This Recipe for Cookies in a Jar is the cutest little gift idea you ever did have! It’s easy and fun to make, takes about 5 minutes to throw together from start to finish and is sure to put a smile on just about anyone’s face! Don’t let the Christmas colours fool you though, this gift idea is perfect for any occasion!
Giving the gift of cookies is ALWAYS a good idea, am I right?! But sometimes the freshly baked, hot out of the oven kind is not always feasible. But, don’t let that stop you! This recipe for Cookies in a Jar makes it possible to give cookies to anyone, at any time, for any occasion! And yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like (except the recipient does all the baking!) All you have to do is layer all the ingredients (minus a few fresh ones that will have to be added in later on by the baker) into a jar and you’re done! Not just for that Foodie in your life, this recipe for Cookies in a Jar will surely be loved by everyone – kids and adults alike!
If you’re looking for a last minute gift idea or Christmas stocking stuffer… and I’m talkin’ reeeeally last minute… you can expect nothing less from me than to have you covered for exactly that! If you know anything at all about me by this point, it’s that I don’t necessarily get things done too far in advance. In other words, I’m a last minute kinda gal. And I also happen to be a gal that likes giving thoughtful gifts. You know…something that comes from the heart.
Well, say Hello to this recipe for Cookies in a Jar that just about ticks off all of those boxes. It’s completely customizable, could not be any easier to throw together (with ingredients you probably already have in your baking cabinet), doesn’t take much effort to look CA-UTE AF and, of course, takes all of five minutes to make. I mean, I personally cannot think of a more suitable last minute gift idea than this thing right here.
This particular recipe for Cookies in a Jar might be dazzled up and festive for the Christmas Holidays. But this is a gift that I’d be happy to gift (or recieve!) any day of the year! A gift idea SO cute, you’ll want to make it a yearly tradition!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE COOKIES IN A JAR
Other than a few simple baking ingredients that we’ll get into more detail down below, you’ll also need a cute jar to hold everything! I recommend a clear large (32 oz.) mason jar so you can see all the ingredients layered in the jar. Adding a label for the cookies is totally optional but of course, makes the gift look even cuter! In terms of the recipe directions for the recipient, don’t forget to add them in! I simply like to hand write them out on a piece of paper and tape it to the back of the jar. Alternatively, you can print out the instructions and attach them to the jar with some string or a piece of tape.
- Flour: The base and structure of our cookies in a jar. I used regular white all purpose flour. I haven’t tested this recipe otherwise. So I can’t speak to how the cookies would turn out if you chose to use a different flour.
- Sugar: For sweetness and balances the flavours of the rest of the ingredients. Also helps in keeping the cookies soft and moist.
- Brown Sugar: Adds flavour and moistness to the cookies. The molasses in brown sugar helps make the cookies extra soft and keeps them from drying out. Light brown sugar is best in this recipe.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise and turn a nice brown colour as they bake in the oven.
- Salt: Amplifies the flavours of the rest of the ingredients and makes the cookies pop.
- Chocolate Chips: Makes these Cookies in a Jar chocolate-y and delicious! I used milk chocolate chips but you can use whatever kind you have on hand. Semi-sweet, dark or white chocolate chips are always good options.
- Christmas Smarties: Makes this recipe for Cookies in a Jar festive and perfect for Christmas. However, don’t let that fool you! Switch this part up for something else to make these Cookies in a Jar perfect for any occasion! Festive sprinkles, more chocolate, dried cranberries or nuts/seeds always make great options.
Since this recipe for Cookies in a Jar must be baked by the recipient, there are a few fresh/wet ingredients (not pictured) that we have to leave out. When the recipient is ready to bake, they have to add them in. These ingredients are:
- Egg: Adds flavour, structure and moistness to the cookies.
- Butter: Slightly melted and cooled. Adds richness, tenderness and structure to the cookies.
- Vanilla: Rounds out the flavours of the rest of the ingredients.
