How to Make Cranberry Chocolate Oat Cookie Mix in a Jar

Try this delicious cranberry chocolate chip oat cookie mix. Not only does it make a great mix in a jar – it’s a fantastic cookie you can make and enjoy anytime.

cranberry chocolate oat cookies on cooling rack
Don’t choose between dried fruit or chocolate – have both! The perfect oat cookie – crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle.

Also Read: Chocolate M&M Cookie Mix, Gingerbread Cookie Mix in a Jar, Free Printable Labels

I was thrilled to share this recipe with the Canadian Canola Growers Association to help celebrate CanadaAgDay. With all those Canadian grown ingredients, it’s the perfect cookie to celebrate the Canadian ag industry. Where would we be without our Canadian farmers and all those that support them?!

I created this recipe in several stages. First, we adapted our favourite chocolate chip oatmeal cookie recipe and then, I tweaked it even further to include a few more tasty ingredients. And then, we tested and retested the mix in a jar version. It was tough doing all that taste testing! The end result is a pretty awesome cookie – if I do say so myself!

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookie with cranberries and flaxmeal – what’s not to love?!

These cookies in a jar make an excellent hostess or teachers’ gift. It’s also super convenient to have at home, especially if you have kids just learning how to bake cookies. Or maybe you want to bake cookies while at the cottage or away from home. You’ll just need a few additional ingredients for fresh, home baked cookies, wherever you are.

Cranberry chocolate oat cookie mix in a jar with instruction/gift tag. Prepared cookies in front of jar.
Who do you know that could use a cookie mix in a jar?!

Careful layering of ingredients is what will make cookie mixes in a jar look the most attractive. Here are a few tips:

  • Wide mouth jars are most convenient for filling and pressing down ingredients.
  • Use a funnel to add ingredients or place ingredients on parchment paper and use it to transfer ingredients to the jar.
  • Gently press down on each layer of ingredients to ensure it all fits! You want a snug fit, but you want to fit everything in.
  • Set up an assembly line for filling and fill one jar at a time.
  • Arrange ingredients to create pretty layers. I listed the ingredients in the order I prefer.
  • In order to see the layer of dried fruit and flax, I use a spoon to very purposefully push the fruit and flax up to the glass so you can see them from the outside.
  • Seal jars tightly to prevent air in the jar which can dry out the sugar.
  • Cookie mixes are safe for 1-3 years, but the longer you keep them, the greater the risk of the sugar hardening. For best quality use within 3-6 months.
  • For this chocolate cranberry oat cookie mix, choose whatever kind of chip and dried fruit you prefer. If you’d like to add in some nuts, just swap out some of the chocolate chips or dried fruit.

In my tweaking and testing, I also tested a gluten free version. It’s equally delicious and I love having an option for my gluten free friends.

First – check your oats. While oats are naturally gluten free, most are processed in facilities that also process wheat, so they can easily become cross-contaminated. Don’t take the risk of thinking your gluten free friend won’t notice – if they have celiac disease – they’ll notice! I used Only Oats which I found in my regular grocery store.

Second – replace the all-purpose flour. You can buy oat flour or make your own by grinding your gluten free oats to a powder. I used an old coffee grinder to make as fine a powder as I could.

I learned that simply swapping all-purpose flour with oat flour does not work. You need to compensate for the gluten in wheat flour. Gluten acts like a glue that holds everything together. As an alternative, I used a combination of tapioca start and xanthan gum. I got both in the specialty food section of my regular grocery store. If you can’t find them there, any specialty food store will have them.

Replace 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with:

  • 1 1/2 cups oat flour
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp tapioca starch
  • 3/4 tsp xanthan gum

What Kind of Oats?

I like using large flake oats for these cookies, but quick-cooking oats work too. I do not recommend steel cut oats or instant oats for this recipe.

Here’s more about different kind of oats.

Steel Cut or Irish Oats

Steel cut or Irish oats are oat kernels (oat groats) that have been roughly chopped using steel blades. They’re great for chewy, highly textured oatmeal – but not recommended for cookies.

Large Flake Oats or Old Fashioned Oats

Large flake oats are steamed and rolled oat kernels. They’re also sold as rolled oats or old-fashioned oats. They’re flat and fairly uniform in size. They create the perfect texture in this recipe, in my opinion.

Quick Cooking Oats

Quick cooking oats are cut smaller before they are steamed and rolled like large flake oats. Because they’re randomly chopped before steaming, the flakes are different sizes. They create a finer texture in this recipe.

Instant Oats

Instant oats are cut smaller and thinner and are steamed longer before being rolled. They are often sold in packages with added sugar or salt. They’re my least favorite of all the oats. I don’t recommend them for this recipe.

cranberry chocolate oat cookie close up
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5 from 4 votes

Chocolate Cranberry Oat Cookie Mix

This Cookie Mix in a Jar makes a lovely gift or a great take along to the cottage. Here are instructions for preparing the mix as well as the baking instructions. Oh, by the way, you could just bake a batch for yourself to enjoy at home right now!
Prep : 10 minutes
Cook : 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Author: Getty Stewart

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 Tbsp milled flaxseed
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup large flake oats
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

  • Add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in bottom of a 1 quart (1 litre) jar.
  • Follow by layering remaining ingredients in the jar one at a time. For smaller quantity items like flax and cranberries, carefully pour the ingredient around the inside edge of the glass so it's visible from the outside.
  • Seal tightly. Decorate, label and attach baking directions.

Baking Directions

  • Also needed:
    1/2 cup canola margarine, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla
  • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
  • In large bowl, cream together margarine, eggs and vanilla.
    Pour dry ingredients from jar into wet ingredients. Stir until combined. Batter will be stiff.
    Drop by tablespoonful onto ungreased cookie sheet about 2" apart. Do not flatten.
    Bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden. Cool on wire rack.
    Makes ~2 dozen.

Notes

Go ahead and make substitutions if you’d like: white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, raisins, chopped dried apricots, nuts. Just keep the proportions the same and you can vary the ingredients no problem.
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 101kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chocolate chips, cookies, gifts from the kitchen, mix in a jar, oatmeal cookies

All the ingredients are shelf stable so there’s no problem keeping this mix around for a year or more. That said, I recommend using it within three to six months so the ingredients don’t dry out too much and become hard to remove from the jar.

Printable Labels & Decorating the Jar

Decorating the jar is easy! Cut a square piece of fabric, pliable wrapping paper or burlap. Tie a string or ribbon around the top and you’re pretty much done! Remember to include the instructions.

Here’s a pdf file for Cranberry Chocolate Oat Cookie Mix – Christmas or red gingham version. I recommend you print on card stock or heavy paper for added durability. Or, you could print on regular paper and glue to card stock.

2 jars of cookie mixes with instruction/gift tags and decorative ribbon/bows.
M & M Cookie Mix and Cranberry Chocolate Oat Cookie Mix – perfect Gifts from the Kitchen

Interested in other Gifts from the Kitchen?

Grab your FREE copy

Download this printable Guide and learn to make beautiful, delicious Gifts from your Kitchen.

Includes tips & links to 50+ ideas for homemade, shelf stable gift giving.

  • Cookies in a Jar
  • Soup in a Jar
  • Flavoured Infusions + Preserves

BONUS printable gift tags

Who are you thinking of sharing some cookie mix with?  Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @getgettys and Facebook @GettyStewart.HomeEconomist.

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