If you’re looking for a simple homemade gift this Christmas, a Cookie Mix in a Jar is such a lovely idea. It’s thoughtful, budget friendly and perfect for teachers, neighbours, friends, family or workmates. Everything is layered neatly in a jar so the recipient can bake a fresh batch of chocolate chip oat cookies whenever they like.
I recently created an Instagram reel showing how I put these jars together. I used my Niimbot B21 Pro to print the front and back labels, including the baking instructions. Their Christmas labels are really cute and you can print in red and black on the white labels, which looks beautiful on gifts. You can watch the video below and find the Niimbot printer and Christmas label details here.
Why I Love This Gift
It’s creative, homemade, and looks gorgeous sitting on the bench while you’re making it. It also saves the recipient time, especially at this busy time of year. Years ago I gave one of these mixes to my neighbour who had a new baby and she loved it, as she had visitors coming and it helped her bake without any fuss.
This is what the cookies look like after they are cooked.
What Jar to Use
Choose a large jar, ideally around 1 litre. A few options that work well:
- Recycled 400g Moccona Coffee Jar
- 1L – 1.5L jars with wooden lids
- Large mason jars
If your jar is slightly smaller, you can reduce the oats, sugar or coconut to help everything fit.
Tips for Layering the Ingredients
Wash and dry your jar well so the layers look clean and crisp. I like to make a paper funnel (sticky taped together) to help pour the ingredients neatly into the bottom layers. After each layer, give the jar a gentle tap to level the ingredients. Pressing the brown sugar down helps create that pretty layered look.
Ingredients to Layer
- 1 1/3 cups self raising flour
- 1 cup traditional rolled oats
- 1 cup Christmas M&M’s
- 3/4 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup castor sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut
Fill the jar right to the top to keep the layers from shifting during transport.
How to Decorate the Jar
Once filled, place the jar on its lid and add some ribbon or twine. Then attach Christmas Cookie Labels to the front and back. The labels in my shop include the baking instructions so the gift is ready to go. If you have a Niimbot printer, their Christmas labels are another option and look very sweet.
The label on the back will give instruction on how to bake the cookies.
I topped my coffee jar with a few more M&M’s as it wasn’t quite full. Filling it up will also keep the layers looking nice and prevent it from moving during transportation (however there is no guarantee it won’t move).
Christmas Cookie Mix in a Jar
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Layer each ingredient into the jar in the order listed.
- A little tip, even a 1 litre jar can be quite full. If the ingredients sit a bit too high, you can slightly reduce the rolled oats, sugar and coconut. The mix still turns out beautifully and it helps everything layer neatly without overflowing.
- Decorate with ribbon and attach the Christmas Cookie Labels.
- Include the baking instructions on the back label.
Notes
- Christmas Cookie Labels are available as an instant digital download in the Organised HQ shop.
- If you have a Niimbot B21 Pro, their Christmas labels are another sweet option for the instructions and front tag.
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40 comments
These are terrific! How many cookies will the recipient get out of this recipe?
Anything I can use as a substitute for the coconut?
you could just leave the coconut out all together, or add nuts?
Nuts sounds good, thanks 🙂
Could I use a 1 Litre Jar? I’m struggling to find a 1.5
I just wanted to let you know, I have an abundance of Mocconna Coffee Jars. And I filled a 400g one with water and it measures out to be exactly 1.5L! My mum used to pull off the plastic seal and place something xmasy that would fit (like a decoration or little holly thing) into the lid and then replace the plastic seal. She’d fill it with baking or chocs or lollies etc and put a xmasy ribbon around the top. I just run the big jar through the bottom of the dishwasher and the labels peel easily off!
Thank you for the helpful tip, Chloe! That is great.:)
Firstly, I LOVE your blog! And I love this gift idea! I’m going to make this for my colleges! Silly/random question, but have you baked these cookies before yourself? Is this recipe tried and tested so to speak? How did they turn out? How many does it make approx? Only because I want to make sure my gift turns out perfectly for my recipients. Thanks!
I sure have Alicia and I love this recipe, I love any cookie with oats in it!! It makes the same amount as a typical cookie batch a good 30 or so. Hope they love them!
