Need help with a cookie idea for Christmas gifts bags
By coffeebreak
@coffeebreak (17798)
United States
November 7, 2010 9:00pm CST
I am working on Christmas craft gifts with my grand daughters. Money is tight, they love to make things, so I put the two together and have come up with creating hot chocolate mixture/dry ingredients and then getting a nice coffee mug and the all the person has to do is spoon some chocolate mix into hot water.
But I want a cookie to go along with it. One that is small, reasonably easy to bake and create for 10 year old and cute in looks to go with the hot chocolate. Then we will put them in a nice gift bag and give them to family members.
I need some suggestions on some small cute easy but colorful cookies or maybe even a candy that the girls can make to go with the hot chocolate. Any suggestions? My thought was to make cookie sticks...and tie with a ribbon. But, how about something small...little button cookies or something. Just something fun to make, cute and colorful!
8 responses
@OpinionatedLady (5966)
• United States
8 Nov 10
I sold hot chocolate one year too. I dipped the end of candy canes in melted chocolate and white chocolate to tie at top of bags with a ribbon (two on each bag, one of each color). I had so many requests for the candy I stopped making the coco mix and the next year sold just the canes. It is simple to do and a 10 year old will have no problem doing it. I have also dipped plastic spoons to use in coffee and coca, in fact my kids are doing that for the shows this year. They are 5, 9, and 11. All I do is make sure that the mess stays contained and the area clean for food prep. ( I make them help pay for their dance classes). I have also made cinnamon sticks with hard candy "spoons" at the bottom for teas and oatmeal. Good luck. I know our area has been slow traffic at the shows. In fact I posted a discussion about that a few moments before I found this one.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
8 Nov 10
I would love your recipe and directions for dipping the candy canes in chocolate. I have not had much experience with dipping chocolate but then again, not tried very hard either. I have the problem of getting the chocolate to melt right and not burn, no matter how hard I try to keep it proper temp. I'd love any direction you could give, cause I know that the girls would love doing this!
We aren't selling them.. although good for you that you can! It is just a family gift...money tight, no body really "needs" anything and the things people want, I can't afford and the girls love making things and I think it is great that they want to make gifts for their family and friends.
@OpinionatedLady (5966)
• United States
9 Nov 10
I just melt down chocolate chips and add a drizzle of veggie oil. I do this in the microwave and stop to mix chocolate about every 10-15 seconds. Less as it melts. I also do this in a coffee mug as it is tall and narrower then a bowl. I find it easier for dipping. You can buy chocolate melts at the store n need for oil. They also have flavor oil to add.
1 person likes this
@OpinionatedLady (5966)
• United States
9 Nov 10
If it is just for family they may like to make felt "cookies" that can be hung on tree. We just trace cookie cutters on felt and then glue on decorations. This is fun and a keepsake.
1 person likes this
@bhaifley (4)
• United States
8 Nov 10
you could try doing chocolate covered marshmallows. white chocolate or milk or even dark. just dip the mini marshmallows in the melted chocolate and the put a few in a baggie. and you could even crush up candy canes and roll the marshmallows in that after the chocolate is on them, or just sprinkle it on. then your recipients can add them to their hot chocolate when they make it.
i would think this would be very inexpensive to do.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
8 Nov 10
That's great! I used to do that! Forgot all about it! I rolled the marshmallows in Fruity Pebbles one year and they were a huge hit with ALL! I have a hard time with melting chocolate and keeping it at the right temp for dipping and not burning... any suggestions?
I like the crushed candy to roll them in. That's make a great peppermint chocolate!
Plus, what is your opinion on "shelf life" of them? I'd have to do them all about a week prior to Christmas as due to divorce, I never know the schedule of when I will see them to do the project...but I know that I will at least need them to be "good" for 2 weeks..to be on the safe side.
@bhaifley (4)
• United States
8 Nov 10
I have always used the chocolate wafers and melted them in the microwave. I believe you can pick those up at most party stores or even craft stores that sell candy making supplies. I always put some in a glass dish, microwave for about 30-40 seconds stir and keep doing that until it's creamy, then start dipping. If it starts to harden and you haven't used it all up, I would just re-microwave. I've never had a problem with burning it in the microwave as long as you stop to stir it on a regular basis.
