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Holiday Hostess Wine and Cheese Gift Basket

Holiday Hostess Wine and Cheese Gift Basket -wine, cheese, chutneys and nuts and for something extra special Home Made Gourmet Crackers with recipe.

This blog has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser Sterling Vintner’s Collection. All opinions are mine alone. The following content is intended for readers who are 19 years of age or older. #GivingOrGathering #DonnerOuRecevoir #CollectiveBias

wine gift basket

It’s the holidays and that means lots of getting together with friends and family.  This Holiday Hostess Wine and Cheese Gift Basket is the perfect hostess gift.  

It takes the standard bottle of wine hostess gift to a whole new level.  It is guaranteed to be a hit with anyone you give it to.

how to make a wine and cheese gift basket

Sterling Vintner’s Collection Wines

This year I’m serving and giving Sterling Vintner’s Collection wines.  These wines live at the intersection of style and sophistication with a dash of mischievous fun.  As the centrepiece of my gift basket I’ve included a white and red, the Sterling Vintner’s Collection Chardonnay and the Cabernet Sauvignon.  These wines are always polished, never dull.

When I thought about my gorgeous Sterling Vintner’s Collection wines I thought about what would pair perfectly with them.  Wine and cheese is a classic for a reason!  As soon as I decided on a wine and cheese basket I decided to make it extra special with some homemade gourmet crackers.

homemade crackers

 

Homemade Crackers

These crackers are a real favourite of mine.  I discovered them years ago, and often make them when I’m entertaining or as a hostess gift.  Everyone is always wowed by the idea of making your own crackers -but they are so easy.  

As soon as you make these, I’m sure they’ll become a go to for you too.   I also love that they use basic pantry ingredients that I always have on hand, so I can whip them up anytime.

homemade flatbread crackers

 

Yield: 6 Large Crackers

Homemade Gourmet Crackers

Homemade Gourmet Crackers
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/3 cup olive oil plus more for brushing
  • Flaky sea salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 450°F
  2. Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Make a well in the centre, and add the water and oil. Stir together with a wooden spoon until a dough forms.
  3. Knead dough gently on a floured work surface 4 or 5 times. Divide dough into about 6 equal pieces and roll out each piece into a rustic long baton shape. The dough should be very thin. Lightly brush top with additional oil and sprinkle with sea salt and a little more pepper if you like. (Roll out dough on parchment and transfer sheet and all to the baking sheet, or just spray baking sheet with cooking spray and bake directly on baking sheet.)
  4. Bake in batches, until flatbread crackers are pale golden and browned in spots, 8 to 10 min. Flatbread crackers can be made 2 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

Substitute pepper for other flavouring. You might try fresh herbs like rosemary, or thyme, or some parmesan cheese, or try adding nuts or seeds. Use your imagination and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 119Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 222mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 2g

Serving is 1/2 a large cracker.

Putting Together the Wine and Cheese Gift Basket

  • wine
  • crackers
  • fruit
  • nuts
  • chutney and jelly
  • cheese
  • napkins

wire gift basket with paper shred

For the base of the gift basket I used a fun metal basket to hold all my goodies in and then added a little kraft paper krinkle.

wine and fruit in a gift basket

Fresh Fruit

I added in some beautiful fresh fruit -grapes, pears, and pomegranate for a fun seasonal treat.

wine and cheese gift basket for Christmas

Nuts

I also wanted to include some nuts so I picked up some cashews and honey roasted peanuts.  The nuts were put into some plain cello bags, and then I had some fun with some stick on chalkboard labels and a chalkboard oil pencil.  

Little details like this helped to bring the whole basket together, and I was able to pick up the chalkboard labels and other wrapping supplies at the dollar store.  It’s always good to have some on-hand around the holidays.

jelly for gift basket with chalkboard labels

Chutney and Jelly

I also added in a couple of my favourites -onion and balsamic chutney, and a fig wine jelly.  These are the perfect addition to any cheese board, especially around the holidays.

cheese wrapped in parchment paper for a wine gift basket

Cheese

For my cheeses, I picked some Swiss cheese, and marble cheese and I wrapped them up with a little parchment paper and twine.

homemade crackers in a cello bag for gift giving

Once the crackers were all cooled I packaged them in a cello bag with a little label too.  It’s important that the crackers are stored in an air tight bag so they keep their crunch.

wine for a gift basket

Finishing Touches For Your Wine And Cheese Gift Basket

I thought it would be fun to add a little holiday cheer to the wine too, so I tied on some pretty gold leaves and a jingle bell.  These little details are so easy to add and they make any gift seem so much more thoughtful and put together.

wine for a wine gift basket

I also included some very pretty napkins -every entertainer always needs some and I couldn’t resist the pretty black and white deer when I saw them.  Just remove them from their packaging and tie them together with some twine to make them fit in with all the other goodies.

These treats got all packed up into the metal bin and ready for gift giving.  I added  a little holiday sign and a little snip of greens and berries.Holiday Hostess Wine and Cheese Gift Basket

This really is the nicest gift for the holidays.   Sterling Vintner’s Collection wines are always perfect for giving or gathering.

This really is the nicest gift for the holidays.   Sterling Vintner’s Collection wines are always perfect for giving or gathering.  Click here to find even more ideas on giving and gathering with Sterling Vintner’s Collection wines during the holiday season.  

With a Holiday Hostess Wine and Cheese Gift Basket, life really is a party!

More Hostess Gift Ideas

Want another fun hostess gift idea?  Check out our Hot Chocolate Hostess Gift here.

Another fun hostess gift idea is our Ice Cream Sundae Kit here.

Or might also like this post on Christmas Hostess Gift Ideas here.Christmas Hostess Gift Ideas: give charitable contributions to the developing world through MCC with funny printable gift tags, and a small gift.

2 Comments

  1. I would love to receive a gift like this – it’s sure to really delight any recipient this holiday season. And I can’t wait to try your cracker recipe. Yum. #client

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