baking with children

This is an easy banana bread recipe that gives perfect results every time. Be sure to use really ripe bananas - the blacker the better.

Each serving provides 334 kcal, 5g protein, 53g carbohydrates (of which 30g sugars), 11g fat (of which 6.5g saturates), 2g fibre and 0.8g salt.

Banana bread

flour

tsp bicarbonate of soda

salt

110 grams/4 ounces butter, plus extra for greasing

caster sugar

free-range eggs

bananas,

85 milliliters/3fl oz buttermilk (or normal milk mixed with 1½ tsp lemon juice

tsp vanilla extract

This easy gingerbread  recipe is great for baking with children, and it makes a lovely homemade Christmas present. Make gingerbread men or any other shape!

Each serving provides 161 kcal, 2g protein, 25g carbohydrates (of which 11.5g sugars), 6g fat (of which 3.5g saturates), 0.7g fibre and 0.3g salt.

Gingerbread Men

350 grams/12 ounces plain flour, plus extra for rolling out

ginger

cinnamon

grams/4½oz butter

brown sugar

free-range egg

golden syrup

writing icing (optional)

cake decorations (optional)

Gingerbread men

Keep the kids entertained with this easy basic biscuit recipe. Let their imagination run wild with the icing, sprinkles and decorations!

Basic iced biscuits

grams/3½oz unsalted butter, softened

grams/3½oz caster sugar

egg,

icing sugar

water

food colourings

The perfect savoury cheese scone recipe – best eaten warm spread liberally with butter! These scones are so easy to whip up for lunchboxes or picnics.

Each serving provides 143 kcal, 3g protein, 18g carbohydrates (of which 1g sugars), 6.5g fat (of which 4g saturates), 1g fibre and 0.5g salt.

Cheese scones

225 grams/8 ounces self raising flour

butter

grams/1 ounces mature cheddar, grated

150 milliliters/5fl oz milk

The best flapjacks are gooey, chewy and, above all, easy. These fruit-filled treats are great to make with children. You will also need a 20x30cm/8x12in baking tray. 

Easy honey flapjacks

unsalted butter

demerara sugar

honey

400 grams/14 ounces porridge oats

grams/1¾oz nuts, raisins, crystallised ginger or desiccated coconut (optional)

Classic, chewy and good for your soul, Lorraine Pascale’s flapjacks are simple to make and hard to beat!

Each serving provides 318 kcal, 3.5g protein, 43g carbohydrates (of which 25.5g sugars), 14g fat (of which 8g saturates), 2.5g fibre and 0.1g salt.

Flapjacks

muscovado sugar

350 grams/12 ounces porridge oats

½ unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest only (optional)

ginger (optional)

Try making these easy, buttery shortbread biscuits for an afternoon activity with the kids. This recipe also works with chocolate chips or orange zest added the dough. 

Shortbread

125 grams/4 ounces unsalted butter,

55 grams/2 ounces caster sugar, plus extra to finish

These delicious raspberry and white chocolate muffins couldn’t be simpler to make and use frozen raspberries for ease. For really light, well-risen muffins, it’s important not to over-mix. Don't worry about any tiny smears of flour in the batter.

Raspberry and white chocolate muffins 

300 grams/10½oz plain flour

1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

100 milliliters/3½fl oz milk

100 milliliters/3½fl oz soured cream

eggs,

sunflower oil

vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

grams/5½oz raspberries

grams/3½oz white chocolate chips

Mary Berry's lemon drizzle traybake cake has been a hit since the 1960s, and this is the recipe she is most asked for when stopped in the street.

Equipment and preparation: for this recipe you will need a 30x23cm/12x9in tray bake tin.

Each serving provides 290 kcal, 4g protein, 38.5g carbohydrates (of which 25g sugars), 13.5g fat (of which 8g saturates), 0.7g fibre and 0.6g salt.

