Candy Cane Bath Salts In A Jar
Description
Looking for an easy, inexpensive holiday gift? Pretty layered bath salts make a perfect gift for teens, co-workers or teachers. Sparked with the holiday scent of peppermint, Candy Cane Bath Salts are a seasonal treat.
Makes 12 gift jars at a cost approximately $1.50 per jar.
Includes free printable gift tags!
Ingredients
| 12 | tall jelly (12-ounce) canning jars with lid and rings | |
| 2 | Carton | epsom salts, 4 pound (approximately 16 cups) |
| 4 | Pound | sea salt or kosher salt (approximately 6 cups) |
| 1/2 | Teaspoon | glycerin, divided |
| 12 | Drop | peppermint essential oil |
| 12 | Drop | red food color |
| 2 | pieces cardstock (for tags) |
Instructions
1. Wash, rinse and dry canning jars.
2. Empty one carton Epsom Salts into large mixing bowl or batter bowl. Add 3 cups sea salt, stir well. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon glycerin and 6 to 8 drops essential oil. Mix well.
3. In second large mixing bowl, empty one carton Epsom Salts, and add 3 cups sea salt. Stir well. Add 1/4 teaspoon glycerin, 6 to 8 drops essential oil, and food color. Stir until completely blended. Color should be even.
CEO's tip: use a heavy-duty stand mixer (such as Kitchenaid-brand) to mix bath salts easily. Set mixer to lowest setting and mix until color is even--but don't try this with hand mixers or smaller stand mixers!
4. Holding canning jars at an angle, layer salts in jars, alternating white and colored mixtures.
Notes
Print two copies of the Candy Cane Bath Salts gift tag.
Cut gift tags apart and attach to jars. Tags may be trimmed and placed beneath canning jar rings, tied on with ribbon, or taped to gift jars.
CEO's Tip: decorative canning jar lids add presentation punch for a small price! Try red or green gingham lids for Candy Cane Bath Salts, while Peach lids add a designer touch to Peaches 'n Cream Bath Salts. Find decorative canning jar lids in the canning section of the supermarket.
This recipe makes 12 12-ounce gift jars, plus a bonus of 3 to 4 cups extra bath salts. Package them in small plastic zipper craft bags for easy stocking stuffers!
Makes 12 gift jars.
Summary
| Yield | |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 10 minutes |
| Gifts and Crafts | Gifts in a Jar |
| Holiday Recipes | Gifts In A Jar Recipes |
| Keywords | |
| Seasonal Gifts & Crafts | Christmas Gifts & Crafts |
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Comments
? about red dye
We are adamant about not using any artificial dyes in our home -- they are just too unhealthy. So my question is this: Can we use a homemade dye, say from raspberries, to color the red batch of salts? I'd love to make these for teacher gifts, but I'm not willing to use artificial food coloring, and I am too cheap to buy the $17 natural dye at Whole Foods. Thanks for any input!
recycled jars okay??
I have lots of jelly and old peanut butter jars that I was going to use (labels removed of course). Does it matter that it's not going to be "sealed" like a canning jar? (By the way, I'm not going to use red color...just want it to be all white if that makes a difference)
Shouldn't be a problem to use
Shouldn't be a problem to use recycled containers.
There's nothing to "go bad" in the recipe, so it's not necessary to process bath salts like you would canned tomatoes.
As long as your packaging can resist moisture, you're golden. I've used everything from decorative jars to zipper food storage bags to hold bath salts.
Cynthia
sea salt or dead sea salt
What is the difference between the two or is there no difference. A local store has 2 lb. containers of sea salt in with their spices and seasonings and on line i see there are sites that sell dead sea salt. Just wondering which to use for this bath salt recipe, they are both fine grind. Thanks for any help you can give me i want to make this for christmas gifts....
SEA SALT VS DEAD SEA SALT
Sea salt is coarse and not as finely ground as table salt. While Dead Sea salt comes from the Dead Sea, not all sea salt comes from there. Chemically, each source has minute variances in chemical structure, but there is no appreciable difference in this application. People have enjoyed the therapeutic aspects of bathing in the Dead Sea for hundreds of years, but technically, sea salt is sea salt. What matters is the texture and amount of refining a salt will have gone through.
I'm not really sure of the
I'm not really sure of the difference, other than I always see dead sea salt at the pharmacies and not just sea salt. I purchased over 2 lbs. of it on amazon for $10. I've attached the link in case you're interested:
http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Sea-Spa-Magik-Salts/dp/B000KU930S/ref=pd_ecc_...
sea salt
Do you use fine grind sea salt?
Food coloring question
Does the red food coloring in the salts stain the bathtub though? Just want to check before giving this as gifts lol.
Doesn't stain!
I had some kids make bath salts at Sunday school, and I was so worried because I told them one or two drops of food coloring and they added more like 10 or 12! I was happy to learn it did not stain the tub or the person soaking in it. :)
I just made these and tried
I just made these and tried them out and it didn't stain the tub. But after a week, the red turned orange in the jar.
gel food coloring
I have been making these as gifts for the last few years and have discovered that using gel food coloring works really well. You just have to make sure that you mix all of the products very well and seal the jars nice and tight. Hope this helps!
