The holiday season is a time for indulgence, making delicious treats and, of course, spending quality time with family and friends. One great way to bring little ones into the holiday preparations is to let them help make desserts. Not only is this a fun activity, but it can also be an opportunity to teach kids valuable skills such as measuring, following directions, and being creative.
In this blog post, we'll explore four easy holiday desserts that kids can help make. These desserts are not only easy to make but also festive and fun for the whole family.
Snowman cake pops
Who doesn't love an adorable snowman? These cute cake pops are a perfect holiday treat that kids will love making.
Ingredients:
Cake mix (white or vanilla)
Frosting
White candy melts
Black candy melts
Orange candy melts
Candy eyes
Lollipop sticks
Instructions:
- Bake the cake according to the instructions and let it cool down completely.
- Crumble the cake into a large bowl and add frosting until it's achieved dough-like consistency.
- Roll the dough into balls and chill them in the freezer for 10-15 minutes.
- Melt the white candy melts in a bowl.
- Dip the end of a lollipop stick into the melted candy, then insert it into a cake ball. Repeat with all the cake balls.
- Dip each cake pop into the white candy melts, then let it dry.
- Melt the black candy melts in a bowl. Use a piping bag or toothpick to draw on the snowman's eyes and mouth.
- Melt the orange candy melts in a bowl. Use a piping bag or toothpick to draw on the snowman's nose.
- Let them dry completely, and you can enjoy the delicious snowman cake pops.
Christmas dirt pudding cups
If you're looking for a festive and easy no-bake dessert, then Christmas dirt pudding cups are a great option. Kids will love mixing up the different layers and creating their unique cup.
Ingredients:
Chocolate pudding mix (or any flavor)
Milk
Oreos
Candy canes (crushed)
Gummy worm candies
Whipped cream
Clear cups
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, prepare the pudding mix according to package instructions.
- Crush the Oreos and put a layer of it on the bottom of each cup.
- Add in a layer of the pudding mix, followed by a layer of crushed candy cane.
- Add another layer of the pudding mix and crushed Oreos.
- Top with a dollop of whipped cream.
- Crush some more candy cane and sprinkle it on top.
- Finish off each cup with the gummy worm candy.
- Chill the cups in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.
Christmas tree cupcakes
These cupcakes are not only delicious but also act as festive and adorable centerpieces for your holiday table.
Ingredients:
Cupcake mix (vanilla or chocolate)
Frosting
Green food coloring
Mini pretzels
Candies (red and green)
Star sprinkles
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven according to the package instructions and prepare the cupcake batter.
- Add green food coloring to the cupcake batter till you achieve the desired shade of green.
- Spoon in the batter into a lined muffin tin and bake according to the instructions.
- Let the cupcakes cool down completely before applying frosting.
- Apply a generous amount of frosting to each cupcake.
- Break off the curved end of each pretzel, leaving the two straight ends of the pretzel intact.
- Insert the broken pretzels into the center of the cupcakes in a Christmas tree pattern.
- Place M&Ms on bare spots of the cupcakes to resemble ornaments.
- Finish off with a star sprinkle on top of the pretzel.
Caramel and chocolate covered apples
These fun and festive caramel and chocolate-covered apples are surprisingly easy to make, and kids can customize them as they please by adding sprinkles or other toppings.
Ingredients:
Apples
Caramel sauce
Chocolate chips
Toppings (sprinkles, nuts, candy cane crumbles)
Instructions:
- Cut the apples into slices and remove the core and seeds.
- Melt the caramel sauce in a bowl, and stir it occasionally.
- Insert a popsicle stick into the bottom of each apple slice
- Dip each apple slice into the melted caramel sauce.
- Let the apples dry on a sheet of parchment paper.
- Melt the chocolate chips in a bowl.
- Dip half of each apple slice into the melted chocolate, then dip the chocolate-covered portion into the desired topping.
- Place the finished slices on the parchment paper and let them dry completely.
Making holiday desserts with little ones can be a fun and enjoyable experience that involves the entire family. The recipes mentioned above are simple, yet deliciously festive, easy to make, and require only a few ingredients. Not only does making these desserts together create sweet memories, but it also teaches valuable cooking skills that they can use throughout their life. So, this holiday season, involve the kids in the kitchen and let them show their creativity by making these fun treats together. Happy holidays, everyone!
