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Food

Wine, chocolate and spicy snacks: 12 Texas-made food gifts for the holidays

Shop local for Small Business Saturday ... and every day, really.

Holiday shopping is easy when you order online. But don’t settle for common, unimaginative offerings from huge, out-of-state companies. Instead, consider our list of distinctive Texas-made foods and sips. All of these artisanal products — many from North Texas — can be shipped out of state, and many are sold in local stores as well. Be sure to buy some for yourself to enjoy over the holidays. Here are 12 gift ideas from Texas.

Brushfire Farms Chile Pequín Jams

For a taste of South Texas, give friends these award-winning, sweet-and- spicy artisan jams from San Antonio. They’re made in small batches with locally grown chile peppers: the tiny chile pequín, native to South Texas, and the citrusy Aji Limon, grown by Brushfire Farms. The small company makes several fruity jam flavors besides the Original Chile Pequín: Blackberry-Chile Pequín, Prickly Pear-Chile Pequín (that “pear” is yummy cactus fruit), and Peach-Aji Limón.

The 11-ounce jars are sold at Central Market, but you can also order online and have the jams shipped anywhere in the continental U.S. (shipping is free for orders over $50). The gift-boxed “Three Amigos” ($30) is a trio of Original Chile Pequín, Peach-Aji Limón, and Prickly Pear-Chile Pequín jams. For the cocktail or mocktail lover on your gift list, add the Prickly Pear Simple Syrup ($15 for 8 oz., online only). After being featured in Garden & Gun magazine, the syrup became so popular that orders are now limited to four bottles.

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Brushfire Farms, San Antonio. brushfirefarms.com.

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CocoAndre Chocolatier in Oak Cliff makes adorable chocolates that are perfect for gifting.
CocoAndre Chocolatier in Oak Cliff makes adorable chocolates that are perfect for gifting.(CocoAndre Chocolatier)

CocoAndre Chocolatier holiday chocolates

Owner Andrea Pedraza won a big following for CocoAndre’s fine chocolates, including some that draw on her Latina heritage (like canelitas — truffles with tequila and cinnamon — and La Picosita, a chile-spiced bar made entirely in-house with cocoa beans from Chiapas). CocoAndre’s made-to-order chocolate figurines are equally compelling — the adorable, Victorian “Christmas Teddy” ($13) could be a prop in a Wes Anderson movie. For an assortment of the Oak Cliff chocolatier’s goodies, get the gift box ($30) which includes 2-ounce of Sea Salt Pistachio Bark, 2 ounces of bean-to-bar chocolate, a chocolate snowflake, and a white chocolate snowman. Note that the made-to-order chocolate figurines require 1 to 2 days notice before shipping. 

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CocoAndre Chocolatier, 508 West 7th Street, Dallas. cocoandre.com.

Dude, Sweet Chocolate offers a variety of gift boxes for the holidays.
Dude, Sweet Chocolate offers a variety of gift boxes for the holidays.(Dude, Sweet Chocolate )

Dude, Sweet Chocolate

Long before chocolates made with savory ingredients became trendy, Dude, Sweet based in Oak Cliff broke the chocolate mold with handmade confections that meld savory and umami flavors with fine chocolate. After 13 years, chef-owner Katherine Clapner still delights with new flavors in her truffles, French-style fudges, bars, and other treats. Recently, she added two chocolate products to Dude Sweet’s edgy-delicious lineup: The Envy of All Fudge ($13 for 5.5 ounces) — four truffle-like fudge balls made with Angel’s Envy Distillery Rye, port barrel aged syrup, and tonka beans (to mellow the rye and enhance the vanilla notes, she says); and the One & Done Potion ($13 for a 4 ounces) — a chocolate sauce made with Desert Door Sotol Nectar from Driftwood, Texas. Both are available in the store and online, shipping nationwide. For a bigger gift, order the Holiday Sampler (a box of eight Dude Sweet goodies for $56); or the festive, tin bucket filled with ten products ($60). To guarantee availability, pre-order early (you choose your ship date).

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Dude, Sweet Chocolate, 408 W. 8th St., Dallas. dudesweetchocolate.net.

Hot Damn! Tamales in Fort Worth is known for their fillings.
Hot Damn! Tamales in Fort Worth is known for their fillings.(Hot Damn! Tamales )

Hot Damn! Tamales

Since 1997, this family-owned Fort Worth tamale company has won shout-outs from Martha Stewart Living, The New York Times, Texas Monthly, and today.com. A moist, tender masa (made with corn oil, not lard) and a higher proportion of filling distinguish its tasty tamales from others. Fillings include Ancho Pork, Slow-Cooked Beef, Chicken & Hatch Green Chili, and Queso Blanco & Jalapeño. You can order as few as a 1/2 dozen ($12), but given the shipping rate scale, it’s a better deal to to order more. The company ships nationwide (tamales arrive frozen), and orders should be placed by Dec. 19 for delivery by Christmas. The company closed its restaurant and storefront during COVID, and takes online orders only at hotdamntamales.com. If you’re not shipping, you can arrange for a Fort Worth pickup.

