Make-Your-Own Cookie Recipe Jar

Post by Becki, who runs Munchkin Madness Party Kit based in Worcester UK.

Looking for a zero waste party favour idea? A biscuit recipe jar is a fun alternative to the traditional plastic-filled party bag.

Jump to recipe

Finding a Zero Waste Party Favour

I made the decision when it came to my daughter’s own birthday party that I didn’t want to go with a traditional party bag. Instead I decided to use jam jars that would have otherwise been recycled.

I asked people to donate large jars with lids via various local zero waste and waste exchange Facebook groups. It did take me a while, but I finally had the 35 jars needed!

I originally thought I would use the jars to hold sweets and little goodies for the kids, but soon realised that this would potentially create more waste after being played with for 2 seconds before discarded (in the footwell of the car, if they were anything like my children).

So I thought about adding an activity to the jars. I originally thought about little games written on paper, but I settled on ingredients for biscuits. This meant that the activity could be made and enjoyed after the party.

Refining the Recipe

I tried out the recipe a couple of times as I wanted it to fit the jar exactly. I also wanted the recipe to be very simple so that parents only had to add ingredients they would already have at home.

The next challenge was allergies. The party guests included children with egg, nut, gluten and dairy allergies so I wanted the recipe to work for everyone. I made sure all the ingredients were nut-free and used an egg-free recipe. The recipe needed butter or margarine, so I tested it with the Stork dairy-free margarine and it was just as good as the version butter. I used a gluten-free plain flour in the jars for the children who are gluten intolerant.

Decorating the Jars

Finally I wanted it to look pretty, so the children would still be excited about taking it home. We were going to decorate the jars, but with 35 to do it would have taken way too long!

The party had an Under the Sea theme and so I used some fabric I had at home to cover the lids and added a metal cookie cutter which were different marine animals.

And What Did The Guests Think?

My biggest worry was how the children and parents would react to not receiving a traditional party bag, but everyone loved it! I have had some lovely comments and pictures of the children making their sea life biscuits at home.

How to Make a Biscuit Recipe Jar

For each guest you will need:

1 x clean pasta sauce jar or similar (approx. 400g sized)
230g plain flour (or gluten-free plain flour)
80g caster sugar
Handful of chocolate chips, mini Smarties or dairy-free chocolate drops
Fabric or paper to cover the jar lid
String, ribbon or wool (approx. 35cm per jar)
Cookie cutter
Printed instruction label - Download printable template (or this could be emailed to guests)
Scissors and hole punch

Method:

Measure and add the plain flour and caster sugar to the cleaned glass jar.
Fill the jar to the top with chocolate chips, mini Smarties or dairy-free chocolate drops. Screw on the jar lid.
Cut the jar lid covering (fabric or paper) into a circle approximately 8cm wider than the width of the lid.
Secure the covering in place with the string.
Print and cut the instruction labels, using a hole punch to make a hole at the top.
Attach the cookie cutter and printed instructions to the jar using the string holding the covering in place.

Low Waste Tips

When preparing the glass jars, to remove any sticky residue left behind by the label add vegetable oil and wipe off. Using an abrasive sponge or coconut scourer will help speed things up.
To find the ingredients for this recipe without packaging look for your local zero waste store on Zero Waste Near Me (UK).
Look for fabric scraps in charity shops or at your local Scraps Store (UK).