Bath salts turning orange
I too have had the problem of the bath salts turning orange... only mine turned orange right away. I actually added more red colour but the orange colour did not change.
Can someone give me a tip for ensuring the red colour remains a redish (ir at least pink) colour?
Bath salts turning orange with red food colour
I am going to try with red powdered food colour (it is more expensive... but if the colour turns out well... it will be worth it).
Were you able to keep the red color?
How did the powdered food coloring work out? Is it located in the baking area of the store?
Nikki
I tried a second batch
I tried a second batch because I was determined to make these somehow. I did add more red and after a few weeks, it's still red. You do have to use a lot of red.
I made these years ago. You
I made these years ago. You must put enough food coloring in it to keep it red and you must close the jar well. Ours did not turn orange.
red coloring stain
I would go ahead and make the bath salt gift without the red food coloring.
no red?
If you don't use the red coloring, then it wouldn't be layered red and white like a candy cane.....
Funnel Cake
They should post the funnel cake in a jar recipe. I made it for my mom last year and she told me she had a great time making.......and eating it. If you are interested I could tell you the recipe!
FC in a jar
Hi! I would really like to have this recipe on hand. If you dont mind giving up the secret please email me if you have a chance lil_miss_scorpio@hotmail.com
Funnel
I would love this recipe if you dont mind providing it! Always loking for new goodies to give to family! Thanks!
RECIPE PLEASE!
I would love the funnel cake recipe!!! THANK YOU!
Funnel Cake recipe
Please send me the recipe I would love to have it. debob1@bellsouth.net
Thanks Debbie
Funnel Cake recipe
I too would like this recipe. gbakg@mchsi.com Thanks Beverley
Funnel Cake!!
Sure! Please let me know the recipe! Thanks!
Dead Sea Salt
Where can I purchase the dead sea salt? I have found plenty of companies on the internet, but what type of stores (in the Jacksonville, FL area)would carry this, as I need to get it very quickly.
Dead sea salt
I got mine on eBay.
Jars
Does anyone know a good place to buy a lot of these type of jars for a low price?
Hobby Lobby
I just got them for 75cents a piece.
Jars
Wal-Mart sells the jars in boxes of 12.
jars
I have used baby food jars. When I ran out of those, I just used the small plastic gift bags you can buy (at a dollar store, walmart, etc)- but the bags won't keep the layered salt look.
where to get jars
I've seen them at thrift stores for .25 cent per jar!
jars
good will or thrift stores and there's Walmart $12 for a dozen with lids and seals.
Kingsoopers
I got mine at Kingsoopers over by the sprinkles and cookie decorating supplies. Mine was next to the baking soda. You can get a pack of 12 or16, but I forget. They work great!
i boungt some at the local
i boungt some at the local thrift store, for between $.50 and $1.50
of course...
walmart has 12 for between $6-$9 depending on the size you want:)
Jars
I found mine at Ace Hardware.
essential oils
I am new to this. Where can I find the essential oils? These bath salts would make great gifts for my sisters and friends!
Where to find Essential Oils
Start at the local craft store, such as JoAnns or Michaels. Essential oils for bath salts are usually found in with the melt-and-pour soap supplies; you can also find safe colorants for bath products there.
Online, this is a good page to start looking for peppermint essential oil, from Amazon.com:
Peppermint Essential Oil at Amazon.com
Essential Oils
Can massage oils be used in place of essential oils?
Essential Oils
Massage oils are usually fatty(greasy) oils, not the same as essential oils. Essential oils are the aromatic essence of the plant and will be what gives your bath salts the wonderful aroma. Know your source when buying essential oils. If it is stated on the bottle not to be used internally, especially on oils like peppermint, lemon, or any other oil that as a food you shold be able to eat, you have to wonder what has been done to the oil to make it unsafe to take internally. I try to follow the rule that I won't put anything on my skin that I can't put in my mouth.
finding essential oils
the widest array you can find will most likely be at a natural food/health food store. usually they will have different brands/sizes/scents to suit what you are looking for. also, you can use fragance oils for recipes like this. they are easier to find and less expensive. glycerin can also be found at natural food stores for fairly inexpensive.
glycerin
Can you substitute mineral oil for the glycerin?
essential oil
The first year I made these- I had to search for the essential oil. I found it at a natural food store, but it was expensive for a tiny bottle. You use so little, it has lasted me more than 5 years!
I bought both the oil and
I bought both the oil and glycerin on ebay. Less than $5 each even with shipping.
Thanks so much! We have both
Thanks so much! We have both of those stores close by and I will definetely check it out! Thanks again!
mixing
I dont have access to a large mixer--has anyone mixed this together without a mixer?
Mixing by Hand
I've made many a batch of these salts by hand, but it does take a bit of elbow grease.
What I love is mixing up bath salts with the kids at the Vista Youth Center, where I'm a volunteer. Their young, strong arms stir up a storm!
It just takes awhile to meld the colors properly; if you do it by hand, have some helpers standing by!
it doesn't say that you have
it doesn't say that you have to use a mixer, just that it would work best to mix all the salts together with one...
Glycerin
Am I supposed to melt the glycerin for this recipe? Thanks in advance! Can't wait to make these for Christmas gifts.