Instructions: In canning jar, layer oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, pecans and chocolate chips, pressing each layer firmly in place before adding the next ingredient. Use your hand to level, to smooth and to tightly pack each layer.

In a small bowl, blend together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour mixture to jar a little at a time; press mixture in tightly after each addition. It will be a tight fit. Use the jar lid to push the last flour down into jar.

Decorate lid with fabric or ribbon. Attach cookie mix recipe to the jar.

Yield: 1 gift. See recipe for Cowboy Cookies.

Comments: A new booklet, "Cookies in a Jar," shares ideas for making 26 cookie and brownie mixes, each mix designed to fit snugly inside a wide-mouthed quart jar. The recipient of the gift need add only butter, egg and vanilla to have a bowlful of cookie dough ready for the oven.

The gift idea has made its way into catalogs, but the do-it-yourselfer can save money. One holiday catalog is selling a quart jar of cookie mix and a pretty, appliqued potholder as a set for $29, not counting postage and handling.

Using a $3 potholder from a discount store, we were able to re-create that gift idea for less than $7. The cowboy cookie mix recipe is one of those featured in the book. Its layers of sugar, pecans, chocolate chips and flour make an attractive package. One evening of assembly-line jar-packing might easily resolve a dozen gift-giving dilemmas.

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