Cooking

There’s something magical about baking with your kids. It’s messy. It’s chaotic. It takes three times longer than baking solo. But it’s also so worth it. At this age, toddlers and young kids are bursting with curiosity, and baking is the perfect hands-on way to teach them patience, measuring, kitchen skills, and confidence. Plus, they get a snack at the end. Total win. We’ve made a lot of memories in our kitchen. Some delicious. Some… humbling. So today I’m sharing our favorite easy baking recipes, the ones we’ve officially retired, a few honest tips, and why this tradition is one of my favorites, even when the flour hits the ceiling. Easy Baking Recipes My Kids Actually Love to Make 1. Banana Muffins (One Bowl, No Mixer) We make these all the time. They’re sweet, forgiving, and perfect for squishy toddler hands. I don’t add sugar. I use honey instead. It’s much healthier than sugar, but still sweet. Ingredients: 3 ripe bananas, mashed 1 egg 1/3 cup melted butter or olive oil 1/4 cup honey 1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 cup flour (or 1/2 whole wheat, 1/2 all-purpose) Directions: Preheat oven to 350°F. In one bowl, mash bananas and stir in the rest of the ingredients. Scoop into muffin liner in the tin and bake 15–20 mins. 2. Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites (Small Batch) Chocolate chip cookies are our family’s favorite cookies. Instead of buying them from the store, we bake them home. Ingredients: 4 tbsp butter, softened 1/4 cup brown sugar 1 egg yolk 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/2 cup flour Pinch of salt Chocolate chips Directions: Mix everything in a bowl. Scoop dough into little balls, press onto a baking sheet, and bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes. 3. Apple Pecan Cinnamon Oat Bars Healthier snack option that still feels like a treat. These are great for school lunches or park days. Ingredients: 1 apple, peeled and grated 1 cup rolled oats 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 egg Pecan ( as much or as little your kids like) 1 tbsp honey (optional) Directions: Mix everything together and press into a parchment-lined 8×8 pan. Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes. Let it cool before cutting. What We’ve Given Up On (For Now) Sugar cookies with royal icing: They are so pretty on Instagram, but so stressful with a toddler. The frosting melts, the sprinkles get everywhere, and someone always eats the dough before baking. Complicated bread doughs: We love the idea of homemade bread, but rising times + toddlers = forget it. It’s also hard for the little hands to knead the dough. Layer cakes: One day, maybe. But for now, we’re sticking to muffins and bars we can dump-and-go. Tips for Stress-Free Baking with Kids 1. Prep everything before your child starts Especially if this is their first few times baking. Having everything measured and laid out prevents chaos, spills, and frustration. I have tried to start from 0 with them, it’s very distracting and I forget about things, and losing my mind. They make a huge mess everywhere. It’s much more helpful if you can lay out the steps ahead of time. So you don’t have to think when you are preparing with your little ones. 2. Dress for the mess Aprons help, but old T-shirts work too. Expect flour on faces, sticky hands, and at least one cracked egg on the floor. This also depends on each child. My daughter is much neater. Not so much for my son. I would strip him down to do this with me if I need to. Bottom line, don’t wear something you don’t want to get dirty for your kids and for yourself. 3. Make a kid-friendly recipe book If baking becomes a weekly habit, create a binder or photo book with visual recipes: pictures of ingredients + numbers. You can even add photos of your child baking! This helps both you and your kids. They know how to follow the instructions. Over time, you can let them measure the ingredients once they have mastered other skills. One day, they will be able to bake themselves with your supervision. 4. Let go of perfection Lumpy muffins, crooked cookies, and half-mixed dough? All a part of the experience. What matters most is the time together. Try to make it more fun than making delicious baked treats. This will encourage your child to come back and bake again. Benefits of Baking with Your Kids Fine motor skills (scooping, stirring, pouring) Math practice (measuring, counting, dividing) Confidence (“I made it myself!” is the best) Sensory play with real purpose Connection—you’re creating memories and snacks Final Thoughts: It’s More Than Just Muffins When you bake with your kids, you’re not just making food, you’re making space for learning, laughter, and real-life magic. So pull out the flour, embrace the mess, and let your little one take the lead (or at least stir the bowl). One lopsided muffin at a time, you’re raising a confident, capable little human. And that’s pretty sweet.

A little messy. A little magical. Totally worth it. If you’ve ever tried to cook a meal with a toddler on your hip or a preschooler “helping” by flinging flour everywhere, you know this truth: cooking with kids is not efficient. But it’s also one of the most rewarding (and hilarious) things you can do together in the kitchen. When I first started inviting my little one into the cooking process, I had big dreams of bonding over banana bread and raising a future chef. What I didn’t anticipate was how messy, slow, and sometimes frustrating the process would be. But I stuck with it—and it’s become one of my favorite parts of homemaking. Here’s what I’ve learned about how to actually start cooking with kids—and not lose your mind in the process. 5 Tips on Cooking with Kids 1. Get the Right Tools for Little Hands The first step is setting up your space to work with your child, not against them. A few kid-friendly tools make a huge difference: Learning tower or step stool – so they can reach the counter safely A child-sized apron – to get them excited and keep their clothes flour-free (ish) Kid-safe knives – perfect for slicing soft foods like strawberries, mushrooms, or bananas Mini mixing bowls, whisks, and measuring cups – because using tools their size makes it feel real These small investments create an inviting space that says, “Hey, you belong here too.” 2. Get Your Mind Right First Okay, listen—this is the big one. Before you start cooking with kids, remind yourself: It’s going to be messy. It’s going to be slow. And it probably won’t go as planned. But that’s not failure. That’s learning. There will be spilled milk, dropped eggs, and the occasional meltdown (yours or theirs). The key is to let go of perfection. Don’t get mad. Don’t stress. Your job isn’t to create a perfect dish—it’s to create a moment. 3. Do Your Prep Work Before calling your child into the kitchen, you should get familiar with the recipe. Read it through. Prep any hot or tricky steps ahead of time. Chop what needs serious knife skills. Get out the ingredients you’ll need. The smoother things go, the less chaos there will be when your tiny sous chef joins you. You’ll be way more present if you’re not running around looking for the cinnamon or realizing you’re out of eggs halfway through. 4. Make It Fun, Not a Chore (H3) This isn’t about getting dinner on the table fast—it’s about making memories. Let them stir. Let them taste. Let them dump the flour in (maybe just guide the scoop a bit). Teach them what each ingredient is. Talk about where it comes from. Let them lick the spoon (unless it’s raw egg, of course). This is food education in the best possible form—playful, hands-on, and totally snackable. 5. Start Simple and Practice Together (H3) Don’t start with soufflé. Go for recipes with a few easy steps like: Banana muffins Homemade pizza Pancakes or waffles Fruit salad with yogurt drizzle No-bake energy bites Every child is different—some will love getting messy and others will be more cautious. That’s okay. Go at their pace. Some days they’ll be super into it; other days, not so much. Still okay. Final Thoughts: It’s Not About the Outcome At the end of the day, cooking with kids is about more than the food. It’s about connection. Life skills. Confidence. Curiosity. And yes—fun. You’re not just making a meal; you’re making a memory. So take a deep breath, grab the apron, and know that every mess is part of the journey. With time, it does get easier. And one day, they might just surprise you by making breakfast all on their own. Until then, just enjoy the flour on the floor—and the magic in the moment.