Why not make your own Christmas presents this year? These pretty festive cookies in a jar are easy to make. And they’re bound to delight friends, family or work colleagues. This recipe is for white chocolate and cranberry, but you’ll find plenty of ideas for alternative versions. Or just get creative and make your own instead.
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In the excitement leading up to the Liskeard Christmas Vintage Market, I came across an idea for making up a cookie mix and presenting it in a jar. What a fun item to try selling at the stall I was helping out on. And if they didn’t sell, I could gift them for Christmas.
That first time I made three jars: 1) cranberry and dark chocolate chip, 2) cranberry and white chocolate chip, 3) raisin and white chocolate chip. They all sold. Number two is particularly festive and that’s the one I’ve given the recipe for.
Each jar makes about twenty cookies.
Festive Cookies in a Jar
In these days of lavish and wasteful packaging, these make a great low waste alternative gift. They are fun and attractive in their own right. You get to make some cookies (always a good thing) and you have a handy jar for reuse.
Festive cookies in a jar are also incredibly easy to make. It’s just a case of weighing out the ingredients and then layering them up into clear glass jars. Do make sure to sterilise the jars properly first though.
The jars created quite a talking point at the Christmas market. And I sold two out of the three, which I was well chuffed with. I’ve made them as presents several times since. I’ve also made the recipe for myself many times over the years and they work like a dream.
In fact, these are great cookies to get the kids involved in. All they need to do is empty the jar, crack in an egg, melt some butter and stir it altogether. Then it’s simply a case of spooning the mixture out onto non-stick or lined baking trays. Alternatively they can roll them into balls instead, which can be quite a fun activity.
Festive Cookies In A Jar: Step-by-Step
Step 1. Find A Jar.
Find a jar or jars if you’re going for multiple ones. Make sure they’re all clean, dry and sterilised. See further down the post for the best jars to use.
Step 2. First Layer
Whisk flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt together in a bowl so that they’re well combined and there are no lumps.
Use a spoon to carefully place the flour mixture in the bottom of the jar so that you get as even a layer as possible. You can use a jam funnel to make the process faster but the flour might dust the sides of the jar making it harder to see clear layers.
Tap the jar sharply on the counter a few times so the flour is fairly compact.
Step 3. Second Layer
Carefully spoon in the sugar. Again you’re trying to get as even a layer as possible.
Tamp the sugar down with the back of a spoon or use a small bottle. It needs to be fairly compact so that the ingredients don’t mix in the jar and to ensure there’s enough room in the jar for all of the ingredients.
Step 4. Third Layer
For easy, you can use white chocolate chips for this festive cookies in a jar recipe. They tend to look pretty too. But it’s absolutely fine to chop up a chocolate bar and use that instead. Just make sure the chunks are fairly small ones.
Pour the chocolate chips over the sugar. Then even them out, making sure there are plenty around the sides.
Step 5. Fourth Layer
Likewise, scatter the dried cranberries over the top of the chocolate chips, ensuring the layer is as even as possible.
Top Tip
At this point you can make a dip in the middle and push the cranberries to the side. I didn’t do this in the photos you can see in this post. The result is oats that have gone down the sides and covered up most of the cranberries.
Step 6. Final Layer
Pour the oats into the jar. If it doesn’t look as though they’ll go in, either press them down with the back of the spoon or give the jar a few taps on the counter top.
Close the lid.
Step 7. Label
It’s important to label the jar so that the recipient knows what they’re getting. You’ll also need to write out or print a card with the recipe instructions.
I also like to cover the top with festive tissue paper or material and tie with colourful twine.
What Type Of Jar To Use?
For this recipe you’ll need a jar with a 500ml capacity. The best jars to use are tall straight sided ones with screw top lids. These show off the layers particularly well and are easy to tie twine or ribbons around.
These screw top preserving jars* are ideal.
That said, it’s also nice to give a clip top jar as part of the present. I don’t know about you, but I love clip top jars. They’re so useful for so many things and they’re attractive too. The layers don’t look quite as good and it’s more difficult to tie them with paper and tags, but hey, you get an extremely useful jar.
How Long Do Festive Cookies In A Jar Last?
Your festive cookies in a jar will last at least three months, assuming your ingredients are fresh. You’ll need to store it in a cool dry place though. If you include nuts, it’s probably best to bake those cookies within a month.
