Cookie Mix in a Jar is such a fantastic gift for Christmas! Just add melted butter and an egg, then mix with a wooden spoon – no beater required. Forget the generic boxes of chocolates from the supermarket. THIS is the gift that will make you stand out from the crowd! (Plus it’s super good value too 🙂 )
This recipe is 3 years overdue.
Really.
I gifted this exact Cookie Mix in a Jar to friends 3 years ago. And every year come Christmas, I get harassed by my darling friends for the recipe.
Finally! I’m sharing it!!! I wasn’t hoarding it. Really and truly. I just kept forgetting. 🙂
I think everyone has one of “those” friends in their lives who has everything. You know who I mean, don’t you? That person who wants for nothing, whether it be because they have the luxury of being able to afford everything their heart desires or they just aren’t the material sort who values things.
I have both types of friends in my lives. Thus the reason why I started to do homemade gifts.
When it comes to Cookie Mix in a Jar, I have one very specific requirement – it has to be easy for the recipient to make the cookies. No stand mixers, no electric beaters to cream butter.
Nope, just add melted butter and an egg, mix, refrigerate then make your life easy by using an ice cream scoop to dollop the dough onto baking trays (why get your hands dirty rolling balls?? 😉 ).
And this is what comes out of the oven: big, soft White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies. Swoon….. (or in Dozer’s case, massive drool…)
PS Quick baking nerd moment: because these cookies are dump and mix cookies, the surface is nubbly rather than smooth. To make White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies with a smooth surface, you need to cream butter and sugar with an electric, then add egg etc. So it doesn’t work for Cookie Mix in a Jar recipes. 🙂
I like to make mine big. As in – 8cm/3″ rounds. This makes 12 large cookies. Or if you are so inclined, you can make 18 sensible sized ones. 🙂
I don’t have fancy schmancy graphic design skills so I’ve done up a basic tag for the instructions to attach to the jar. I don’t even have a colour printer, so I designed it for the purpose of pasting inside small Christmas cards, like shown in the photo collage above. Or you could just cut, fold and then glue together so you have a double sided tag to attach to the jar. Click here to download a PDF of the instructions.
Oh! I almost forgot – the jars! I got these jars from Kmart in Australia. It comes with the bow and red elastic band which is thin so it makes it easy to thread into even a small hole on the card or tag. These jars were A$3 each. They are a tiny bit too large for the mix but not so much that it will jostle around. I just had a quick peek at the US Kmart website and there are quite a few cheap mason jar options for less than US$1 per jar (jealous!). 🙂
Whether as gifts for co-workers, teachers, friends or family, I truly think that a homemade gift is one that will make you stand out from the crowd. Oh – if it’s for your boss, add some extra chocolate chips hmm?? 😉 – Nagi xx
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Cookie Mix In a Jar: White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Mix
- 1 litre / 4 cups / 1 quart / 32 oz mason jar
- 1/3 cup / 70g white sugar (granulated, super fine or caster)
- 1/3 cup / 70g brown sugar (normal or light)
- 3/4 cup / 113g plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup / 90g quick cooking oats
- 1 cup / 120g dried cranberries
- 1 cup/ 180g white chocolate chips
To Bake
- 1 stick / 4 oz / 125g unsalted butter , melted
- 1 large egg (around 60g / 2oz)
Instructions
- Layer Cookie Mix ingredients in the jar in the order listed. I don't have anything to tamper with so I just shake / spread out with spoon (see video below recipe).
- Seal and attach baking instructions - print here.
To bake:
- If your tray is prone to sticking, lightly grease with butter or line with baking / parchment paper (I do not bother). You will need 2 trays.
- Add Cookie Mix, butter and egg in a bowl. Mix with wooden spoon. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375F/190C (standard) or 340F / 170C (fan / convection).
- Scoop dough with ice cream scoop, level and press in with fingers, then drop onto tray 5cm / 2" apart (makes 12 large cookies, 8cm/3” rounds). Or measure heaped tablespoon and roll into balls (makes 18 small cookies 5cm/2”).