Hot Damn! Tamales, Fort Worth. hotdamntamales.com.

Killer Pecans come in tins for easy gifting.
Killer Pecans come in tins for easy gifting.(Bandera Foods)

Killer Pecans by Bandera Foods

This North Texas Company’s original, sweet-and-spicy roasted pecans remain hot sellers at specialty stores like Sample House, Eatzi’s, Pogo’s and Local Yocal. Order online, and you can find all eight Killer Pecan flavors, available in festive gift tins and shippable nationwide. Two of the sweet flavors — Egg Nog (new this year) and Chocolate Dynamite — are collaborations with Dude, Sweet Chocolate, which also sells the two varieties.

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Husband-and-wife chefs George and Katie Brown left their successful Dallas catering business to launch Killer Pecans and its parent company, Bandera Foods, in 2006. The company’s roasted and seasoned (or confection-coated) pecans are made solely with nuts grown in San Saba, Texas. Prices range from $8 for a 4-ounce bag to $34 for a 16-ounce gift tin. Orders shipped to out-of-state addresses should be placed by December 19 to arrive by Christmas.

Bandera Foods, Dallas. killerpecans.com.

Lil’ Carl from Kate Weiser Chocolate is sized for one cup of hot chocolate.
Lil’ Carl from Kate Weiser Chocolate is sized for one cup of hot chocolate.(Kate Weiser Chocolate)

Lil’ Carl the Snowman Hot Cocoa Bombs from Kate Weiser Chocolates

Dallas-based Kate Weiser Chocolates has made a splash with Carl, a big snowman filled with cocoa and marshmallows, that melts into hot milk for a batch of hot chocolate. This year brings Lil’ Carl, sized for one mug of hot cocoa. Although both sizes are sold at Central Market, you’ll want to order online if you’re shipping Carl — he’s fragile and needs to be expertly packed to arrive intact. The festively packaged 4-pack of Lil’ Carls is $24; a 10-pack of individually packaged Lil’ Carls is $60; and the original Carl, which makes 5 to 8 servings, is $35. Get 15% off Nov. 24-28. Shipping is available nationwide.

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Kate Weiser Chocolate, 3 D-FW locations. kateweiserchocolate.com.

Perini Ranch Mesquite Smoked Peppered Beef Tenderloin is available for order online.
Perini Ranch Mesquite Smoked Peppered Beef Tenderloin is available for order online.(Perini Ranch )

Perini Ranch Mesquite Smoked Peppered Beef Tenderloin

When this exceptional smoked tenderloin made “Oprah’s Favorite Things” list in 2021, we smiled — it’s been one of our favorites for years. Coated in black peppercorns, each 2- to 2 ½-pound smoked tenderloin is cooked to a perfect medium rare at Perini Ranch’s smokehouse in Ballinger, Texas and shipped from nearby Perini Ranch Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap. It serves 8 as an entree or 12 to 15 as appetizers, and comes halved (in vacuum-sealed bags) and frozen. The price is $155, plus the cost of overnight shipping via FedEx (delivered nationwide). Perini Ranch also sells a smoked brisket ($150) that serves 15 as an entree. Order online at periniranch.com (click the shop tab) or call 1-800-367-1721.

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Perini Ranch, 3002 FM 89, Buffalo Gap. periniranch.com.

Scardello Artisan Cheese offers a “Best of Texas” Gift Box.
Scardello Artisan Cheese offers a “Best of Texas” Gift Box.(Scardello Artisan Cheese )

Scardello Artisan Cheese “Best of Texas” Gift Box

Scardello is known for its well-curated selection of some of the world’s finest artisan cheeses, including many domestic cheeses. It also offers a variety of cheese-centric holiday gift boxes, which it ships nationwide. The Best of Texas Gift Box ($80) features three (5-ounce) Texas artisan cheeses and three accompaniments: Rosemary Raisin Crisps from Hippos and Hashbrowns (an East Dallas artisan bakery); Dallas-made dill pickles from T-Rex Pickles; and Olina’s Bakehouse Wafer Crackers. You can also customize a gift box to include more offerings. Order before Dec. 21 for delivery by Christmas. This year’s Best of Texas cheeses are:

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* Veldhuizen Redneck Cheddar or Jalapeño Cheddar is made near Dublin, Texas at the Veldhuizen family’s farmstead, using cows’ milk from the family’s grass-fed, naturally raised herd.

* Armagh Creamery Doublin’ Down Brie: This organic, soft-ripened brie is made on a family farm and creamery in Dublin, Texas, using milk from the farm’s grass-fed Jersey cows.