Festive Cookies In A Jar: Alternative Versions
Once you have the base recipe for these festive cookies in a jar, you can swap the cranberries and white chocolate for pretty much anything you like. Try another dried fruit such as raisins or chopped apricots and go for milk or dark chocolate instead of white. You can even leave the chocolate chips out altogether. Here are a few more ideas.
Choc Chip Cookies In A Jar
If you like the idea of good old choc chip cookies with no other adornment, go with a 100g bar of chocolate and ditch the cranberries. Use a good quality milk or dark chocolate and chop it into small pieces.
Or you could switch out those chocolate chip cookies and use a flavoured bar of chocolate instead. My favourite is chilli chocolate, but orange chocolate and coffee chocolate are good bets too.
Nutty Choc Chip Cookies In A Jar
Nuts make a lovely addition to these cookies. Hazelnuts work particularly well with dark or milk chocolate, but use whatever nuts the recipient likes best. Dump the cranberries and use the same quantity of roughly chopped nuts instead. Use white, milk or dark chocolate to accompany them.
Fruit & Nut Cookies In A Jar
Swap the cranberries for raisins and the chocolate for the nuts of your choice. Just roughly chop the nuts before adding to the mix.
Ginger Choc Chip Cookies In A Jar
If you know any ginger fans, then treat them to some ginger choc chip cookies. Swap the cranberries for chopped crystallised ginger and the white chocolate for dark chocolate. Either use chips or chop up a bar of chocolate.
Spice It Up
Mix some sweet spices into the sugar before adding to the jar.
Gluten-Free Cookies In A Jar
You can easily make these festive cookies in a jar suitable for coeliacs and those with a gluten intolerance. Just ensure that the oats are gluten-free (many aren’t) and replace the flour with a good quality gluten-free one.
Dairy-Free Cookies In A Jar
Swap the butter for two tablespoons of a neutral oil, such as sunflower and you have dairy-free cookies in a jar.
White Chocolate And Cranberry Cookies
I’ve made several batches of these festive cookies in a jar now. White chocolate and cranberry cookies are the most popular because the flavours are just so festive. I can report that they work really well and are absolutely delicious. Of course, I use wholemeal spelt flour rather than plain, but that just makes them better.
You’ll see I have a similar, but slightly different recipe for cranberry white chocolate cookies elsewhere on the blog. To that one, I’ve added crunchy walnuts to the mix.
I’ve made a few with crystallised ginger and dark chocolate chips as well. You can find out how to make these further up the post. But I also have a similar for oaty ginger chocolate chip cookies. This one doesn’t contain egg though.
Other Edible Gifts You Might Like
- Chilli chocolate fudge
- Chocolate crinkle cookies with roasted hazelnuts
- Cinnamon & honey Christmas stars
- Coconut bliss balls (vegan)
- Goat’s cheese chocolate truffles
- Spiced apple chutney
For more edible gift ideas take a look at this homemade edible gifts galore post. Alternatively head to my gifts category.
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these festive cookies in a jar for anyone, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips or favourite flavour combinations? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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If you’d like more oat recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious, of course.
Choclette x
Festive Cookies In A Jar. PIN IT.
Festive Cookies In A Jar – The Recipe
Festive Cookies in a Jar
Equipment
Ingredients
- 75 g wholemeal flour or plain flour (I use wholemeal spelt)
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch fine sea or rock salt
- 75 g light muscovado sugar
- 60 g rolled oats (porridge oats)
Version 1 – Cranberry and Dark Chocolate Chip
- 50 g dried cranberries
- 50 g dark chocolate chips or bar chopped into small pieces (I used 70%)
Version 2 – White Chocolate and Cranberry
- 50 g white chocolate chips or bar chopped into small pieces
- 50 g dried cranberries
Version 3 – Raisin and White Chocolate Chip
- 50 g white chocolate chips or bar chopped into small pieces
- 50 g raisins
Instructions
- Sterilise the jar by washing it out in clean soapy water then putting it in the oven for 20 minutes at 100℃ (212℉, Gas ¼).
