Desserts in Jars50 Sweet Treats that Shine

Some desserts in jars are baked or otherwise prepared right in the jar, while others are spooned into jars. Either way, the sparkling and pretty vessel and the appealing treat it holds make for a beautiful presentation. Olmanson’s clever and cute desserts are at once playful and well-crafted, appropriate for a kids’ birthday one weekend (Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes) and a grown-up gathering the next (Neapolitan Cakes). The book includes chapters on cakes, pies, crumbles and cobblers, quick breads, and frozen indulgences like Strawberry Lemonade Granitas.

Desserts in jars are fun to make and, of course, to eat, and they are especially suited for gift-giving. They store, travel, and stay fresh well, and even can be delivered with a lid on the jar and with gift tags, ribbons, and other embellishments. Olmanson devotes a special chapter to as-yet-unbaked mixes, with the flour, brown sugar, and so on attractively layered in the jar, a timeless idea now undergoing its own revival.

Shaina Olmanson is a cook, writer, and photographer and the mother of four young children. She writes the popular (50,000 visitors each month) blog, FoodForMyFamily.com. She also writes for two other blogs, Food Your Way and Simple Bites, and she is the editor of the food channel for LifetimeMoms.com. She lives in Minneapolis.