How to Make Dry Mixes for Gift Baskets

Everyone loves to receive gift baskets.

Making dry mixes to go into gift baskets is a creative and thoughtful way to give a present to friends or relatives. You can stray from the norm in choosing the type of basket you want. It can be something like a cookie sheet with a spatula wrapped in colorful cellophane, a large mixing bowl or a simple straw basket with a colorful, cloth napkin liner. There are many different dry mixes to suit the recipient's personality, and he should be able to keep them on his pantry shelf for around three to six months if you make sure to package fresh ingredients.

Things You'll Need

• Clean quart jar
• Dry ingredients
• Basket
• Scissors
• Colorful fabric
• Colorful cloth napkin
• Paper saucers or bowls
• Chips or crackers
• Freezer zipper-style plastic bag

Instructions

Cocoa Mix

1. Layer in a clean 1-quart jar your favorite ingredients for hot cocoa. Make sure you alternate colors of ingredients and different textures so that it has eye appeal. Keep in mind that items such as flour and sugar tend to seep into other ingredients, so it is best to place them on the bottom.

2. Cut a 9- or 10-inch circle out of some colorful fabric and lay it on top of the lid. Secure it with a rubber band and cover the rubber band with ribbon.

3. Print the list of ingredients onto a recipe card with the instructions, punch a hole with a hole punch and attach it to the ribbon.

4. Add to the gift basket an assortment of other gifts such as a coffee mug, a small bag of miniature marshmallows or some chocolate candy.

Chip Dip Mix

1. Combine into a freezer zipper-style bag all the dry ingredients for your favorite dip, such as dill weed, celery salt, cumin powder or cayenne pepper.

2. Attach the recipe to the zipper freezer bag by stapling the card above the zipper closure. Be sure to add how much buttermilk, sour cream or other perishable ingredients they may need to add.

3. Add a colorful cloth napkin to your basket as a lining and add a bag of the appropriate chips or a box of crackers to serve with the dip.

4. Add colorful plastic or paper saucers or bowls to eat the dip out of, and you will have a perfect gift basket for a housewarming or other occasion.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider adding a personalized label to the jar of dry mix for a nice finishing touch.

References

• All Recipes: Cookie and Brownie Mix In a Jar

Resources

• Christmas From the Heart: Recipes