Bake UP These Easy Recipes With Your Family

Avid bakers love to talk about how baking is a “science.” While that may be true, it doesn’t mean you and your little ones can’t be explorers of delicious, delicious chemistry together. Below, we’ve compiled three easy recipes for family baking sure to bring smiles (and messy counters!) to your kitchen. These recipes call for using a food processor or an electric whisk, but you can still make an easy family bake when using hand-powered kitchen tools.

Easy Banana Muffins

Banana bread and muffins, a match made in kitchen heaven! This easy recipe for the family is perfect for young bakers.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 large ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups when mashed)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (or melted coconut oil)
• 2/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk
• Optional: 1 cup chopped walnuts, pecans or chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use cupcake liners.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer, mash the bananas. On medium speed, beat or whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract and milk. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then beat or whisk until combined. If adding nuts or chocolate chips, fold them in now. Batter will be thick.
3. Spoon the batter into liners, filling them all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes at 425° then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake for an additional 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 21-23 minutes, give or take. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
4. Muffins can stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Simple Sugar Cookies

Who doesn’t love a buttery, flaky sugar cookie? Only those who haven’t tried one, that’s who! These highly customizable cookies are asking to be combined with your family’s favorite toppings.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract, 4 Oz.

Example Toppings: Gummies, Nonpareils or 6 ounces of chopped candy bars

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a cookie pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until combined. Add flour mixture; beat until combined.
3. Roll dough into 1 1/2 in. balls and roll in sprinkles or chopped candy bars, pressing lightly to adhere. Place 2 inches apart from the prepared cookie pan.
4. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the centers of cookies are semi-firm to the touch. Cool cookies on a pan on a cooling grid for 2 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling grid; cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Gummy Worm Dirt Cake

Fun and delicious! This favorite easy recipe for family baking will never go out of style.

Ingredients

• 1 package (14.3 oz.) crème filled sandwich cookies
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 1/3 cups Dark Cocoa Candy Melts Candy, divided
• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 package (3.9 oz.) instant chocolate pudding mix
• 2 cups cold milk
• 1 package (10 oz.) Whipped Icing Mix
• Gummy worms candy, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a food processor, process cookies until coarse crumbs form. Set crumbs aside, then process 1/3 cup Dark Cocoa Candy Melts Candy until finely ground. Set aside.
2. Stir together 2 cups cookie crumbs and melted butter, then press evenly into the bottom of a 9 in. x 13 in. baking dish. Refrigerate while preparing filling.
3. Melt remaining 1 cup candy melts according to package instructions. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Add melted candy and beat until combined.In a medium bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk according to package directions until it is soft set. Add pudding to cream cheese mixture; beat until combined.
4. Prepare Whipped Icing Mix according to package instructions. Stir into pudding mixture until well-blended. Spread into pan. Combine remaining cookie crumbs and ground candy melts; sprinkle on top of pudding mixture. Decorate with gummy worms, if using. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Related:

Teach Kids Science Through Baking

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