15 Hot Chocolate & Drink Mix Jars for Christmas (Easy Mason Jar Gifts)

There’s something about a jar of homemade cocoa tied up with twine that says I actually thought about you — without emptying your wallet. Around here, hot chocolate and drink mix jars are my go-to when I need a stack of gifts fast: the bus driver, the mail lady who delivers many packages to my house daily (TikTok shop affiliate world), my kids’ teachers, the whole list. You buy pantry basics in bulk, layer them pretty, and suddenly you’ve got a dozen gifts for a few dollars each.

If you’ve already made my layered soup mix in a jar, you know the drill — this is the sweet, cozy cousin.

Before You Start: The Basic Layering Method

Grab a case of pint or half-pint mason jars (a warehouse club or dollar store is your friend here). The method is almost always the same: spoon in your dry ingredients in layers, tamp each one down with the back of a spoon so it stays neat, top with mini marshmallows or chips, screw on the lid, and add a fabric square and a recipe tag. That’s it. Every jar below follows that same rhythm, so once you make one, you can batch the rest in an afternoon.

( If you are reading this in the warmer months always look for mason jars at yard sales too)

1. Classic Farmhouse Hot Cocoa Jar

Start with the one everybody loves. Layer cocoa powder, powdered sugar, a little dry milk, a pinch of salt, and a fat layer of mini marshmallows on top. It’s the recipe I make on repeat, and it’s the safest bet for anyone on your list. Simple, nostalgic, and always a hit.

Makes one pint jar (about 8 servings)

• 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup mini marshmallows (top layer)

Gift tag: Add ¼ cup mix to a mug, pour in 1 cup hot milk or water, and stir.

2. Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate Jar

Add a spoonful of instant espresso powder and crushed candy canes to your classic base. This one tastes like the fancy coffee-shop drink but costs pennies. It’s my top pick for the coffee lovers and the friend who needs a little pick-me-up during the holiday rush.

Makes one pint jar (about 8 servings)

• 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp instant espresso powder ( or instant coffee regular will work too) 
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup crushed candy canes (top layer)

Gift tag: Add ¼ cup mix to a mug, pour in 1 cup hot milk or water, and stir.

3. Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Jar

Makes one pint jar (about 8 servings)

• 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup caramel baking bits
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup mini marshmallows + a pinch of flaky sea salt on top

Gift tag: Add ¼ cup mix to a mug, pour in 1 cup hot milk, and stir until the caramel melts in.

4. White Chocolate Peppermint Jar

Swap cocoa for white chocolate chips and add crushed peppermint. The pink-and-white layers are gorgeous in the jar, which makes this one of the prettiest gifts to photograph — and to give. Perfect for the person who doesn’t love dark chocolate.

Makes one pint jar (about 8 servings)

• 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup white chocolate chips
• ¼ cup crushed peppermint candy
• ½ cup mini marshmallows (top layer)

Gift tag: Add ⅓ cup mix to a mug, pour in 1 cup hot milk, and stir until the white chips melt.

5. Mexican Hot Chocolate Jar

A little cinnamon and the tiniest pinch of cayenne turn plain cocoa into something warm and spicy. This is my favorite jar to gift the adventurous eaters — it’s unexpected, and it always sparks a “wait, what’s in this?”

Makes one pint jar (about 8 servings)

• 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper (scant)
• ¼ tsp salt

Gift tag: Add ¼ cup mix to a mug, pour in 1 cup hot milk or water, and stir.

6. S’mores Hot Chocolate Jar

Cocoa base, mini marshmallows, chocolate chips, and crushed graham crackers layered right in. It tastes like a campfire in a mug, and kids absolutely light up over it. A great one for family gifts and stocking add-ons.

 

Makes one pint jar (about 8 servings)

• 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips
• ½ cup crushed graham crackers
• 1 cup mini marshmallows (top layer)

Gift tag: Add ⅓ cup mix to a mug, pour in 1 cup hot milk, and stir.

7. Snowman Soup Jar (for the Kids)

This is the sweetest little gift for classmates. A packet of cocoa, a handful of marshmallows, a candy cane “stirrer,” and a few chocolate chips, with a cute poem tag. It’s playful, cheap, and one of my most-pinned mason jar teacher gifts helpers when I need a whole classroom set.

Makes one half-pint jar (single serving)

• 3 tbsp hot cocoa mix (use the Classic base above)
• ¼ cup mini marshmallows
• 1 tbsp chocolate chips
• 1 candy cane, tucked on top

Gift tag (poem): “Add me to milk and stir me up hot — I’m snowman soup and I’ll hit the spot! Chocolate chips and marshmallows too, one candy cane stirrer just for you.” Pour 1 cup hot milk over the mix and chips, stir with the candy cane, and drop in the marshmallows.

