I think I found my new favorite spot for taking food photos.
Because every plate of good food is the true present this holiday season, right? right?
ha ha ha
ok, enough cheese-in. I’ve been watching too much Glee. The apple slices and peanut butter were my pre-baking snack this afternoon.
Yep. Pre-baking.
In the three years of blogging I’ve reviewed custom: chocolate bars, cereal, granola, and protein bars.
Now it’s time to add custom cookie mixes to the list. ๐
The Mason Jar Cookie Company contacted me last week about reviewing one of their custom cookie mixes for the blog.
The set-up for the website was pretty simple. You select a cookie base blend (I picked peanut butter) then your favorite cookie mix-ins (dark chocolate chips, toffee, and pecans) then you name your mix at check out.
The mix arrives in an adorable jar with custom tags and directions on how to make the cookies.
Creating the mix was fun and the packaging was cute, but when I pulled the jar out of the tube the first thought that went through my head was how much the cookie jars reminded me of the homemade ones people give for gifts.
If you’re in a pinch and need to order a last minute gift for a hard-to-shop-for friend or relative across the country, then I can see designing the mix online as a great option. They deliver pretty much the next day and the packaging really is too cute for words, but the price was a little steep for what it is and you could create a bunch of similar cookie mixes in a jar combinations at home.
Of course, those are just my initial thoughts. I guess the real question is, how do the cookies taste?
Courtney came over to help me figure it out.
We poured ourselves a couple of cold ones and got to work!
I’m slowly making my way through the pumpkin beer stash I built up in October (Derek calls me a beer hoarder). The Imperial Pumpking was pumpkin-y without being spicy. It was almost fruity in a way. Not bad, but not what I was expecting either.
Ok, cookie time.
We started by pouring the jar of mix (which contained all of the dry elements i.e. sugar, flours, baking powder/soda, mix-ins, etc) in one bowl.
And creaming the additional wet items needed (butter, peanut butter, vanilla extract, etc) in another.
Then blended them together.
All ready to bake!
The cookies came out of the oven looking and smelling delicious, but of course, even with Courtney’s help, it wouldn’t be a true Meghann baking adventure if something didn’t go wrong.
The flavor was there and they tasted great, but they were crumbly and missing the glue that holds cookies together AKA I forgot to add the egg. Fail! Of course, we didn’t realize this fact until we were chomping down on cookies from the first batch and the second was already in the oven.
The good news is that the cookies were good and all of the mix-ins were an excellent choice. They just crumble apart when you pick them up. Oh well. Better luck next time.
If you want to order your own Mason Jar Cookie Company Mix use the code TENOFF for 10% off at check out (the coke expires on January 21,2012). Dec. 19th is the cut-off for Christmas orders!
Dinner also wasn’t that big of a win.
I very loosely based dinner on this recipe for Cauliflower & Sausage Casserole, but it came out a little bland and I undercooked the veggies. There just wasn’t enough seasoning and the sauce was too thin.
It wasn’t very pretty either. Le sigh.
Can’t win them all.
Good Night!
What was your last baking fail?
Tonight wasn’t the first time I’ve forgotten an egg in a baking recipes and unfortunately it probably won’t be my last.
Cute gift idea, but I can’t imagine paying a premium for that when it’s so easy to do yourself! Although, I wouldn’t package it nearly as cute as they did.
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen recently posted..A taste of the tropics
I sprayed myself in the face with PAM while cooking eggs…
Sana recently posted..Plank Walk with Side Planks
The jar is adorbs, but I did see the prices on their website and almost choked on my ice cream. Pricey!*
Army Amy* recently posted..Peppermint Bark
the blog world is too small… i randomly posted this afternoon about my first ever foray into anything crafty, making cookies in a jar this past weekend. random.
The jars are very cute, but you are right, its totally something you could make at home for cheaper. Though I would love to have tons of these on hand, for those nights when the boy looks at me with big puppies eyes and asks if I’ll make him cookies (about once a week! ha!)
Meg at runridelove.com recently posted..Pressing Reset
i love these jars but i agree, homemade would be cheaper. they’d also be a fun crafty gift for kids
Laura (Starloz) recently posted..New year ideals
I love the idea of cookie jars! I’ve never actually made them myself, but I’m definitely considering them as a few gifts this year.
