The big question is…
Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?
If they’re chocolate chip cookies, the answer is probably me!
In years past when I’ve made holiday cookies for friends, I’ve always given the already-baked versions. But so many desserts surround us during this holiday season (candy canes, Christmas cookies, party food, eggnog, peppermint bark!) that perhaps receiving more cookies might not be the most-appreciated gift. This year I decided to give a gift that can be enjoyed in February… or June… or whenever a chocolate-chip craving strikes and the holiday cookies are long gone.
I stand 100% behind today’s recipe and can vouch for it being a hit with even people who claim they hate healthy food and have never met a vegetable they didn’t loathe entirely. The recipe is adapted and scaled up from one of the most popular recipes on my blog: healthy chocolate chip cookies.
Cookie mixes in a jar might just be the perfect gift:
- Fun to assemble and decorate.
- Not expensive to make, yet they still show the recipient that you put time and effort into the gift.
- Who doesn’t love cookies?
No seriously, who? Also be sure to let the recipient know that with these cookies, it’s perfectly acceptable to eat the raw dough!
You can find quart-sized mason jars at craft stores, at hardware stores, or even at some grocery stores and dollar stores! (A box of 12 jars only costs about $7.)
Decorate with ribbon and odds-n-ends from a craft store, or use up old scrapbook supplies or kids’ unused school supplies. (I attached the labels to my jars with double-sided mounting squares, available in the scrapbook section of any place like JoAnn or Michaels craft stores.)
Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies in a Jar
(fills a quart-sized mason jar)
- 3 cups rolled oats (240g)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup coconut or brown sugar (90g)
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp xylitol or white sugar or evaporated cane juice (70g)
- 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup chocolate chips (80-95g)
Grind the oats in a blender or food processor until you achieve a powder. Pour into a bowl and stir in all other ingredients except chips. Stir well. Now pour into a mason jar, pat down, then add the chips. Close the lid, and be sure to add a tag to the jar that says something along the lines of the following: To bake these cookies, pour contents of jar into a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine 6 tbsp milk of choice, 6 tbsp coconut or vegetable oil, and 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract. Pour wet into dry, stir to form a dough, drop spoonfuls (with a cookie scoop or a regular spoon) onto a greased cookie sheet, then chill at least 30 minutes if you want soft cookies as opposed to crispy ones. Preheat oven to 375 F, and bake 10-12 minutes (depending on desired crispiness). They will look underdone when they come out, but that is OK! It’s important to let the cookies cool at least 10 minutes before removing from the tray, as they continue to cook even after coming out of the oven. (You don’t have to make them all at once: you can freeze some of the cookie dough balls to cook at a later time. When you’re ready, simply pop frozen balls onto a cookie tray and bake.) This recipe yields around 25-30 cookies.
View Chocolate Chip Cookies Nutrition Facts
Have you ever made or received a meaningful homemade gift?
In past years, I’ve painted picture frames, decorated cupcakes, sent out homemade cards and photo albums, and made coupon books redeemable for favors like babysitting or cleaning. My favorite gifts to receive are homemade ones, as they show someone put time and thought into the gift. In our fast-paced society, time is a very treasured thing!
Link of the Day:
Erica { EricaDHouse.com } says
What a perfect last minute gift idea (for people like me totally guilty of waiting to get a few gifts!)
Katie @ Peace Love & Oats says
I did cookies in a jar last year! It was cute and easy, I did chocolate chip, but with christmas colored M&Ms instead of chocolate chips.
Alanna says
Great gift idea! I’ve seen a bunch of these ideas for ingredients in a jar, but they always call for lots of butter or eggs in the final recipe. 🙁 Baked goods are my go-to gift for coworkers and friends I don’t see often, so this is perfect (especially since I have a few friends who are lactose-intolerent). This year I made candied spiced pecans and chocolate truffles since my boss’s wife has Celiac disease and I wanted her to be able to enjoy as well. Thanks for the idea!
Toni says
These are perfect gifts for my college kids and nieces and nephews. The only thing that would be better would be directions for making in a microwave in a dorm room! Anyone have suggestions on how to do that?
Michelle says
I need to do this! Looks yummy!
Debbie says
Can you sub ground oatmeal for regular flour in all recipes ?
Erica {Coffee & Quinoa} says
The gifts in jars thing seems to be really taking off this year! This is a super cute idea.
Eating 4 Balance says
Great idea. Saves ton of time in not having to actually bake the cookies.
I’m totally doing this!!