8. Peppermint Bark Cocoa Jar

Layer dark and white chocolate chips with crushed peppermint bark right on top. It looks like a little snow globe and disappears fast at cookie exchanges. If you’re building a whole gift basket, this pairs beautifully with a batch of Christmas cookies.

Makes one pint jar (about 8 servings)

• 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
• ¼ cup white chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp crushed peppermint (top layer)

Gift tag: Add ⅓ cup mix to a mug, pour in 1 cup hot milk, and stir until the chips melt.

9. Spiced Chai Latte Mix Jar

Now we move into the drink mix side. Blend instant tea, dry milk, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and cloves for a cozy chai you just add hot water to. This is the jar my tea-drinking friends request every single year.

Makes one pint jar (about 10 servings)

• 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• 1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened instant tea
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• ½ tsp ground cloves

Gift tag: Stir 3 tbsp into 1 cup hot water.

10. Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix Jar

Yes, it still counts at Christmas. Powdered creamer, instant coffee, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice make a PSL mix that’s shelf-stable and giftable. Great for the friend who mourns the end of pumpkin season.

Makes one pint jar (about 8 servings)

• 1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup instant coffee granules
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

Gift tag: Stir 3 tbsp into 1 cup hot water.

11. Homemade Vanilla Coffee Creamer Jar

A simple mix of powdered creamer, powdered sugar, and vanilla powder that turns any cup of coffee into a treat. It’s practical, which makes it perfect for coworkers and neighbors who’ll actually use every spoonful.

Makes one pint jar (about 16 servings)

• 1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
• 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla powder (or the scraped seeds of 1 vanilla bean)

Gift tag: Stir 1–2 tbsp into a hot cup of coffee.

12. Spiced Apple Cider Drink Mix Jar

Layer dry cider mix with cinnamon, a little brown sugar, and orange zest for a warm-you-up cup that isn’t chocolate. A lovely option for the folks on your list who aren’t big cocoa drinkers.

Makes one pint jar (about 8 servings)

• 1½ cups instant apple cider mix (about 6 single packets)
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp dried orange peel (or the dried zest of 1 orange)

Gift tag: Stir 3 tbsp into 1 cup hot water.

13. Russian Tea Mix Jar

An old-fashioned favorite — orange drink powder, instant tea, sugar, and warm spices. It’s the retro gift my grandmother made, and it hits the nostalgia note perfectly for the older folks on your list.

Makes one pint jar (about 10 servings)

• 1½ cups orange breakfast drink mix (Tang-style)
• ½ cup unsweetened instant tea
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground cloves

Gift tag: Stir 2–3 tbsp into 1 cup hot water.

14. Golden Milk Latte Mix Jar

For the wellness-minded friend: turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, and a little coconut milk powder. It’s cozy, a touch unexpected, and feels thoughtful for someone who’s cutting back on sugar.

Makes one half-pint jar (about 6 servings)

• ½ cup coconut milk powder
• ¼ cup powdered sugar (or coconut sugar)
• 2 tbsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground black pepper

Gift tag: Whisk 1–2 tbsp into 1 cup hot milk.

15. Layered Cocoa Bomb Gift Jar

Tuck a couple of hot cocoa bombs into a jar with marshmallows and a mug’s worth of milk powder, then tie on instructions. It combines the trendy cocoa bomb with the homemade-jar charm, and it’s a showstopper for the person who has everything.

Makes one pint jar (2 servings)

• 2 hot cocoa bombs
• ½ cup mini marshmallows
• ¼ cup nonfat dry milk powder (nestled in a small bag, optional)

Gift tag: Drop 1 cocoa bomb in a mug, pour 1 cup hot milk over it, wait for it to melt open, then stir and top with marshmallows.

How to Package Your Jars

The mix is only half the gift — the wrapping is what makes it feel special. Cut a square of fabric (I keep a bin of Christmas scraps) and secure it under the ring, then tie on twine or ribbon.

Always add a tag with the flavor name and simple instructions like “Add 2 tablespoons to a mug of hot milk.” If you’re making a big batch, a bulk pack of jars, a roll of twine, and one sheet of printed tags will carry you through your whole list.

These little jars have become one of my favorite homemade Christmas gifts every year — they’re frugal, they’re cozy, and honestly, they’re kind of addictive to make once you get going. Pick three or four flavors, batch them in an afternoon, and you’ll have your whole gift list handled before the tree even goes up.

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