When it comes to glass cookie jars you can find them anywhere: Amazon, kitchen stores, and even on people’s pantry shelves that they post on Instagram. Glass cookie jars come in all shapes and sizes. Their prices can range from under ten dollars to over forty dollars. Even though they might look similar in pictures, they do not work the same way.
If you want to buy a glass cookie jar and keep your cookies fresh, there are a few things you should know before you make a purchase.
The Seal Is Everything
The seal on a glass cookie jar is really important. Glass is great for storing food because it does not absorb smells, it is see-through, and it does not take on flavors from the food that was in it before. If the lid on the glass cookie jar does not seal properly, it does not matter how great the glass is.
There are a few kinds of lids that come with glass cookie jars. Some have a glass lid that just sits on top of the jar, like the Anchor Hocking style. This kind of lid does not actually seal the jar so air can still get in and out. If you store cookies in a jar like this, they will stay fresh for two to three days before they start to get stale.
If the lid has a silicone O-ring, that is a different story. When you twist the lid closed, the ring squishes up against the rim of the jar and creates a tight seal. This is the kind of mechanism that is used in mason jars and other high-end food storage containers. If you store cookies in a glass cookie jar with a lid like this, they will stay fresh for four to five days if they are chewy and up to two weeks if they are crispy.
Before you buy, make sure to check if the listing says it has a silicone seal, an O-ring, or an airtight lid. If it does not say anything about that, you should assume that the lid is for show and does not actually work.
Wide Mouth vs Narrow Mouth
The size of the opening on a glass cookie jar is also important. A jar with a wide mouth, like a 3-inch opening, is really convenient because you can just reach in and grab a cookie without disturbing the others. If the opening is narrow, like 2 inches, you will have to tip the jar over or use tongs to get a cookie out. For daily use, a wide-mouth glass cookie jar is much more practical.
Wide-mouth glass cookie jars are also easier to clean. You can just use a regular kitchen sponge and it will fit right in. If the mouth is narrow you will need to use a bottle brush or be very patient.
Big glass cookie jars, like the 1-gallon kind, have wide mouths. Smaller decorative jars can vary. So before you buy, make sure to check the size of the opening, not just how much the jar can hold.
Capacity and What It Actually Holds
The size of the glass cookie jar is important too. A 1-gallon jar might sound big, but it can only hold about 25 to 30 medium-sized cookies. If you bake a lot of cookies at once, a 1-gallon glass cookie jar might be perfect. If you only bake a few cookies at a time, a smaller jar might be better.
What to Actually Buy
If you want to store cookies in a glass cookie jar, you should get one that has a silicone-sealed lid, a wide mouth, and is the right size for how you bake. The way the jar looks is not as important as how it works.
[…] carefully. Keep types separate: one jar for chewy, one for crispy. If you regularly bake both, two medium jars serve you better than one large […]