Ann Reardon

Five easy DIY gifts that will amaze you

diy m&m dispenser howtocookthat

These five easy DIY gifts will amaze you.  In less than 30 minutes you could whip up a bunch of candy cane hearts, pretzel sticks or an eye-catching chocolate puzzle.  With a little more time you could make some beautiful chocolate bark or an m&m dispenser that kids of all ages will love.

Our Christmas tree went up this week. The lights are twinkling and the advent calendar is on the wall counting down the days.  Our littlest one can’t remember last Christmas but egged on by his brothers he’s already very excited.  Yesterday he asked ‘Will I get a present?’  Little ones are so easy to shop for at this time of year – the toy aisle is a playground of delights.   The bigger boys are getting harder to shop for but we’ve got some good ideas … shhh I can’t tell you right now, they might be reading.

If you’re stumped on what to get someone special then why not make a gift ?  Here’s five ideas for you to try.

 

chocolate bark diy gifts reardon

 

Chocolate Barkchocolate pretzel sticks how to

 

Chocolate pretzel Stickscandy cane hearts reardon

 

Candy Cane Hearts
chocolate puzzle howtocookthat

 

Chocolate Puzzlediy gifts howtocookthat

by Ann Reardon How To Cook That

 

My Cookbook

ann reardon crazy sweet creations cookbook
Stores that sell my book listed by country: http://bit.ly/ARcookbook
All recipe quantities in the book are in grams, ounces and cups.

62 Comments View Comments

  1. Rating: 5

    Hi,
    My daughter is a huge fan of your youtube videos. She saw your 5 DIY gifts video and wanted to make the m&m dispenser. We wanted to share her finished project.
    Thank you for all your great videos!

  2. Do you have written down how to make the candy dispenser? I love your show it’s very professional.

  3. hi!
    I really wanna build the m&m dispenser but I don’t know where I can buy woods sticks like in the video…¨
    Please help me!
    Thank you <3

    • Hi Elodie, Ann got hers from a hardware store.

  4. Hi my name is Malia
    can I please have the written recipe for the chocolate bark

  5. Hello Mrs Reardon,

    I absolutely adore your videos! I’m working on a project for my tech class in which I have to create an M&M dispenser that dispenses exactly 5 M&Ms at a time. How many does the M&M dispenser you made dispense at a time? I was hoping to recreate it 🙂
    Thank you for the help!

    • Hi Bella, that it is an interesting challenge! Ann’s dispenser would dispense 3 or 4 m&m’s at a time, but you can adjust the number it will dispense by changing the size of the slot. You would need to experiment to get the number you want.

  6. Hi I love your videos especially the M&M dispenser one, I wanted to make it but I was wondering where you would get that wood from to make it? Thanks.

    • Hi Chloe, Ann got her timber from a hardware store.

  7. hi Ann,
    I love your videos so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so so MUCH and just got a few questions for you. Just letting you know that i am also from sydney australia

    1. for your chocolate bark would it effect the chocolate if i put in freshly diced strawberries

    2. what was the price of your kitchen aid and were did you bye it from

    3. could you make a video for gelatine bubble how to

    • Hi Melanie, If you mix fresh strawberries into your choclate bark, then it would need to be consummed straight aaway. Strawberries won’t keep for long once cut and the acid in them will impact the choclolate.

  8. Ann, I love these gifts! How do you re-fill the jar if there’s no more m&ms? My favourite one was the chocolate bark, because you can be creative with the toppings!

    • turn it upside down unscrew the lid and then refill it 🙂

  9. Hi Ann
    For the chocolate puzzle do you have to have puzzle mould or can you use a different mould for it because I have a heart and a flower mould can I use them to make the chocolate puzzle or not?

  10. hi Mrs Reardon I am probably the youngest big fan ever I would like to ask you a favour can you make a giant crunchie bar and give it to a charity I bet they would be very happy, I would really like you to use my suggestion on your show I will be very happy. thank for creating the how to cook that website

    • Thanks Mercy for the great suggestion.

    • Hi Mrs Reardon. Actually I thought I was your youngest fan but seems I am not alone. I am requesting you try out a cake in which you have drawn yourself and maybe the ‘how to cook that’ logo. I would be overwhelmed with joy if you make it. I really like your cooking and baking better than the others.

  11. I think you should make some ice skates or figure skates

  12. Hey I love all how to cook that but how can you make a minion cake from dicbecalme 2 with GRU please make that the

  13. im lovin it xx

  14. i love your cakes i might be the biggest fan ever.

    • Hi Libby, Thanks for the feedback.

  15. where are the recipes for this???

  16. Hey Ann, I love your vids so much…you’re so creative and I am expecting a lot more delicious desserts from you…I would just like to ask a few questions…where do you buy most of your ingredients from? I am from Australia as well, and it would be nice if you make some more cake decorating vids…one thing I really like about you is that you never give up…thanks for all

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