One of my favorite holiday memories is of going to my grandmother’s house to bake pies together as a Christmas treat when I was a child. I can still vividly remember the feeling of sitting in her small kitchen with its 1970s appliances and rolling out dough on her circular kitchen table.
Looking back, I have to give her credit for including me in such an ambitious baking feat every year. Granted, she is an excellent baker, but still, doing anything with kids makes it 1000 times more complicated. Maybe someday my kids and I will bake pies together too, but for now, I’m sticking with something a little easier and more kid-friendly for the tiniest of hands to help.
Read on for 25 fun (and easy!) Christmas treats to tackle with your little one(s) this year.
1. Melted Snowman Cookies
These melted snowmen are too cute to pass up. Your little ones will love this creative tasty treat.
Source: Chelsea’s Messy Apron
2. Christmas Tree Rice Krispie Treats
Rice Krispie Treats have always been a favorite in my household, but making them into cute and festive Christmas trees makes them even better.
Source: Cooking Classy
3. Santa Hat Cupcakes
In just a few simple steps, you can take your plain (but still delicious) cupcakes and turn them into a festive treat!
Source: Frugal Momeh
4. Chewy Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
I don’t know about you, but gooey, chocolatey goodness always has a place on my Christmas wishlist. Not only are these crinkle cookies delicious, but they also freeze well so there’s no reason not to make an extra batch (we won’t tell if they don’t actually make it to the freezer)!
Source: Savory Nothings
5. Candy Cane Cookies
If your favorite seasonal flavor is peppermint, you’re not going to want to pass up these candy cane cookies! They’re the perfect combination of sweet vanilla and bold peppermint. Plus, they’re adorable.
Source: No.2 Pencil
6. Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies
If decorating Christmas cookies has always been one of your traditions, or if it’s one you’re wanting to start, this sugar cookie recipe is just what you need for a perfect baking day.
Source: Chungah Rhee
7. Christmas Bark
Warning: You’ll find yourself coming back for “just one more piece” of this Christmas bark more often than you’d like to admit. But, spoiler alert: It’s worth it.
Source: Celebrating Sweets
8. Easy Gingerbread Cookies
The holidays simply wouldn’t be the same without gingerbread cookies. This is the perfect recipe to make them soft and chewy.
Source: Savory Nothings
9. Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies
When it comes to cookies, the only combination better than chocolate and peppermint is soft and crunchy. Lucky for us, this recipe provides all of that in one.
Source: Two Peas & Their Pod
10. Christmas Butter Cookies
One of my favorite traditions as a kid was leaving out cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve. If your little ones love doing that too, try making these butter cookies this year—they happen to be Santa’s favorite (we’re sure of it).
Source: Brown Sugar
11. Chocolate-Dipped Shortbread Stars
I’m a fan of just about anything dipped in chocolate, but I don’t think it gets much better than these cute shortbread stars.
Source: Gimme Delicious
12. Reindeer Cupcakes
If you want to put a smile on your little one’s face for the whole day, try making these reindeer cupcakes together.
Source: Half Baked Harvest
13. Cookie Cutter Peppermint Bark
These cutout peppermint bark treats are not only going to be a family favorite, but they also make for a great holiday gift!
Source: Peas and Crayons
14. Christmas M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies
When you want to celebrate the holidays but don’t want to give up your favorite cookie, all you have to do is add a festive touch!
Source: Brown Sugar
15. Grain-Free Santa Hat Brownie Cookie Cups
These brownie cookie cups are adorable, but we also love that they’re grain- and gluten-free. This is the perfect recipe for everyone.
Source: Ambitious Kitchen
16. Homemade Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes
This recipe may be the only present we need this year. Treat everyone in your house to their favorite Little Debbie cakes that taste even better than store bought.
Source: Grandbaby Cakes
17. Andes Mint Cookies
This is a recipe I couldn’t wait to try! It’s a tradition in my family for my mom (I mean, Santa) to put a package of Andes mints in everyone’s stockings, and this recipe was a perfect use for them.
Source: Two Peas & Their Pod
18. Peanut Butter Blossoms
My family knows by now that if these cookies aren’t on the roster for our annual baking day, there’s a good chance I won’t show up. They’re a timeless treat that deserve to be appreciated year after year.
Source: Sugar Spun Run
19. Christmas Chex Mix
We can’t think of a better way to spend an evening this holiday season than whipping up a batch of this Chex Mix before cuddling up on the couch and watching a holiday movie together.
Source: The Salty Marshmallow
20. Easy Oreo Gluten-Free Snowman Cookies
These cookies are simple to make, adorable, and will make everyone in your house sing “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” Do with that what you will.
Source: Rachl Mansfield
21. Stained Glass Window Cookies
Without a doubt, this is the prettiest recipe on our list. Your little ones will feel like they’re working on an art project when making these cookies.
Source: Sally’s Baking Recipes
22. Stacked Sugar Cookie Christmas Trees
After working hard decorating the Christmas tree, reward yourself and your little ones by heading to the kitchen to whip up a batch of edible (and ultra-cute) cookie trees.
Source: Life, Love and Sugar
23. Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
Lemony cream cheese makes these gingerbread whoopee pies extra special. Kids will love putting them together too!
Source: Chungah Rhee | Damn Delicious
24. Nutter Butter Snowmen
These nutter butter snowmen couldn’t be cuter—or more delicious. Whip up some of these with your little ones after working hard playing in the snow.
Source: Oh, Sweet Basil
25. Double-Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies
The only thing better than chocolate is double-chocolate. Combine that with crunchy peppermint and frosting, and you’ve got a cookie everyone will love.
Source: Girl Versus Dough
This article was originally published at an earlier date and has been updated for timeliness.
