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How to Make M&M Cookie Mix Jars for an Easy Christmas Food Gift

Updated: July 31, 2025 / By: Cassie Johnston / This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy

A mason jar filled with even layers of dry ingredients for cookie mix in a jar, topped with fabric, a baking instructions tag, and baker's twine.

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Edible gifts are my favorite way to show my loved ones that I care during the holidays. Food gifts are great because they are affordable to make, simple, delicious, and they DISAPPEAR! You never have to worry about a consumable gift ending up in your friend's yard sale next summer.

In this post:

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Cassie Johnston (a light skinned brunette woman with glasses and a red streak in her hair) smiles toward the camera with a wall of photo frames behind her

Treat your loved ones to this simple gift in a jar that delights the taste buds and warms the heart!

These cookies are so beautifully simple because the only ingredients that are needed to bake them is melted butter, egg, and vanilla. Even folks who aren't typically bakers have reported that this recipe is a hit!

Here's why you'll love this recipe:

  • It's affordable. we're talking just a few dollars worth of ingredients to make a thoughtful, beautiful gift
  • It's a family activity. These M&M Cookie Mix Jars are SO easy to make that my kindergartener could (and did) make them herself back in 2019.
  • They are easy to make in bulk. Grab a case of wide-mouth quart jars, and you'll have 12 edible Christmas gifts done in no time!

From Cranberry Orange Muffin Mix to Limoncello to Chai Gift Sets to Barbecue Spice Rub, we've got you covered when it comes to food holiday gifts. We even have a whole book about gifts in jars!

How do you make a cookie mix in a jar?

Step 1: Fill the jar.

Carefully add the ingredients in the order listed to a wide-mouth quart-sized jar. For the prettiest layers, spread out and flatten each ingredient with the back of a spoon before adding the next.

Step 2: Close and decorate the jar.

Screw the lid onto the jar. Cut out an 8" circle of fabric with pinking shears-this is just the right size to cover the lid and allow for some pretty overhang.

Secure the fabric to the lid with a thin rubber band, and wrap baker's twine or ribbon around it to cover the rubber band. Cut out one of our printable instruction tags that you can download for free using the form below, and then tie on. That's it!

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I've made you some free tags for these cookie jars that you can print off at home. Just fill out the form below to get them delivered right to your inbox.

Two cookies dotted with holiday colored M&Ms sit on a white tabletop, surrounded by baker's twine, M&Ms, and rolled oats. A jar of cookie mix sits nearby.

📖 Recipe

A mason jar filled with even layers of dry ingredients for cookie mix in a jar, topped with fabric, a baking instructions tag, and baker's twine.

M&M Cookie Mix in a Jar Recipe

M&M Cookies in a Jar is an easy edible Christmas gift-it's ready in minutes and costs just a few dollars to make!
4.41 from 131 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 1 quart jar (makes 24 cookies)
Calories: 3574kcal
Author: Cassie Johnston

Equipment

  • 1 quart-size wide-mouth mason jar with lid
  • 8 inch circle of fabric
  • Thin rubber band
  • Bakers' twine
  • Instruction tag printed on cardstock print using form inside post

Ingredients

For the Cookie Mix

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ½ cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup M&M Minis/Baking Bits or regular M&Ms
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar

For Baking the Cookies

  • ½ cup butter melted (1 stick)
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

  • To Make Jars
  • Layer all ingredients in the order listed in a quart-size wide-mouth mason jar. Make sure to gently flatten out each layer with the back of a spoon before adding the next.
  • Close jar, and then secure the circle of fabric over top of the jar lid with the rubber band. Cover the rubber band with 2-3 wrappings of baker's twine, and then tie and thread on the instruction tag.
  • To Bake Cookies
  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cookie mix with the ½ cup butter, 1 large egg, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Stir until well combined.
  • Roll into 1 ½" balls, and place on the prepared baking sheet 2" apart. Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until slightly brown along the edges but still very soft in the middle.
  • Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • You might be tempted to shake up the order of the ingredients to get a different look in your jars, but I tried all kinds of different arrangements, and I think this is the one that prevents the layers from mixing the best.
  • I like to use M&M Baking Bits (AKA: M&M Minis) for baking-it makes sure you get a great bit of M&Ms in each bite. Regular size M&Ms work, too! 

