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The following are great "Gifts In A Jar" that your friends and family are sure to enjoy this Christmas season.
Many of the recipes are designed to fit in a standard 1 quart canning jar. Many ask how long these will keep. I have kept some in my pantry for up to 9 months with no problem other than the brown sugar turning rock hard and having to be ice-picked out. Dry ingredients will not mold if the jars are closed--no need to keep them refrigerated.

However, most make-a-mix cookbooks suggest that you use their mixes within three months, and I think that is a good rule of thumb even if there is no shortening in the mix.

APPLESAUCE COOKIE MIX
1 cup brown sugar
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup chopped nuts

Instructions:
1. Combine flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda - stir well. Place flour mixture in a clean mason jar. Pack down tight so everything will fit in the jar. (Use a spoon or a mallet.) Add other ingredients, one item at a time, packing each layer down.

2. Put the lid on the jar and tie a ribbon around the lid. You can add a personalized label, if you wish. As an added touch, tie a wooden spoon to the lid with a piece of ribbon.

3. Recipe to attach to Jar:
Whip 3/4 cup of butter or shortening until light and fluffy. Add 1 egg and 1/2 cup applesauce and beat until mixed. Stir in the ingredients from this jar until well combined. Drop teaspoons of dough on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 - 12 minutes at 350 degrees F.

CANDY COOKIE MIX
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp. powdered vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
2 cups flour
Layer ingredients in a jar.

Recipe to attach to Jar:
Candy Cookies
Makes 3 dozen cookies
1 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1 large egg
1 package Candy Cookie Mix
1 cup candy bar chunks (Reese’s peanut butter cups, Butterfinger bars, white or milk chocolate chunks)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In the large bowl of an electric mixer,beat the butter until it is smooth. Add the egg, and continue beating until the egg is combined.

Add the Candy Cookie Mix and candy bar chunks and blend on low just until the cookie mix is incorporated.Form the cookies into 1 1/2-inch balls & place them 2 inches apart on
an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden on the edges. Remove from oven, and cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes.

WHITE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT PATTIES
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS !
Keep your eye on these gems as they bake - they have a quick cooking time and should only take 9 minutes. Keep them in a tightly sealed container, or freeze them for longer storage.

Layer In Jar:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
attached separately in red saran wrap with a ribbon tie:
4 ounces peppermint candy, chopped into 1/3 inch pieces
 

Recipe to attach to jar:
Make the White Chocolate Peppermint Patties:
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. with a sifter, sift the jar mixes over a large bowl.

3. Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. With the heat on, place the white chocolate in the top half of the double boiler. Use a rubber spatula to stir the chocolate until completely melted and smooth, about 4 minutes. Transfer the melted white chocolate to a 1-quart bowl and set aside until needed.

4. Place 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 6 tablespoons unsalted butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on medium for 4 minutes until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, then continue to beat on medium for 2 more minutes until very smooth. Add 1 egg and the 2 teas. vanilla extract and beat on medium for 1 minute until combined. Scrape down the
bowl. Add the melted chocolate and beat on medium for 1 minute until combined. Scrape down the bowl. Add the sifted dry ingredients and mix on low until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add the chopped peppermint candy and mix on low until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to finish mixing the dough until thoroughly combined.

5. Using a heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie, (approximately 1/2 ounce), portion 12 cookies, evenly spaced, onto each of 3 nonstick baking sheets. Place the baking sheets on the top and center rack of
the preheated oven and bake for 9 minutes until lightly golden brown around the edges, rotating the sheets from top to center halfway through the the baking time (at that time also turn each sheet 180 degrees). Remove the cookies from the oven and cool to room temperature for 30 minutes. Store the cookies in a tightly sealed plastic container until ready to serve.