Treats to Gift Your Neighbors This Holiday Season

‘Tis the season for making memories! This year Birdie Bean has something for everyone, including your neighbors. 

We want this holiday season to be full of sweet memories for your family and friends. That’s why we’re going to share some of our favorite mason jar treats that you can share with your friends and neighbors this holiday season. And did we mention that they pair perfectly with our new Birdie Bean aprons?

These adorable aprons inspire everyone to break out the cookie recipes and bake in the kitchen with their kids! They're back in stock soon! So if you have your eyes on one… you better check back! 

Tips for gifting Mason Jar treats this Christmas

If you want to make any of these mason jar treats as gifts this Christmas, we recommend following these tips! 

• Always remember to include baking instructions
• Add a full list of ingredients in case there’s an allergy you’re unaware of
• Use big, wide-mouth jars
• Decorate with ribbon around the lid of the jar and attach a wooden spoon or Birdie Bean apron for those extra special friends in your life

Cranberry-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup semisweet mini white chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats

Ingredients they’ll need to add when baking:

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp water

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In your jar, layer flour mixture, brown sugar, 1/4 cup chocolate chips, cranberries, walnuts, oats, and remaining chips. Cover and store in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. 
2. To prepare cookies: Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat butter, egg, and vanilla until blended. Add cookie mix and mix well. Add 2 tablespoons of water if the mixture is too dry. 
3. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks.

A Cup of Coffee Cake

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup packed brown sugar

Ingredients they’ll need to add when baking:

• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1/2 cup brewed coffee, room temperature
• 1/2 cup canola oil

Directions

1. Place walnuts and chocolate chips in a small plastic bag. Whisk together flour, salt and baking soda. Transfer to a 1-qt. glass jar. Layer with brown sugar and walnut mixture. Cover and store in a cool dry place for up to 3 months.
2. To prepare coffee cake: Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk egg, coffee, and canola oil. Add flour and brown sugar mixture; mix until combined. Pour batter into a greased 8-in. square baking pan. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate chips. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Bloody Mary Pickles

Ingredients

• 3 small cucumbers, such as Persians, ends trimmed and quartered lengthwise
• 3 lemon slices
• 1/3 cup tomato juice
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp prepared horseradish
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 garlic clove, cut into thirds
• Dash of hot sauce
• 1/4 cup vodka

Directions

1. Pack cucumbers, lemon rounds, and garlic into a 16-oz. glass jar.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine tomato juice, lemon juice, horseradish, peppercorns, salt, and hot sauce. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in vodka. 
3. Pour over cucumbers. Let cool completely, then seal with a lid and refrigerate until cold.

Vanilla Cake Mix

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

Ingredients they’ll need to add when baking:

• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup hot water

Directions

1. To make the cake mix, combine the dry ingredients and mix well.
2. Add the dry mix to your jar
3. To prepare the cake: preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and grease a 9×13 inch cake pan.
4. Add the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and eggs to a medium-sized bowl and combine.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry cake mix and mix until well combined.
6. Slowly add the hot water to the batter and mix on low speed until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is well combined. The batter will be very thin.
7. Pour the batter into the greased cake pan and bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
8. Allow the cake to cool and frost it with your favorite sprinkles and frosting! 

Hot cocoa in a jar

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup powdered milk
• 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Layer the ingredients in your jar starting with your cocoa.
2. When ready to serve: dump all ingredients into a bowl and mix
3. Add 1/3 cup of mix to one cup of hot water.

This makes 12 servings so if you’re not planning on using it all in one go, make sure to return the mixture to the jar and keep the lid on! You can store this hot cocoa in a jar for up to 3 months. 

We hope this list of mason jar treats to gift your friends and neighbors has something for everyone on it! 

To make the day even sweeter, make sure you shop Birdie Bean family collections for the holidays. Matching PJs make every holiday special and we know you’ll have a blast preparing these gifts with your Birdies in their holiday jammies. 

Shop Birdie Bean’s holiday collections here (restock coming soon!). 

We can't wait to see all your merry memories made this holiday season! In what ways will you be celebrating? Tag us on Instagram @birdiebean. We love sharing your beautiful moments!