Jacquee says
What a great recipe to put in a jar! I love receiving cookies and brownies in a jar cause I can make them fresh when I want them.
My family has a rule that only homemade gifts are exchanged. It makes Christmas so much more fun and meaningful to see how much thought and effort was put into a gift. This year I’m making snowman kits that all they have to do is add snow:)
Jacquee says
oh, would it change the cookie too much to only blend half to 3/4 the oats so that the jar had three layers instead of two?
Andie says
So cute! If i have time, I am definitely making this for someone!!
Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes, Katie! I honestly don’t know where I’d be without all your delicious vegan foods….(chocolate fudge pie, anyone??)
Erin | The Law Student's Wife says
Great gift idea Katie!! You are coming to the rescue for the last-minute shoppers among us. Also, I might just have to make an extra so that I can do extensive “testing” in my own kitchen first 😉
Alex @ Healthy Life Happy Wife says
I made my husband coasters last christmas with our wedding pictures on them! They turned out beautifully! I also make toffee every year for our friends and family. They love it!
Rebekah says
I was thinking of making the pecans balls or something like this for some gifts but I would really like to not use oil. For this recipe, what would you substitute?
kara says
i generally make edible gifts at christmas, but one of my all-time favorite homemade gifts was the year i made my parents and brother a mixed cd of the christmas songs we listened to at home growing up. my mom played it every morning before school and whenever possible for the entire month of december, so we had quite a list of standard favorites. i even made each cd case to include a funny/embarrassing (messy hair, pajamas) photo of the recipient from christmases past.
Carrie @ Season It Already! says
So making these for myself knowing that I can freeze the dough and make a handful of cookies at a time! How long should they be baked after frozen?
Thanks!
Kristina says
I literally just made cookies in a jar an hour ago for my Mom’s birthday tomorrow. Wish this had been posted a little earlier, I would have used this recipe instead!
megan100779 says
I made them last night for friends at school, i feel yah kristina
Lindsey says
What a cute gift! I always love the gifts that you can use later in the year when the chocolate urge hits. Thanks Katie and Merry Christmas!
Stefanie @ Thin Vegetarian says
I like to make granola for stocking stuffers!
Maddie says
Most of my gifts are homemade this year! 🙂 Including homemade toffee and cookies. 😉 I love your presentation, as always.
Colleen says
What a perfect gift for my gluten free health nut of a mother. This is fantastic and I will be making up several jars of this this weekend for friends that I didn’t know were coming over until yesterday. 🙂
Elizabeth says
Hi Katie! I have a question about your chocolate bar recipe–you say to use either agave or stevia. Can I use non-liquid stevia? I don’t have any Stevia that comes in drops like you mention in your recipe. and I”m kinda in a bind cause I don’t have any agave=P Also, how do I make chips out of them instead of a bar?
your website is sweet=-D pun intended
Katie P says
Yes! I love to give home made things as gifts. Every year I give all my co-workers home made things. Usually cookies or similar. This year I made chocolate covered pretzels I made with molds. Took a LOT of time, but everyone comments on how nice they look. Some people thought I bought them and were very suprised when I said that I made them. I love this. Thanks so much for posting!
jodye @ chocolate and chou fleur says
I’ve been wanting to make cookies in a jar as gifts for a while, but I can never seem to get around to it! Maybe I’ll just have to run to the craft store today and get some jars, because yours turned out to be so adorable, and I know several people who would never deny the gift of food!
Trisha says
I love the idea of giving someone an sweet treat, but one they can make on their own time and it’s healthier. Thanks for sharing! I’ll be doing this for some friends this year 🙂
Bianca-Vegan Crunk says
Yum! I made all my gifts this year from Vegan Food Gifts, and it has many of these mix in a jar recipes. I love those! And how cool that these are oat-based. Katie, you are awesome!
Amber with Slim Pickin's Kitchen says
I’ve been craving chocolate chip cookies for weeks! I hope somebody makes me this for Christmas. I also love homemade gifts, and I make them every single year. In fact, I *just finished* making bookmarks and cupcake ornaments for my family!
Verenique B says
i love homemade gifts!!! i knitted dishcloths, sewed some tote bags, and sewed a pillowcase to give as gifts to people this year! 🙂
i love this cookie jar idea! 🙂 mabye i’ll do this for next year or for some gifts during the year!
🙂
Hannah says
Love this idea!! I have been seeing similar things on Pinterest and such recently. But, I love your healthy version. This is going to be something I try out for my coworkers 🙂
filipino desserts says
I really love homemade cookies because it is more delicious than buying it anywhere. 🙂
Merry Christmas !!!