- Whisk the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt together to ensure everything is well combined and there are no lumps. Carefully spoon into the bottom of the jar to create an even (ish) layer.75 g wholemeal flour, ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), ¼ tsp baking powder, 1 pinch fine sea or rock salt
- Next, spoon in the sugar in an even layer. Tamp this down with the back of a spoon, some sort of slim bottle or the end of a rolling pin.75 g light muscovado sugar
Version 1
- Add the cranberries followed by the dark chocolate in as even layers as you can manage.50 g dried cranberries, 50 g dark chocolate chips
Version 2
- Add the white chocolate chips, followed by the cranberries in as even layers as you can manage.50 g white chocolate chips, 50 g dried cranberries
Version 3
- Add the chocolate chips, followed by the raisins in as even layers as you can manage.50 g white chocolate chips, 50 g raisins
All Versions
- Finish off the layering with the rolled oats.60 g rolled oats (porridge oats)
- Label the jars, then cover the tops with a couple of layers of red tissue paper or festive cloth and tie with twine or ribbon. Add a card with the baking instructions.
Baking Instructions
- Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl with 1 egg and 50g melted butter (or 2 tbsp sunflower oil).
- Roll into slightly bigger than walnut sized balls (about 20) or place spoonfuls spaced well apart onto a lined baking tray. Bake at 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4) for 10 minutes or until golden.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I’m sharing this post on how to make cookies in a jar with Gluterama for #CookBlogShare.
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Chloe says
Such a great gift idea!
Choclette says
And so easy to get a production line of them going too.
Janice P says
These cookies are the perfect gift. Such lovely flavours too.
Choclette says
They’re a great idea for kids or for those that aren’t too confident when it comes to baking.
MANDY says
This is a really good idea, I think I’ll suggest that my daughter makes cookies in jars for her Christmas presents
Choclette says
What a good idea Mandy. It’s a great gift for kids to make.
Rebecca - Glutarama says
Lovely ideas for a homemade gift, I’ve always thought about doing this for family and friends but never had t he time to work out the quantities, now I have no excuse because you’ve done it all for me!
Choclette says
Hahaha, indeed! Go for it Rebecca. Anyone I’ve ever given them too has been really pleased.
Gluten Free Chocolate says
Tamp each layer tightly. The flat top of a meat tenderizer mallet makes a great tool to tamp down each layer of ingredients.
Janice Pattie says
It’s a fun idea, I’ve done it myself, but got a few odd looks from the recipients! Hope you have a great festive season.
Wendy@The Omnivorous Bear says
I am definitely going to do this… next year! Such a great idea.
Katie says
Wonderful idea and they look so pretty too.
Alida says
this is so original Choclette. They make such a wonderful present and these days people appreciate homemade gifts much more. Brava!
londonbusybody.com says
What a fab gift to receive!
Angie's Recipes says
What a fantastic idea!
p.s Chill the stamped cookies for a couple of hours before baking, then they won’t look blurry after baking. The chocolate one I used a simple shortbread recipe with added cocoa powder and some ground almond.
Kit @ i-lostinausten says
Lovely idea! I’ve received few jars last year for X’mas & they’re amazing recipes indeed. I bet yours too! 🙂
hungryhinny says
These look lovely, I’ve seen quite a few recipes for ‘cookies in a jar’ but never tried them… you need to give us an update once you’ve baked a batch to find out how good they taste!
Janice Pattie says
lovely mix
Hazel - Chicken in a Cherry Sauce says
I have a friend who is selling these for Christmas gifts! They are a wonderful idea and provide storage for the final product too 🙂
Susan Lindquist says
What a terrific idea! Noted and set with a bookmark under ideas for next year’s church fair! Thanks!
Alessandra says
Olá como vai ,estou fazendo uma visita e aproveitando
para desejar boas festas e muito sucesso
boa semana , até mais
rita cooks italian says
This is a brilliant gift idea!! I love to receive glass jars and I reuse them several times.
manu says
They’re beautiful, just a perfect Christmas gift!
I made the same last year!!!
xox
Clarence Evans says
Awesome, this is great for this coming holidays gift.
http://www.brownieheaven.co.uk
Kavey says
I keep bookmarking ideas like this at Pinterest but haven’t got around to making any yet…
BTW where you’ve written “75g plain flour, 1/4 tsp plain flour, 1/4 tsp baking powder” is that second ingredient meant to be something else? x x
belleau kitchen says
Great idea… I saw this at the food fair I was demo-ing at in November and I thought at the time what a genius idea it was. So pretty and actually useful too!… I love your combinations too x