Every year for the past few years at Christmastime, I try to make one special homemade treat that I give to family members, friends, and people who have been especially good to me and my family. On the list this year are John and Pat, the sanitation workers who let my two-year-old son Alden climb in the garbage truck and beep the horn; Donnel, who turns on the car wash at the car rental place so Alden can watch; and Susie, Colin, and Ali at the Farmers Market, who all let Alden do taste tests at their stands.

I try to make something different each year, using the most sustainable ingredients available. Happily, it's pretty easy to find products reliably certified under standards such as USDA Organic, Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade, and more. Because forced child labor remains an ongoing tragedy on West African cocoa plantations, I seek out Fair Trade and sustainably certified chocolate from manufacturers such as Green and Black's, Endangered Species, Dagoba, Newman's Own Organics, Back to Nature, Theo Chocolate, and others. And though organic sugar may not really be much healthier for you, conventional sugar production relies on pesticides such as carbofuran, which is toxic to mammals, birds, and freshwater fish.

I've made several kinds of cookies (chocolate chip oatmeal are the perennial favorite), homemade granola (mixed reviews), and one year I gave pickles (but I got them at the Farmers Market and didn't make them myself). Last year, I chose to use my friend Sara Kate's mom's skillet toffee recipe. It is fast and easy, and everyone asked for more.

I was thinking about doing toffee again this year, but then I had this idea for toffee-covered pretzels, inspired by Martin's Pretzels, which I get at the Union Square Green Market. I tried out this recipe last week and it turned out great. Martin's Pretzels are available at other NYC greenmarkets, and also by mail order. If you can't get them, you could probably try using other hand-rolled hard pretzels, as long as they're very hard.

Makes 2 pounds

Ingredients

One batch of The Kitchn's Skillet Toffee
1 pound unsalted organic butter
2 cups organic brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
¾ cup blanched, toasted organic almonds, if desired
2 pounds of pretzel pieces
½ cup good quality dark chocolate (or chocolate of choice--prefereably organic and Fair Trade certified), chopped

Method

1) Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2) Break the pretzels into ½-inch to 1-inch pieces. Place in large bowl or pot, with enough room left over to mix in the toffee.
3) Follow the directions for Skillet Toffee, but instead of pouring the toffee onto the lined baking sheet, pour it over the bowl of pretzel pieces.
4) Stir to coat pieces evenly. Pour the pieces out onto lined baking sheets, trying to separate the pretzels as much as possible. Sprinkle in nuts, if desired.
5) Melt chocolate in double boiler or in microwave. Using a spoon, drizzle over drying pretzel pieces.
6) Cool completely, at least 3 hours. (You can eat a piece or two before it's cooled, if you can't wait, but it won't taste the same). Break apart as needed to create small pieces.

I can't wait to start handing these out! What's your favorite holiday treat?

Image: Patty Arndt