Easy Recipes - can be used in schools or at home ❤️
Baking with children can be a delightful and educational experience. Not only does it give students the chance to practice math, science, and language skills, but it also provides opportunities for creativity, teamwork, and developing a sense of accomplishment.
Best of all, it’s fun, delicious, and rewarding!
Here’s a collection of easy baking recipes that are perfect for schools. They’re simple to prepare, require basic ingredients, and are designed for younger bakers. These recipes are ideal for classroom activities, after-school clubs, or at home.
Benefits of Baking with Children
Enhances Math and Science Skills: Measuring ingredients, mixing, and observing how heat transforms food helps children understand fractions, quantities, and chemical reactions.
Boosts Creativity: Decorating cookies or muffins allows kids to express themselves artistically.
Promotes Teamwork and Patience: Baking in groups encourages cooperation, communication, and the importance of following instructions. It also teaches patience while waiting for treats to bake.
Introduces Healthy Eating Habits: By baking from scratch, children can learn about the ingredients that go into their food and make healthier choices.
Tips for Successful Baking with Children
Pre-measure Ingredients: For younger children, it can be helpful to pre-measure ingredients to avoid mess and confusion.
Assign Tasks Based on Age: Younger kids can handle simpler tasks like stirring or decorating, while older students can help with measuring and pouring.
Encourage Clean-Up: Baking is a great opportunity to teach children about responsibility. Have them help with cleaning up the workspace after each activity.
Focus on Safety: Ensure that students understand basic kitchen safety, especially when working around hot ovens or using sharp tools.
Emphasise Patience: Baking is a lesson in patience, from carefully following the steps to waiting for the final product to be ready.
Classic Brownies
Who doesn’t love brownies? These rich, fudgy treats are easy to prepare and perfect for a classroom baking activity. Kids will enjoy mixing the batter and, of course, sampling the results.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8x8-inch baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until well combined.
4. Sift in the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir until smooth.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with moist crumbs.
7. Let cool before cutting into squares.
Tip: To add variety, let children sprinkle chocolate chips or chopped nuts on top before baking.
Simple Sugar Cookies
These classic cookies are easy to make and perfect for little hands to shape and decorate. They can be customized with sprinkles, icing, or any fun decorations you have on hand.
Ingredients:
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sprinkles or coloured sugar for decoration
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
3. In another large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a dough forms.
6. Roll the dough into small balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Flatten each ball slightly with the bottom of a glass or with your hand.
8. Let the children sprinkle coloured sugar or sprinkles on top of the cookies.
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges are lightly golden.
Tip: Provide cookie cutters in fun shapes and let the kids make their own designs!
Banana Bread Muffins
These delicious and healthy banana bread muffins are a perfect way to use up overripe bananas. They are also easy for children to mix and bake with minimal supervision.
Ingredients:
- 3 ripe bananas (mashed)
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork.
3. Add the melted butter, sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas and mix well.
4. Stir in the baking soda and salt.
5. Gradually add the flour, mixing until just combined (don’t overmix).
6. Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about 2/3 of the way.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Tip: Add chocolate chips or chopped nuts for extra flavour! Let children scoop the batter into the muffin tins - this is always a fun task for them.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars
These chewy oatmeal bars are packed with flavour and require only basic ingredients. They’re a great alternative to traditional cookies and are easy to slice and share.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and beat until fluffy.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, then stir in the oats and chocolate chips.
6. Spread the dough evenly in the prepared baking dish.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
8. Let cool before slicing into bars.
Tip: This recipe is great for younger kids because there’s no need to roll dough or handle hot trays during baking.
Easy Apple Crisp
This apple crisp is a warm and comforting dessert that’s perfect for fall. It’s simple enough for children to make, and they’ll love mixing the crumble topping.
Ingredients:
- 4-5 medium apples (peeled, cored, and sliced)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (cold and cubed)
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice, granulated sugar, and cinnamon.
3. Spread the apple mixture evenly in the baking dish.
4. In another bowl, combine the flour, oats, and brown sugar.
5. Add the cold, cubed butter and use your fingers to mix it into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs.
6. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the apples.
7. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden and the apples are tender.
8. Let cool slightly before serving.
Tip: For extra fun, have the children arrange the apple slices and help mix the crumble topping by hand.
Baking Powder Biscuits
These biscuits are incredibly easy to make and are a great way to teach children about basic baking techniques like kneading dough. Serve them with butter or jam for a delicious snack.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (cold and cubed)
- 3/4 cup milk
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Gradually add the milk, stirring until a soft dough forms.
5. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead it a few times until it comes together.
6. Roll or pat the dough out to about 1/2 inch thick and use a biscuit cutter (or cup) to cut out rounds.
7. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
Tip: Let the children take turns cutting out the biscuits and arranging them on the tray. They’ll love seeing their creations puff up in the oven!
Baking with children in a school setting is more than just making delicious treats - it’s an opportunity to teach valuable lessons, from math and science to teamwork and creativity. These easy recipes are perfect for little hands and big imaginations, offering a fun way to introduce students to the joys of baking. Whether it’s sugar cookies, banana muffins, or gooey brownies, the experience of baking together will create lasting memories - and tasty results!
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