3 Fun Christmas Baking Ideas to Try with Kids this Year

Tis the Season! Get ready for some festive baking fun as we dive into 3 fun Christmas baking ideas you can make this holiday season with the kids!

Christmas is a time for spreading joy, love, and cheer. One of the best ways to do that is by baking with your kids! Not only is it a fun activity, but it also allows you to spend quality time with your little (or not so little) ones creating memories in the kitchen that will last a lifetime.

Did you know that learning to bake has incredible benefits for kids?
Baking involves math, science, reading and is a great confidence booster. As your children become more comfortable in the kitchen, they’ll gain a sense of accomplishment with each successful recipe they bake. It’s also a great time of bonding and connection and creates cherished memories and holiday traditions as you work side by side.

Need a few tips for success before you get started?

Grab your calendar and schedule some quiet time for baking where things are not hectic or rushed and you can enjoy your time together.
Remember to make the experience enjoyable for both the kids and for you. Allow them this time to be creative and a bit messy. The goal is not only to create delicious treats, but also to have fun and make lasting memories together.
Not a baker yourself? That’s okay! You can still have fun in the kitchen with the kids with these projects! You don’t have to bake from scratch, there are amazing pre-made products you can use and still enjoy the baking experience with your kids!

Ready to get started? Here are 3 fun and easy Christmas baking ideas to try with the kids this year.

Christmas sugar cookies

Sugar cookies are a classic, fun and festive Christmas treat that adults and kids alike love to make, decorate and most importantly eat!

Make or buy sugar cookie dough, grab a rolling pin and use Christmas themed cookie cutters such as Christmas trees, snowflakes, stars and Christmas ornaments to cut out your sugar cookies.
Once the cookies are baked and cooled and ready for decorating, sit down along with the kids and let your creativity shine as you decorate your delicious cookies with colourful icing, sprinkles, edible glitter and sanding sugars.

When you are finished decorating, pick a Christmas movie, cozy up on the couch and sit together enjoy eating your sweet and festive treat along with some delicious hot cocoa!

Here is my recipe for sugar cookie dough:
(Recipe yields approximately 20-24 average size cookies)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
1 cup granulated sugar or crushed up candy canes
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celcius/gas mark 5).
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together your sugar and softened butter. Add your eggs and vanilla and mix just until incorporated.
3. Sift your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together, and add to your bowl. Mix until combined.
3. Wrap your dough in plastic wrap and chill your dough in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes. 4. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin and proceed with rolling out your dough. Don’t roll the dough out too thin.
5. Cut out with fun shaped cookie cutters and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper (the cookies should not be touching).
6. Bake at for approximately 10-12 minutes until slightly golden brown around the edges. If the
cookies are smaller, start checking to see if they are done at 8 minutes so you don’t overbake them. If you roll the cookies too thin, they will burn easily when baking.

Spinach Pinwheel Christmas Trees

There are so many fun Christmas baking ideas that use pizza dough!

‘Quick and easy spinach pinwheel Christmas trees’ are one of them thanks to this recipe I’ve modified from Watch What U Eat! This recipe is kid-tested and approved. Don’t let the spinach keep you from trying it!

Make a delicious batch of homemade pizza dough or grab some store-bought pizza dough from the grocery store and you are ready to begin!

You will need a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper (if you don’t have parchment, you can lightly grease the pan with oil) and a rolling pin (if you don’t have a rolling pin, you can find a bottle and wrap it with saran wrap to roll out the dough).

Ingredients

Pizza dough (fresh or store-bought) approximately 8 ounces
1 ½ cups fresh spinach, finely chopped
¼ cup red bell Pepper, finely chopped)
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1-2 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1-2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
1 tbsp of parmesan for sprinkling over the top when done baking (set aside)
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celcius/gas mark 5) and prepare your large baking sheet.
In a medium bowl, with a wooden spoon or a spatula, mix the spinach, red pepper, ricotta cheese, garlic cloves, parmesan cheese and seasonings (salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder) together.
Roll the dough into approximately a 12 x 8″ rectangle.
Spread the ricotta mixture evenly on the dough covering out to the edge.
Roll the dough carefully into a log shape so you can slice it into pieces.
With a sharp chef knife or a serrated knife, cut into ½ inch to ¾ inch pieces which forms your spirals.
Arrange the spirals on your baking sheet in the shape of a Christmas tree, starting with one at the top and working your way down.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden and baked through.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle the extra parmesan cheese you set aside on top. Serve warm and enjoy!

Not crazy about making a Christmas tree shape? Get creative and see what other fun shapes you can come up with!

Snowman cupcakes

When my kids were younger, we loved creating these cute and easy Snowman Cupcakes together from a recipe we found on the Taste of Home website.

They are so easy to make:

Bake your favourite from scratch cupcake recipe in the flavour of your choice or grab a box of cake mix from the grocery store.
Make a batch of your favourite buttercream icing or buy 1 to 2 cans of vanilla frosting.
Make your snowman decorations. For these you will need:
Coarse white sanding sugar
Chocolate wafers for the hat (we have also used Reese’s peanut butter cups)
Semisweet chocolate chips
Miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Orange candy slices

How to make your Snowman Cupcakes

Frost your cupcakes and then dip the top of each cupcake into the coarse white sanding sugar and gently shake off the excess sugar.
Add chocolate chips and the mini chocolate chips to form the eyes and the mouth. Cut a small piece of the orange slice to form the nose.
For the hat, use a serrated knife to cut two narrow strips from opposite sides of each wafer. The large center piece will form the crown of the hat and one strip will form the brim of the hat.

Once the decorating fun is finished, take the time to sit down and share this delicious sweet treat together or with family and friends when they come to visit!

These are just a few fun Christmas baking ideas you can try with your kids this Christmas season. Remember to have fun and enjoy the time spent with your loved ones baking in the kitchen!

Love,

Dianne xxx

PS: This is where you can learn more about Dianne and what she does:
> www.childrenscookingconnection.com; https://www.instagram.com/childrencooking1 and https://www.facebook.com/ChildrenCooking