Baking With Kids: Cookies Galore

Kids tend to love sweet treats, so it’s not a surprise that they also enjoy spending time in the kitchen cooking and baking. Working as a team, adults and kids can spend time together doing meal preparation and other cooking and baking tasks. Cooking and baking can also be a great opportunity to brush up on math skills, and many science concepts will also come into play. Get out the cookbook and whip up some sweet treats like recipes for chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and snickerdoodles.

Kitchen Safety for Kids

Safety in the kitchen needs to be a top priority. Young children should never be left unsupervised in the kitchen, especially when hot dishes like meatloaf. Teach children never to use the stove or other appliances without having an adult nearby to help. As you cook together, teach kitchen skills to kids. Even very young children can use a butter knife to cut up soft fruits and vegetables.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Nearly every chef has a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, and there are many differing opinions about what makes the perfect cookie. Some people like them crispy, while others like them chewy. Almost everyone will agree that the best chocolate chip cookies are the biggest ones! Get out your ice cream scoop or a cookie scoop to make sure that your cookies are all the same size and bake evenly.

Chocolate Brownies

Brownies are one of those desserts that are so easy to make that you could even whip them up on a busy weekday. It’s hard to go wrong with the sweet fudginess of cocoa and sugar. Brownies can also be amped up a few notches if you add extra ingredients. Try adding chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and walnuts to your next batch of brownies.

Butter Cookies

Butter cookies are a versatile type of cookie that you can eat plain or deck out with additional ingredients. You can roll out butter cookies and cut them into shapes, then frost them after they bake and cool. These might be one of the most enjoyable types of cookies for kids to make because they tend to love the rolling and cutting process as well as the decorating process. You can also make butter cookie dough and make it into jam thumbprints or crescents.

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are an old-fashioned treat that continues to be popular with people of all ages. These cookies start with a basic butter cookie dough, but then you form the dough into one-inch balls and roll them in cinnamon and sugar before baking them. You can also make snickerdoodle bars for a similar taste in bar form.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut butter cookies are another popular option that most people enjoy. You can even make these cookies with natural peanut butter for a healthier option. After filling a cookie sheet with balls of cookie dough, show kids how to use a fork to make crisscross indentations in each ball. Some people like to add a chocolate kiss to the balls after baking them.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

The combination of oatmeal, raisins, and spices makes oatmeal raisin cookies a solid choice. These cookies are packed with healthy ingredients, making them a dessert option that comes with less guilt. You can also experiment with some substitutions for different flavor profiles. Try using a different type of dried fruit instead of raisins, such as dried cranberries, apricots, or figs. Some people like to add chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts to these cookies, too.

Spice Cookies

Spice cookies have a delightful flavor that makes them a special treat in the autumn and winter. These cookies often have molasses, which gives them an added depth. The spices usually include cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Some chefs like to roll spice cookies in sugar before baking them.

Baking Fun

Baking and cooking in the kitchen can be a family activity. Even the youngest children will enjoy wearing aprons, measuring dry ingredients, and stirring up batter or dough in a big bowl. When you think of baking, you may automatically assume that what you make will be full of sugar and fat, but there are many ways to tweak recipes to make them healthier. Making fruity desserts that are naturally sweetened with fruit instead of processed sugars is one option. You can also reduce the fat content in many baked goods by replacing some of the butter or oil with applesauce. Gradually, as kids eat healthier, homemade treats, they may lose their taste for cookies and cakes with lots of sugar. Consider making a cookbook with recipes you have tried and enjoyed as a family so you can make them again.

This page was last updated by Megan Miller