With the holidays quickly approaching, now is the perfect time to dig out the baking dishes and have fun baking with kids! With the days getting shorter, and us spending more time indoors these days, why not begin testing out some easy kids baking recipes, so they will be experts come Christmas time. And seeing their faces light up with sparks of excitement from experiencing the transformation from a few basic ingredients to a tasty treat is rewarding both for the kids and parents. Plus, this activity will make for some fun photo opportunities even if the photos are messy from batter splattered on aprons to fingers covered in dough and everywhere in between. You honestly weren’t planning on sharing these treats anyways!? But before we start creaming the butter, let’s uncover some of the tactile lessons baking offers, then we will begin exploring our 5 favorite easy kids baking recipes.
Baking Lessons For Kids. How Does Baking Help In Child Development?
Before we start buying the ingredients, let’s uncover the importance of exposing kids to baking at a young age and why this is not only a fun activity, but can be a great learning opportunity through:
- Baking with kids showcases the power of science and reactions. This is especially true when making cakes or loaves which requires hints of baking soda and/or baking powder
- This activity allows kids to exercise their creativity muscle whether it’s playing with colors when stirring up the icing or decorating a funky pattern to finish the cake
- Easy kids baking recipes practices execution by reading a recipe, gathering the ingredients, measuring, and then following through with the correct course of action
Lastly, baking allows children to hone in on real world skills such as developing their ownership and independence. Parents are there to support and provide guidance, but they can swoop in if there are any mishaps along the way. Kids can realize the magic of taking an array of pantry items and evolving it to something completely different. While it’s great to have mom serve up after school treats, it’s more rewarding knowing they put in the effort to enjoy this treat themselves.
5 Easy Kids Baking Recipes
Cake Pops
Sure, you can load up the SUV with the kids and head to your local Starbucks for a cake pop treat, but even better is making an activity out of it. Take a quiet Saturday morning for experimenting and learning colour theory as you fumble through together creating the vibrant purple icing you crave or finding the perfect Tigger inspired orange hue. Plus, kids can stretch their creativity muscles by testing out an array of topping options. And their smiles stretching from ear to ear will be contagious as they stand proud having created their first ever cake pop! And don’t be surprised if your kid is boasting how their version of the cake pop tastes better than the store-bought counterpart. Find the kid-approved recipe here.
We recommend the following toppings for a fun finish:
- sprinkles
- nuts
- melted chocolate
- icing sugar
- crumbled cookies
- spices
- chopped candies
Plus, these bite- sized cakes are perfect for portion control. This will ensure the kids aren’t buzzing hours later with a sugar overload when its time for them to start winding down and you are craving curling up to a book after a busy morning baking. Each serve has approximately 16 grams of sugar and 166 calories.
Rice Krispies Treats
Not only do these make for an easy kid dessert recipe, but Rice Krispies treats are a crowd pleaser being light with a crunchy texture and perfectly gooey. What is not to like? Chances are this is a familiar favorite and making them may even conjure up moments of nostalgia. So why not pass along the joy of these delights to your kids through showing them exactly how they are made? The fun factor delivers here while children watch how a large packet of fluffy marshmallows transforms into a gooey white liquid.
But do keep in mind this baking recipe requires more monitoring as the prep is done by hoovering over a hot stove stirring. Plus, you will likely need to assist with slicing up and serving.
However, this recipe provides a foray into baking for kids as the ingredients are simple and once the marshmallows are melting along side the butter, it is only a matter of pouring in the Rice Krispies, stirring, and moving into a square pan to cool. This beloved recipe will be a winner for kids of any age. While we recommend starting with the original recipe, there are plenty of iterations of this recipe from adding in sprinkles, chocolate chips, or swapping for another cereal base.
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
If healthy baking with kids is of importance to you, we recommend taking on this tweak to the classic banana bread. With a sprinkling of chocolate chips, kids will find this recipe not only more fun – P.S. they will 100% want to be the ones pouring in the chocolate chips, but they likely will be more inclined to try afterwards.
Taking on this recipe will teach kids to be more resourceful by showcasing to them how bananas ready to be thrown out can be brought back to life through another medium- moist loaf to be enjoyed by the whole family.
This chocolate chip banana bread recipe is super easy with only 7 steps and this includes enjoying it! Watch your children’s eyes light up when you give them the task of mashing up the bananas. A good swap for this recipe if your child isn’t a banana fan is chocolate zucchini bread.
Home Made Fruit Roll-Ups
Home made fruit roll-ups are another alternative if you are seeking a healthy baking solution to partake with the kids. Not only is this recipe nutritious, but it is super easy and fun with only two ingredients: strawberries and honey. Plus, parents rejoice as this baking activity will cover you for recess snacks for the next week!
A swap for this two-step recipe is honey for applesauce and the measurements can be found here. The fun part here is rolling up the fruit leather into portable rolls perfect for enjoying now or later. Do keep in mind the long 4- hour cooking time, so this baking solution is best suited for a lazy Sunday afternoon when you aren’t pressured for time.
Banana Cream Pie
Seeking an easy kid dessert recipe with no baking required and is easy enough to retain the attention of kids? We bring you the banana cream pie. And since the goal is to make your life easier, we aren’t here to judge nor require you to make every ingredient from scratch. Instead, grab a big box of JELL-O Banana Cream Instant Pudding Mix and a tub of Cool Whip. While we save you patience in reducing the steps required, this recipe is a great patient tester for kids as this dessert needs to sit for approximately 2 hours upon completion.
Whether it requires careful measurement or more dexterity to assemble, baking with kids makes the perfect half-day activity to keep the kids entertained this winter. Not only will this activity teach them applicable lessons, but it will ensure the continuation of their development. We can’t wait to see what you create together, so please share with us on our Facebook Page your favorite baking creations. We even welcome the messy photo moments!