Ariel @ AriTiana recently posted..Let the Training Begin!
have you seen the meals in a jar? I found them on pinterest. It is just a way to prepare your meals in a cute way that allows you to see everything in jar-cuteness. I love the look!
I doubt I would buy the cookie jar thing unless I needed a gift for an out of towner asap. Love the concept though!
wymberley recently posted..Scarf Tutorial: When A Sweaty Runner Needs To Look Pulled Together Before A Shower Is Available
I’ve seen the soups in a jar, but not meals. I’ll have to look for those.
I think those cookie mixes are outrageously expensive…I created one online and it was $19.96!
For 20 dollars I could buy all the ingredients I would need to stock my pantry for MULTIPLE baking projects
Well at least the cookies still taste good! ๐
My last baking fail was when I decided to make meringues last-minute before a dinner party, because I thought they’d be an ‘easy’ dessert. Fail! Not only did my egg whites not ever get the stiff white peaks they were supposed to, I dropped half of them when trying to move the cookie sheet outside to cool. Each person got exactly one meringue, at least the flavor was spot on.
Laura @ Backstage Balance recently posted..Backstage Balance: Zooey Deschanel
Meringues are on my list of baking projects to try, but now you have me scared. Good to know not to try them last minute before a big party just in case. ๐
Yes I definitely wouldn’t recommend it ๐ They are easy though, but give yourself extra time for the first time you try making them!
Laura @ Backstage Balance recently posted..Backstage Balance: Zooey Deschanel
i always wondered how those cookies/cupcakes/cakes in a jar end up tasting. it seems like such a killer idea…but i just never know about them. i do love the packaging, though! that’s for darn sure.
something i do know and love the taste of…pumking beer. one of my faves! good choice, girlfriend!
I made normally awesome cookie dough brownies with the wrong butter not long ago. The veg oil content was too high and they were totally flat, which sucked because I had a house full of inlaws coming over ๐
Christine @ BookishlyB recently posted..The Hungriest Week of My Life
…”cheese-in”?
Yeah, I made that word up. lol
I’ve seen this everywhere lately and I don’t get it. They’re $15+ for something you could make at home for probably $1/jar. Plus, I think it’s more special if you make it/decorate it yourself than order it elsewhere.
My last baking fail…. pumpkin bread. It was horrible
michelle recently posted..12 Dates of Christmas โ Date #7 (Gingerbread House)
I tried making no-bake cookies with Smart Balance instead of butter. Um. Yeah. It was like chocolate/PB/oat soup. Which isn’t to say it wasn’t delicious! But they definitely weren’t cookie-like!
That is a really cute gift idea!!!
Katie @ Peace Love and Oats recently posted..WIAW โ Finals Frenzy!
So this baking fail isn’t exactly recent….but it’s funny so I’ll share anyway!
My mom stores all the baking stuff in jars and Tupperware, none of which are labeled. Now I can tell the difference between all the various (and legal!) white powders but as an 8 year old…no so much! I made cookies and used powdered sugar where I should have added flour. Within 3 minutes of going into the oven they had completely melted together, stuck to the tray, and spewed over the sides all over the oven!
Jamie @ Don’t Forget the Cinnamon recently posted..Almond-crusted lemon cookies
Gah! These Mason Jar Cookies are killing me! I meant to check them out when Tina posted about them and forgot. I’m going there IMMEDIATELY now! ๐
Cait’s Plate recently posted..Live Life Upside-Down
These cookie jars are such a cute idea – but I agree that you could make them at home for a lot cheaper.
I have lots of baking (and cooking) fails, but practice makes perfect!
Heather @ Run Eat Play recently posted..Ice Cream Makes Everything Better
My last baking fail was last night!!! I was making maple roasted sweet potatoes, and like usual – lined my 13 x 9 Pyrex plate with aluminum foil before putting in the oven. What I didn’t even think of was that I was cooking with maple syrup – I STILL haven’t gotten all of the foil to unstick from the Pyrex! Fail.
PUMKING!
Kath recently posted..J.O.Y.
I tried to make flour-less peanut butter cookies, but with almond butter. Almond butter is a little more soupy and the cookies came out sticky and goopy instead of fluffy. I still managed to choke them down, of course.
Britne @ Shabbott’s Habits recently posted..Comment on The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap by AmandaRunsNY
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