- Optional: If you remember, pick out some choc bits and cranberries and use to stud the top of the balls. For aesthetic reasons only. 🙂
- Bake 8-10 minutes (small), 12-14 minutes (large) until light golden, swapping the trays at halftime. Rest 2 minutes then transfer to cooling rack.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Recipe video! I don’t use a tamper, I just shake the jar or use a spoon to even out the surface of each layer.
LIFE OF DOZER
He’s counting down the days to Christmas for a totally different reason to me…
Rose says
Hi Nagi–
Great idea and so beautiful too! Trader Joe’s in the US (do they have TJ’s in Australia?) just came out with a similar product and called it “It’s sedimentary, my dear.” I thought about getting them as gifts, but now I can make my own! Thanks so much for the idea and recipe and especially for the photo of Dozer! The cookie mix brought a smile to my face–Dozer made the smile even wider!
Nagi says
Oh! I don’t think I’ve ever seen these sold in Australia!! Glad that Dozer has the same effect on you too…. 🙂 N x
Jane Hill says
Like the look of the cookies but can you give me the amount of the oats in grams please. Much happier using grams than cups. Many thanks
Nagi says
Done! 90g 🙂
Bam's Kitchen says
Just the kind of recipe I am looking for. I am not one of those crafty ladies who makes all of those handcrafted dainty ornaments but I can measure and dump into a jar… My kind of craft..one you can eat!!! Dozer looks just like Buddy who is equally thrilled to be wearing his Santa suit… Sharing, of course!
Nagi says
OMG you crack me up! I am totally with you – not into fiddly pretty things but bring on measure and dump!!!! N xx
Kim says
Nagi! This mason jar recipe is a perfect solution for my gift giving dilemma! Thank you, and what perfect timing you have 🙂
Love the pic of Dozer…I can’t tell if he is very proud of his Santa hat, or if he is giving you the stink-eye for dressing him! Either way, he is as cute as it gets! Gotta LOVE dogs 🙂
Nagi says
He is giving me a massive stinking eye! He HATES it when I make him get dressed up – ba ha ha!!!
henry basset says
the recipe sounds good; I will make for family also.
should the stick of butter be 4 ounces or 8 ounces
Nagi says
4 oz! Thanks Henry 🙂 The instructions card is right though – phew! Thanks again for picking that up! N xx
Marlene says
What Dorothy said! I also save lots food gift recipes, to which I’ve added this one, and love gifting friends with cookies, both baked and in a jar; spiced nuts, and similar goodies. I’m looking forward to a baking marathon next week, after Rebecca and baby Zachary leave. And after I make room in my freezer!
Nagi says
Baking marathon! I just have visions of you in a kitchen piled high with baked goods!!
Marlene says
You should have seen the disaster area that was my kitchen yesterday as I baked and cooked to host my book group! I should have taken pics, Nagi. The results were great, but I was exhausted. Did it all in an afternoon. I must get back into the habit of photographing what I make, regardless of whether I’m going to (eventually) blog it or not…
Jenna says
What size jar do you recommend/works best?
Nagi says
Hiiiii Jenna! 🙂 It’s in the recipe ingredients list – 1 quart / 4 cups 🙂 N xx
Jenna says
Not sure how I missed that! How far in advance can you make the jars before gifting?
Nagi says
Hi Jenna! Hmm – weeks! I made some in mid November that I just gifted and my friends said they came out great!
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Nagi! I love gifting in mason jars! I have a small booklet of recipes specifically for mason jars. I also like to use them for spicy or sweet nuts that I make and also for dog cookies (along with the recipe and a bone shaped cookie cutter). I like that you can easily swap out the add in to customize it! This is a gift that says you care!
Nagi says
I love that idea for the dog cookies!!! I might have to give that a go myself this year! N xx
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Nagi! I have a recipe for dog cookies that I make for my two and I have three sizes of bone shaped cutters. They are actually people friendly granola bars. I have taken a “dog cookie” and eaten it in front of my kid’s friends and you should have seen the look on their faces! 🙂 I will gladly share with you my friend!