The Best New Food Products For December

Baked by Melissa Gluten-Free Cupcakes ($20 for 25 cupcakes) are insanely delicious, whether you suffer from gluten intolerances or just want to cut out a little wheat from your diet. They come shipped with ice so they taste as fresh as they day they were baked.

Chai has long been my go-to morning brew; over the years I've sampled many brands. Finally, I've found bliss with Tea People Indian Chai (from $5), a gingery, perfectly balanced blend of black tea and spices. Not too tannic, it's even great iced (cold-brew the tea for best results).

Cinnamon ice cream, toffee, and pastry flakes combine to create Jeni's Churro Ice Cream ($12 a pint), which tastes remarkably just like the Mexican treat. So worth scooping up even if it's freezing outside.

If you love the legendary Frank Sinatra, then you know that his favorite drink of choice was a glass of Jack Daniels, and in honor of his 100th birthday (Dec. 12), Jack has released a super special limited edition Jack Daniel's Sinatra Century ($500) set, complete with a tribute book commemorating his life as well as a never-before-released complete concert recording of Frank on stage at The Sands Hotel and Casino.

Kirsch-macerated cherries, foie gras terrine, walnut-dijon mustard, and truffle honey are just some of the highlights of Bon Appetit Box's Holiday Box ($130). Sourced from small French producers, many of the products in this collection are near-impossible to find stateside, making it the perfect gift for the francophile foodie.

Birch Lane's marble and wood cheese board is a just-right size and a great price for its quality at $49. Give it to your friend who loves to host parties, or give one to yourself.

I'm so excited to try Follow Your Heart VeganEgg ($10). It can be scrambled or baked up into cookies, muffins, or cakes just like regular eggs. How cool! The secret ingredient is algal, basically nutrients extracted from an algae grown in the Netherlands.

This is an absolute must for any whisky lover — the whisky advent calendar ($188) is the perfect way to count down to the holidays, learn a little about a ton of delicious and rare casks, and maybe find some new favorites to ring in the new year! I know the hardest thing will be waiting and wondering what each new day will bring.

As a kid, I'd spend hours meticulously decking out Christmas tree cookies with sprinkle ornaments and reindeers with red noses. Decorating sugar cookies is still one of my favorite holiday pastimes, so I'd love to add hyperorganized Williams-Sonoma Holiday Deco Kit ($20) to my sprinkle and cookie cutter collection.

Nothing beats freshly ground pepper, mark my words. Le Creuset Flame Pepper Mill ($35) has a sleek, ombré design that you won't mind leaving out on your table.

Long recognized as a symbol of hospitality and warm welcome, the pineapple is a majestic fruit, and I absolutely love that these brass pineapple tumblers ($99) have been starting to pop up at bars all over the country. Not only do they make a wonderful gift, they're perfect for the holidays and a must have for any home bar.

I always get excited when chocolate dipped strawberries appear on the table, and I know I'm not alone. Shari's Berries Half Dozen Gourmet Dipped Christmas Strawberries ($30) make for a thoughtful gift that goes beyond the traditional cookie tin.