Guest Post: Cookies in a Jar

Hello What’s For Dinner readers!  This is Lizz from A Little Bit of This and That (AKA Mara’s Bestie!).  I am honored, humbled, and a little intimidated to be guest posting here for you all.  I write a (novice) blog about my daughter and things we like to do together.  This does involve food and cooking sometimes, so here we go…

This project was something we did for holiday teacher gifts, and a few friends and family.  When I stopped to think, Skylar has 8 teachers.  Yes, 8!  (Cha-Ching!!)  So I had the idea of doing cookies in a jar.  I am sharing this with you all now, because this can be very easily modified for any other holiday, birthday, baby shower, welcoming, or whatever.  Here’s what we ended up with…

They came out great, and were really simple to put together.  Here’s what you need to do:

First, gather your ingredients:

Normally this many ingredients would frighten me, but it was worth if for this project.

This recipe is a little different than most, because it is for 1 individual jar.  We set up an assembly line and made 12 jars at one time.  I got the recipe from Disney’s Family Fun website.  I normally futz with recipes a bit, but I left this one alone (for now).

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 cup Holiday M&M’s (or other colors to suit specific occasion)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup cocoa crisped-rice cereal (or regular flavor)
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1)  Gather up as many 1-quart wide mouth jars as you will need.  I knew it would be a little difficult to pour everything into the jars without making a disastrous mess, so I created a makeshift funnel with a piece of paper.

2) Find a helper

3) Pour each ingredient into the jar, one at a time.  Do this in the order listed above.

4) After pouring each ingredient, you will need to mash it down and level with something flat.  I used the end of a tea strainer, but a spoon or some other flat object will work.  (be warned – the flour cannot be done quickly or it will fly everywhere!)

Once everything is in the jar, you will have this sort of loveliness…

Top it off with the lid, and a pretty ribbon.  Choosing an appropriate ribbon is an easy way to adapt this gift for the occasion.

You will need to give the recipient the instructions on how to complete and bake their yummy cookies.  You can either attach a card to the jar, or put one separate in an envelope with this message:  To make your holiday cookies, cream together 1/2 cup of butter or margarine, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 egg in a large bowl. Add the contents of the jar and stir until well blended. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 4 dozen

In the end, these gifts cost me about $3 each (since I had to buy almost every ingredient; I don’t bake much).  I hope you all enjoyed my very first guest post, and that you will come visit us once in a while at A Little Bit of This and That!

- Lizz