20 Mason Jar Christmas Gifts (With Full Recipes and Gift Tags)

A mason jar, a square of fabric, and a little twine can turn a few dollars of pantry staples into a gift that looks like it came from a fancy boutique. I’ve been making jar gifts for years, and they’re still my favorite way to give something homemade without blowing the Christmas budget.

A few of you let me know you wanted the actual recipes, not just the ideas, so I rewrote this whole post. Every jar below has measured ingredients, the order to layer them in, and the exact words to write on the gift tag, so the person who gets it knows what to do.

What You Need to Make Mason Jar Gifts

• Jars: Wide-mouth quart jars for cookie, brownie, and soup mixes. Pint jars for drink mixes and scrubs. Half-pint jars for spices, salts, and extracts. Buying them by the case is the cheapest way.
• A wide canning funnel: It keeps the layers clean.
• A spoon or a small tamper: Pack each layer down firmly so the layers stay crisp and everything fits.
• Small zip bags: For seasonings or anything that would sift into the other layers.
• Fabric squares, twine, and tags: That’s what makes it look expensive (more on that below).

How to Layer a Jar So It Looks Store-Bought

1. Make sure the jar is completely dry. Even a little moisture makes powders clump.
2. Add the finest ingredients first (flour, cocoa, milk powder), then pack them flat.
3. Wipe the inside of the glass with a dry paper towel between layers.
4. Alternate light and dark layers so the stripes show.
5. Put chunky things (chips, marshmallows, pasta) on top, where they hold everything down.
6. Fill right to the top so the layers don’t shift in the car.

Shelf life: Most dry mixes are best used within 3 months. Write a “use by” date on every tag.

Hot Drink Jars

These are the jars I make the most. They’re cheap, fast, and everybody drinks something warm in December. All of the cocoa recipes below come from my hot chocolate drink mix jars post, which has 15 versions if you want more.

1. Classic Farmhouse Hot Cocoa Mix

Jar: Pint · Makes: about 8 mugs

Layer in this order:

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

Tag: Shake the jar to mix. Add ¼ cup of mix to a mug, pour in 1 cup of hot milk or water, and stir.

2. Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate Mix

Jar: Pint · Makes: about 8 mugs

• 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 Tbsp instant espresso powder (instant coffee works too)
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ cup crushed candy canes (on top)

Tag: Shake the jar to mix. Add ¼ cup of mix to a mug, pour in 1 cup of hot milk or water, and stir.

3. Spiced Chai Latte Mix

Jar: Pint · Makes: about 10 mugs

• 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

Stir the spices into the sugar before you layer so they don’t clump.

Tag: Shake the jar to mix. Stir 3 Tbsp into 1 cup of hot water.

4. Spiced Apple Cider Drink Mix

Jar: Pint

• 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

Tuck a candy cane or cinnamon stick under the twine as a stir stick.

Tag: Shake the jar to mix. Stir 3 Tbsp into 1 cup of hot water.

5. Mulling Spices Jar

Jar: Half-pint · Makes: enough for 4 batches

• ½ cup cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
• ¼ cup dried orange peel
• 2 Tbsp whole cloves
• 2 Tbsp whole allspice
• 4 whole star anise (optional, but so pretty on top)

Add a few squares of cheesecloth and some kitchen twine to the gift.

Tag: Tie 2 Tbsp of spices in cheesecloth. Add to a half gallon of apple cider (or a bottle of red wine) and keep it on low heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Don’t let it boil.

Cookie and Baking Mix Jars

The trick with baking jars is that you do the measuring and they do the fun part. The recipient only adds the wet ingredients, and those go on the tag.

6. Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix in a Jar

Jar: Wide-mouth quart · Makes: about 2½ dozen cookies

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together first, then layer:

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour + ¾ tsp baking soda + ¾ tsp salt
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (on top)

Tag: Heat the oven to 375°F. Cream ¾ cup (1½ sticks) softened butter with 1 egg and 1 tsp vanilla. Add the whole jar and stir until combined. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are golden.