HOW TO MAKE COOKIES IN A JAR (KEY TIPS)
- Use a big enough jar to hold all of the baking ingredients. The last thing you want to do is start filling your jar only to realize it’s not big enough to hold all the ingredients. Part of the niceness of this gift is how the ingredients layer in the jar on top of eachother. If you have to move them from one jar to another, you won’t get that effect. Start with a large mason jar that is at least 32 oz. in size.
- Use a clear jar that seals nicely. You want to be able to see all the beautiful layers made by piling the ingredients on top of eachother. The tighter the seal is on the jar, the fresher the ingredients will stay and the longer they’ll last.
- Use a spoon or a funnel to get the ingredients in neatly and nicely layered. The nicer your layers, the cuter the ingredients will look in the jar. For best results, go in the order listed in the recipe card down below. The thickness of the brown sugar will stop the ingredients from sinking down into each other.
- Label or decorate your jar for extra cuteness. Of course, this step is totally optional but it makes the gift look even cuter and more thoughtful.
- Don’t forget to include the baking instructions/recipe directions for the recipient. You can either hand write the instructions out. Or print them out on a recipe card and attach it to the jar with a piece of tape or string.
- Feel free to change up the ingredients to match the occasion. This particular recipe for Cookies in a Jar is perfect for Christmas. But can easily be customized to suit any occasion. Try adding birthday sprinkles for birthdays or hershey’s kisses for Valentine’s Day.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Since all the ingredients in this recipe for Cookies in a Jar are dry, they’ll last quite a while in your sealed jar. The ingredients are pretty basic pantry baking staples so as long as they’re fresh going in, the recipient has upwards of 6 months to actually bake ’em. The brown sugar might harden slightly in the jar but will soften up again once mixed with the rest of the ingredients.
The best part about this recipe for Cookies in a Jar is that it’s cheap to make! Since the ingredients are pretty simple baking ingredients, they don’t cost a lot and you don’t need much to fill the jar. I’d say, all in all, this gift idea will cost you a total of 5 whole dollars to make (maybe a little bit more these days…you know…with the inflation and all….).
Why yes, yes of course you can! You can either use this recipe for Cookies in a Jar as a guide and base and just change up the Christmas coloured smarties to suit any occasion. Some ideas: hershey kisses or cinnamon hearts for Valentine’s Day, mini eggs or more chocolate for Easter, birthday sprinkles for birthdays, orange and black sprinkles for Halloween or green sprinkles for St. Patrick’s Day.
If you want to, you can switch up the recipe entirely and layer in the ingredients to make a batch of your favourite cookies! You might have to adjust the quantities a bit (probably half the original recipe) in order for it to fit in the jar.
RECIPE FOR COOKIES IN A JAR
This Recipe for Cookies in a Jar is the cutest little gift idea you ever did have! It's easy and fun to make, takes about 5 minutes to throw together from start to finish and is sure to put a smile on just about anyone's face!
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Flour
- 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
- 5 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3/4 - 1 cup Christmas Smarties or M&Ms
To Be Added By Recipient
- 1/2 cup Butter, slightly melted and cooled
- 1 Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
For the Gift
1. Layer the dry ingredients in the jar in this order: Flour, Brown Sugar, White Sugar, Baking Soda, Salt, Chocolate Chips and Christmas Smarties. Seal the jar. Label and decorate, if desired.
When Ready to Bake (Instructions to be added with the Gift)
1. Preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, egg and vanilla.
3. Dump the jar ingredients in and stir until well combined.
4. Scoop the dough (about 2 tbsp per cookie) onto the baking sheet, leaving some room in between for them to expand in the oven as they bake.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling before devouring.
Notes
A 32 oz. Mason Jar with a tight fitting lid will give you the best results for this recipe for Cookies in a Jar.
Don't forget to include the recipe instructions on the jar for the recipient to bake.
This recipe makes about 18 cookies.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 201Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 253mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 1gSugar: 18gProtein: 2g
Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix.
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