Christmas cooking for kids that actually works

posted by Lucy Good | December 6 2019 | Christmas

It’s school holidays and with your children’s excitement building you can’t help but get into the festive spirit. These holidays are going to be fun, fun, fun. Your kids want to do some Christmas cooking, so why the hell not. You imagine yourself and your beloved children having an afternoon laughing and bonding as you produce delicious, Pinterest-worthy treats.

Yet with so many online recipes at our fingertips, many of which are brought to us with the benefit of Photoshop and god knows what to make them look picture-perfect, the reality of your cooking session could be more Master Disaster than Master Chef.

It’s disappointing for the kids and it’s disappointing for you as wasted ingredients and unidentifiable objects line the work surface. Tempers may be frayed as your holiday activity is swiftly deemed a festive foodie flop.

Well not this year. We’ve trawled the Internet and tested a number of seemingly super-simple Christmas recipes which don’t require a degree and three years’ experience in a pastry kitchen to create. These are recipes that actually work! And honestly, if we can do them … anyone can.

So read on and decide what gastronomical delights you’ll create the Christmas, safe in the knowledge that whatever you pick it will be a success. Oh and get the camera ready as they’re likely to be worthy of a Facebook post to show what a fabulous hands-on single mother you are.

Christmas cooking for kids that actually works

RUDOLF PANCAKES

If you don’t fancy bacon with your pancakes, which we didn’t, use a few pretzels instead (chocolate coated even – yum). Pretzels were made to improvise reindeer antlers.

Brought to you by Kidspot

CHRISTMAS TREE FAIRY BREAD

No notes or substitutes for this no-bake, no-fuss recipe. It’s just sooooo easy. It travels well too, so great for classroom parties or ‘bring a plate’ functions.

Brought you by Brisbane Kids

REINDEER POOP

No kids cooking list is complete without this jokey treat. We used a normal caramel sauce and Woolly’s own chocolate chips.

Brought to you by Mom Dot

CHRISTMAS TREE POPS

Give them a go. I promise you they work. Just use a snap lock bag for the icing. We didn’t have green food colouring so used white icing and we used straws for the sticks. So cool.

Brought you by BBC Good Food

CHOC RIPPLE CAKE

Not strictly a kids recipe but definitely easy enough for this list. Lots of fun to be had sticking the biscuits together with the cream. And the end result is one they (and you) will be eternally proud of.

Brought to you by Taste

CHRISTMAS JELLY SLICE

This is super easy and if you’re making a batch for a large group you could make another one with green jelly and serve them intermittent on a tray. A sure-fire way to impress the masses.

Brought to you by Kidspot (again … these guys are brilliant)

OREO STRAWBERRY SANTA HATS

Ah the delight of no-cook recipes. We used normal Oreos but the ones on the picture have red in the middle. No worries ours were just as good. A little fiddly getting the bobble on the hat so make sure the strawberries are really dry for that bit. And they need to be quite big strawberries too.

Brought to you by Marrying Later in Life

CHOCOLATE SNOWMAN TRUFFLES

Kids will love these cute and delicious snowman truffles that come together in a few minutes. You can make the truffles ahead of time and keep in the fridge until ready to use. Perfect on top of cakes and for entertaining.

Brought to you by Good to Know

Christmas cooking for kids that actually works (cont.)

Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

Christmas isn’t complete without hot cocoa. Make it extra special with added gingerbread syrup. Feel free to use your favourite cocoa mix and vegan ingredients.

Brought to you by Bakingdom

Frozen Popcorn Snowballs

These popcorn snowballs are perfect for Frozen-obsessed kids. They come together in less than an hour, but you can save time by using store-bought popcorn.

Brought to you by Life Made Simple

Christmas Tree Fruit Platter

For an easy and healthy Christmas treat, this tree fruit platter is unbeatable. The recipe calls for grapes, raspberries and blackberries, but feel free to use your favourite fruits.

Brought to you by The First Year

Christmas Truffles

Who doesn’t love truffles? They’re so yummy and festive. You can make these kid-friendly ones in just 30 minutes. Great for gifting or entertaining.

Brought to you by BBC Good Food

Sweetie Bauble Decorations

We love edible decor for the holidays. These ones are easy to make and look amazing hanging on the tree. Use Jelly Tots, gum drops or sweets of your choice.

Brought to you by Good to Know

Gingerbread People

Gingerbread cookies are another holiday staple. Save on prep time by decorating the cookies with store-bought tubes of icing and sweets. Get the kids involved and make it a fun family activity on Christmas eve.