7. Brownie Mix in a Jar

Jar: Wide-mouth quart · Makes: one 8×8 or 9×9 pan

• 1 cup all-purpose flour + ½ tsp baking powder + ½ tsp salt
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup chocolate chips (on top)

Cocoa goes between the two sugars, so you get dark and light stripes.

Tag: Heat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8×8 or 9×9 pan. Pour the jar into a bowl and stir in 3 eggs, ⅔ cup oil or melted butter, and 1 tsp vanilla. Spread in the pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

8. Gingerbread Cookie Mix in a Jar

Jar: Wide-mouth quart · Makes: about 2 dozen cut-out cookies

Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices together, then layer:

• 1¼ cups of the flour-spice mix
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• the remaining flour-spice mix on top

Flour-spice mix: 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp salt, 1 Tbsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground cloves.

Tie a cinnamon stick and a small cookie cutter to the ribbon.

Tag: Cream ½ cup softened butter with 1 egg and ⅓ cup molasses. Stir in the whole jar. Chill the dough 1 hour. Roll it out to ¼ inch thick, cut out shapes, and bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes.

9. Pancake Mix in a Jar

Jar: Quart · Makes: 3 batches (6 to 8 pancakes each)

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt

Whisk it all together before it goes in the jar. Pancake mix is all one color, so a small bottle of real maple syrup tied to the lid dresses it up.

Tag: For one batch, whisk 1 cup mix with ¾ cup milk, 1 egg, and 1 Tbsp melted butter. Cook on a hot greased griddle, flipping when bubbles form.

10. Cornbread Mix in a Jar

Jar: Quart · Makes: one 8×8 pan

• 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 Tbsp baking powder + ½ tsp salt
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal (on top)

This one pairs with a soup jar for a full meal gift.

Tag: Heat the oven to 400°F and grease an 8×8 pan. Stir the jar contents with 1 cup milk, 1 egg, and ¼ cup melted butter or oil, just until mixed. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden.

Soup in a Jar

A soup jar plus a cornbread jar is a whole dinner. It’s the gift I like giving new moms, neighbors, and anyone having a rough winter. Both of these come from my soup mix in a jar post, which has 10 soups if you want more.

11. Classic Friendship Soup

Jar: Wide-mouth quart · Makes: a big pot, 6 to 8 servings

Layer from bottom to top:

• ½ cup split peas
• ⅓ cup beef bouillon granules + 2 tsp Italian seasoning (together in a small bag)
• ¼ cup pearl barley
• ½ cup lentils
• ¼ cup dried minced onion
• ½ cup long-grain white rice
• ½ cup small pasta, like alphabets or small shells, in a small bag on top

Tag: Take out the pasta and the seasoning packet. Brown 1 lb ground beef in a large pot. Add 3 quarts water, the jar contents, the seasoning packet, and a 28-oz can of diced tomatoes. Simmer 45 minutes. Add the pasta and simmer 15 minutes more.

12. Chicken and Rice Soup Mix

Jar: Wide-mouth quart · Makes: 6 to 8 servings

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• ¼ cup dried minced onion
• ¼ cup celery flakes
• ¼ cup dried carrots (or a dried veggie soup blend)
• 2 Tbsp dried parsley
• 3 Tbsp chicken bouillon granules + 1 tsp poultry seasoning + ½ tsp black pepper (bagged, on top)

Tag: Add the jar contents to 8 cups water and bring to a boil. Turn it down and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in 2 cups cooked shredded chicken and heat through.

Homemade Pantry Jars

13. Homemade Vanilla Extract

Jar: Half-pint (or small amber bottles)

• 5 to 6 vanilla beans
• 1 cup (8 oz) 80-proof vodka

Split each bean lengthwise, leaving the ends attached. Put them in the jar and pour the vodka over them so they’re completely covered. Shake it once a week.

