The holidays are here! It’s a great time to make this simple yet wonderful DIY cookie mix in a jar recipe. You can prepare it ahead of time and have it all ready to go for those last-minute special holiday gifts to give to friends, co-workers, as a hostess gift, or to make for your family!
Why I Love This Recipe
I love this recipe for many reasons. It’s great to mix up during the holiday season because, if you’re anything like me, your schedule gets full and having last-minute goodies on the shelf to whip up or gift is so nice.
It’s fun to have on the shelf any time of year because you never know when you may get a surprise visitor. How nice is it to be able to whip up a batch of cookies in no time? Or to have a gift to give your visitor when they leave?
If you get it into the pantry at the beginning of the holiday season, like me, it will give you peace of mind, knowing you’re reducing the holiday scramble. And, of course, at any time, there is a plate of cookies ready to be freshly baked for your family as a special treat.
Ingredients Needed
- 1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour – I don’t recommend using whole wheat or freshly ground flour for this recipe because it won’t be as shelf-stable. All-purpose flour is your best bet.
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder – Don’t forget this or your cookies will turn out flat!
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda – Also necessary for nice fluffy cookies!
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt – I love to use Redmond Real Salt. (Using that link for Redmond Salt will automatically give you 15% off your order!)
- 1 Cup Holiday M&M’s or Chocolate Chips – You can also use dried cranberries or different types of nuts.
- 1/3 Cup Light Brown Sugar, packed – If you want more molasses flavor in your cookies, you can use dark brown sugar as well.
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar – We only have organic cane sugar in our house which works perfectly for this recipe. You could also use Turbinado, Rapadura, Demerara or Coconut Sugar.
Tools Needed
- 1 Quart Mason Jar with Lid – Don’t try to halve this recipe and use a smaller jar, just stick to the 1 quart size.
- Funnel – This is to help get those nice even layers between ingredients (and to keep your counters clean).
- Measuring Spoons & Cups – Accurate measuring will ensure your cookies come out just right.
- Labels – Grab these cute printable labels and place one in each jar.
DIY Mason Jar Cookie Mix
If you want your cookie mix to have all those nice distinct layers, there is a bit of a method to achieving this look. You have to be careful not to shake the jar too much that the ingredients mix, but shake it just enough that each layer has a chance to settle before adding the following layer. Here are the simple steps:
- Using a funnel, put the flour into the jar. Shake just a bit or tap it on the counter gently to allow it to settle.
- Next, put in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Shake just a bit.
- Put in the M&Ms (or optional chocolate chips, dried cranberries or nuts – just make sure you use no more than 1 cup of these extra goodies for each jar, otherwise, the cookies will be too soft and won’t cook well).
- Put in the brown sugar. Shake just a bit.
- Put in the plain sugar. Shake just a bit.
- Finally, add a tiny layer of M&Ms at the top. Shake just a bit more, but not so much they sink into the sugar.
How Do You Package Cookie Mix?
You can make your jar look extra special and also make it easy to follow the directions on how to make the cookies by doing a few simple steps below.
Homesteading Hack: Put the directions label inside the jar instead of on a string outside of it. Many times I have reached for a jar and found that the label has fallen off of the string. Print your labels here!
- Once the ingredients are layered nicely in the jar, place the label inside and add the lid and band, and tighten.
- Cut a round scrap of fabric (I like to use an old outworn flannel sheet in holiday colors or festive fabric) a bit larger than the size of the lid.
- Place it over the lid and tie twine, string or ribbon around the fabric to secure it. HOW CUTE!
Printable Label Directions for Making Christmas Cookie Mix
Here are the ingredients and directions (also on the printable labels to put inside the jar) for your loved ones to make the cookies.
Tools Needed
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowl
- Mixer
- Cookie sheet
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tablespoons Milk
- 1 Egg
Directions
- Dump the jar of cookie mix into a large mixing bowl.
- Beat the egg and butter together in a separate bowl then add to the cookie mix.
- Add the vanilla.
- Add the milk.
- Mix with a hand mixer or wooden spoon until well blended.
- Use a tablespoon to scoop up some batter and roll it into a nice ball.
- Place on a cookie sheet lined with a silpat mat (or greased).
- Flatten just a bit with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a mason jar.
- For an extra treat, place two or three M&Ms (or other special goodies) on top.
- Repeat until the cookie sheet is filled, making sure the cookies are not touching each other or too close together.
- Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly brown on the bottom.
How Long Does Cookie Mix in a Jar Last?
The cookie mix jars will last 6-9 months on the pantry shelf, depending on how old your ingredients were at the time of making the jars. But they may be too yummy to stay that long, or you may have too many sweet friends to brighten their day with this gift!
Easy, right? Not only are these mixes fun and easy to make, but they also turn a simple pantry shelf into a holiday gift gallery. They’re a quick go-to for making your loved ones smile. I also think you will love my other DIY mixes for the holidays, such as my Quick & Easy Brownie Mix in a Jar. Get festive and add a few holiday M&Ms to that mix as well!
Other Posts You May Enjoy
- How to Make a Wreath
- Quick & Easy Cobbler Recipe (DIY Cobbler Mix)
- Delicious Black Bean Brownie Recipe
- Healthy Chocolate Covered Coconut Truffles
- DIY Christmas Garland
- Homesteading Family’s Thanksgiving Traditions
Did you make this recipe? If so, we’d love for you to leave a star rating on the recipe card below! Then head over to social media and tag us in a photo so we can see your DIY cookies in a jar! Enjoy!
DIY Cookie Mix in a Jar
Ingredients
For Cookie Mix in a Jar
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup M&Ms or chocolate chips, dried cranberries, nuts, etc.
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
For Baking the Cookies
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 whole egg
Instructions
For the Cookie Mix in a Jar
- Using a funnel, put the flour into the jar. Shake just a bit or tap it on the counter gently to allow it to settle.
- Next, put in the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Shake just a bit.
- Put in the M&Ms (or optional chocolate chips, dried cranberries or nuts – just make sure you use no more than 1 cup of these extra goodies for each jar, otherwise, the cookies will be too soft and won’t cook well).
- Put in the brown sugar. Shake just a bit.
- Put in the plain sugar. Shake just a bit.
- Finally, add a tiny layer of M&Ms at the top. Shake just a bit more, but not so much they sink into the sugar
- Once the ingredients are layered nicely in the jar, place the label inside and add the lid and band, and tighten.
- Cut a round scrap of fabric (I like to use an old outworn flannel sheet in holiday colors or festive fabric) a bit larger than the size of the lid.
- Place it over the lid and tie twine, string or ribbon around the fabric to secure it. HOW CUTE!
For Baking the Cookies
- Dump the jar of cookie mix into a large mixing bowl.
- Beat the egg and butter in a separate bowl then add to the cookie mix.
- Add the vanilla.
- Add the milk.
- Mix with a hand mixer or wooden spoon until well blended.
- Use a tablespoon to scoop up some batter and roll it into a nice ball.
- Place on a cookie sheet lined with a silpat mat (or greased).
- Flatten just a bit with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a mason jar.
- For an extra treat, place two or three M&Ms (or other special goodies) on top.
- Repeat until the cookie sheet is filled, making sure the cookies are not touching each other or too close together.
- Bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly brown on the bottom.
Notes
- This recipe makes 16 small cookies (1 Tablespoon of cookie dough) or 12 large cookies.
- Larger cookies may need additional baking time.
