December 22, 2021, 5:48 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
The scent of cookies fills the air, children’s eyes are shining, and little hands are eagerly kneading, rolling, cutting, and decorating. But often, the joy in the kitchen quickly turns to frustration. To prevent this, adults can keep a few simple but effective things in mind. Our practical tips on how to make cookie baking a fun and relaxing experience for both young and old can be found in this article.
“Where has the recipe gone for the cookies we love,” plays on the radio every year for decades. Where have my nerves gone, many parents ask themselves amid the annual Christmas hustle and bustle. No wonder, as many people’s to-do lists seem endless. Cookie baking is often at the top of that list. With tips tested by the myHOMEBOOK editorial team, it will be guaranteed fun and stress-free–promise!
Overview
1. Goodbye Perfection!
Instagram-worthy cookies on a colorful cookie plate with perfectly placed icing ornaments? Anyone who sets this standard for cookies is likely to fail miserably.
Apart from the fact that social media often deceives us in other areas, children are not professional bakers. And they don’t need to be. Instead of focusing on the result, it’s more fulfilling for everyone if the shared time is the priority.
And let’s be honest: Who remembers whether the cookies were perfectly cut and the icing perfectly applied in the past? They’re gone in a bite anyway. It’s the childhood memories of the joy of baking cookies with parents or grandma that the cookie scent awakens in our minds every year. If you still don’t want to miss out on beautiful baked goods, plan time for baking without the kids. Then you have the time and leisure to try new recipes in peace.
2. Time Management: Don’t Skimp!
Whether in the morning while getting ready or during cookie baking: Children are true masters at testing our patience precisely when time seems to slip through our fingers.
Therefore, the second most important tip after abandoning the pursuit of perfection: Plan plenty of time! Quickly baking cookies with the kids before the Christmas party starts, the shopping needs to be done, or guests arrive? Bad idea! Better to plan the entire afternoon. Keep lunch or dinner simple on that day or prepare it in advance. This way, you don’t have to stand at the stove after the baking session.
3. Preparation is Everything
Children are the most eager bakers. But spending hours searching for ingredients, weighing them, and waiting for the adults to be ready? That breeds frustration! Better: Prepare everything in advance without the kids and portion and set aside the ingredients–except for one exception–so you can start right away later. This saves a lot of nerves.
4. Banish Distractions
When laying out the ingredients, keep the colorful sprinkles and decorations in the drawer. Children’s attention spans are still very short, and the colorful sugar sprinkles are absolutely tempting.
5. Baking Cookies with Kids: Less is More
To avoid straying too quickly from the cookie path, it’s advisable to stick to one or two recipes per baking session. Simple shortcrust recipes are very grateful and uncomplicated. Shortcrust cookies can also be wonderfully decorated, which is the highlight of cookie baking with kids, alongside kneading and cutting.
The same goes for the selection of cookie cutters and sprinkles: Too much choice quickly overwhelms the little ones. Better: Let them choose three favorite cutters before baking and keep the selection of sugar sprinkles manageable.
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6. Dough and Rolling Pins for Everyone!
Anyone with more than one child knows the tricky situations where the mood can plummet at record speed: There’s that one toy (or now rolling pin) that becomes incredibly desirable the moment someone else holds it. To ensure no one is left out, all children should be involved in cookie baking in an age-appropriate way. And to avoid arguments: Equip all children simultaneously with necessary items like rolling pins and cookie cutters.
7. Baking Cookies with Kids: Safety First
Even though it’s great to involve kids in baking according to their age and abilities, remember: Safety first. This may initially provoke angry reactions from eager bakers. However, the older bakers can explain to the little ones why small hands shouldn’t take hot baking sheets out of the oven or melt butter on the stove.