Cookies in a Can

by Floriane

14K9427

Intro: Cookies in a Can

This DIY will show you how a simple can can be a funny way to make a gift !  And besides being a funny gift it’s easy, economical and eco-friendly ! What more could anyone ask for ?

STEP 1:

Firstly pick a can, the size of your choice.
Here I chose a rather big model, but nothing prevents us from imagining to choose a smaller one to put delicious chocolate truffles in, or then a huge one and hide in it a beautiful hand-made scarf !
So, let’s start our work ! Put your can upside down, the pull tab downward.

STEP 2:

We are going to open the bottom of the can. Try to cut it most cleanly as possible, it will facilitate the work for the next part (nice can opener rather than an olf fashion one, it's very more practical for it!).
Once the bottom has been removed, empty the box (mmh, a delicious peaches cake!), remove the label and clean the box, as cleany as possible.

STEP 3:

Now that the box is clean and dry, you just have to bake some delicious cookies. I personally chose to make some cute gingerbreads men, because, yeap, it’s Christmas time ! but simple chocolate cookies will delight the gourmands of all ages !

STEP 4:

When your biscuits are well cooled (otherwise they would risk to soften in the box), place them face down in your box. So when the box will be right side up, cookies will be too.
You can also place a piece of tissue paper on the top of your cookies, be careful it’s a fragile paper. Take care of sliding corners of your paper of every side of cookies and so, insuring an attractive appearance for the opening.

STEP 5:

It’s time to close our box. Choose a strong glue and apply it all over the circumference of lid. Then with a magnet (it is more practical and it avoids cutting yourself) replace the lid on the can. It will maybe be necessary to straighten the edges of the box with pliers to have a perfect finish.
Put a weight to help it to stick and let dry the glue the time indicated on the tube.

STEP 6:

Once the bottom has set, turn the box and tie an attractive ribbon according to the occasion. You can also add a cute label on which you will register the first name of the lucky addressee of your present!

STEP 7:

You can now offer your box and let your friend the happiness to discover the attractive present that you will have slid inside this mystery box (remember, this box can contain every kind of thing, not only cookies!)
Well, you’ve got a very good present to be offered to your hostess for Christmas and new Year holidays, or to be slid in a home-made gift basket!

28 Comments

AmyLuthien 12 years ago

My sister has one of those OXO Smooth Edge can openers that would be perfect for this. That can opener cuts the lid off in such a way that you can just press the top back on the can to use it as a lid. It's a pretty snug fit too.

asidfree 12 years ago

Love it! We decided we were going to be making all our gifts this time of year, and this seems like it would be a really fun Christmas gift. Especially with some printed designer labels!



For the food safety concerned:

  1. I'm not sure how possible it is to re-seal a can for long term storage after you've opened it. I definitely think the intent was to have fun gift wrap for cookies. (And fun it is!)
  2. You can get food safe epoxy. The FDA rates Tightbond III as safe for indirect food contact. People use it for gluing cutting boards.
  3. If you're concerned about the safety of tissue paper, you could purchase some decorative napkins. You might be hard pressed to find safety specs for napkins, but I doubt they would sell non-food safe napkins.

ed.alexander 12 years ago

For all the glue controversy (I don't think the intent is to seal this for long term storage..)
- Perhaps magnets could be used to hold it closed.
- Or some cans (like coffee cans) have a plastic lid for resealing, use that for the bottom (then you use the traditional can opener)
- Or keep this method and place the food in a ziploc bag inside, and add teh tissue paper for presentation.

compgeek86 12 years ago

what about baking a pineapple upside down cake in the can with the bottom off, then it's serving side up when opened

mgallant 12 years ago

I think that glue has the potential to be an unsafe way of resealing containers for food. Otherwise, great ideas!

bylorena 12 years ago

Beautiful and great idea, thanks for sharing! I was thinking to include a personalized messages inside the cans.... It looks I need to get a better can cutter, mine is Spanish style, it's manual....

zagmek 12 years ago

OMG!!! this is perfect "gift wrap" for my family's annual grab bag gift exchange!!! don't know what i'll put in it yet, but it's gonna be fun!

sunshiine 12 years ago

Very clever! I go to a Christmas party every year and we are asked to bring a gag gift. This is perfect. Thanks for sharing.
sunshiine

Flyinseamnky 12 years ago

Ditto, I would have to leave the original label on the can to mess with this even more though. Although the idea of a mystery can on the clearance rack is pretty good too. Is it peaches, or dog food? Maybe put a couple of dents in the side of the can too. LOL

jimdkc 12 years ago

Nice Instructable! You could also make can labels out of holiday wrapping paper or by printing your own designs with your computer!

maltesergr8 12 years ago

Great idea!! Thanks for sharing ;)

tedgar 12 years ago

have you tried this .. and had them sit for a few days.. does the tolulene evaporating from the glue end up as a flavor in the cookies???

chabias 12 years ago

Great idea! Thanks for sharing.

TexSon 12 years ago

Cool idea, and opening the bottom is great way to keep the top lid, especially a pull tab type, intact.

janbeee2 12 years ago

CODIY, that's the kind of can opener used. I don't think a regular can opener *would* work.

Batsu 12 years ago

A question: is superglue a safe option here? I understand putting a layer of tissue paper over them, but not all tissue paper is food safe/colour fast. I would recommend opening the can from the bottom, placing cookies in that way and keeping the top intact, so potential hazards are minimised.

natetetete 12 years ago

Great idea and very nice instructable! I love the way you write too, reminds me of Russian user manuals translated to English. Not in a bad way, please don't take that the wrong way... :)
More Comments