By Colleen McTiernan | Photos by Sincerely Gone Photography

This holiday season, skip the shopping malls and forgo online gift hunting. Instead, consider making presents for everyone on your list. These easy, layered treats are bound to please people of all sorts of appetites!

White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies

Makes two dozen cookies

For Mason Jar

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

¾ cup dried cranberries

¾ cup white chocolate chips

¼ cup chopped macadamia nuts

Layer all ingredients into a quart-sized mason jar and then seal. Be sure to pack down your brown sugar before layering other ingredients.

To Bake

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Pour the contents of the jar into a large mixing bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, beat together the egg, butter and vanilla. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry and mix together until well blended.

Drop a heaping spoonful (about 2 tablespoons) of the dough onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden.

Festive Five Bean Soup

For Mason Jar

2/3 cup black beans

2/3 cup pinto beans

2/3 cup kidney beans

2/3 cup garbanzo beans

2/3 cup great northern beans

4 tablespoons dried minced onion

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon mustard

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons dried parsley

Layer beans in a quart-sized mason jar. Add all spices to a clear plastic bag. Seal and place on top of the beans before sealing your jar.

To Cook

10 cups chicken broth

32 ounce can diced tomatoes

Rinse beans thoroughly and place in a large pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and allow to soak for 1 hour.

Rinse the soaked beans and return to pot. Add chicken broth, diced tomatoes and spices to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and let simmer for about 1 ½ hours, or until beans are tender.

Holiday Hot Cocoa

For Mason Jar

½ cup powdered sugar

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup powdered milk

Mini chocolate chips

Mini marshmallows

Layer all ingredients into a pint-sized mason jar and then seal.

To Drink

Set the marshmallows aside and mix the remaining ingredients well. For one serving of hot cocoa, combine 8 ounces of hot water with ½ cup of cocoa mix. Top with marshmallows!

Decorating your jar

We kept our decorations to just a simple directions tag and twine/fabric to tie it to the jar, but you can certainly get more creative! Add a sprig of spruce to the jar top for a seasonal vibe, or tie a bow with miniature bells around the middle for a more jolly feel.