The kitchen might not sound like the place you want to land when it’s so hot outside, but baking is always a great summer activity for kids, especially on the days when they complain they have nothing to do.
Whether they love to help out in the kitchen or they’re looking for a way to beat boredom, baking is a great way to encourage creativity, teach important life skills, and create lasting memories.
The best part? It doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, I often find the simplest recipes are the ones we come back to again and again because they are easy –and delicious.
Here are some kid-friendly desserts for your family to make and enjoy this July.
Homemade Popsicles
This one is tried-and-true, and it doesn’t require turning on the oven! Homemade popsicles are one of the easiest summer treats to make. Kids can mix fruit, yogurt, or juice, and pour the mixture into popsicle molds. You can even add favorite berries or sliced fruit. Put the molds in the freezer for a few hours, and kids will have a colorful, refreshing snack that’s perfect for hot afternoons.
Fourth of July Berry Trifle
If you’re looking for something easy and delicious for the 4th of July, this is it! Layer cubes of angel food cake, whipped cream, fresh strawberries, and blueberries in a trifle dish. Repeat the layers until the dish is full, then top with extra berries for a festive red, white, and blue dessert. While it’s patriotic for any of your festivities for the Fourth, this dessert is great to serve all summer long!
No-Bake Cookie Bites
Here’s another yummy, quick dessert that doesn’t need an oven: no-bake cookie bites. Simply mix together old-fashioned oats, peanut butter, honey, vanilla, mini chocolate chips, and a pinch of salt. Roll into bite-sized balls and chill in the fridge until firm. Kids can help measure, stir, and roll the dough. These are delicious after a meal, but are also a great snack to grab for summer days spent on the go.
Fruit Pizza
For a fruit pizza, you’ll need a sugar cookie crust or refrigerated cookie dough baked into a large circle. Once cooled, spread on a layer of sweetened cream cheese, then let kids decorate the top with colorful fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, mandarin oranges, raspberries, and grapes. They can decorate in fun patterns and create edible art!
Ice Cream Cone Cupcakes
This is a dessert that I remember enjoying at friends’ birthday parties when I was younger. Follow the directions on a box cake mix to make the batter, then fill flat bottom ice cream cones, and bake. Once they’ve cooled, kids can decorate with frosting, sprinkles, and colorful candies. They look just like ice cream cones but won’t melt in the summer sunshine.
S’mores Mix
This is a favorite in our house for a mid-morning snack, an afternoon treat, or for a movie night. Basically, it’s good anytime! Simply add a graham cracker cereal (we love Golden Grahams around here), mini marshmallows, and chocolate chips in a large bowl with a lid. Give it a good shake or stir and enjoy! We challenge you to eat just one handful.
Watermelon Fruit Skewers
Here’s another dessert that doesn’t need to be baked. Kids can help assemble fruit skewers by threading watermelon, strawberries, grapes, blueberries, cantaloupe, and pineapple (really, any fruit you like will work!) onto skewers for a colorful, refreshing snack. This is an easy way to make sure kids get their daily dose of fruit. And they are an easy addition to any pool party, BBQ, or neighborhood cookout.
No matter which recipe you decide to try, one of the best things about baking is the time spent together in the kitchen. If you have little ones, you can give everyone a different job so they can help contribute. They can measure ingredients, pour items in the bowl, or stir the batter. For older kids, you can help gather the supplies and let them take it from there.
We’re all about baking memories, and we hope these summer recipes have you creating delicious memories all summer long.