Easy Recipes for Aspiring Bakers

Looking for easy recipes to entertain and impress your friends during a sleep-over or birthday party? Here are two hints for you.

Easter Egg Nests1

Ingredients:

Chow mein noodles 3 cups
Sweetened coconut 1 cup
Flaked or shredded
Butter ¼ cup
Miniature marshmallows 3 cups
Vanilla extract 1 tsp
Small jelly beans ½ cups


Tools:

  • A large bowl
  • A medium saucepan
  • A wooden spoon
  • Cookie sheets lined with
    parchment paper

Directions:

  • Place noodles and coconut in a large bowl.

  • Carefully melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon to keep it from burning.

  • When butter is completely melted, add marshmallows and stir until smooth.

  • Remove from heat and mix in vanilla extract.

  • Quickly pour mixture over noodles and coconut, stirring until well coated.

  • Slightly butter your fingers, then remove small portions of noodle mixture and drop them onto cookie sheets.

  • Make an indent in the center of each portion with your thumb and index finger, then quickly fill it with jelly beans.

This recipe gives you about 30 nests.

Oatmeal Bars2

There are many easy recipes, but this one not only is easy but makes irresistible cookies. These cookie bars are so crisp, buttery, and delicious. Best of all, it is not just for kids.

The trick is packing the mixture firmly into a baking pan. The tighter you press it to the bottom of the pan, the firmer these bars are.

It’s also important to cut them the minutes they’re out of the oven, and let them cool in the pan. They will break and crumble if you try to cut them when they are cool.

kids bake oatmeal bars

Unsalted butter, softened ½ cup or 1 stick
Granulated sugar ½ cup
Oatmeal, (not quick-cooking) 1 cup


    butter and sugar mixture for oatmeal bars

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and grease an 8-inch square baking pan with butter.

  • Beat softened butter with sugar on medium speed for about 1 minute or until blended and smooth.


    oatmeal bars are ready for baking
  • Mix in the oatmeal thoroughly and press the mixture evenly in the prepared pan.

  • Bake for about 30 minutes or until edges are light brown and top is golden.


    kids bake and cut oatmeal bars

  • Remove from oven and immediately cut into 16 pieces. Then cool completely in pan.


    Oatmeal Bars - kids baking
  • Store these bars in airtight containers at room temperature for about one week.

Other Easy Recipes for Kids

1Adapted from Kids Can Do It – Bake and Make Amazing Cookies by Elizabeth Macleod.

2The original recipe is in 125 Cookies to Bake, Nibble and Savor by Elinor Klivans.