3 Edible gifts in a jar

There's nothing more stressful than trying to stay within a holiday gift budget. Alleviate some of that stress (and still pay your rent on time) by making one of these delicious DIY edible jars! From delicious pies to stackable cakes to grown-up hot cocoa, these gifts come from the heart and save you cash at the same time!

Homemade Mason jar apple pies

Is there anything more comforting than a piece of homemade pie? However, giving someone an entire pie for the holidays seems a little off. So, to make the process easier, we made these cute little Mason jar pies that make perfect stocking stuffers and adorable hostess gifts! You can also customize the fillings to your preference, whether that be cherry or maple nut. Plus, if you want, you can cut out the top of the crust to fit perfectly inside the jar so you can put the lid on it and add some festive ribbon!

Yields about 2 pies

Ingredients: 

For the crust: 

• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 8 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

• 6–8 medium apples
• 2-1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• Small pinch of salt

For the instructions on how to make and assemble it, check out the article here on SheKnows Canada >>

Stackable cakes in a jar

How cute are these adorable cakes in a jar? Amanda from I Am Baker made six unique cakes all from one simple cake recipe! What makes this a great gift for the holidays is you can customize each of your jars with different toppings and flavors. Does your mom love chocolate? Make her a double chocolate cake with rich chocolate buttercream. Your sister love fruity desserts? Top a simple white cake with berries and cream! The choices are endless and this is super cheap for you (all you need to buy are ingredients and jars!) Photo by Amanda Rettke.

Yields about 5 cakes

Ingredients: 

For white jar cake: 

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening or butter
• 1 cup milk or light cream
• 4 egg whites
• 2 cups cake flour (not all-purpose)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• 6 Mason jars

For the instructions on how to make these gorgeous jars, check out I Am Baker >>

Grown-up hot chocolate jars

This is the perfect gift for the holidays, especially if your family loves a good cocktail! This adorable jar is filled with hot cocoa mix, marshmallows and chocolate, with a cute Baileys bottle tied to the side! You can customize the kind of cocoa you use, as well as the type of bottle you tie to the side. You can easily give a few of these to family members, friends, co-workers and teachers (especially if your kids are a handful!) To make the jar really festive, add a fun holiday tag and some brightly colored ribbon! Photo by Samantha of GoodnYou?

Recipe adapted from GoodnYou

Yields about 6 jars

Ingredients:

• About 10-12 packets of hot cocoa
• About 3 cups of mini-marshmallows
• 6 bottles of mini Baileys
• Festive ribbon or twine
• 6 pint size Mason jars
• Plus candy canes, white chocolate or regular chocolate chips for garnish

Directions: 

1. Make sure jars are clean. Pour hot chocolate mix into the jar, filling about 1/3 - 1/2 full with cocoa. Then, stack marshmallows on top. Add other garnishes on top of marshmallows. Place the lid on top and tie a piece of twine or ribbon around the bottom of the lid. Carefully tie a small bottle of Baileys or Kahlua to the twine.

More easy DIY gifts

Edible gifts: Homemade vanilla extract and sugar recipe
DIY gifts kids can make
DIY chalkboard mugs