Sunnie says
LOVE IT! I was pondering the idea of giving cookies in a jar this year . . . if I get the time, I’ll be making THIS recipe for sure! 😀
lisa fine says
Great idea. I think most people would prefer to choose when to bake the cookies later on, instead of having more treats upon them at the holidays.
Jennifer says
I love making hand sewn pillows as gifts for people, and of course make tons of baked goods and confections around the holidays for loved ones– that’s a must! This cookie-in-a-jar idea is so charming and I will definitely be making this soon, thanks!
m says
i made these and gave them as a gift — to myself (: so delicious!!! thanks katie!
laura says
what a great idea, and can be GF is people use non-contaminated GF oats!
Elizabeth says
We made these with GF oats and they turned out delicious. We had to add an additional 1/4 cup soy milk because the dough was so dry (not sure why). I plan on making these as gifts, and will also try squishing them down with a spoon prior to baking, as ours rose more than I thought they would. Otherwise, these are absolutely wonderful. I have just found my go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe. Thank you for all the great vegan recipes!
Bek @ Crave says
Love this idea!
zuupdesign says
And to think that you can still eat healthy in season of sweets, chocolates, and sugar. Christmas is the time of the year- it is when special sweets are simply overpowering LOL. This is a very amazing share. Thanks.
kimthevegan says
Cute – what a great gift idea!
Ash says
These are literally the best cookies I’ve ever had. I didn’t gift them – I made them myself lol.
Josephine says
My sister got this for christmas from me and posted a photo of the finished cookies on facebook. She really liked them, yay 🙂
Sheila Stevenson says
I’ve successfully fixed two versions of this recipe! First, I cut the recipe in half to fix a batch for myself. Was it a Freudian slip that I forgot to reduce the amount of chocolate chips? Ha Ha For my second version, I added walnuts instead of chocolate chips and used the batter as a topping for apple crisp. I also fixed a “full throttle” apple crisp for my guest to try both. Her favorite was the vegan version (based on Katie’s recipe here)! I liked both versions equally. I just may become an accidental vegetarian. 🙂
Andrea Fleck says
I made these today with coconut oil and baked them for 10 minutes. I find them t be very dry… I double checked my measurements. Are they supposed to be a dry-er cookie?
Carl says
I just came across this cookie recipe. Thinking about trying it. The ingredients mentions 1/2 cup of coconut. I just wanted to reconfirm it’s 1/2 cup of coconut “oil” even though it says it in the directions.
If it is oil, would not the texture of the cookie be different if you used brown sugar?
Also, does coconut oil have the same level of sweetness as brown sugar?
JJ says
I think she means coconut sugar? Coconut OR brown sugar. It is a little vague if you’re not used to the less common ingredients 🙂
Anna S. says
Hey Katie, Just wanted to send you some overdue thanks for sharing your recipes with the world. You are inspired! I don’t know how you come up with some of the brilliant things you do to create healthier versions of foods I want to make and eat, that are delicious. I’m not vegan or vegetarian, and I appreciate it when you offer ideas for substitutes that are more commonly found ingredients, even though you’re vegan yourself. I find myself multiplying your “single lady” recipes by like 16 to bake for my family. Thanks also for being classy:)
Chocolate Covered Katie says
Aw thanks for such a sweet comment, Anna 🙂
Kelly @ The Nourishing Home says
What a great recipe. I linked it up in my Homemade Gifts-in-a-Jar guest post over at Keeper of the Home! Hope it brings some new friends your way! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you! 🙂 Kelly
Mallorie Mae Faubert says
Can coconut butter be used instead of coconut oil in this recipe?
Huma says
I did not get the amount og f xylitol? Is it 1/4 cup and 3tbs????? Or just 1/4 cup
Kathryn says
I made a couple of these for gifts! One for my brother and his gluten intolerant fiance, who was very excited about it, and one for my dad who has a little bit of a wheat sensitivity but can’t say no to cookies. I loved making their gifts as opposed to just buying something and I’ve been wanting to make cookies in a jar for a long time. The only thing I did differently was not mix in the sugar. I wanted several layers for presentation. Thank you Katie!
Kris says
Hello! I’m really glad I found your website.
With regard to your cookie recipes, I would like to know the shelf life. Will it be possible if you add the shelf life info in your recipes? 🙂 Thank you!
Unofficial CCK Helper says
This one would be the same as a generic homemade chocolate chip cookies recipe. So three to four days.