Fun and Easy Cookie Recipes for Kids

Its essential to realize the importance of exposing children to the experience of cooking, so that they spend less time watching television. It is also said that cooking helps to inculcate skills like time management, teamwork, organization, and also aids in developing a sense of responsibility in children. Moreover, it is a great way for parents to spend quality time with their kids. So, if you want to introduce your children to cooking, the best thing you can begin with is by cookie baking.

Ingredients

• Shortening, ⅓ cup
• Sugar, 4 ounces
• Milk, 3 teaspoons
• Butter, ⅓ cup
• Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
• Egg, 1
• Flour, 16 ounces
• Baking powder, 1 teaspoon
• A pinch of salt
• Strawberry or raspberry jam
• Candy sprinkles

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, add the shortening and butter, whisking the two ingredients gently for a minute. In the same bowl, add just 8 ounces of the flour with the milk, baking powder, egg, salt, sugar, and vanilla extract; mix till all the ingredients are thoroughly blended. Put in the remaining flour and beat again for a few minutes. Cover it with a lid and keep it in the refrigerator.

Take the dough out after a few hours and place it on the countertop that has been lightly coated with flour. Roll the dough and cut it into desirable shapes with cookie cutters. Take a non-greased cookie sheet and place the cut cookies on it. Bake the cookies for 6-8 minutes at a temperature of 375 °F. Place the cookies on a wire rack to cool completely. Spread raspberry or strawberry jam on each cookie and ask your kids to top it with candy sprinkles.

Ingredients

• Plain flour, 5½ ounces
• Butter, 4½ ounces
• Unsalted peanuts (chopped), 2¾ cups
• Granulated sugar, 8 ounces
• Chunky peanut butter, 5½ ounces
• Egg, 1
• Pinch of salt

Beat the egg in a small bowl till it becomes light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine the peanut butter with the beaten egg, using a wooden spoon. Add sugar to this mixture and continue stirring till the it dissolves. Sift flour into the bowl along with the baking powder and salt.

Add the chopped peanuts and roll the mixture with your hands to make a soft, smooth dough. Cover the dough with a plastic film and place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Take the dough out from the refrigerator and make small balls out of it. Flatten each ball and create cutouts with cookie cutters.

Place them on greased baking trays and bake them in a preheated oven, at a temperature of 375 °F for 15 minutes. Once they are done, leave them on a wire rack to cool completely and store them in an airtight container.

Ingredients

• Pumpkin (canned), 15 ounces
• All-purpose flour, 4 cups
• Ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons
• Vegetable shortening, 2 cups
• Baking powder, 2 teaspoons
• Ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon
• Vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons
• Raisins, 8 ounces
• Sugar, 2 cups
• Salt, ½ teaspoon
• Eggs, 2
• Nuts (chopped), ½ cup
• Ground ginger, ½ teaspoon
• Baking soda, 1 teaspoon

For Frosting

• Powdered sugar, 2 cups
• Cream cheese (softened), 3 ounces
• Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
• Butter or margarine, ⅓ cup

Directions
In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, ginger, salt, and baking powder, together. In another bowl, combine the granulated sugar and the shortening for a few seconds. Add the pumpkin, 2 teaspoons of the vanilla extract, and the eggs to the bowl and whisk till they are fully blended

Once this is done, add the flour mixture to this bowl, gradually. When all the ingredients are well combined, sprinkle the raisins and stir again. With a spoon, place this mixture on non-greased cookie sheets and bake in a preheated oven of 350 °F for 12-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine all the frosting ingredients in an electric blender and use them to frost the cookies once they've reached room temperature. Sprinkle some nuts over the frosting and serve.