A Delicious Custom Cookie Mix By The Mason Jar Cookie Co. Makes Gift Giving Easy

(The Mason Jar Cookie Co.)

When shopping for gifts to make your friends and family smile during the holidays, finding something personalized always takes a bit of time. From the self-proclaimed foodie to the NYC guy who’s obsessed with sports or the city girl in need of a “spacation”, it seems everyone’s tastes are different.

But, there’s one gift that can make anyone on your list happy - filling up his or her belly with sweet, homemade cookies! The Mason Jar Cookie Company is perfect for giving (or keeping) this holiday season and can be personalized for anyone’s sweet tooth. Two of their customized jars arrived at my doorstep last week and I couldn’t be happier with them!

The Mason Jar Cookie Company provides everything you need to create your own customizable gifts that put a twist on classic recipes for cookies. Choose from four cookie bases and thirty-five add-ins. All of the dry ingredients are included and are adorably layered for a beautiful looking gift. It’s so easy to bake these cookies – anyone on your “nice” list can make these fresh for themselves. The Mason Jar Cookie gifts even come in Gluten-Free options for those with an allergy or on a special diet. The average price of one custom-made cookie jar is $19, though price varies depending on which ingredients you choose.

When you’re ready to bake the cookies, simply pour your jar of chocolate cookie mix into a bowl and add the dairy ingredients per the instructions right before baking. In most cases you'll need butter and an egg, although some base mixes call for a little milk or water.

In lieu of a normal blog giveaway, I’ll be gifting my second Mason Jar Cookie Co. jar to one of my best friends, Ashley Willisch. In the spirit of holiday giving, Ashley (or "Shley" as we've been calling her since college) is much more than your dependable and reliable friend for sharing gossip and happy hours. She’s more than a phone call away – she’ll literally take you in, cook for you and make sure you’re happy (and laughing).

During Hurricane Sandy, I lost power, heat and hot water for a week. While many New Yorkers had it much worse, I was still in a sticky situation with no access to my cell phone (as power lines were down in my neighborhood) or internet to get work done. Shley demanded that I find a cab to her apartment in Queens, where my boyfriend and I spent the next five days - and couldn’t have been more thankful for her hospitality.

And not only did she make sure we were safe and comfortable, she has spent multiple weekends post-storm volunteering in the Rockaways to help those who have lost their homes clean up flooded basements and feed those who had lost everything. Shley is a New York City middle school teacher who goes above and beyond everyday to make sure her students in a low-income neighborhood are fed and clothed by bringing in snacks or donating coats. Last year, she even coordinated a few fellow teachers to gift student siblings with a very sick parent who couldn’t work, so money was very tight. She gave these children a Christmas with special treats they’ll never forget.

While I’m pretty sure Shley will bake her Mason Jar Cookie Co. cookies for her students, I hope she’ll enjoy a few for herself - she deserves something sweet and special for being such a wonderful friend and New Yorker.

Make this holiday season sweeter for your loved ones with a customized cookie mix by Mason Jar Cookie Co.! xo