The following 12 kid-friendly baking recipes are my suggestions if you’re baking with young & eager kitchen helpers. The purpose of this page is to help adults find recipes that are fun and manageable when baking with children. As always, young bakers should have adult supervision in the kitchen. Page includes recipes free from common allergens as well as average recipe times.
Baking is an exciting activity that everyone can enjoy. Not only is it quality time spent together, baking ignites creativity, teaches how to follow instructions, involves math & counting, and always brings smiles. Between my entire team and I, we’ve baked with kids enough that we understand what goes into the process. In this post, I’m sharing which recipes are fun yet manageable with children as well as the helpful advice I’ve learned along the way.
Q: What’s your best advice when it comes to baking with kids?
Muffins, like these banana muffins, are my top choice for baking with young ones. They’re quick-to-make, quick-to-bake, and individually portioned.
5 Tips for Baking with Kids
- Embrace the Mess: If you feel most calm in a tidy kitchen, set your expectations before starting. Baking with kids can be messy, but thatโs the fun of it.
- Big Bowls: From experienceโuse very large mixing bowls so thereโs plenty of room for stirring, pouring, splashing, etc.
- Pre-Measure If Needed: If youโre baking with more than 1 child, itโs likely helpful to have some ingredients pre-measured so all they have to do is pour into the mixing bowl. If youโre baking with 1 child who is beginning to understand math, it might be fun to have that child help measure so thereโs learning involved. For example, โWe have 2 cups flour and 1 cup oats needed, how many cups total do you think that is?โ
- Allow Enough Time: Baking takes time and baking with kids takes longer. The recipes listed below include the average time, but including children in the process may slightly extend those times. Consider it a fun journey rather than a means to an end.
- Assign Jobs/Make it Fun: For example, if you have an 8-year-old and 4-year-old in the kitchen with you, give each a specific job such as the older child measures and the younger child stirs. If youโre baking with a child who is beginning to learn counting, have that child count all of the ingredients. To create excitement, you could call the child โchefโ such as โplease hand me the whisk, chef Sallyโ and label your kitchen tools with fun names such as โSallyโs Super Special Spatulaโ or โDominicโs Mighty Mixing Bowl.โ (This works wonders with super young bakers!) You could even pretend youโre doing a cooking show and make up a fun name for your show.
12 Kid-Friendly Baking Recipes
Ultimate Muffin Recipe (1 Batter + Flavors)
Muffins are my #1 suggestion for baking with kids, because they’re versatile, convenient, and quickโjust like this recipe! Use this base muffin recipe to create any flavor muffin you love.
(45 minutes)
Giant Cinnamon Roll Cake
If you’re ready to tackle yeast with your kid baker, start here. This giant cinnamon roll cake is just as fun to make as it is to eat.
(3 hours, 30 minutes)
Homemade Cheese Crackers
Making crispy, salty, and totally cheesy crackers at home is surprisingly simple. Little ones can help throughout the process and then enjoy their homemade treat in time for snack.
(1 hour, 30 minutes; egg free)
Soft Pretzel Bites
This easy dough requires only 6 ingredients and there’s hardly any rise time, so this is a wonderful recipe for yeast beginners and excited young bakers. Have fun shaping the bitesโthey don’t need to be perfect!
(1 hour; egg free)
Homemade Dirt Pudding
With its layers of creamy homemade chocolate pudding, crushed Oreo cookies, and gummy worms, this whimsical dessert is the quintessential childhood treat.
(4 hours, 50 minutes; includes refrigeration)
Homemade Pizza Dough Recipe for Beginners
Make pizza night a family affair and prepare my 6-ingredient homemade dough. Most of the work is hands-off and the chewy, crisp crust is the perfect base for an endless variety of toppingsโlet young bakers top their own pizza!
(2 hours, 30 minutes; egg free)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Pizza
Who wouldn’t have fun making a chocolate chip cookie pizza? It’s easier than rolling individual cookies, and there’s no dough chilling required.
(1 hour)
Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
These no bake cookies are another family favorite. I make these 8 ingredient cookies more than any other cookie recipe on my site because they’re simple yet totally decadent.
(1 hour; gluten free if using certified GF oats; egg free)
6 Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies
With this no-chill cookie recipe, you can make 6 giant chocolate chip cookies or 24 regular sized cookies. They’re extra soft and thick with chewy centers and crisp buttery edgesโeveryone loves these.
(40 minutes)
Mini Animal Cracker Cookies
By adding a dash of cinnamon to my sugar cookies recipe, you can make adorable mini animal cracker cookies. Dunking in icing and sprinkling are perfect tasks for young bakers.
(4 hours, 30 minutes; includes chilling & cooling)
Homemade Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop Tarts
There’s nothing like the homemade version of Pop-Tarts! Although it’s a more involved baking project, there are plenty of steps for older kids to help with, and they’ll be so proud of their final creations.
