Made in Vermont: Stocking Stuffers for Foodies

Stocking stuffers are my favorite gifts to give. You never know if you’re going to open a pair of socks (hey, if they’re Darn Toughs, I’m happy!), a chocolate bar (dark chocolate and salted, please), or something that packs a punch in a tiny, unsuspecting box. Whether you buy them locally last minute, or if you’re like me and spend more time on the stocking stuffers than other gifts, Vermont makers offer a lot of great options. And stocking stuffers, in particular, lend themselves to gifts that food lovers will appreciate. So I’ve collected some of my favorite Vermont-made stocking stuffers for foodies. Shop small this holiday season! Fill up the stocking of the foodie in your life with these made-in-Vermont stocking stuffer ideas.

What are you favorite Vermont stocking stuffer ideas for foodies? Comment below and keep the conversation going!

Fat Toad Farm Goat Milk Caramel

If you’ve never had the silky, caramel deliciousness of Fat Toad farm on a creemee or local hard ice cream, you’re missing out. It’s hands down the best caramel I’ve ever had. Made from goat milk, the artisanal caramel is actually cajeta, a dairy-based confection that’s similar to dolche de leche. Whereas most caramels sauces are made from high fructose corn syrup, Fat Toad Farm’s cajeta is dairy based, adding to the creaminess and subtle sweetness.

Whether served on ice cream, drizzled on fruit or pastries, or served with your favorite Vermont cheese, Fat Toad offers a variety of heavenly flavors from Cinnamon and Cold Brew Coffee to Salted Bourbon, Irish Whiskey Cream, Spicy Dark Chocolate and Vanilla Bean. You can even find recipes that utilize Fat Toad’s caramel on their website here.

Chocolate Bars from Nutty Steph’s

Nutty Steph’s, located next to Red Hen Baking in Middlesex, Vermont, makes my favorite granola in the world. I buy it in bulk (you can freeze it!). This means I stop in Nutty Steph’s on the regular. I find myself gravitating to the punny chocolate bars and chocolate confections as well. The cacao for their treats is sourced sustainably from South America, and they take the creation of their chocolate super seriously. I LOVE the Salted Caramel bar. The Love Bar, made of white chocolate and raspberries, is another favorite.

They even have a CBD dark chocolate bar, containing 90mg CBD from Elmore Mountain Therapeutics,for $20 (about four doses). As far of their confections go, don’t miss the Feminine Divine for the special lady in your life or the Chocolate-Dipped Maple confections. These sweet treats make exceptional stocking stuffers and might get a good laugh out of the recipient as well.

Halladay’s Harvest Barn Dips & Seasonings

Sundays in our house either mean boat days on Lake Champlain in the summer or football games in the colder months. No matter the season, we always have dip mixes from Halladay’s Harvest Barn, based in Bellows Falls, Vermont, on hand. The dip flavors also are unique and flavor-packed. Lobster Bisque. Maple Bacon. Wood Fired Pizza. Cheddar Ale. Buffalo Chicken and Blue Cheese, and Garlic Dill Dip. They also have a downloadable recipe book with lots of quick and easy recipes you can make using their seasonings, from party ready dips to slow cooker meals and even desserts (hello, maple cheesecake!).

Additionally, Halladay’s goes beyond dips too. They offer burger mixes, chili seasoning, pasta sauce mixes, pickle mixes, beer bread recipes, and dipping oil blends, among other goodies. I love the Crab Bisque Soup Mix and Cheddar Chive Soup Mix. Dips make great, flavor-packed stocking stuffers. The Vermont in a Box gift collection is an awesome curated gift for foodies, with lots of maple, bacon, and cheddar – mmm!

Tonewood Maple Cube

For the maple syrup lover in your life, gift something a bit different… a maple cube from Tonewood Maple in Waitsfield, Vermont. Tonewood Maple’s goal is to elevate maple syrup to a whole new luxury status. Owner Dori Ross works with multi-generational sugar makers in the Mad River Valley, along with candy makers, to transform maple liquid gold to candy. Her innovative maple products are gaining national recognition through O, The Oprah Magazine, Saveur, Fortune, Food & Wine, and others.

