Brownies in a Jar

I’ve always been intrigued by in a jar recipes. Over the past years a few cook books on the subject have been added to my recipe collection.

These books include recipes for cookies, muffins, breads and scones and even soups and chilies.  The ingredients are attractively layered in one quart mason jars with added instructions for baking or cooking.

I’ve put together cookie recipes in a jar for a few different occasions but this is my first try at a recipe for brownies.

Two different recipes that I came across seemed to have good potential for success but needed to be tested before posting.  Although both recipes had similar ingredients the second one gave much better results and used less sugar and a lesser amount of butter than oil called for in the first recipe.

I promise to only share recipes that I have first tried making myself and feel confident about the results.  This recipe makes delicious, chewy, moist brownies that can be prepared in a few minutes by adding butter, eggs and vanilla to the ingredients in the jar.

They are quite easy and inexpensive to put together and a few decorative touches to the jar allows them to be given away with pride. For those who receive them, the recipe is simple enough to be made by the most novice baker and enjoyable for all chocolate brownie lovers!

I must confess that I didn’t have a favourite recipe for brownies in my collection and not for lack of trying to find one.  In the jar or not this recipe makes great brownies.

No more brownies from a box!


Brownies in a Jar

1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 cup peanut butter chips or white chocolate chips
1 cup all purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup mini chocolate chips (see notes, tips and suggestions)

1. On a piece of wax paper mix together flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Layer the ingredients in a one quart mason or glass jar in the following order from bottom to top; sugar, cocoa, peanut butter chips, flour mixture and chocolate chips.
3. Tap jar gently on the counter to settle each layer before adding the next one.
4. Cover, decorate and attach baking directions to jar.

Baking Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease and flour an 8x8 inch baking pan.
3. Combine ½ cup melted and cooled butter and 2 slightly beaten eggs in a large bowl.
4. Gently stir in jar contents.
5. Spread in prepared pan and bake for 35 minutes.
6. Cool in pan, cut into bars.
7. Makes 16.

Notes, Tips and Suggestions

Use a good quality cocoa powder.  I discovered very good cocoa in the Bulk Barn called Ruddy Red and have stopped buying anything else. It's a little more expensive but worth every cent.

The Finishing Touches

• To cover jar lid cut a round piece of your favourite material in a 6 1/2 inch diameter.
• First use an elastic band to secure and adjust the circle of material over the lid.
• Decorate with appropriate decorations such as ribbons and bells etc.
• The use of a canning funnel makes the job of filling the jar a little cleaner.
• Instead of tapping the jars on the counter to settle ingredients I used a wooden tamper to gently pat the layers down.
• After adding the cocoa, since it's a small amount, use a spoon to push it towards the sides of the jar as much as you can so that the layer looks thicker otherwise you won't be able to see the cocoa layer as much then add the peanut butter or white chips.
• The recipe calls for mini chocolate chips for the top layer, I used the regular size since that is what I had at the time and it filled the jar to the top.  Using the mini ones may leave some unfilled space. The mini chips settle a little more with less space in between them than the regular size chips.
• I found there was no room to punch a hole in the printable tag and used 2 adhesive hole reinforcements on the corner of the tag for putting the ribbon through (sticky sides together).
• Printable tag can be glued to the back side of the jar instead.
• The printable tags are available  here.