6 Father’s Day Gifts You Can Make in Kitchen

3 minute read

He doesn’t need more novelty neckwear. Instead, surprise your Dad with a bottle of DIY bloody mary mix or a pile of salty-sweet espresso almonds—and congratulate yourself on cracking the Father’s Day code.

1. Bacon Salt

bacon-salt
Sarah Karnasiewicz

Know a Dad who thinks everything is better with bacon? If so, this ingenious (and super simple!) spice blend is perfect. Try it as a garnish for bloody marys, sprinkled on eggs to spice up a ho-hum weekday breakfast, or as a dangerously addictive popcorn topping for movie night.

Get the recipe.

2. Mini Guinness Cakes

guinness-cakes
Sarah Karnasiewicz

What’s better than chocolate cake? Chocolate cake with beer in it. Adding a scoop of Greek yogurt to the batter for these mini cakes keeps them moist, while a cupful of dark stout accentuates the cocoa’s richness and lends an irresistible malty edge.

Get the recipe.

3. Old Bay Bloody Mary Mix

oldbay-bloody
Sarah Karnasiewicz

Upgrade brunch with a bottle of homemade bloody mary mix—but be warned: once you realize how easy it is to make your own, you’ll never want to go back to the store-bought stuff. Here, the juicy sweetness of San Marzano tomatoes is perfectly balanced by the bite of horseradish, a tart hit of citrus juice, and classic Old Bay seasonings.

Get the recipe.

4. Parmesan Ranch Popcorn

parmesan-ranch-popcorn
Sarah Karnasiewicz

This savory popcorn is dressed with a heaping flurry of parmesan cheese, a surfeit of spices, and a generous bath of butter. Simply toss the kernels with the seasonings, spread them on baking sheets and pop them in a hot oven for 5 minutes—this sharpens and seals in the flavors. Note: this recipe is also easily doubled—which is handy, since you’ll want to eat it by the fistful.

Get the recipe.

5. Mint Syrup

mint-syrup
Sarah Karnasiewicz

Simple syrup is a bar staple, but adding fresh herbs can transform it into something truly special. For instance: Cheer the cocktail connoisseur in your life with a bottle of homemade mint syrup and—so long as there’s a bottle of bourbon and a cupful of crushed ice on hand—he’ll never be more than minutes away from a perfect mint julep.

Get the recipe.

6. Dark Chocolate Espresso Almonds

chocolate-espresso-almonds
Sarah Karnasiewicz

A little bit salty and a little bit sweet, these delicious nuts get their kick from a bold blend of cocoa powder, brown sugar, and espresso powder. Agave syrup is a nice neutral sweetener that helps bind the mixture together, but any number of pantry staples—like honey, golden syrup, or brown rice syrup—could also work in its place.

Get the recipe.

This article originally appeared on Real Simple.

More from Real Simple:

  • 12 Father’s Day Cards That’ll Make Him Smile
  • 12 Father’s Day Books That Cover All of Dad’s Interests
  • 40 Cool Drinks for a Sizzling Summer Day
  • More Must-Reads from TIME

    Contact us at letters@time.com