Get ready for the holidays with these quick and easy gifts-in-a-jar. These are perfect to give to friends, neighbors, party hosts, co-workers or anyone who needs a little cheer. All of these items can be found in our bulk or produce department, making it easy to grab as much or as little as you need! TIP: Add a notecard with instructions for each jar so your recipients know exactly what to do.
Chocolate Almond Cookies
Jar Prep Time: 5 minutes, Total Time for Cookies: 20 minutes, Serves: 12
Jar Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. Baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. Salt
- 1/2 cup White sugar
- 1/4 cup Light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup Slivered almonds
- 1 cup Chocolate chunks
Add for Baking:
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
For Gift Jar:
- Combine flour, baking soda and salt in the bottom of the mason jar.
- Top with the white sugar, followed by the brown sugar.
- Add in the chocolate chunks, then the almonds. Seal the mason jar.
- Decorate with holiday ribbon.
For Baking:
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Beat butter, egg and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until combined.
- Add in the gift jar mix and stir well.
- Drop tablespoon-sized cookie dough balls onto a parment lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
- Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool.
Holiday Spiced Simmer Pot
Simmer pots will wow everyone on your list! They’re a great alternative to candles and fill your home with the scents of the season while using fresh, natural ingredients. Just add water and your favorite holiday citrus!
Jar Ingredients:
- 5 whole Cinnamon sticks
- 1 Tbsp. Nutmeg, ground
- 1 Tbsp. Cardamom pods
- 3 Star anise
- 3 Dried Orange peels
- 3 Dried ginger slices
For Gift Jar:
- Layer dry ingredients in a tall Mason jar in order: nutmeg, cardamom pods, star anise, cinnamon sticks, orange peels and ginger slices.
- Seal the jar and decorate as desired.
To Use:
- In a large simmer pot, add 5 cups of water.
- Bring to a boil, then add in the jar ingredients.
- Optional: Add in fresh apples or navel oranges.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until water is evaporated or continue adding water for extra time.
Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Almonds
Give the gift of cinnamon, spice and everything nice with these homemade roasted almonds. They will make your home smell amazing and make a tasty gift for anyone on your list.
Total time: 60 minutes. Makes four gift jars.
Ingredients:
- 1 Egg white
- 1/2 cup White sugar
- 4 cups Whole, raw almonds
- 1/2 Tbsp. Cinnamon, ground
- 1/4 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Water
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Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 300F.
- In a large bowl, beat the egg white and water to create a froth.
- Add in the almonds, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Stir to coat the almonds evenly.
- Lightly coat a baking sheet with non-stick spray and evenly spread the almonds on the pan.
- Bake for 50 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool.
- Scoop 1 cup of almonds into a decorated Mason jar.
What are your holiday plans this year? We’re keeping things fairly low-key—no fancy dress-up parties to attend, and no traveling. But that doesn’t mean we aren’t celebrating! We’re home for the holidays this year, so we’re doing everything we can to make them special. Click the button below to learn how to make three of Emily’s favorite holiday drinks.
A brine is the perfect way to impart some amazing flavor in your turkey and keep it from drying out too much—which will help if it gets a little overcooked, too. It’s a basic solution of salt and sugar that helps to lock in moisture and add flavor. To add that flavor, I add soy sauce, garlic and fresh herbs. Don’t worry, it doesn’t end up tasting like soy sauce. It just gives it a great umami flavor. You can also add lemon peel, orange peel, peppercorns and other aromatics. Just be cautious not to add anything acidic.
There are a few things you should keep in mind, however. Make sure you use a fresh turkey when brining. Often times, frozen turkeys have been frozen in a sodium solution and brining would most likely add too much salt. I also recommend not stuffing a brined bird. The seasonings in the turkey can often leaching into the stuffing and cause it to be too salty. I recommend cooking your stuffing (or dressing) in a separate casserole dish just to be safe. On the same note, it’s best to be cautious when making gravy with the drippings from a brined turkey. It too can become too salty for the same reasons. Be sure to taste your gravy before adding any seasonings if you do use the drippings.
Y’all enjoy!
