Super Simple Baking For Kids: A Review
My seven-year-old, Ellie, was lucky enough to be gifted Super Simple Baking For Kids by Charity Mathews for Christmas (thank you Aunt Ali!). Naturally, we had to try it out this week. First, we skimmed the recipes. She initially wanted to try the “big pretzel.” However, after looking at the rest of the recipes, we settled on our first attempt being the chocolate chip cookie. We made this decision because (direct Ellie quote) “Everyone needs to know how to make a chocolate chip cookie.” I couldn’t agree more. Every kids cookbook should have a chocolate chip cookie recipe!
My personal goal was to really let her do all the work and not take over. I might have a slight propensity towards being a bit … overbearing in the kitchen. As a result, she hasn’t really learned how to do much on her own. I want her to really learn basics like how to measure, mix, set the oven, and clean up with minimal supervision. I almost succeeded, and she did most of the baking from start to finish.
Baking for kids instructions
The instructions in this book are incredibly simple and the recipe itself was perfect and easy to convert to gluten free. Additionally, there are safety instructions at the beginning as well as a whole section for kids to read on how to prepare for cooking. Also, a “baking basics” section goes into detail on equipment, techniques, and ingredients in a way perfectly suited to young minds. If you want your kids to really cook, this book is a great start.
The cookies by the kid cook
The cookies themselves came out fantastic. They were soft and chewy with just the right amount of chocolate and sweetness. Kids and adults alike devoured them. They only needed the minimum time in the oven, 8 minutes, with a little rest time on the pan. After about a minute to cool on the plate they were the perfect “almost too hot to eat but not quite” temperature. She really felt like a “kid cook” when they came out.
For another cookbook review, click here.
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About The Author
Sarah
I am a mom of two and wife to a martial arts school owner, full-time social media professional and avid cook and gardener. I love creating recipes and involving my kids in the process. The food we cook is usually dairy-free and gluten-free, and sometimes paleo, but we make exceptions (ahem, sourdough bread). The “hippie” part of this blog comes into play in the ingredients we use—I’m pretty vigilant about the health of my family and you could even call me “crunchy.” The “modern” part is that I am busy! You won’t catch me making my own nut milk or churning butter (not that there’s anything wrong with that). I’m more than happy to take the shortcuts provided by our lovely grocery stores and online shopping —especially in the midst of this global pandemic.