As I've gotten older, my sweet tooth has gotten smaller. Instead of a giant slice of cake, I prefer more bite-sized options that hit the spot.
That's why I'm kicking myself for never realizing before now just how amazing mason jar lids can be for whipping up perfectly petite dessert recipes! I had only ever seen folks use them to put recipes inside the mason jar as gifts, like cocoa or brownie mixes that can be made within the glass.
Amazingly, the tin ring holding everything together has just as much to offer, as the recipes below certainly prove. The only problem you'll have with these diminutive desserts is deciding which one to bake for your friends and family first!
Personally, I'm drawn to the fruity pies and jammy cookies, but there are plenty of options for any chocoholics out there too.
Take a look and let us know if you've ever used a mason jar lid for recipes like the ones below.
And don't forget to SHARE all the yummy treats with your friends!
Thumbnail source: Flickr / m01229
1. Classic Jammers
Most home bakers would use a muffin tin for these stacked cookies, but Jessica from Pen N' Paperflowers discovered how easily a mason jar lid could be used instead!
Dough Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. sea salt
2 large egg yolks
2 tsps. vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
Streusel Ingredients:
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. sea salt
5 1/2 Tbsps. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup thick jam
Instructions:
For the dough, start by beating room temperature butter in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Add both of the sugars and salt, and beat until fully mixed, then beat in the egg yolks and vanilla. Add the flour until combined into a soft, sticky dough.
Divide the dough in half and roll out into discs until about 1/4 inch thick, then freeze for at least 2 hours.
For the streusel, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Use your hands to crumble in chilled butter and then the vanilla, and mix until no large clumps remain, then allow to chill as well.
Arrange the mason jar lids on a cookie sheet and flatten the dough at the bottom, rolling the scraps back out into new pieces as you go. Cover and refreeze for about 30 minutes. Use a small cookie cutter in the middle of the dough and spoon the jam inside, then sprinkle the streusel mix around it before removing the cookie cutter.
Bake at 350 °F for about 20 minutes, until streusel is golden brown.
2. Mini Cherry Pies
These tiny pies would be the perfect end to pretty much any gathering with your family and friends.
Ingredients:
1 14 oz. box pie crust
Cherry pie filling
1 egg
Brown sugar
Powdered sugar
Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 °F, then spread out your pie crust. Use a 3 1/4-inch cookie cutter and 3-inch cutter to slice out circles. Place the larger circle in the lids first, folding it up along the sides. Add 3 tablespoons of the cherry pie filling, then wet the rim with water and place the smaller circles on top.
Mix the egg with a tablespoon of water and brush along the top crust and sprinkle with brown sugar. Cut an X on top for ventilation and bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown.
3. Seckel Pear And Spiced Brown Butter Tarts
How adorable are these itty-bitty pears Heather at Farmgirl Gourmet used for this recipe? Almost too cute to eat!
Ingredients:
Puff pastry
18 Seckel pears
2 cups Riesling
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
1 stick butter
1 additional vanilla bean
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 star anise
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsps. all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
Instructions:
Add Riesling, sugar, and one half of a sliced vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the pears and poach for about 20 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and allow to cool.
In a smaller saucepan, add butter, a full sliced vanilla bean and seeds, cinnamon stick and anise, cooking until the butter browns and smells nutty. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Grab a bowl and add the eggs, sugar, flour, and salt, using a whisk to stir until completely combined. Pour in the brown butter through a sieve and stir into mixture.
Preheat your oven to 350 °F and roll out the puff pastry. Cut out 9 circles and line bottom of the mason jar lids, then slice out two strips of the pastry to line the sides. Place 2 of the poached pears inside and fill the rest of the space with your custard mixture, about 2 tablespoonfuls. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.
4. Mini S'more Pies
No need to wait for a campfire to whip up this gooey treat from Created by Diane.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
4 Tbsps. melted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 oz. chocolate
1 Tbsp. butter
6 jumbo marshmallows
Instructions:
Mix the graham cracker crumbs with butter until completely coated, and line the bottom of your lids, pressing the cracker firmly. Heat the heavy cream for about a minute in the microwave and add the chocolate, stirring until completely melted, then mix the tablespoon of butter in as well.
