Cookie-in-a-jar gifts are not only good to look at but easy to make and a great Christmas present idea, made from simple ingredients that are ready to be baked. These recipes are ideal for those looking for something as simple, affordable, and perfect as a homemade gift.
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Not only do these look good, but they are simple to make and can be done in one afternoon. All you need to do is add a ribbon and a card with instructions, and your Christmas present is ready to go.
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1) Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies
These chocolate peppermint crunch cookies use layers of cocoa and crushed peppermint to help create that gorgeous mint and chocolate combo. This uses crushed candy canes and peppermint extract to give a crunchy texture and increased mint flavor.
Be careful what cocoa powder you use. Dutch-processed powder tends to be smoother and darker; natural is a little bit sharper, with more acidity. Watch out for overmixing the peppermint pieces, as this can cause them to dissolve, and we want that crunchy texture.
These are ideal for Christmas, as chocolate mint gives that classic holiday taste. Don't add the crushed candy too early, as this can bleed a pink color into the dough. I always like to fold these in at the end so we get the right look and that classic crunch.
Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Layer the flour, cocoa, baking soda, sugars, peppermint candies, and chocolate chips in a quart jar, packing each layer down before adding the next.
- Seal the jar and attach a card with these baking directions.
- To bake, empty the jar into a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until a dough forms.
- Scoop tablespoons onto a lined sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Cool on the pan a few minutes before transferring to a rack.
Notes
2) Cranberry Pistachio Oatmeal Jars
These oatmeal jars wear like an oatmeal cookie, with cranberries and green pistachios mixed in. This combination gives a great color contrast, with the red and green, and it visually looks stunning, especially at Christmas time.
Pistachios give some healthy fats and protein, and cranberries are nice and tart to balance out the sweetness. Watch out for using sweetened dried cranberries, as this will change the overall sweetness, so adjust your recipe accordingly.
Storing these in jars helps not only with portion control but also presentation. A good tip is to toast your pistachios before you add them; this gives them much more flavor.
Cranberry Pistachio Oatmeal Jars
Ingredients
Method
- Layer the flour mixed with baking soda, then the oats, brown sugar, cranberries, and pistachios in a quart jar.
- Seal and tie on a card with the baking steps.
- To bake, tip the mix into a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- Roll into balls, place on a lined sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes.
- Let cool on the sheet before serving.
3) Gingerbread Spice Cookie Mix
Everyone loves a good gingerbread spice cookie, and these use a classic spice blend of ginger, cinnamon, and clove, not nutmeg or allspice, which enhances the flavor by adding spices at different stages and allowing these spices to shine. Using ground ginger gives a nice warmth and sweetness, and it's not as spicy as using fresh ginger.
I like to use brown sugar, but you can also use molasses, since this helps give a deeper flavor. Gingerbread spice mix is very similar to pumpkin spice, but with that added molasses flavor that helps give that classic gingerbread taste.
Gingerbread Spice Cookie Mix
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and spices together, then layer over the brown sugar in a quart jar.
- Seal and attach a baking card.
- To bake, combine the mix with 1/2 cup softened butter, 1/4 cup molasses, and 1 egg until a dough forms.
- Chill the dough 30 minutes, then roll into balls and bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 11 minutes.
- Cool on the pan before moving to a rack.
Notes
4) Snowball Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
Snowball cinnamon sugar cookies, coated in cinnamon sugar. What's not to like? These are perfect for Christmas; they look just like fresh snow. They make use of a classic base of butter, powdered sugar, and ground nuts. I like to use pecans, but you can also use walnuts, giving a tender and crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth type texture.
Always watch to make sure you don't overmix your dough, or skip chilling the dough, as this can result in your cookie spreading instead of staying nice and round. Always double coat your cookie, rolling it in sugar when it's still warm from the oven, and also once it's cooled, to get that classic snowy look.
The cinnamon sugar is a twist on the traditional powdered sugar snowballs. Be careful not to add too much, as it has a spicier bite, and this can dominate over the buttery flavor.
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Snowball Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Layer the flour, powdered sugar, and pecans in a quart jar, then add the white sugar mixed with cinnamon in a small bag tucked on top.
- Seal and tie on a baking card.
- To bake, mix the flour layers with 1 cup softened butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla into a dough.
- Roll into balls and bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes until set but pale.
- Roll the warm cookies in the cinnamon sugar from the bag, then cool and roll again.
5) Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Delight Jars
Peanut butter and chocolate chip delight jars. Who doesn't love peanut butter with chocolate? It always reminds me of Reese's, and the little bit of salt from the peanut butter helps balance the sweetness of the chocolate. Thinking of baked goods means crunchy edges with a soft center, not literally stacked layers.
Watch it once you bake your peanut butter cookies, as this can dry them out if you bake them too long. You can use chocolate chips or chunks, or even melt your chips in, and this will affect the texture of the result and will depend on how gooey you want them to be. The great thing about making these in jars is that you can control portions.
Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chip Delight Jars
Ingredients
Method
- Layer the flour mixed with baking soda, then the sugars and both kinds of chips in a quart jar.
- Seal and attach a baking card.
- To bake, combine the mix with 1/2 cup softened butter, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and 1 egg into a dough.
- Scoop onto a lined sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Cool on the pan a few minutes before transferring to a rack.
Notes
6) Red Velvet Cookie Mix with White Chocolate Chips
Gorgeous swirls of red mixed into soft red velvet cookies, along with white chocolate chips. It's a classic red velvet flavor, with mild cocoa and a bite from a little vinegar. These are not a simple chocolate cookie. The red color usually comes from the cocoa reacting with the acid, but most cake mixes use a little red coloring to make them pop.
The white chocolate chips complement the tang from the cocoa and don't compete with it. The dough visually looks fantastic with the swirl and marble effect. Red velvet cookies are softer and tangier, and they're visually stunning.
Red Velvet Cookie Mix with White Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
Method
- Layer the flour whisked with cocoa and baking soda, then the sugar, white chocolate chips, and a sprinkle layer in a quart jar.
- Seal and add a baking card.
- To bake, mix with 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon red food coloring, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- Scoop onto a lined sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Cool before serving so they set up soft and tender.
7) Almond Biscotti Jar Recipe
Get ready to make these almond biscotti with lots of crunchy almonds. Biscotti literally means twice baked, with these being baked once as one long loaf, then sliced and baked twice to give extra crunch. It's this double baking that makes these biscuits strong enough for dunking and not falling apart.
Resist the urge to cut these when they are still hot, as they will just crumble. I like to give the almonds a toast first to deepen the flavor. You can bake these for a shorter time on this second bake if you like a chewier biscotti, or longer if you want them crunchier.
Storing these in a jar is perfect for holding as gifts, and they will keep well for weeks this way.
Almond Biscotti Jar Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Layer the flour whisked with baking powder, then the sugar, almonds, and anise seeds in a quart jar.
- Seal and tie on a baking card.
- To bake, mix with 2 eggs, 1/4 cup melted butter, and 1 teaspoon almond extract into a stiff dough.
- Shape into two logs on a lined sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
- Cool slightly, slice into diagonals, and bake the slices 10 more minutes until crisp.
Notes
8) Classic Sugar Cookie Gift Jars
You will love these classic sugar cookie gift jars. Just make sure you chill your dough for between 30 and 60 minutes before you attempt to roll it. This will stop them from spreading and let them hold their shape. Always roll to an even quarter-inch thickness, since even thickness means even baking.
Use a little flour on your surface when rolling the dough, but not too much, as this will make it tough. The most common mistake is people cutting out warm dough, and the result is cookies with an undefined shape. When making these gift jars up, stack the cutout cookie shapes between layers of parchment paper. This way they will survive transportation.
Classic Sugar Cookie Gift Jars
Ingredients
Method
- Layer the flour whisked with baking powder and salt, then the sugar and a sprinkle layer in a quart jar.
- Seal and attach a baking card.
- To bake, mix with 3/4 cup softened butter, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla into a dough.
- Chill the dough 30 minutes, then roll, cut into shapes, and bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Cool completely before decorating with icing.
Notes
9) Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix
Triple chocolate chunk cookies are super indulgent, with three types of chocolate. I like to use dark, milk, and white, and each one melts and browns a little differently. You can use chunks or chips. The chunks are larger and more regular, and they give you bigger pockets of melted chocolate than chips.
The dark chocolate gives a little bitter note that balances with the sweetness and creaminess of the white chocolate. Be careful not to overbake, as you will lose the gooey center. I always like to remove them from the oven a couple of minutes early, as they will continue to cook and set as they cool. These are an ideal treat.
Triple Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix
Ingredients
Method
- Layer the flour whisked with cocoa and baking soda, then the sugars and both chocolates in a quart jar.
- Seal and tie on a baking card.
- To bake, mix with 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla into a dough.
- Scoop onto a lined sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Cool on the pan a few minutes so the chunks set before serving.
10) Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies
I love these salted caramel brownie cookies. They are lovely and fudgy, with a dense texture due to the higher fat-to-flour ratio, and they use melted butter, which stops them from rising too much. The caramel bite usually comes from chopped soft caramels, or you can fold in caramel bits, but avoid using a caramel sauce swirl, as this sauce can burn.
For the salt, I always like to use flaky sea salt on top once baked. This balance is much better than salt added to your dough. Don't overbake these. Always remove them from the oven when they look slightly underdone, but the edges are set, since they will continue to cook and set. You can use more caramel for a gooey center, but beware: these cookies will become harder to slice cleanly.
Salted Caramel Brownie Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Layer the flour whisked with cocoa and baking soda, then the brown sugar and caramel bits in a quart jar, with the salt in a small bag on top.
- Seal and attach a baking card.
- To bake, mix the dry layers with 1/2 cup melted butter, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla into a thick dough.
- Scoop onto a lined sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Sprinkle with the flaky salt while warm, then cool so the caramel sets.