The Perfect Gift: RAW Cookie in a Mini-Box

Necessities to make a Mini-Box

• Printer

• Card Stock (110 lb. white or color works best)

• Cutting Surface (i.e. IKEA thin plastic cutting board)

• X-Acto Knife

• Ruler

• Letter Opener / Boning Tool

• Colored Pencils / Pens

• Rubber Cement - Glue

• Tissue

• Ribbon

Download the PDF (below) and print it on your preferred type of paper.

I tried printing the mini-box patter on a couple of different types of paper but I found that 110 lb. card stock works best. I used 110 lb., 8 1/2" x 11" White Card Stock paper from Staples. I colored the box by hand (which was why I used white card stock) but if you want a solid colored box, you could just print the pattern on a solid colored card stock.

Using an X-Acto knife, ruler, and cutting board, cut out the mini-box pattern that you printed out in the previous step.

Using a ruler and a boning tool or letter opener, fold along the dotted lines.

Using whatever decorative medium you like (pencils, pens, paint, stickers, chalk, pastels, etc.), decorate your Mini-Box.

Fold the sides of the box up and wrap the bottoms around each other - PURPLE over and then under RED.

Once the RED and PURPLE bottoms are in place, wrap the 'secure bottom piece' around and tuck it into the bottom (the WHITE piece under the RED flap).

After you have secured the bottom, glue the front of the box together at the opening.

Place tissue in the bottom of your *almost* finished box. Using a needle or the tip of your X-Acto Knife, make two small holes under the lid of your box - at the hole marks. Thread a small ribbon through the holes and tie a bow on the lid of your box. If you want to use a larger ribbon, make larger holes.

Add a "To," "From," and/or personal message to the sides of the box. 

Your Mini-Box is ready to be filled with the RAW cookies you've made and given to your lucky recipient!

Although we didn't use this book directly, it's a great source for box making inspiration. ::LINK:: on Amazon.

 You will need:

A Blender.

A measuring spoon.

A measuring cup.

2 tblsp sunflower seeds.

1 cup pitted Medjool dates.

3/4 cup walnuts.

1 cup mixed dried berries and nuts (i used cranberries, raisins, cashews and almonds).

1 tsp cinnamon.

Pinch sea salt (to taste).

Measure out ingredients and put them in individual bowls,  this makes it way easier to concentrate on whats going on in the blender in the next stages!

Put the Walnuts, mixed nuts and berries, cinnamon and salt in the blender. 
Pulse into nice chunks. 
Be careful to not over blend, or the nuts with start to form a butter.

Add the sunflower seeds and dates to the mix!
The dates will make the dough sticky, and difficult to blend. 
Regularly stop the blender, and dislodge the mixture in the base with a spatula.

When you think all the ingredients have formed a sticky dough, remove the from the blender and place on a flat surface.

Use a table spoon to scoop the dough into balls and then use the palm of your hand to press the balls into cookie shaped portions! 

These will keep for about a week in the fridge, but for well over a month in the freezer!
Put them in a tupperwere until you're ready to put them in your beautifully hand crafted gift box!