Fill the crusts with the chocolate and place in the fridge for a few hours. Place a jumbo marshmallow on each one and broil in the oven for 1 or 2 minutes.
5. Mini Black Forest Cakes
Sheryl Beyer from Lady Behind the Curtain found the perfect way to serve individual cakes for any party!
Ingredients:
1 box devil's food cake mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tsp. instant espresso coffee
4 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips
2 cans cherry pie filling
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 °F, then spray the lids with cooking spray and arrange on baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix together the cake mix, water, oil, eggs, and espresso until all are fully combined. Melt your chocolate chips in a bowl over boiling water, then add to the cake batter and mix until there are no more lumps.
Scoop into the lids and add 3 cherries from the pie filling. Bake for 15 minutes, and let cool before topping with whip cream.
6. Brownie Cookies
This recipe from Upstate Ramblings would be even better with a dollop of ice cream on top.
Ingredients:
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and arrange greased jar lids on a baking sheet. Beat the egg whites and vanilla in a mixer until they create stiff peaks, then sprinkle in the cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Fold the mixture until blended, then stir in the chocolate chips.
Spoon into the lids and bake for 15 minutes.
7. Chocolate Raspberry Tarts
If white chocolate isn't your "jam" (see what I did there?), then this milk chocolate version of raspberry tarts from Yvonne at Stonegable will totally hit the spot.
Ingredients:
1 package pie crust
Raspberry jam
3/4 cup heavy cream
9 oz. dark chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Fresh raspberries
Confectioner's sugar
Instructions:
Spray the jar lids with cooking spray and line them on parchment paper over a baking sheet. Line with pie crust so that a little hangs over the edge and prick with a fork, then place in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven per the instructions on your pie crust and place in the oven, baking for just about 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.
While they cool, bring the heavy cream to a simmer and add in the chocolate chips, whisking until completely melted. Stir in the vanilla last.
Add about a teaspoon of the raspberry jam to the bottom of the cooled tart shell, spreading as evenly as possible, then add the chocolate ganache on top. Place a few raspberries on top of that and chill for at least an hour before serving with a dust of confectioner's sugar.
8. Mini Cheesecakes
Linda from It All Started With Paint topped hers with whipped cream and chocolate chips, but the sky is the limit for these little bites.
Cheesecake Ingredients:
3 packages cream cheese
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
Crust Ingredients:
2 Tbsps. sugar
4 Tbsps. soft butter
1 package graham crackers
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 °F. Start with the crust by crumbling the crackers and mixing with the sugar and butter until doughy, then press into the jar lids. Bake for about 5 or 10 minutes.
Combine the cream cheese and sugar in a mixer, then add the eggs one at a time. Pour the mixture into the jar lids and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes.
9. Mini Blueberry And Peach Pies
The flavor of these two fruits blending together will have your party guests begging for the recipe!
Ingredients:
2 medium peaches
1 cup blueberries
2 to 3 Tbsps. granulated sugar
2 tsps. cornstartch
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Salt
2 tsps. lemon juice
1 box pie crust
All purpose flour
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 °F and arrange greased jar lids on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss the peaches, blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt together in a bowl. Pour the lemon juice and stir again.
Roll the pie crusts out on a floured surface and cut out six circles for the bottom crust, about 4 1/4 inch round. Place in the lids and let the sides hang over the edges. Roll out more crust and cut smaller circles for the top.
Fill the lids with the fruit mixture, then top with the second crust and make slices for ventilation. Beat the egg and brush the edges of the crust, then brush butter over the tops and seal the crusts together.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until the crusts are golden brown. Let cool before serving.
Did we miss any other genius ways you can use mason jar lids for yummy dessert recipes? Let us know in the comments and be sure to SHARE with your friends!
