Baking is one of mine and Caterpillar’s favourite activities, and has been since he was very tiny. Yes, it’s messy but I love cooking and baking so much myself that I’m willing to trade a little mess for passing on the kitchen baton to my boy.
I let Caterpillar help me out with most things in the kitchen, especially now he’s a little older, but there are obviously some recipes which are more child-friendly than others. Today I want to share just five of our tasty and simple favourites.
Nutella & Peanut Butter Cupcakes
I’ve yet to meet a child (or adult!) who doesn’t adore the chocolate & peanut butter flavour combo. My son would eat Nutella or peanut butter on toast every day if I let him.
We’ve been making cupcakes together since he was very tiny but lately I’ve involved him in slightly more complicated versions – with fillings and piped icing. These indulgent treats are so fun to both make & eat, and look so much fancier than they are! Click here for recipe.
Any bake where rolling of dough is required is a big hit with Caterpillar. Not only are shortbread biscuits delicious but they are so versatile too. I first made this version as a Valentine’s treat but they can equally be modified for Christmas, Easter birthdays and any other occasion you can think of. All you need is some cookie cutters and your imagination.
And why not experiment with fillings and coatings too – glacier cherries or chocolate chips are big favourites of ours. Click here for recipe.
Pesto & Pepperoni Pizza Tarts
Not all baking with kids has to be sweet. We make these really easy pizza tarts for a quick, child-friendly lunch or dinner and you can change the recipe to add all your favourite toppings if you wish.
What You Need
- Shop-bought puff pastry
- Cheddar Cheese
- Pepperoni
- Pesto
- Frozen Sweetcorn
- Frozen Peppers
What You Do
- Cut the desired amount from your ready-rolled pastry and put on a lightly oiled baking tray
- Score a line all the way around, approx. two centimetres from the edge
- Spread pesto all over the base, keeping within the scored line
- Cover with your favourite toppings and top with plenty of cheese
- Bake at Gas Mark 6 for 20 minutes or until the pastry is slightly risen and golden brown
Technically you don’t have to “bake” anything for this recipe – which makes it especially ideal for younger children. You can add whatever yummy ingredients you like and leave out everything you don’t, plus they are a great handmade treat for teachers or family members that your kids can say they 100% made themselves. Click here for the recipe.
Cheese Straws
These are a big tradition in our family, especially at Christmas. My nan always make them when we were kids, then my mum taught me and now I’ve taught Caterpillar. A couple of years ago we even had a blind taste test cheese straw off between me, my mum and sister in law to see who’s were best – so you can see we take our pastry quite seriously! This is a really old, simple recipe that makes cracking straws every time:
What You Need
- 175g plain flour
- Half tsp mustard powder (optional)
- Half tsp salt
- 75g butter
- 100g mature cheddar cheese, finely grated
- Cold water to mix
- 1 beaten egg for glaze
What You Do
- Sift the flour, mustard powder & salt into a bowl
- Add the butter, cut into small cubs. Rub into the flour with your fingertips until there are no lumps left and the mixture resembles breadcrumbs
- Stir in the cheese and add water, a few drops at a time, until you’re able to form a dough. Knead for a few minutes until smooth.
- Roll out on a floured surface until approx. 5mm thick and cut into strips or whatever shape you like (again, Caterpillar likes to get creative with his cutters for this).
- Transfer to a greased baking sheet and brush lightly with beaten egg
- Bake at Gas Mark 6 for around 10-15 minutes or until golden and crisp.
For more easy family recipe ideas, check out the Recipe Roundup page.
Related posts:
Kitchen Skills For Preschoolers With Little Cooks
Malteser & Honeycomb Cheesecake Recipe