The block of solid maple syrup is grated rather than poured. Think about shaving it on top of oatmeal, ice cream, yogurt, or even in your coffee. The flakes are crunchy and sweet and can also be used on roasted vegetables, salmon or fruit. Really, there are endless uses. Although available Tonewood’s website, you can also find her maple cubes at Mad River Taste Place, the Warren Store, Artisans’ Gallery and Alla Vita in Montpelier.

Jams and Jellys from Potlicker Kitchen

Potlicker Kitchen, based in Stowe, Vermont, isn’t your typical jelly and jam maker. They specialize in unique jams and jellies, including beer jelly, wine jelly, unique, artisan small-batch jams, and seasonal pickles. They “tap, peel, slice, forage, simmer, and hand-pour” all of their hand-canned goodies themselves in Stowe.

What I love most about Potlicker is the funky flavors that aren’t something you’ll find elsewhere. Pineapple-habanero jam. Blueberry sage jelly. Cucumber jalapeno jelly. Margarita marmalade. Coffee jelly. They even make a Strawberry CBD jelly. My favorite, served next to a hunk of Jasper Hill Farm’s Willoughby, is the Smoked Raspberry Maple Jam, followed by a Maple Stout Beer Jelly.

These jams and jellies are just for toast those. Glaze meat with them. Use them to flavor cocktails. Make a pan sauce. Or utilize the unique flavors in homemade salad dressings.

Potlicker started as a food blog and evolved into the Vermont producer due to owner Nancy’s obsession with canning. Their Vermont-made beer and wine jellies are perfect alongside a meat and cheese plate.

Choc0late-Covered Salted Caramels from Farmhouse Chocolates

Fun fact: Growing up, I thought I didn’t like chocolate. I had only really been exposed to milk chocolate… So, imagine when I first got my hands on dark chocolate in my adult years, I realized what I had been missing out on. Dark chocolate is only better in my mind when coating a caramel. And topped with crunchy salt crystals. Farmhouse Chocolates and Ice Cream, a small artisanal chocolatier in Bristol, Vermont, creates organic, fair trade, soy-lecithin free chocolate goodies – all hand made. Their Salted Caramels are some of the very best I’ve had.

Owners Erlé + Eliza also made chocolate truffles and vegan dark chocolate bars. Shop all of their “chocolate meant to be savored” creations here for the stocking of the chocolate lover in your life.

Speciality Preserves from Blake Hill

In my mind, a charcuterie board or cheese plate isn’t complete without some preserves, marmalade, chutney or jam. Blake Hill, a third generation English fruit preservatory in Windsor, Vermont, to the rescue! They recently created a line of 12 fine jams, with instructions for pairing. Raspberry Mostarda for Vermont cheese with a bloomy rind.  Tart Cherries with Cardamom and Port for Bleu Cheese. Meyer Lemon with Clover Honey with Aged Gouda. They also make no-sugar jams in their “naked collection.” It’s 100% fruit jams with no artificial sweeteners, preservatives or colorings for the health-conscious food lover in your life

For the foodie who likes a little heat, Blake Hill has their spicy pantry, with jams including Chipotle Maple, Tomatillo and Jalapeno, Fresno and Thai and Mango and Habanero.

Runamok Maple Syrup Samplers

Runamok Maple’s organic syrup samplers are an awesome stocking stuffer idea for the Vermont foodie who now lives afar and is traveling via air plane home for the holidays. The 60ml glass bottles feature samplings of Runamok’s infused and barrel aged syrups. They are perfect for cocktail, cheese pairings, tea pairings, and ice cream drizzling. Cinnamon-Vanilla Infused. Ginger Root Infused. Bourbon Barrel Aged. Hibiscus Flower Infused. Rum-Barrel Aged. Jasmine Tea Infused. Smoked with Pecan Wood. Makrut Lime Leaf. These concoctions are not your traditional maple syrups. But they are amazingly tasty.

Runamok’s sugarbush is extensive. They have over 1,100 acres of woods in Cambridge, Vermont, and 250 acres in Fairfield, Vermont.

*I often receive products from local Vermont businesses to try for myself and review. Please note that I only promote products I love personally and all opinions are strictly my own.