(3 hours, 30 minutes)
Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal Cups
You need just 1 bowl and some simple, wholesome ingredients to make these healthy-ish chocolate chip baked oatmeal cups. They make for a wonderful on-the-go breakfast, snack, or healthier dessert.
(35 minutes)
Nut Free Recipes
Most of the recipes above are nut free recipes with the exception of recipes for peanut butter baked goods. As always, double check recipe ingredients before starting.
Gluten Free Recipes
Here are all of my published gluten free recipes, or if youโre just after desserts, see my roundup of favorite gluten free dessert recipes.
Egg Free Baking Recipes
Here are all of my published egg free baking recipes.
Shortbread cookies are a favorite and also fun for little ones to decorate and make their own!
8 Ingredients or Fewer
If youโre looking to bake a recipe with few ingredients, I have an entire page dedicated to recipes with 8 or fewer ingredients, even some as low as 5 ingredients or fewer. I include dinners, desserts, breakfast, and snacks.
Quick Dessert Recipes
If youโre in a time crunch, youโll appreciate these 30+ quick dessert recipes. Have fun!
Reader Comments and Reviews
i think this is a wonderfull site and I can’t wait to learn how to make these incredble desserts
I work in an “Out of School Care” program and our kids love to bake! Thank you for this wonderful baking with kids collection of recipes!
You are very welcome! Let me know if the kids try any of these recipes. I would love to hear about it!
I absolutely love your recipes! I started with the lemon meringue pie recipe and have been hooked since! The lemon curd was phenomenal to say the least. I recommend you to everyone!
Kira, thank you so much!! I love that lemon meringue pie. I make it at least once every spring. It’s a must try!
Thank you for this post! I baked m&m cookies with my 2 year old daughter & 3 year old son on Friday and I made apple pie strudel squares with just my son today. Both from your cookbook. I agree when both kids are helping premeasuring is very helpful. If just one itโs okay to just slow down and do all the steps together. I have my son wash dishes while I do any cutting necessary (like with the apples). Thank you for sharing your talent with us and not forgetting about the kids!
So glad you and your kids have been enjoying our recipes, Jenna! Happy baking to you all.
My comment is not about this post…although al the suggested recipes look like they would be perfect for kid friendly baking.
I made your pumpkin coffee cake crumb muffins this monring to share with my brother and his wife. Today is his birthday and he is not a big dessert person but loves anything pumpkin so I figured muffins would work. I used the pointy top muffin tin liners to make them a bit more “fancy”.A big plus was that the high side prevent the crumb topping from falling off what can happen with regular liner. That said, I snagged one for my breakfast. This was my first 2021 pumpkin bake and sooooooo worth it. This recipe is so yummy. It has just the right sweetness, is perfectly moist and the crumb topping was perfect. Thanks so much for continuing to develop and post such delicious and guaranteed successful recipes. Please know you are very appreciated.
Thank you so much for your kind note, Nancy. We’re thrilled to hear that the pumpkin muffins were such a hit!
Sally, is there any chance of these recipes going into a cookbook for cooking with kids? My granddaughter loves cooking with me and then teaching her parents so they can โhelp herโ make the recipes at home.
Hi Sherri! I don’t have plans to publish a baking with kids cookbook, but that’s such a wonderful idea for a possible future project. ๐
I hope itโs something you consider, Sally! My daughter loves baking, but a book would be easier for her to navigate.
Yes!! I wish there was a little kid cookbook too!!
Hi Sally! My family is in real panic right now because we are going to have a guest over who is gluten free and dairy free…. Do you have any desserts that would follow that by chance?
Thank you for all your amazing recipes!
Klai
Hi Klai, we love these almond butter coconut macaroons!
Ooooooh my goodness this came at the perfect time! My 3yo is just becoming interested in helping out in the kitchen (sometimes) (othertimes Mickey Mouse Clubhouse or Cocomelon is more tempting), and I cannot wait to share these with her!
Sometimes she and my husband will bake together, and I’m only allowed to supervise and answer questions — do you have any tips for which of these recipes would be good for two inexperienced bakers?
Hi Liz! Definitely muffins. Or a quick bread that doesn’t require any special tools such as pumpkin bread or this Greek yogurt zucchini bread.
And if you’re interested in browsing, here are all of my beginner baking recipes.
My 3 year old’s favorite recipe to help bake is your monkey bread. I wouldn’t say this is only for older kids!
In my opinion, though, all recipes are suitable for baking with kids ๐ My 3 year old has been helping me bake since he could sit on the counter and “help”. It is a bit harder adding my 1-year old to the “help” now, though.
Donuts are another kid friendly recipe. My grandkids love them.
This is a wonderful post. My 3 girls love baking with me and this will sure give us ideas! Thanks much
Wow, what an awesome post!! My daughter asks to bake every single morning, and this is going to make such an incredible resource. Thanks!!