Baking with kids is the definition of chaos. From flour-covered surfaces to sticky fingers, you’ll have a field day cleaning afterward, but it’s all part of the fun.
What if I tell you there are simple hacks that can make this experience smoother and more enjoyable for the little ones?
Starting with no-mess measuring and ending with edible paint, your kids are about to have the time of their lives in the kitchen!
1- No-Mess Measuring
A clean surface sounds like a far-fetched dream on a bake-with-your-kids day, but I’ll make it possible for you with one smart hack.
To measure dry ingredients, pour whatever ingredient you’re using into a zip-top bag and seal it carefully. Make a small cut into one of its corners while holding it over your mixing bowl, and pour from it directly onto the dough.
This method is better than using measuring spoons or cups because there’s no chance of leaving a mess on the surface.
You can do some prep work and pre-measure the ingredients, and then your kids will only have to pour them through the open tip.
2- Quick Dough Rising
Kids hate waiting around for the dough to rise, which can put a damper on your family baking experience. Not to mention, you’ll get plenty of questions, none of which you’ll have the answer for—I have kids and I know!
Thankfully, there’s an easy fix.
Instead of leaving the dough to rise the old-fashioned way, set up a warm and humid environment for it to speed up the process.
Place a bowl of hot water on the bottom rack of your oven. Next, place the dough on the top rack, but don’t turn the oven on. The steam rising from the water will help the ingredients work faster, and the dough will rise quicker than expected.
3- Marshmallow Frosting
By the end of the family baking day, adults are way too tired to make frosting for their desserts. That’s where marshmallow comes in with its fun factor and delicious taste.
A few minutes before you take your baked dessert out of the oven, top it with some marshmallows. They’ll melt into a gooey, sweet topping that kids will love, and you won’t need to make any effort on your side!
Marshmallows go especially well with cookies, cupcakes, and brownies.
4- Surprise Inside Cupcakes
One of the most fun hacks that I love is putting surprises inside cupcakes without kids noticing. You can use gummy bears, fruit pieces, or even chocolate.
As the kids bite into the cupcakes, they’ll be delighted to find fun surprises inside. However, make sure to not add any allergens, like nuts or peanut butter, especially if you’re hosting a party or inviting other kids to the baking session.
5- Two-Ingredient Dough
If your kids are still young and you don’t want a long and complicated recipe, I have the perfect idea for you. You can make a perfectly good dough from only two ingredients: self-rising flour and Greek yogurt.
All you have to do is mix the two ingredients and knead till the dough isn’t sticky. You can then use it to make pizza, bagels, knots, and more.
6- Ice Cream Bread
Ice cream bread is an easy and fun recipe that leaves minimal mess, making it ideal for baking with your kids. It only needs two ingredients: self-rising flour and ice cream.
First, you mix the softened ice cream with the flour and pour it into a loaf pan. Then, you push it into the oven to bake it.
The result is a sweet, flavored bread that your kids will fall in love with. Best of all, you can let them use their favorite ice cream flavor for the recipe.
7- Edible Paint
Edible paint makes for a fun time with your kids. You can mix food coloring with milk or water to make your paint.
Then, you can let your kids use the paint to decorate cookies, cakes, or whatever dessert you’re making.
The colors will pop once the dessert goes into the oven, and the little ones will have a fun time playing around with the paint and brushes.
Final Thoughts
Baking with your kids in the kitchen can be an unforgettable experience with a few simple hacks you can try. Whether it’s marshmallow frosting, ice cream bread, quick-rising dough, or edible paint that you go with, you’ll have the most fun with minimal effort and time!
Sarah is the founder of Baking Kneads, LLC, a blog sharing guides, tips, and recipes for those learning how to bake. Growing up as the daughter of a baker, she spent much of her childhood learning the basics in a local bakery.