I’m keeping things simple this year and going with my standard for Christmas gifts: bite-size decorated cookies in mason jars. Mason jars are just so perfect for packaging. I made all of mine in advance and put them in the freezer. You can dress them up with tags, felt, ribbon, whatever, and even attach gift cards, as I’m doing with the teacher gifts. I added tags from a free printable found HERE at Sass & Peril (thanks, Sass & Peril!), that I spotted on How About Orange (thanks, How About Orange!).
I just made my go-to sugar cookie recipe and royal icing. All the cookies are cut out on 1 1/2-inch circles except for the mini candy canes. I tinted the icing my colors with Americolor Soft Gel Pastes. I prepared decorating bags with couplers and size “2,” “3,” or “4″ tips. Find bags, couplers and tips at the craft store, or click HERE for info on finding supplies. For a quick tutorial in cookie decorating, click HERE. After decorating the cookies, let them dry well overnight.
For Santa, I piped the white on the hat and outlined the mustache and beard with white icing using a size “2″ tip. Let it set a bit, then piped to fill the white, red and peach with a “3″ tip. I piped dots with a black “2″ tip.
For the candy cane, I used a mini candy cane cutter that came with a set and piped red and white dots with a “3″ tip.
For snowballs, I just piped and filled white circles with a size “3″ or “4″ tip and immediately coated with white sprinkles. For the snowflakes, I piped a turquoise background with a “4″ tip, let it set a bit, then piped a white snowflake with a “2″ tip. For tips on drawing snowflakes, click HERE.
And for the snowman, I piped and filled white circles with a “4″ tip, let set a bit, then used a black “2″ tip for the smiley face and an orange “3″ tip for the carrot nose.
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15 Comments
Mini cookies, jar, cute tag~what could be better?!? LOVE!
Super cute, when I make my minis they are not as cute as your at all. I love using jars too!
They look so super cute!! I love the little Santa. Do you freeze the cookies in the jar or freeze them flat then thaw and package?
I stick the whole jar in the freezer, though the better advice is to freeze them in freezer-safe Ziplocs flat and then package. But the one important thing to note is to let them thaw TOTALLY in the bag before opening the bag. Otherwise they can get condensation and the icing bleeds.
So funny that you post this now because I have been in the decorating mini cookies for the last 3 days for just this purpose. I have 8 jars to make by Tuesday and another 8 to make by the 23. I did a bunch of different mini shapes but I am now thinking that mini circles are the BEST …lol.
This is a great idea for little kids too–small sizes mean a little less sugar but all the fun! Totally beautiful and thank you for the inspiration. I'll come again…often!
love the santa how too – going to be making him I bet real soon!! Thanks!
How simple and lovely! What a great idea to sneak in those cookies into a jar! Also, bite sized cookies have no calories, right? That's what Santa told me
Bite size is perfect size especially when they are as adorable as all of these. Love how you did the candy cane cookies.
So cute. What a fun gift to recieve or be Elfed with
Amazingly cute love love these cookies. Happy holidays xoxo
Those are precious. I sure would love to get one of your jars of cookies!
Such great Christmas cookies!! They are super cute
Who wouldn't be thrilled to receive these cuties this Christmas?!
Greetings from an Amish community in Pennsylvania, I'm just checking out different blogs and thought id leave a comment. Happy holidays to everyone as well. Richard from Amish Stories