Easy Christmas Baking with Kids

EASY Christmas baking with kids, it is totally possible. 

I have always loved to cook and bake and so the idea of bringing my kids in the kitchen with me especially during the holidays just made sense for me. And then I had kids and my favorite hobby caused a lot more rage mommy moments than Mary Poppins mommy moments. 

But...

...I believe in teaching kids to cook

...I want to share that joy with my kids

...the teacher in me believes that there is a ton of learning happening in the kitchen

So I adjusted my expectations. With my kids I now make simple and semi-homemade recipes that are cute but don't actually require skill.

I do the real deal baking alone until further notice. Reagan is getting close to being able to join me, but D just isn't quite there yet. I do not understand how there are Jr chef baking shows, but this ain't that.

Kid Friendly Recipes that aren't Christmas 

Tips for Baking with Kids

Kid Friendly Christmas Breakfasts

Okay there is a lot you can do with pancakes and bacon. And listen if frozen pancakes are your style that's 100% okay.

Sally, our elf, has brought all of these pancake art creations to our North Pole Breakfast.

 

Easiest Snowman Pancakes

Trader Joes Silver Dollar Pancakes + Chocolate Chips + Sliced Banana

We're taking cute Pinterest Mom and making it doable for every mom! If you really want to up your game, you can cut a strawberry in half and make it the hat. 

 

Reindeer Pancakes: 

Ingredients: Bacon, Pancakes (frozen or box mix), Strawberry/Raspberry/ Red M&M, Chocolate Chips

1. Cook bacon- I cook mine in the oven. Lay the bacon on a lined baking sheet. Place it in a cold oven. Turn the heat to 400 and set the timer for 20-25 minutes.
2. Cook pancakes in 2 different sizes; large and small.
3. Place a large pancake on the plate
4. Place a smaller pancake on the large pancake at the bottom. 
5. Make eyes using chocolate chips
6. Make a nose using a strawberry, raspberry, or M&M
7. Place 2 large pieces of bacon as the antlers on the reindeer. Break one piece of bacon to add horns to the antlers

 

Snowman Pancakes:

Ingredients: Bacon, Pancakes (frozen or mix), Eggs, Chocolate Chips

1. Cook bacon
2. Cook pancakes. When the size and shape is a little wonky it adds character and gives it an organic feel
3. Cook scrambled eggs
4. Place the pancakes on the plate to create a snowman head and body
5. Use chocolate chips to create a face and buttons
6. Break the bacon and lay it across the pancakes like a scarf
7. Add the scrambled eggs on the bottom to look like freshly fallen snow

 

Easy Christmas Kid's Snacks

 

Reindeer Graham Crackers:

Ingredients: Graham Crackers, Peanut Butter, Pretzels, M&Ms

1. Break a graham cracker in half
2. Spread peanut butter on the cracker ( you can sub any nut butter or sunflower butter)
3. Break two pretzels in half to look like antlers
4. Place the pretzels on the top of the graham cracker 
5. Use M&Ms to add eyes and a nose

Christmas Tree Snack:

Ingredients: Raspberries or Strawberries, Green Fruits & Veggies (cucumber, snap peas, grapes, celery), Jerky Sticks

1. Stack your green fruits and veggies in a triangle shape
2. Add a strawberry or raspberry at the top 
3. Add two jerky sticks to the bottom as the stem for a simple and healthy snack.

 

Easy Christmas Baking with Kids

 

Snowman Donuts:

Ingredients: Powdered Donuts, M&Ms, Mini Chocolate Chips

1. Place 3 donuts on a plate
2. Decorate the top donut with mini chocolate chips to make a smile and eyes.
3. Add an orange M&M as the carrot nose
4. Add colorful M&Ms to the center of the other donuts as buttons.

 

Christmas Tree Brownies:

Ingredients: Box Mix Brownies, Green Icing, Sprinkles, Candy Canes

1. Bake brownies according to the box instructions
2. Cut the brownies in half
3. Cut diagonal lines across each half to make triangles
4. Use green frosting to crate a zig zag pattern on the triangles
5. Add Christmas sprinkles
6. Break the hook off a candy cane and stick it in the bottom as the stem

 

 

Reindeer Brownies:

Ingredients: Boxed Brownie Mix, Pretzels, Sprinkle Eyes, Red M&Ms

1. Bake the brownies per the box instructions
2. Cut the brownies into triangles
3. Break pretzels and stick them in the straight edge of the brownies as antlers
4. Add sprinkle eyes and a red M&M for the nose (use may need to use icing  to get them to stick)

 

 

Sugar Cookie Reindeer:

Ingredients: Box Mix Sugar Cookies or break and bake, pretzels, chocolate chips, M&Ms

1. Mix your sugar cookie dough according to the box package
2. Make balls of dough and flatten them into a circle
3. Break the pretzels to create antlers
4. Add the antlers to the top of the circle cookies
5. Add chocolate chips as eyes
6. Add an M&M as the nose
7. Bake according to package directions

 

 

The Best SUGAR Cookies:

These sugar cookies are absolutely perfect. They are soft and chewy. They hold their shape and they taste even better with buttercream. 

Ingredients: Box Sugar Cookie Mix, Small Vanilla Pudding Package, Egg, Butter 

1. Add the sugar cookie mix, butter, and egg according the package directions
2. Stir in the dry vanilla pudding mix
3. Mix well
4. Place cookie balls on the cookie sheet 2 inches apart
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes

 

I hope you have the best holiday season. I would love to see what you bake with your kids and I am so darn grateful that you allow me to be part of your holidays in even the smallest way. 

 

xoxo

Emily