5 Ingredients for Fun Holiday Baking With the Kids
Create new memories of holiday baking with the kids in your new Atwell home with these easy tips.
Nothing says "love" more than a home-baked treat from your kitchen. The holidays are the perfect time to include kids in the cooking fun, and Atwell kitchens provide the perfect space to bake. Here are some tips for creating fun holiday kitchen memories this season.
Keep it simple.
A day in the kitchen with the kids is not the time to test out that complicated new recipe for homemade eclairs. The goal is to keep things easy and yummy. You can’t go wrong with everyone’s favorite sugar cookie cutouts or gingerbread men cookies. Pre-bake them, and then put the kids’ creativity to work in decorating.
Breads and muffins are another fun option with older kids who will enjoy measuring, stirring and pouring the batter into an assembly line of pans. Or, let the kiddos mix their favorite ingredients for an oversized batch of homemade trash mix.
Plan ahead.
Be sure you have all the supplies and equipment you’ll need in advance. Invest in mixing utensils that are child safe and manageable for smaller hands, like nylon kitchen knives and wooden spoons. Gather all the ingredients, as well as small bowls to hold cookie sprinkles and icing. Cover chairs with towels to protect against spills. Add to the fun with custom aprons for the crew!
Give everyone a role.
Work stations are a good way to segment the to-do’s and ensure that every little helper has a job. Let the kids rotate between activities – measuring, mixing, sifting, pouring – so that each has a part in the end product.
If you’ve opted for pre-baked cookies to decorate, the large islands in Atwell kitchens offer room to spread out the sprinkles, icing and cookies for some serious culinary art time.
Don’t forget the packaging.
Cooking holiday goodies with the kids is just part of the fun. Once your young chefs have mastered their projects, it’s time to package them up for gift giving. Have holiday plates, bags or tins on hand, along with colorful plastic wrap and ribbons. The kids will enjoy filling each with their handmade creations, topped off with handcrafted cards from them.
Let the cooks enjoy their bounty, too!
Now that all that hard work is complete, it’s time for taste testing! Set aside a spread of their baked items to share with each other, over a cup of hot cocoa or warm cider. Oh, and don’t forget to leave a few special ones out for Santa and the reindeer!
Want a home with a kitchen that makes cooking fun? Contact a New Home Specialist at (951) 355-7849 today.