Nutrition

Serving: 1batch (24 cookies total) | Calories: 3574kcal | Carbohydrates: 502g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 154g | Saturated Fat: 91g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 439mg | Sodium: 3110mg | Potassium: 844mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 290g | Vitamin A: 3540IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 707mg | Iron: 17mg
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Frequently Asked Questions about Cookie Mixes

This cookie mix is sized to fit in wide mouth quart size mason jars. You could also use regular-mouth (it's the same volume), but I found that it was a bit trickier to get the pretty layers when working with a regular mouth jar. You can use the metal lid and rings that come with the jars for closure, or you can use the wide-mouth plastic storage caps.

Sealed up in a jar, these cookie mixes will easily last three months or more in the pantry. All the ingredients are shelf stable. You can get by even longer if you store the mix in the freezer-up to a year.

I've eaten cookies made from other cookie mixes, and while the mixes looked beautiful-the cookies themselves left something to be desired. Not here! We tested these cookies multiple times to make sure they were the perfect texture and the perfect flavor.

Here's what makes these cookies so awesome:

  • A saltier cookie: We've tested a lot of cookie recipes from the Wholefully archives, and the best flavor comes from a slightly salty cookie. You'll find these cookies pleasantly salted (think: salted caramel).
  • A higher ratio of brown sugar: More brown sugar means more of a chewy, caramelized cookie. So we reduced the granulated sugar and upped the brown sugar.
  • Adding in rolled oats: Old fashioned, or rolled, oats give these cookies a hefty chew that is super satisfying.
  • Lots of butter: Soft, tender, chewy, rich cookies need lots of butter! Our instructions ask for an entire stick of melted butter to add into the cookie dough.

I personally prefer to use M&Ms Minis/Baking Bits (these are the same thing, it's just Baking Bits are usually sold in bags with the chocolate chips in the baking aisle, and Minis are sold in the candy aisle). I like the smaller size because they distribute better and you get a delicious M&M in every bite. Starting after Halloween around here, I can grab holiday colored Baking Bits with the other holiday baking ingredients.

Regular or dark chocolate M&Ms work as well. I would not recommend any of the filled M&Ms (like peanut M&Ms), simply because they are too large and don't distribute well in the cookies.

Fresh-baked cookies are best in the first 24 hours after baking, but the cookies will keep just fine in an airtight food storage container at room temperature for up to a week (at that point, they start to get stale-although they're still safe to eat). For longer-term storage, you can freeze flat and store in an airtight food storage container in the freezer for up to six months.

This base cookie recipe is great for experimenting with other cookie flavors! Here are some options you might want to try:

  • Mocha: Add two tablespoons espresso powder to the mix and use ⅔ cup mini chocolate chips instead of the M&Ms.
  • Peanut M&M Cookies: Add in ½ cup unsalted, roasted peanuts (peanut M&Ms are too large to distribute well in cookies, so this is a good way to get the flavor).
  • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip: Use ⅔ cup mini chocolate chips instead of the M&Ms.
  • Peppermint Patty: Use ⅔ cup Andes baking chips instead of the M&Ms, and add in ¼ cup unsweetened baking cocoa to the layers.
  • Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip: Use ⅓ cup mini peanut butter chips and ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips instead of the M&Ms.

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Close-up of the instructions tag tied to a layered jar of M&M Cookie in a Jar mix.
Cassie Johnston

Cassie is a holistic nutritionist, cookbook author, and all-around food lover. She grew up cooking dinner with her parents every evening, and her passion for home cooking has been strong ever since. Cassie is the author of two published cookbooks (Cooking with Greek Yogurt and Chia, Quinoa, Kale, Oh My!) and dozens of recipes published in major magazines and newspapers. Cassie has been sharing her award-winning recipes on Wholefully since 2010. She loves dark chocolate, homegrown tomatoes, motorsports, and anything that sparkles. She lives in Indiana with her family on a small homestead.

Gifts in Jars Book cover

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4.41 from 131 votes (131 ratings without comment)

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8 Comments

    1. Hi, Vanessa! You can find this info in the post under the heading "How long does cookie mix in a jar last?" but I've copied it here for you, as well:
      "Sealed up in a jar, these cookie mixes will easily last three months or more in the pantry. All the ingredients are shelf stable. You can get by even longer if you store the mix in the freezer—up to a year."

      Reply

  4. These are so pretty in the jar and I tried them out today...but messed up the recipe! Used 2 sticks of butter instead of one and threw that batch out. And used up all my M&Ms in the process! BUT...tried again and used 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup pepitas instead of the M&M's...still red and green! This is a delicious recipe! Thank you so much for sharing!! The texture of the finished cookie is just wonderful! I will be making about 2 dozen jars this year...half with M&M's and half with the pepitas & cranberries. Happy Holidays!

    Reply