Vanilla needs at least 8 weeks to steep, so if you’re starting now, give it as a “ready by” gift. It’s still a fun one to open.

Tag: Homemade vanilla extract. Ready to use on [date 8 weeks out]. It keeps getting better with time, so just top it off with more vodka as you use it.

14. Garden Herb Salt

Jar: Half-pint

• 1 cup coarse or flaky sea salt
• 2 Tbsp dried rosemary
• 1 Tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried lemon peel

Pulse it all in a food processor 3 or 4 times, just enough to break up the rosemary. If you use fresh herbs from the garden, spread the salt on a baking sheet and let it dry overnight before you jar it.

Tag: Garden herb salt. Sprinkle it on roasted potatoes, chicken, eggs, or buttered popcorn.

15. S’mores Kit in a Jar

Jar: Quart

• 1 cup chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate bars)
• 1½ cups mini marshmallows
• graham cracker sticks or Teddy Grahams in a small bag on top

Tag: S’mores dip! Spread the chocolate in a small oven-safe skillet and cover it with the marshmallows. Bake at 450°F for 5 to 7 minutes, until the marshmallows are toasty. Scoop it up with the grahams.

Spa and Self-Care Jars

16. Peppermint Sugar Scrub

Jar: Half-pint

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup coconut oil, melted
• 10 to 15 drops peppermint essential oil
• a drop of red food coloring (optional, for a candy cane stripe)

Stir the sugar, coconut oil, and peppermint oil together. For stripes, tint half of it red and spoon the white and red into the jar in layers.

My homemade sugar scrub post has six more versions made with garden herbs.

Tag: Peppermint sugar scrub. Massage onto damp skin in the shower, then rinse. Keep water out of the jar, and use it within 3 months.

17. Lavender Bath Salts

Jar: Pint

• 1½ cups Epsom salt
• ½ cup coarse sea salt
• 15 to 20 drops lavender essential oil
• 1 Tbsp dried lavender buds

Stir the essential oil into the salts first so it spreads evenly, then mix in the lavender buds.

Tag: Lavender bath salts. Add ½ cup to a warm bath and soak.

Craft Jars (No Baking Needed)

18. Mason Jar Snow Globe

You need: a regular-mouth pint or half-pint jar, a small waterproof figurine (a little bottle-brush tree or plastic animal), waterproof glue like E6000, distilled water, 1 tsp glycerin, and glitter.

1. Scuff the inside of the lid with sandpaper so the glue grips.
2. Glue the figurine to the inside of the lid. Let it cure a full 24 hours.
3. Fill the jar almost to the top with distilled water. Stir in the glycerin (it slows the glitter down) and a spoonful of glitter.
4. Screw the lid on tight. For extra insurance, run a bead of glue around the threads first.
5. Flip it over and give it a shake.

This is a great one for kids to make for grandparents.

19. Fire Starter Jar

You need: a pint jar, cotton balls, and petroleum jelly.

1. Work about a teaspoon of petroleum jelly into each cotton ball with your fingers.
2. Pack the cotton balls into the jar.
3. Tie a few long matches to the twine.

Tag: Fire starters. Pull one apart a little, set it under your kindling, and light it. Each one burns for a few minutes. Perfect for the woodstove, fire pit, or camping.

20. Sewing and Mending Kit in a Jar

You need: a half-pint jar, thread in basic colors, a needle pack, safety pins, a few buttons, a small pair of scissors, and a tape measure.

To make a pincushion lid, put a ball of stuffing on the flat lid, cover it with a fabric circle, and push it up through the ring before you screw it on. Pack the supplies inside. It’s practical and pretty, and it’s a great gift for college kids or a new homeowner.

All the Gift Tags in One Place

Copy these onto kraft tags or print them on cardstock. Don’t forget to add a “use by” date about 3 months out on the food jars.

