Are you looking for Christmas desserts in a jar? Desserts in a jar have been extremely popular lately. I have no idea when this trend started, but the internet flooded with ideas. Some of the ideas or recipes are easy to do, even if you are not a baker. with Mason jar found in almost every shelf of grocery and department stores, there is no reason not to try the desserts in a jar idea online.

Desserts in a jar are easy to do and with the abundant of mason jars, you won’t have any problem finding one. The only thing you need to worry about is the recipe. Like I said, the internet offers tons of suggestion, which can overwhelm you. So, I have research and compiled some of the must-try desserts in a jar to try. But before you start buying all the ingredients you need, including the mason jar. Let’s first talk about the iconic jar. I don’t know about you, but for me, it is always nice to know a thing or two about mason jars.

What is the Origin of Mason Jar?

If my research is correct, John Landis Mason created the Mason jars. In 1858, this 26-year-old tinsmith from Philadelphia created and patented the jars. He designed the jars, which he also named “Mason” to provide people with a glass container that shows the content and keep out bacteria. In the old days, it is a big challenge to keep food from spoiling. There is no refrigerator to keep food fresh. So, spoiling is a major problem. Early efforts were made to come up with a solution like dark jars with messy wax seals, which wasn’t effective. The method of sealing dark jars was too complex for widespread home use. Mason’s design featured important innovations to the dark jars. Instead of the messy seals, he created a one-piece screw on cap made of Zinc. The screw cap can prevent bacteria and bugs from penetrating the bottle. It is airtight, which have kept whatever bacteria out as the liquid cooled.
Best of all, the jars molded as clear glass, which allows people to see the inside of their jars.

In 1879, Mason’s patent expired, which left his design open to innovation. Big change occurred as the two-piece lid, which is still used today was created. The man behind the new designed was Alexander Kerr. With the help of the Ball Brothers, Mason’s jar with Kerr’s design has been mass produced. Millions of Americans who live in states with shorter growing seasons snapped up the jars. They used them for canning, jamming, and pickling. In other words, people used them a lot. When refrigeration took over the nation, the popularity of jars went down the hill.

The age of refrigeration has made canning less in demand. Fresh fruits and vegetables were now available throughout the year. Plus! Canned goods flooded the market that there is no use for Mason jars other than for decoration. Mason jar almost became just part of the history in the ‘50s. Thanks to the food revolution that steered people away from processed foods in the ‘60s and ‘70s, the jars were again in demand. From thereon, mason jars were used for almost everything. The jars became even more durable that you can use them for baking. They are also reusable and dishwasher friendly. You can even use them to hold cold or hot liquids, and they do not retain odor. Restaurants use them to make drinks and foods even more presentable. Mason jars have endless uses, and a quick search on the internet shows you the reasons.

Tips to Use Mason Jars
The first thing you need to do is clean the jars. Simply follow the washing instructions found on the box.
Use brand new seals and lids if re-using mason jars.
Do not forget to grease the jars if you will use them for baking. Preheat the oven according to the temperature required in your bread or cake recipe.
Baking in Mason jar is different from the usual baking pans. So, you should set the time for 15 minutes less that the time indicated in the recipe. Anyway, you can always bake longer if the cake is not yet done.
The good thing about Mason jars is that they seal themselves, but the jars must still be hot. The lids should be room temperature and not screwed on tightly. Once the heat from the jars created a vacuum, the jars will be airtight.