It isn't hard to convince kids to join in the fun of making holiday cookies. After all, the reward is dozens and dozens of cookies, as well as a bonanza of icing, frosting or powdered sugar to decorate them. But not every cookie recipe is a good choice for children; some are too fussy, others combine flavors most kids won't appreciate. These 10 recipes use kid-friendly flavors, include interactive steps that are fun for little hands — chocolate-dipping! sugar-dusting! — and don't require any special techniques.
TOP ROW
• 1 Two-Bite Nutella Chocolate Cookies: Tint the icing red and add a little mint extract to transform this Halloween treat into a candy-cane-striped cookie.
• 2 Gingerbread Christmas Tree Ornaments: Pretty, sturdy gingerbread cookies that can be hung on the tree or eaten once frosted.
• 3 Peanut Butter & Fudge Oatmeal Cookies: Peanut butter oatmeal cookies with a dollop of chewy, melting chocolate fudge on top that are so simple to make, they don't even require a mixer.
• 4 Holiday Snowballs: A glittery riff on Mexican wedding cookies.
• 5 Brown Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting: Made with a touch of whole wheat flour, these cut-out cookies are irresistible with a big dollop of cream cheese frosting on top.
BOTTOM ROW
• 6 Super-Soft Snickerdoodles: A cinnamon-spiced classic.
• 7 Sensational Peanut Butter Cookies: Our version of the no-flour, no-butter recipe that has taken the Internet by storm.
• 8 Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Cherries and Pecans: Chunky cookies that are easy to adapt with whatever add-ins your child wants — or doesn't want.
• 9 Chocolate Chip and Toffee Shortbread Cookies Reportedly a hit with elementary school teachers, these chocolate-dipped cookies would make great holiday gifts.
• 10 Best Cut-Out Sugar Cookies: This easy-to-handle, remarkably tasty holiday workhorse is the cut-out sugar cookie to make and decorate with kids.
Do you have any recommendations for kid-friendly cookie recipes?
Related: Delicious Classics & New Favorites: 18 Cookie Recipes for the Holidays
(Images: See linked posts for full image credits)
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I have quite a few! Chocolate saltine balls are delicious (salty/sweet) and don't require baking. And I'd been making a few French cakes, so I applied the method to cookies, with a bit of browned butter to make a simple cookie my boys could decorate with colored frosting...turned out quite good!
http://outoftheordinaryfood.com/2012/09/04/chocolate-saltine-almond-balls-and-french-cake-cookies/
My son invented these easy coconut chocolate chip cookies...
http://outoftheordinaryfood.com/2011/11/29/malcolms-supreme-sweet-coconut-chocolate-chip-cookies/
My other son thought of these home-made nutella filled pretzels. Lots of fun to make and eat!
http://outoftheordinaryfood.com/2012/04/25/isaacs-ultimate-nutella-filled-pretzels/
And we had fun making these chocolate-cayenne cut-out cookies with a coating of chocolate, all shaped like deer!
http://outoftheordinaryfood.com/2011/12/12/chocolate-cayenne-cutout-cookies/
Remember, kids have fun making stuff they won't necessarily eat. So if you need some almonds pulsed in the mini-processor or plastic-wrapped dough you need stuffed into a cardboard tube, small hands enjoy this work.
Also, cover every flat surface with waxed paper and wear aprons. Children are spectacularly messy.