• Classic Hot Cocoa: Shake to mix. ¼ cup mix + 1 cup hot milk or water.
• Peppermint Mocha: Shake to mix. ¼ cup mix + 1 cup hot milk or water.
• Chai Latte: Shake to mix. 3 Tbsp mix + 1 cup hot water.
• Spiced Apple Cider: Shake to mix. 3 Tbsp mix + 1 cup hot water.
• Mulling Spices: 2 Tbsp in cheesecloth + ½ gallon cider. Keep on low heat 20 to 30 minutes, without boiling.
• Chocolate Chip Cookies: Add ¾ cup softened butter, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla. Drop by tablespoon. 375°F for 9 to 11 minutes.
• Brownies: Add 3 eggs, ⅔ cup oil, 1 tsp vanilla. Greased 8×8 pan. 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Gingerbread Cookies: Add ½ cup butter, 1 egg, ⅓ cup molasses. Chill 1 hour, roll, cut. 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Pancakes: 1 cup mix + ¾ cup milk + 1 egg + 1 Tbsp melted butter.
• Cornbread: Add 1 cup milk, 1 egg, ¼ cup melted butter. Greased 8×8 pan. 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
• Friendship Soup: Brown 1 lb beef. Add 3 qt water, jar, seasoning, 28-oz can tomatoes. Simmer 45 minutes, add pasta, simmer 15 more.
• Chicken and Rice Soup: Jar + 8 cups water. Simmer 20 minutes. Stir in 2 cups cooked chicken.
• Vanilla Extract: Ready on [date]. Top off with vodka as you use it.
• Herb Salt: For potatoes, chicken, eggs, and popcorn.
• S’mores Dip: Chocolate + marshmallows in a skillet. 450°F for 5 to 7 minutes. Dip the grahams.
• Sugar Scrub: Use on damp skin, then rinse. Keep water out of the jar.
• Bath Salts: ½ cup per warm bath.
• Fire Starters: Fluff one up, tuck it under kindling, and light.

How to Make Any Mason Jar Gift Look Expensive

• Fabric topper: Cut a 7-inch circle or square of fabric (flannel, burlap, or a Christmas print), lay it over the flat lid, and screw the ring on over it. Pinking shears keep the edges from fraying.
• Twine plus something natural: Tie on a cinnamon stick, a sprig of pine, a dried orange slice, or a candy cane.
• A wooden spoon or scoop: Tie it to the side of drink mixes. Dollar store spoons look great.
• Handwritten tags: Kraft tags and a black marker look more “boutique” than anything printed.
• Fill it to the very top: A half-full jar looks skimpy, while a packed jar looks generous.

Mason Jar Gift FAQ

How long do mason jar mixes last?

Most dry mixes, like cocoa, cookies, brownies, pancakes, and soups, are best within 3 months. Mixes with whole-wheat flour or nuts go stale faster. Herb salt and mulling spices last about a year. Sugar scrub is best within 3 months.

What size jar should I use?

Use wide-mouth quarts for cookie, brownie, and soup mixes, pints for drink mixes, bath salts, and s’mores, and half-pints for spices, extracts, and scrubs. Wide-mouth jars are much easier to layer.

How do I keep the layers from mixing?

Pack each layer down firmly with a spoon and fill the jar all the way to the top so nothing can shift. Put powdery seasonings in a small bag.

Can I mail mason jar gifts?

Yes. Wrap the jar in bubble wrap, pack it tightly in a box so it can’t move, and write “fragile” on it. Skip the snow globe for mailing, since water jars can leak.

What’s the cheapest mason jar gift to make?

Hot cocoa mix and herb salt are the cheapest per jar. Pancake mix is right behind them, since it’s mostly flour.

More Homemade Gift Ideas

• 15 Hot Chocolate Drink Mix Jars
• 10 Soup Mixes in a Jar
• Homemade Sugar Scrub Recipes
• Homemade Dry Mixes
• Homemade Food Gifts for Christmas
• Cookie Jar Gift Ideas

T