Since 2016, I have been publishing my annual Swiss Holiday Gift Guide. My gift ideas are intended for people in Switzerland who love food. I hope these suggestions help you discover some uniquely Swiss holiday gift ideas, all of which can be purchased online for delivery within Switzerland. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. Treegether Baking Chocolate

One of my favorite baking chocolate bars comes from Treegether. My friend Laure of Laure’s Kitchen and Chez Papy in Châtel-St-Denis first introduced me to this Swiss company. The recyclable packaging on each bar indicates where your chocolate comes from. These vegan bars do not contain soy. Instead, Treegether uses sunflower lecithin as an emulsifier. The rich chocolate flavor of these bars really comes through in your cakes, tarts and more.

Where to buy: Treegether

Price: 500 g for CHF 22.00

2. Älpler-Magronä Gift Box

This is perfect gift for people who love Älplermagronen, Switzerland’s version of macaroni and cheese. Kernser fills this gift box with two packages of macaroni, a jar of crispy onions and a jar of applesauce — everything you need to make this typically Swiss dish at home. The only thing you’re missing is the cheese!

Where to buy: Kernser

Price: CHF 32.90

3. St. Galler Oil or Vinegar

St. Galler Öl produces cold-pressed oils and balsamic vinegars from Eastern Switzerland. This dishwasher-safe stoneware bottle holds 500 ml. When you make your purchase, you can choose a bottle of oil to go with it, such as rapeseed, sunflower or olive oil. Or, you could select a bottle of apple balsamic vinegar or white balsamic vinegar. Keep this bottle on your counter and use the pour spout to easily access these oils and vinegars when cooking.

Where to buy: St. Galler Öl

Price: Steinzeugflasche als Set (bottle), CHF 24.00 plus a 500 ml bottle of oil or vinegar, ranging from CHF 13.30 to CHF 27.00.

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4. New Cookbooks from Helvetiq

My publisher, Helvetiq, has released three new books this year with Swiss recipes. To start, you should check out author and journalist Tania Brasseur’s new book, Absinthe. Available in French and German, this book takes you on culinary journey through the history of absinthe. With stunning photographs from Tamara Berger, this book helps you discover some of the people behind absinthe. These distillers from Switzerland have been making the green fairy, in some cases, for generations — even when it was banned! At the back of the book, Tania has included a collection of recipes, in case you want to try cooking or baking with absinthe yourself.

For more regional Swiss recipes, Helvetiq has recently released two new cantonal cookbooks, for Basel (available in English and German) and for Vaud (available in English and French). Both books contain 26 recipes from local chefs, accompanied by photographs from my favorite Alsatian photographer Dorian Rollin (who I worked with on my first two cookbooks). The Basel cookbook is written by food blogger Jessica Manurung, and the Vaud cookbook comes from journalist David Moginier.

Where to buy: Helvetiq (affiliate link)

Price: Absinthe, CHF 39.00; Basel and Vaud, CHF 24.90

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5. Ritzi Porzellan Bowls

Kathrin Ritzi-Schaufelberger produces beautiful porcelain dishes from her studio in Kradolf (Thurgau), Switzerland. I have been admiring her work via Instagram. As a result, her pasta bowls have made my holiday gift guide. She writes that they also work well for soup or risotto. These handmade bowls have a glossy finish, with a spiral of color woven into the glaze.

Where to buy: Ritzi Porzellan

Price: PASTA-SCHALE, 19 x 5 cm, CHF 43.00

6. Cookbook: Ricettine amabili per tutti i giorni

For the Italian-speakers on your holiday gift list, I highly recommend the new cookbook from Ticinese food blogger, Carlotta Moretti (Carlotta e il bassotto). She has been writing about food and sharing recipes for nearly 10 years. I have been a fan of hers for a while now, and she has shared one of my recipes via her blog. Her new cookbook has 62 recipes, ranging from sweet to savory.

Where to buy: Carlotta e il bassotto

Price: CHF 49.00

7. Christmas & Bubbles Set from Larix

Larix is a new company in Switzerland focused on highlighting regional Swiss food products. Its name represents the scientific name for the Larch tree. From their holiday gift box collection, I have selected the “Christmas & Bubbles” set. This gift box includes a jar of chocolate-hazelnut spread from Du Rhône (Geneva), a panettone from Bignasca (Ticino) and a bottle of prosecco from La Perla (Valtellina, Italy). Who wouldn’t enjoy receiving this gift box?

Where to buy: Larix

Price: The Christmas & Bubbles Special, CHF 53.20

8. Riz du Vully – Risotto

I visited the fields where Riz du Vully grows their risotto during a workshop hosted by Slow Food Vaud this year. Afterwards, we feasted on a delicious tomato risotto prepared by the company’s owners. They have been growing rice in this area of the canton of Fribourg since 2019. For people who love to cook, this premium Swiss risotto would make a lovely gift.

Where to buy: Riz du Vully

Price: Riz du Vully ‘Loto’ – Verre – 6-pack (6 x 550g), CHF 50.00

9. Cuisine et spiritualité (in French)

Geneva-based journalist Véronique Zbinden has authored a new book (in French) making connections between cooking and spirituality. In a dozen chapters, she shares stories about chefs, monks, foragers and Zen Buddhists.

Traveling from Switzerland to New York City to South Korea, among other destinations, to discover these special stories. In the final pages of the book, Zbinden includes nearly 30 recipes for you to taste some of the flavors and dishes in your own kitchen.

Where to buy: Payot and other Swiss bookstores

Price: CHF 33

10. Chörbliwasser

Included in the inventory of Switzerland’s culinary heritage, Chörbliwasser could be considered a somewhat unconventional holiday gift. While not officially labeled as a medicinal product, people consider this cloudy non-alcoholic beverage as a homeopathic remedy. Producers make it with süssdolde (a.k.a., sweet umbel or sweet chervil). Honestly, I have not tried it yet, but it is said to have a flavor similar to aniseed. You can drink it straight or mixed with water or tea. For people deeply interested in Switzerland’s traditional products or natural remedies, a bottle of Chörbliwasser might be the perfect gift.

Where to buy: Schlaraffenland.ch

Price: 700 ml for CHF 39.50

Photo credits: Each of the photos shared in this article come from the individual website for these products.

For more Swiss holiday gift suggestions, please check out my holiday gift guides from previous years!