Cookie Jars – cookie mix in a jar

Cookie Jars are a fabulous gift and one I give often for birthdays and Christmas. All you need to do is add melted butter and an egg to dried ingredients, roll into balls and bake. In this how to make cookie jars for gifts post you will find everything you need to make cookie jars at home for presents. The perfect homemade gift for foodie friends and family. What better present than a cookie mix in a jar.
Delicious cookies in minutes. In this recipe I give you the full instructions on what you need to assemble the jars and what you need to include as instructions when you give them as gifts.
Scroll down for the cookie mix jar instructions and cookie jar recipe.
These Cookie Jars are so easy to make and are such great gifts. The jars are glass so recyclable and reusable which is always an eco friendly bonus, plus the contents make delicious cookies. Scroll down to find out how to make this perfect present yourself, or contact me to buy one ready made!
Giving cookies at Christmas
Each Christmas I make these jars to sell at local fairs and for events. As well as the Smarties cookie jars that will be featured in this blog, I also make white chocolate and cranberry ones too. I also have brownie jars available too, with either walnuts or extra chocolate chips.

Top tip – Using a coffer tamper or a spoons is a perfect way to compact the ingredients down to make these beautiful defined layers.
How to make a cookie mix jar
Making a cookie mix jar is really easy especially if you have recipe below for what you need and what you need to add to the label. The take about 5 minutes to make and if you are doing a few jars at a time you can make a few pretty quickly.
Batch making cookie jars
If you are going to be making a few DIY cookie jars this Christmas then I would recommend batch making and filling them.
Take your clean glass jars and work through the recipe below adding each layer to each and moving up the layers. For example start with the salt, baking powder and plain flour layer and add it to each jar. From there add the light brown soft sugar to each jar. You will have them done in no time!
I found doing it this way helped me make sure I didn’t leave anything out.

What jar do I need to make a cookie jar?
For a cookie mix in a jar you can decide on the size of jar you want to use. I would recommend not going smaller than half a litre. Any small than that and you won’t get many cookies form the mix, and cookies jars are all about the cookies! So more is definitely better.
I usually try and find 0.5L jars to make these but most places like Lakeland (6 for £15.99) offer the jars in the photos which are 490ml. So you have to sacrifice a few Smarties and a tablespoon of oats but the recipe still works. The best jars I have found are from Ikea and are £1.25 each for 0.5L.
The glass jars from Ikea have a glass top so for those I add the Smarties last so they look more colourful in the finished cookie jar. This cookie mix in a jar recipe UK is made for the UK but it is a international recipe. They are common ingredients and easy to make anywhere in the world.
How to make Cookie Jars
Here is my step by step process of making and putting the cookie mix in a jar together. I love how the jars have their layers. They look so good done like this. If you don’t want to do layers you don’t have to of course. Mix it all together and press it in that way.

Step by Step – Wash and dry a 0.5 litre glass jar.

Add the salt, baking powder and plain flour to the jar and push down with a spoon.

Push down to compact the ingredients.

Add the light brown soft sugar and compact it down.

Next, add the caster sugar and compact it down.

Add your toppings like Smarties.

Top up the jar with the oats compacting as you go to get them to fit. Add the lid and your cookie jar is ready.
Cookie Jar Baking Instructions
These are the cookie mix jar instructions to give to your friends and family, or who ever you give the jar to. These instructions are for the recipe of the cookie mix in a jar below and are based on those quantities.
To make your cookie jar you will need 90g of melted unsalted butter and 1 medium egg
1)Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. 2)In a bowl empty the jar and mix together with the melted butter and the egg. 3)Spoon out the heaped teaspoons, or tablespoons if you want larger cookies, of the cookie mixture on the prepared baking sheets. Leaving space between the cookies as they will spread. 4)Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool. 5)Enjoy!
If you like you can write the cookie mix jar instructions beautifully out and give them as a gift tag with the present or you can print it out and add it as a swing tag to the cookie jar.
If you change the toppings make sure you change the name on the tag.
I haven’t made printable tags for the cookie jars yet but you can make your own. Chocolate chip cookies in a jar printable tags is something I’m working on, so stay tuned for that.

Toppings you can add to your cookies
There are so many ways you can switch up the cookie jars with different toppings. This blog post is for a Smarties cookies mix in a jar UK recipe. It is an international recipe as it’s been done in grams so you will need weighing scales but you if you are active baker you should have them anyway. If you don’t have them get some as kitchen weighing scales as they will open up the number of things you can make from around the world. It’s totally worth it.
So on to other topping ideas. You can keep it classic with chocolate chips. Either a mix of milk, white and dark chocolate or just one flavour. I love a mix!
What about trying nuts and seeds? Walnuts work really well as do pistachios.
Other dried fruits are worth having a go with too. I love a mix of white chocolate and dried cranberries. Raisins and currants also taste great.
There are so many other candy and chocolates you could try so it’s a great opportunity to experiment.

