5 baking recipes – great for the kids to make and eat!

September is finally here, the kids have gone back to school, the adults are back to the same old routine and winter is starting to make its presence known with darker mornings and a subtle drop in temperature.

You need a pick me up! How about a sweet treat? Or maybe some family time indoors to make the most of darker evenings spent indoors?
A baking session with the kids is the perfect way to spend time together, have some fun and cook up some delicious desserts for the whole family.
Here are five tasty yet simple recipes – perfect for budding bakers.

Chocolate orange cupcakes

Using agave nectar (or similar ingredients like honey) means a sweet treat without the massive sugar rush!

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of agave nectar (or honey)
• 200g margarine
• 100g cocoa powder
• 2 eggs
• 2 oranges
• 120g of self-raising flour

Method:

Melt the agave nectar, margarine and cocoa slowly in a small pan, then add the juice and zest of two oranges. Sieve the flour into a bowl, then add the chocolate orange mixture. Once well mixed, add two beaten eggs and stir. Spoon the cake mix into cupcake cases and bake at 180°C for around 10 minutes, or until a cake skewer (or toothpick) comes out clean. Top with orange peel.

Chocolate chip cookies

An all-time classic that’ll go down a treat!

Ingredients:

• 150g butter
• 80g brown sugar
• 80g caster sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 220g plain flour
• Pinch baking soda
• Pinch salt
• 200g of your favourite chocolate chips/sweets (smarties work really well!)

Method:

Combine all sugar and butter in a large bowl, mixing until creamy, then beat in the vanilla and egg. Sieve in the flour, baking soda and salt and mix well, then have the kids add their favourite chocolate into the mixture. Scoop into around 25 even dough balls, placing them on two baking trays lined with baking paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 190°C.

Mini sausage rolls

A savoury treat and a family favourite.

Ingredients:

• 500g puff pastry
• Dusting of plain flour
• 2 beaten eggs
• 8 pork and herb sausages (or veggie sausages)
• Salt and pepper

Method:

To make the meat mix, cut the sausage casing and empty the meat into a large mixing bowl (the kids will love this messy part!) and mix together with some salt and pepper for extra flavour, then store in the fridge while you prepare your pastry.

Dust your kitchen surface with flour and roll the puff pastry into a rectangle shape (about 50cm in length and 30cm in width). Cut the pastry down the centre lengthways and then divide into eight equal sections. Get the meat out of the fridge and lay a piece of the mixture at one end of each pastry piece, brushing the other end with beaten egg before rolling the pastry to enclose. Refrigerate until the pastry is hard and then brush the remaining egg wash evenly over each roll before baking at 200°C for 25-30 minutes.

Cornflake cakes with a twist

An exciting twist on a simple classic, meaning even the youngest of bakers can get involved.

Ingredients:

• 50g butter
• 75g milk chocolate, 75g dark chocolate
• 100g cornflakes
• 63g popping candy

Method:

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a pan over a low heat (or let the kids melt in the microwave), remove from the heat then stir in the popping candy after letting the mixture cool a little. Put the cornflakes in a large bowl and stir in the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Once well mixed, spoon the mixture into 12 equal balls and store in a muffin tray, putting the cakes into the fridge to set.

Banana and blueberry loaf

Get the kids into cooking with fruit with this easy bake.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas
• A handful of blueberries
• 43g melted butter
• 1tsp baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 100g sugar
• 190g plain flour
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Using a fork, mash the ripe bananas in a large bowl until smooth, then stir in the melted butter. Add the dry ingredients (baking soda, salt, sugar) followed by the beaten egg and vanilla extract, mixing in the flour last. Pour the batter into a loaf tin and then sprinkle the blueberries on top so they sink into the batter, or have the kids poke them into the mix. Bake for 50 minutes at 175°C.

You can check out our advice on cooking with kids to make sure you have the best (and less chaotic) baking experience.