I wanted to share this fun homemade gift that I made for a good friends birthday. There is just something special about a handmade or homemade gift that just pulls at the ol’ heart strings. The time, effort and thought that they put into it maybe? I don’t know, but I bet you can all agree. There is something beautiful in something homemade. And in this particular gift…. something yummy!
I decided to make homemade caramel and chocolate sauce. Every birthday girl wants a big ice-cream sundae for her birthday and these would be the perfect toppings!
The recipes I used are great because
1. They are super duper simple and
2. They use ingredients that I usually have on hand.
The caramel sauce is to die for. I couldn’t help but to cut up some apples and dip them right in. The Chocolate sauce is amazing too. Again, I couldn’t stop myself from getting a tall glass of milk and pouring some in. I am telling you, I will never buy the store bought chocolate syrup again. This stuff is just so much better. Best glass of chocolate milk I have ever had.
The birthday girl loved this simple gift. She loved the way it was packaged and I just knew she would love the gift even more when she went home and tried them. I wonder if I should have tied a little straw on to it. She could just drink it straight from the jars. It is THAT good. Or maybe I am just hungry right now because I am a week into my diet. Hmmmm???
To put the gift together make and pour sauces into pint or half pint jars. Then cut a large square of brown craft paper and place on lid of jar. Tie paper down with cute ribbon or string. Then go HERE and download my FREE printable tag that I created for this gift. Tag inspiration: found here.
Then you are going to want to Cut… it….. out… ( using hand motions from Joey on Full House), and glue it on! Viola! You are done. A beautiful gift that was made by you!
I think this gift is pretty much perfect for any occasion, but with Christmas coming up, how cute would this be to deliver to some neighbors?? Just an idea!
Here are my recipes for caramel and Chocolate sauce:
Delicious Caramel and Chocolate sauce
Ingredients
Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 4 tbsp butter
- Pinch salt
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Sauce
- 1 cup of cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 cup water
- a dash of salt
- 2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
Directions for Caramel Sauce
- Mix all ingredients except the vanilla in a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until it gets slightly thicker. Add the vanilla and cook another minute to thicken further. Remove pan from stove top and let cool. Pour the sauce into a jar. Refrigerate until cold.
Directions for Chocolate Sauce
- Mix together all the ingredients in a sauce pan, except for the vanilla and cook on medium heat. Stir constantly until it comes to a boil. Remove from the heat and add in the vanilla. Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy! Whatever is left, pour into a jar and refrigerate.
Nutrition
Loved this recipe?
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This post is part of my Happy Thoughts series – where we celebrate ideas for doing kind things for others. The next time you get the urge to do something kind for someone or bake something just do it! Kindness matters. See more Happy Thoughts here.
About Karrie
Food is my love language. But so is saving money. So I like to combine the two a lot and make thrifty make ahead and freeze meals to save time. Because life is busy, and freezer meals can come to the rescue for all of us. And yes, they actually CAN taste good. Read more...
Comments & Reviews
DONNA S COLAN says
How many 1 cup containers does each recipe make. I bought 1 cup ball jars for gifts.
Steaky says
What do you recommend for giving as a gift? Does it need to be refrigerated always or is it ok because the half and half is cooked?
Wondering how to wrap it and how long it can go without refrigeration?
Kim says
Hi! Is each serving a small jar worth? Or does each recipe just make 1 jar? Thanks!
Debra Stealey says
Love the idea. Where did you get the jars? How much does the recipe make and how many oz for each gift. Thank you.
Karrie says
Hi! The jars are just small pint sized glass jars you’d use for canning! And each recipe will make enough to fill one pint sized jar. Aren’t they soooo cute!!!
Jessi says
Why is there no butter in the chocolate sauce ????
Hmmmmm must know !
SOnal says
What do i put for -half an half
I am from India
So pls tell me something which is available here
Thank u
Karrie says
Mix half cream with half milk and you have half n half! 🙂
Georgia says
Hi There,
In the recipe for the Caramel Sauce it says you need
1/2 cup half-and-half. What is Half-and-half?
Thanks
Georgia
Karrie says
Half cream half milk I believe. It’s available at most US supermarkets.
Beverly says
Was just wondering what the brown cloth, or is that paper, did you use on the tops under the tags?
Happy.MoneySaver says
It is a brown butcher paper! 🙂 Good eye!
Beverly says
Thanks!
Kristi Ingersoll says
this sounds wonderful. I am making a dip for a parting gift for a bridal shower, how many ounces does this recipe serve? Thank you so much
Happy.MoneySaver says
It’s about 8 ounces for each recipe. 🙂
Amy says
These are adorable and I can’t wait to try them! Thanks for being so creative and passing it along to all of us! 😉
kelly says
How long do these sauces keep for?
Happy.MoneySaver says
These sauces keep very well on the counter for at least a week (the amount of sugar is so high that nothing really can grow in it). They can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three weeks or frozen for up to two months.
Kali Waddell says
Any scare of botulism?
Kristin Kay says
love that you didn’t use corn syrup!
Stacey says
Hello-I am interested in giving these as gifts. How long will they last? Do they always need to be refrigerated? Just worry they’ll spoil if so when I take them to work to give out.
Kaia says
How long do these last? How should they be stored?
Anita says
How much does the recipe make? Should I keep these refrigerated until I give them away?
K says
For the chocolate – do you use white sugar? thx
Ashleigh says
Yep. Plain ol’ white sugar. Hope you like it!