Keep scrolling for the cookie mix in a jar recipe UK
How to make a cookie jar mix
Making a cookie jar mix is so much easier than you would think. Especially as I have done all the hard work for you and worked out what you need and how much of what you need to achieve these beautiful cookie jars. To make a cookie jar you will need a half a litre jar to start with. The ingredients you need for a cookie jar mix are salt, baking powder, plain flour, light brown soft sugar, caster sugar, oats (not ready mix oats), ground cinnamon, ground ginger and your choice of toppings. For this one I used Smarties as they are bright and colourful in the jar and kids and big kids love them too.
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Cookie Jars – Easy cookie mix in a jar
Equipment
- 0.5 litre jar
- spoon
Ingredients
- half teaspoon salt
- half teaspoon baking powder
- 120 grams plain flour
- 60 grams light brown soft sugar
- 75 grams caster sugar
- 75 grams oats
- quarter teaspoon cinnamon
- quarter teaspoon ground ginger
- 100 grams Smarties (you could also use other chocolates or fruit or other tasty goodies you like)
Ingredients to be included on the gift tag
- 90 g melted unsalted butter
- 1 medium egg
Instructions
- Taking a 0.5 litre jar, spoon in the ingredients one at a time in the above order. After each ingredients use a spoon or coffee tamper to push the ingredients down until they form a compact layer. This will help get all the ingredients to fit in perfectly.
- Step by Step – Wash and dry a 0.5 litre glass jar.
- Add the salt, baking powder and plain flour to the jar and push down with a spoon.
- Push down to compact the ingredients.
- Add the light brown soft sugar and compact it down.
- Add the caster sugar and compact it down.
- Add your toppings like Smarties.
- Top up the jar with the oats compacting as you go to get them to fit. Add the lid and your cookie jar is ready.
- Make a label for the jars, so your friends and family know how to make the cookies.
- To make your cookie jar you will need 90g of melted unsalted butter and 1 medium egg.
The cookie jar label
- To make your cookie jar you will need 90g of melted unsalted butter and 1 medium egg.1)Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper. 2)In a bowl empty the jar and mix together with the melted butter and the egg. 3)Spoon out the heaped teaspoons, or tablespoons if you want larger cookies, of the cookie mixture on the prepared baking sheets. Leaving space between the cookies as they will spread. 4)Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool. 5)Enjoy at your pleasure!
21 Comments
Mandy
December 3, 2018 at 4:26 pm
What a fabulous idea! I might suggest to my daughter that she makes some of these for her cousins for Christmas as we are trying to do presents with as little plastic as possible this year.
Anna | Serving Dumplings
December 3, 2018 at 9:30 pm
This is such a great idea!
Angela Roberts
December 4, 2018 at 2:12 am
These are the cutest cookies, and would be great for anytime or any holiday. Love these jars!
Heidi Roberts
December 4, 2018 at 3:47 am
I love the kind of gift like this – shows so much more thought than a quick store bought gift!
Sew White
December 7, 2018 at 12:26 am
I agree plus with the jar it’s easy to make it again for someone else. Green presents are the way forward.
Lucy
December 4, 2018 at 7:27 am
What a fabulous idea for Christmas gifts for friends and family. My children would love to help me make these as well though I bet it will get messy!
Sew White
December 7, 2018 at 12:27 am
I think children would love it. It’s fun to try and push everything down and make the layers.
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Mary
November 15, 2020 at 9:40 pm
I love this idea! What a great gift to send (especially in this weird year)!
Sew White
November 15, 2020 at 9:46 pm
Oh definitely a good idea for this year!
Tara
November 15, 2020 at 10:03 pm
Oh how fun! Such a great idea for the upcoming holiday season. I love how easily the jars come together too.
Marie-Charlotte Chatelain
November 15, 2020 at 10:33 pm
Love how the smarties make these jars look so cute! And I would totally add those walnuts you recommend ! LOVE walnuts SO MUCH
Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness
November 16, 2020 at 3:14 am
So perfect for Christmas gifts! I am definitely giving this a go for Christmas gifts. Thank you so much 🙂
Suzy
November 16, 2020 at 3:57 am
This is literally the best holiday gift! They are so pretty to make and the cookies are awesome! Love it!
sara
November 29, 2020 at 5:08 pm
Anyone know how much butter and egg to add? Thanks
Sew White
November 30, 2020 at 7:27 pm
To make your cookie jar you will need 90g of melted unsalted butter and 1 medium egg.
Lucy
January 4, 2021 at 9:23 pm
Made this as a Christmas gift and was absolutely perfect, now thinking of doing it as an Easter gift but using mini eggs!! 🙂
Sew White
January 5, 2021 at 12:38 pm
Thank you so much, Lucy, for taking the time to leave a comment. I’m so glad they worked and that you enjoyed them <3