites form Olympia Provisions:
Think outside the (gift) box and give beans! Everyone (including O, the Oprah Magazine) has been raving about Rancho Gordo beans, so this is a great gift option for cooks in-the-know. Included are five different 1-pound bags of delicious beans, cooking instructions, a cloth tote bag and a copy of The Rancho Gordo Heirloom Bean Guide.
