Looking for a thoughtful DIY Christmas gift for someone special? These Vegan Cookies in a Jar are just what Santa ordered. My Vegan Christmas Cookies in a Jar take less than 5 minutes to assemble and come with free, printable recipe labels. Your friends and family will love this vegan Christmas gift idea!
Many years ago I was a broke nursing student and needed to come up with Christmas gift ideas to give my friends and family. This particular year, I decided I would make decorated Cookie House Tree Ornaments that my loved ones could hang on their trees. I spent days, head bent down as if in prayer, gluing rectangular cookies together with icing to make the houses; then more days decorating them. They turned out so cute and were so enjoyed by my friends and family that, to this day, I still make homemade Christmas gifts. Not because I’m broke or cheap, but because I think when you give a Christmas gift that you make yourself, it conveys feelings of warmth, love and friendship for the people in your life that store-bought gifts cannot.
This year, I decided on vegan cookies in a jar. Now, cookies in a jar are a dime a dozen on the internet, but VEGAN cookies in a jar are not. That, hungry friends, is why I’m sharing my Vegan Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies in a Jar with free, printable labels you can roll up like I did in the first picture and tie into your ribbon that you secure onto the jar lid.
Where to Find Mason Jars
Mason jars for vegan cookies in a jar can be found online or at Walmart (where I got mine), Target and dollar stores to name a few. You can also find them tucked away in the corner of your local thrift shop or vintage antique store.
Ingredients for Vegan Cookies in a Jar Recipe
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to make vegan cookies in a jar:
- gluten-free all-purpose flour)
- baking soda
- sea salt
- vegan sugar
- light brown sugar
- ground cinnamon
- nutmeg
- gluten-free rolled oats
- dried cranberries
- vegan white chocolate chips
That’s it, now you’re ready to assemble.
How to Assemble Vegan Cookies in a Jar – For Gift Giver
The following instructions are for you, hungry friend, alias, the gift-giver! To assemble the vegan cookies in a jar, check out the steps below:
- Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Using a funnel, add mixture to bottom of jar. This is your first layer. Avoid packing down until later. Give it a bit of a shake to ensure the layer appears even.
- Next, create your second layer by pouring the vegan sugar on top of the first layer as evenly as possible. Again, give it a gentle shake so the layer appears even.
- Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg on top of the first two layers and gently press down with back of spoon.
- Spill in the next layer of rolled oats.
- Finish with a layer of cranberries and vegan white chocolate chips.
- Close the lid and decorate with ribbon. If you’d like you can print my free printable labels. See below.
Download Your Free Printable Label by Clicking on Image Below:
I’m new at this label stuff, I must admit. In other words, I suck at it, but this is what I came up with and I hope it works for you. You can resize it to suit your preference, however, keep in mind the smaller it is, the less-clear the text. That’s why I decided to roll it up as it was a bit too big for a hanging tie label.
Ingredients for Gift Recipient
Your gift recipient will only need to supply 3 ingredients to complete this recipe:
- 3/4 cup softened vegan butter
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 + cup plant-based milk (dough should be sticky, not crumbly; adjust plant milk accordingly)
Instructions for Your Recipient
To bake these vegan Christmas cookies in a jar, follow the steps below:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper of a silicone mat
- Into a large bowl, pour the contents of the jar. Combine well and set aside.
- Cream the vegan butter, vanilla extract and plant milk until smooth. I used my Kitchen Aid Artisan Mixer and this step was completed in minutes.
- Add the butter mixture to the ingredients in the large bowl. Combine well with mixer until a dough is formed. The dough should be a little sticky. If it’s too dry, add a bit more plant milk and stir well.
- With a spoon, place a 1.5 inch blob on your baking sheet. Press down on the tops just a bit with your fingertips. I rolled mine in balls, however I didn’t like how uniform they turned out. I think they look better a little jagged if that makes sense??
- Bake for 10-14 minutes, depending on your oven. You’ll know they’re done when the edges are slightly golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and enjoy!
Tips for Baking Vegan Cookies in a Jar
Be sure to review the following tips so you don’t make the same mistakes I did when baking:
- When vegan Christmas cookies in a jar are ready to be removed from oven, they will appear a bit under-cooked. This is normal. Don’t freak out!
- Avoid overcooking by setting your timer to 9 minutes and adding more time as needed.
- Store in an air-tight container for up to a week.
- Recipe yields 2 dozen cookies.
Before checking out the recipe, here are a few more Vegan Christmas posts I think you may enjoy:
**Recipe adapted from Vegan Huggs.
Vegan Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies in a Jar w/ Free Printable Labels
Ingredients
Items Needed for Gift-Giver
- Quart-size mason jars
- Ribbon
- Small ornament optional
- Twist tie or string
Ingredients for Jar
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 cup vegan sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup vegan white chocolate chips
Ingredients for Gift Recipient
- 3/4 cup softened vegan butter
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 + cup plant-based milk add more or less so dough is sticky, not crumbly
Instructions
Instructions for Gift Giver
- Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Using a funnel, add mixture to bottom of jar. This is your first layer. Avoid packing down until later. Give it a bit of a shake to ensure the layer appears even.
- Next, create your second layer by pouring the vegan sugar on top of the first layer as evenly as possible. Again, give it a gentle shake so the layer appears even.
- Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg on top of the first two layers and gently press down with back of spoon.
- Spill in the next layer of rolled oats.
- Finish with a layer of cranberries and vegan white chocolate chips.
- Close the lid and decorate with ribbon. If you'd like you can print my free printable labels. See below.
Instructions for Gift Recipient
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper of a silpat mat
- Into a large bowl, pour the contents of the jar. Combine well and set aside.
- Cream the vegan butter, vanilla extract and plant milk until smooth. I used a stand mixer but a hand mixer or fork will do as well.
- Add the butter mixture to the ingredients in the large bowl. Combine well until a dough is formed. The dough should be a little sticky. If it's too dry, add a bit more plant milk and stir well.
- With a spoon, place a 1.5 inch blob on your baking sheet. I rolled mine in balls, however I didn't like how uniform they turned out. I think they look better a little jagged if that makes sense??
- Bake for 10-14 minutes, depending on your oven. You'll know they're done when the edges are slightly golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and enjoy!
Notes
- When cookies are ready to be removed from oven, they will appear a bit under-cooked. This is normal. Don't freak out!
- Avoid overcooking by setting your timer to 9 minutes and adding more time as needed.
- Store in an air-tight container for up to a week.
- Recipe yields 2 dozen cookies.
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