Yesterday Piper and I spent the afternoon baking healthy Banana Bread Quinoa Cookies and it was the perfect Sunday. Piper loooooves cookies and I wanted to make something healthier to have on hand for her treats. She was really into helping me and gobbling up her handy work. I’ve learned a few things from our cooking experiences thus far and thought I’d share a few helpful hints. I strongly believe in getting your kids involved in preparing their own food at an early age! I’m also sharing the recipe below – it’s from one of our favorite cookbooks, Real Baby Food.

Tips For Baking With Toddlers

Prepare ahead

This probably goes without saying but it’s easiest to prepare all of your ingredients before hand. I try to let Piper help measure flour but I pre-set everything else in small bowls so she can help dump and stir them.

Give your child their “own ingredients”

I let Piper help me with our actual recipe but the truth is she just wants to play with the ingredients at this age – I’m all for that so after we mix ours for the recipe I give her a small bowl with flour and let her practice stirring pouring etc.! It also allows me to finish up other parts of the recipe she can’t help with.

Have patience!

Piper hasn’t always been interested in cooking, it takes time. She just now at 19 months is starting to have the attention span for it.

Set up a cooking spot

We like to cook at our kitchen table vs. the counter – obviously it’s much lower and Piper loves being able to see everything. It also allows us to have much more space and I let Piper stand on a chair.

Embrace the mess

It’s ok to make a big mess, it’s only food and is easy to clean up! My parents have an adorable apron Piper wears at their house and I need to find one for us to have at home, too!

 

Banana Bread Quinoa Cookies

From Real Baby Food

Ingredients

1.5 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup melted coconut oil
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup cooked, cooled quinoa
1/3 cup raw walnuts, very finely chopped
1 banana, diced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
3. With an electric mixer mix together coconut oil and brown sugar until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and continue mixing for 2 minutes.
4. Add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in the quinoa, walnuts and banana.
5. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls of dough onto cookie sheet about an inch apart. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Piper is wearing an adorable top from Old Navy’s spring collection which is now sold out but this one is near identical + little velvet bows from this Etsy shop.

Want more kid friendly recipes?

Try these super easy toddler muffins!