1. Sugar Cookie Mix in a Jar with Fun Cookie Cutter

Use a 16 oz. glass Mason jar for the best presentation.

Start by filling the jar with the following ingredients after combining well: 

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

• Pack the cookie mix into the jar using a spoon or by tapping the jar on the counter.
• Place each of the following into individual plastic twist tie baggies:
  • ½ cup light blue decorating sugar/sprinkles
  • ½ cup dark blue decorating sugar/sprinkles
• Seal the lid of the jar tightly.

Using a ribbon or string, attach a copy of the following directions and a dreidel-shaped cookie cutter.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. Pour mixture from jar to large bowl. Cream one cup of butter, softened.
3. Add in 2 eggs and one teaspoon of vanilla extract.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients.
5. Chill the prepared dough for one hour.
6. Roll out to 1/4 inch and cut into desired shapes.
7. Bake at 350 degrees (F) for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned.
8. You can decorate them with colored sugar or sprinkles before baking or frost after baking.

2. Chocolate Chanukah Pops or Candies

Making your own chocolate candies or lollipops in silicone molds is a great way to get your children motivated in the kitchen. Box these up and give a tasty treat to someone special, or eat them after lighting the menorah!

• Use colored chocolate melts available online or in kosher candy stores.
• Melt according to package directions and pour into molds (dreidel or Star of David) with a lollipop stick or wooden popsicle stick set in place.
• Let cool.
• Remove from molds and enjoy!

3. Potato Latkes in a Jar

What an awesome gift to send to a family member or a friend. Potato latkes in a Mason jar! Just make sure to attach the directions and list of wet ingredients. An awesome add-on is a spatula to flip the latkes.

Use a 16 oz. glass Mason jar for the best presentation.

Start by filling the jar with the following ingredients well combined:

• •  2 cups dehydrated shredded potato
  • ½ cup onion flakes
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill 
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • ½ cup potato starch

Seal the jar tightly and attach a copy of the following instructions to the jar with a ribbon (and a spatula).

1. Pour the contents of the Mason jar into a large mixing bowl and pour 2 cups of boiling water over the dry ingredients. Mix well.

2. Let the mixture sit until the water has been absorbed into the dehydrated ingredients.

3. Add 1 egg and mix well.

4. Pour a thin layer of oil into a frying pan and heat to a simmer over a medium to medium-high flame.

5. Using a spoon, place drops of the batter into the hot oil and flatten with the back of the spoon.

6. Fry until the edges start to brown, then flip and fry the other side.

7. Remove from the pan and serve with applesauce or sour cream.

4. Edible Perler Bead Chanukah Art

Perler bead art is always a fun project to do with children. Perler beads are plastic fusible beads that are arranged in patterns and then fused together using an iron. Whether you use a perler frame or draw an image to use, how much more fun would it be if you could eat the finished product? Using multi-colored Twizzlers, or other similar candies, you can make edible “perler beads” to make edible chanukah art. Use these templates or create your own to make this fun craft with your children. You can also use the finished product as edible gift tags.

5. Vegetable Platter Menorah

Who says that making edible art can’t be healthy? Create beautiful vegetable crudite plates shaped like menorahs or giant dreidels. All you need is a variety of cut-up veggies and your favorite hummus to ‘glue’ it all together. Or, forgo the hummus and just carefully lay everything together and serve with assorted salad dressings for dipping. You can make your platter as elaborate or as simple as you like.