* The Mozzarella Company’s Hoja Santa goat cheese. Wrapping each round of fresh goat cheese in locally grown hoja santa leaves imparts herbal and peppery notes to this lemony, spreadable cheese. This Dallas-made cheese has received numerous international awards, including a silver medal at the World Cheese Awards in Bergamo, Italy.

Scardello Artisan Cheese, 3511 Oak Lawn Ave., Dallas. scardellocheese.com.

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Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que offers sauce and a rub that's a great gift for the holidays.
Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que offers sauce and a rub that's a great gift for the holidays.(Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que)

Smokey John’s Barbecue Sauce and Rubs

Family-run since 1976, Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que is a Dallas institution, known not only for hickory-smoked barbecued meats, but soul food, too. Although you can’t send the famous ribs to loved ones, you can delight the barbecue lovers on your gift list with Smokey John’s barbecue sauce and rub. The two are sold in a combo pack (now on sale for $14.95), as well as separately in value packs (stocking stuffers!). Click on the Smokey’s Market tab at the top of the web page to shop at smokeyjohns.com.

Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que, 1820 West Mockingbird Lane, Dallas. smokeyjohns.com.

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The Texas Fine Wine Holiday Bundle includes four wines made with Texas-grown grapes.
The Texas Fine Wine Holiday Bundle includes four wines made with Texas-grown grapes.(Texas Fine Wine)

Texas Fine Wine Holiday Bundle

These red wines made with Texas-grown grapes are special releases from four award-winning Hill Country wineries, shipped together in one box. Outside of this package deal, the wines are harder to come by (they’re sold separately, only at the wineries, and some are reserved for wine club members). These new releases would pair well with holiday roasts, as well as the meats and sausages featured in this gift guide. This annual offering is an opportunity to buy from four acclaimed Texas wineries with one click, at a reasonable shipping rate. The four-pack sells for $135 (shipping included), plus tax. Deadline for Christmas delivery (shipped to 35 states) is Dec. 7. The holiday wine bundle includes the following:

* Pedernales Cellars Texas High Plains Graciano, 2018: Made of graciano, a Northern Spanish grape variety, it offers concentrated dark, dried fruit flavors with notes of leather, coffee and clove.

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* Duchman Family Winery Tempranillo, Salt Lick Vineyard, 2016: Made with grapes from an acclaimed vineyard in the Texas Hill Country AVA, blackberry, black cherry, and fig flavors are laced with black pepper and spice notes.

* Spicewood Vineyards “Independence,” 2019: A blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot, there are black cherry, blackberry and plum flavors with notes of leather, sage, and eucalyptus.

* Bending Branch Winery Texas Cabernet Sauvignon 2019: A blend of 80% cabernet sauvignon from the the Texas’ High Plains’ Newsom Vineyards, and 20% petite sirah from Veraison Hills Vineyard in the Texas Hill Country, there are flavors of raspberry, plum, and cherry with notes of dark chocolate.

Order the bundle at pedernalescellars.com/product/2022-Texas-Fine-Wine-Holiday-Bundle.

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Chef Tim Love's online shop offers a variety of wild game sausages.
Chef Tim Love's online shop offers a variety of wild game sausages.(Love Bodega)

Tim Love’s Wild Game Sausages

Besides his Fort Worth and Nashville restaurants, Texas chef Tim Love has an online shop, lovebodega.com, that sells a line of well seasoned, cooked meats. Among the shop’s most exotic offerings are wild game sausages like Rabbit & Rattlesnake, Wild Boar, and Elk & Beehive Cheddar (each $15 per pound, plus shipping). If you’re shopping for tamer fare, choose from lamb or pork racks, carnitas, and more. To order, scroll to the bottom on the Love Bodega web page and click “Shop Flavor House.” The products ship nationwide, and orders may also be picked up in Fort Worth.

Order online at lovebodega.com.

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Wackym’s Kitchen Cornmeal Rosemary Shortbread Cookies are available in a holiday tin.
Wackym’s Kitchen Cornmeal Rosemary Shortbread Cookies are available in a holiday tin.(Wackym’s Kitchen)

Wackym’s Kitchen Cornmeal Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

These Dallas-made cornmeal cookies put a Southern spin on shortbread. Crispy and buttery, topped with a sprinkle of dried fresh rosemary, the cookies are delicious alone, and sensational served with blue cheese (we suggest the Mozzarella Company’s Deep Ellum Blue). You can order them in a platinum tin (22 ounces for $30) or as part of a shortbread sampler in a red gift box ($34 for a 22-ounce assortment of butterscotch, lemon lavender, triple ginger, and cornmeal rosemary shortbread cookies), and have them shipped nationwide. Clear plastic (5.5-ounce) tubs of the shortbread cookies are sold at Jimmy’s, Central Market, Pogo’s, and online for $3.49.

To order, visit wackymskitchen.com.