This is going to save me some $$$ on Christmas Gifts. I was going to buy these made online and had to buy a few. So excited to try these this year. Thanks again for another amazing recipe idea.
That is wonderful, Melissa.:) Enjoy making them, would love to see a pic once you have made them.:)
Hi there
I am in the process of doing a whole lot of the Christmas Cookies in a Jar. I absolutely love the idea. However, I cannot find Christmas M&Ms in New Zealand! I don’t think we have them here. Do you have any other suggestions of what else to use?
Many thanks
Hi Sheree, Hmm oh no, no Christmas M&Ms, not to worry. I would still use the normal M&Ms as it will taste delicious and still look just as effective.:)
Hi Sheree try the reject shops if you have them in New Zealand . That’s where I got mine from .
Vanessa
Hi, such a great idea! I’m making these for some of my friends and family. Only problem is that one of them can’t have gluten. I can change the flour to gluten free easily but what about the oats. Is there anything that I can substitute the oats for?
Hi Rebecca, I would suggest using Quinoa flakes. They are gluten free and very delicious.
Love this idea! How long would they last before they have to be baked? Thanks.
Elise, as long as the jar is sealed and the jar is clean they should last a good couple of months.
Hi Kat, I’m keen to make these up for Christmas. Is it too early to start now?
Thanks,
Actually im having a hard time to look for jars for this…Valentines Day is fast approaching. Anything mix for it with out oats, coconuts, nuts.pls?. I like a 1.5 l -2 coz some of my friends mostly have3-7 children.Any idea wher can i find a wtore side howard?.thanks. Have a good day!:-)
I have pinned this idea before and always thought it was a good gift fir Christmas! Last year I made home-made bath salts (peppermint and lavender) they were lovely and everyone enjoyed them! I love giving a handmade gift x
I have ‘ordered’ the labels but they are not sticky (my misunderstanding I think) – what is the best glue option to get the labels to stick and stay on the jars? Cannot wait to make these up – fantastic ‘Teacher thank you gift…’.
I find it helpful to use clear contact paper (like you would cover children’s books with) to secure my printed labels! I just cut a cm wider than the label itself and press the bubbles out 🙂
Thank you for this – will give that a go! My daughter is very excited to prepare these and proudly give them to her teacher!
Anyone have any luck finding any 1.5L jars?
Hi Kelly, I have just updated this post, with some links to some jars, Kmart have a great Christmas jar which would be perfect 😉
Hi Katrina – do you sell your downloaded printables – post print!? I would happily pay for someone else to make sure they have the correct paper/sticker/ink! I haven’t looked – I am just doing the lazy thing right now because I don’t love my printer! 🙂
Do you need to add anything to the mixture before cooking like eggs or milk?
yes all the details are on the labels 🙂
Hi Katrina!
This is the second year I have made these Cookies in a jar. They were so well received the first time, I thought I’d make them up again this year. Just to let you know, I used the cute Christmas jars from Kmart and they are a tad small. I had to reduce a bit of each ingredient to make it all fit. Looks awesome though. ??
Hi Katrina, thanks for this awesome Gift idea – love it. I would like to print the recipe, but it tells me all the time page not found…? Am I doing something wrong? Thanks. 🙂
Just wondering i was always drink moccona but what is the best way to remove the labels and also the coffee smell from the jars. I dont have a dishwasher. Thank you
Have you tried soaking them in Vinegar
Hi Kat,
I’m keen to get a head start on these for gifts. It’s 1st November …. is it too early to make them up and then store in cool dark cupboard?
Thanks
now would be fine, just ensure that the jar is sterilised and completely dry before adding ingredients 🙂
I love this !! If you were to make these to sell at a stall, how much would you sell them for?
Love these home made gift ideas for christmas! My 5 year old and myself made some for her kinder teachers. Thanks so much
I found that the mixture was really dry to mix. Anyone else have this issue?
Used 1/2 amount of white sugar and then had to put in an extra egg for some wetness. Turned out nicely. Same cooking time.
I haven’t had this problem before, but I am glad you found a way around it and that your cookies turned out nicely in the end 🙂 Kat
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