Shelf life? I would think they would last at least a few months if not longer. I mean, marshmallows last a long time if they are stored properly. Same with the other ingredients. Plus, if people are dipping them in their hot chocolate, it will make them softer because of the heat. I just make sure they are sealed well after you package them up.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
10 Nov 10
I'm doing something dipped in chocolate. And possibly small cut out. I was hoping for something different as we do the cut outs every year.
@my52cents (569)
• United States
8 Nov 10
How about coated pretzels? You can melt the coating (I like the white) in the microwave and drop in a pretzel to coat, then pull them out and let them dry on wax paper. If you want, sprinkle colored sugar on them while they're still wet. You have to work kind of fast, but I'll bet your girls would do a great job with them. They're so blessed to have you to do these great projects with them!
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
8 Nov 10
Good idea. Wait till Kellie gets all these ideas...she is going to freak with excitment! She likes the planning almost as much as the doing! Child after my own heart!
my52cents - what is your "way" of melting the chocolate in the nuker? I have always had a problem melting chocolate properly so it dips, but doesn't burn even when I used a double broiler! That is why I haven't done much on these venue. I'd appreciate any tips on melting chocolate...
@amybrezik (2118)
• United States
8 Nov 10
These turn out really good and are very tasty! They are pretty simple and look great when you add the colored sugars onto them.
1 person likes this
@amybrezik (2118)
• United States
8 Nov 10
If you do sugar cookies you can cut them in shapes and have the girls decorate them with sprinkles and homemade frosting. You can find all kinds of cookie ideas at allrecipes.com I made peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies this morning. They were pretty good. I also made rice krispy treat snowman one year. They turned out pretty good. I think your hot chocolate idea is wonderful. Everyone seemms to appreciate "homemade" gifts so much more. I went through a phase where that was all I did. I made jam, flavored nuts, bread, fudge. I even made my mom homemade taffy one year. (I wouldn't suggest it for a ten year old) but it was fun. We also created our own fortunes one year and bought cheap fortune cookies. We just remove the premade fortunes and inserted our own. Good luck, and let us know if you get any really great ideas.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
8 Nov 10
Years ago I did this too for each family. Just made a huge basket or tray of all kinds of baked goods. Always included each ones favorite cookie, but always found great unusual and wonderful different kinds of cookies and breads. It was great.
But I want them to do the work and they love doing "small" things.
@amybrezik (2118)
• United States
8 Nov 10
Absolutely. My kids are 5 and 7 and they couldn't do too much, their attention span isn't long enough. But they would love decorating!
1 person likes this
@randylovesdar (4932)
• United States
8 Nov 10
I have a few ideas and they do not cost too much money. I have a three different recipes for you. One is for sugar cookies (you can buy small cookie cutters in Walmart or any other doscount store), I have a recipe for chocolate snowballs (cookie style) and one for snowballs using melted chocolate and powdered sugar. Since we cannot post recipes on here I will add you as a friend and send you the recipes.
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@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
8 Nov 10
yes, please add me as friend. I tried you but it says pending, but I don't see it anywhere to accept. Maybe it just takes time. But yes, I'd love the recipes for the snowballs. We were looking for something differnet and a ball style cookie is great!
@Angelwriter (1954)
• United States
8 Nov 10
I don't know much about cooking, but would sugar cookies be okay? If you had cookie cutters, you could cut them into smaller shapes. And maybe add sprinkles for color. I don't know if that's a good idea, though, but it's the only one that came to mind. Good luck finding something for you and your granddaughters.
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@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
8 Nov 10
IT's a great idea. I even have 1-2 inch size cookie cutters. That is my last resort... I was hoping to find something different and unusual for them to do. We do little cut outs every year.
@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
10 Nov 10
Shocked to see that much powder sugar in the recipe! I prefer homemade on lot of things like this too.
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@coffeebreak (17798)
• United States
8 Nov 10
The link didn't come through, can you send again? I would like to seem more mix recipes...
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