Lemon drizzle traybake cake

level tsp baking powder

tbsp milk

lemons,

lemon verbena (optional)

sugar

lemons, juice only

Mary Berry makes her lemon verbena drizzle cake.

Lemon Verbena Drizzle Cake

Ghribas are Moroccan cookies that come in various flavours, but this chocolate and almond version is one of our favourites. They have a cracked top and chewy centre, and are deliciously rich and fragrant.

Chocolate and almond ghriba

dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

grams/1¾oz unsalted butter, softened

almond extract

150 grams/5½oz ground almonds

grams/3½oz plain flour

baking powder

150 grams/5½oz icing sugar

Nadiya's chewy, almond and raspberry amaretti have a fresh raspberry hidden in the middle. They make a lovely gift, but are best eaten straight away. 

Raspberry amaretti biscuits

butter,

340 grams/11¾oz caster sugar

340 grams/11¾oz ground almonds

grams/¾oz freeze-dried raspberries, blitzed to a powder

raspberries

Mary Berry's banana bread recipe is small, but perfectly formed and loaded with chocolate chips. You can double this classic loaf cake recipe if you have lots of bananas to use up.

Mary Berry's banana bread

banana (peeled weight 100 grams/4 ounces)

75 grams/3 ounces caster sugar

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp baking powder

chocolate chips

chocolate

This healthy banana muffin recipe makes eating cake for breakfast guilt-free! Ripe bananas add sweetness to muffins, so you don't have to use much sugar. Wholemeal flour give the muffins plenty of fibre, keeping you full for longer.

Equipment: You will need a six-hole muffin tin.

Each muffin provides 206 kcal, 4.5g protein, 30g carbohydrate (of which 13g sugars), 7.5g fat (of which 0.8g saturates), 1g fibre and 0.4g salt.


Healthy banana muffins

grams/4½oz wholemeal flour

tbsp light muscovado sugar

medium free-range egg, beaten

grams/1¾oz low-fat plain yoghurt

milliliters/2fl oz rapeseed oil,

bananas (175 grams/6 ounces peeled weight), roughly mashed

Chocolate cake meets Victoria sponge in Mary's easiest ever chocolate cake recipe filled with cream and jam. 

Mary's easy chocolate cake

225 grams/8 ounces unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

225 grams/8 ounces caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

220 grams/7¾oz self-raising flour

tsp baking powder

cocoa powder

apricot jam

300 milliliters/10½fl oz whipping cream, softly whipped

Rock cakes are a light, crumbly tea-time favourite. Eat while they are still warm from the oven. So easy to make, and lots of fun for children to join in too. 

Each serving provides 214 kcal, 3g protein, 29g carbohydrates (of which 14.5g sugars), 9.5g fat (of which 6g saturates), 1g fibre and 0.3g salt.

Rock cakes

75 grams/2½oz caster sugar

grams/4½oz unsalted butter,

150 grams/5½oz dried fruit (raisins, sultanas or currants)

Like all banana cookies these are quite soft and cakey, but the dark chocolate and chopped nuts give tons of great flavour without being overly sweet.


Banana cookies

grams/5½oz unsalted butter,

golden caster sugar

½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

75 grams/2½oz pecans (or walnuts), roughly chopped

75 grams/2½oz dark chocolate chips

bananas (200 grams/7 ounces peeled weight), mashed

Scones are the easiest British teatime treat and chances are that you will have all the ingredients for this recipe already.

Each serving provides 150 kcal, 3.5g protein, 20g carbohydrates (of which 3.5g sugars), 6g fat (of which 3.5g saturates), 1g fibre and 0.4g salt.

Scones

Find out how to make chocolate chip cookies with this clever hack to have them any time you fancy. Freeze the cookie dough then simply slice and bake when you feel like making soft chocolatey cookies.

Easy chocolate chip cookies

275 grams/9¾oz unsalted butter, softened

275 grams/9¾oz soft light brown sugar

eggs

tbsp vanilla extract

300 grams/10½oz good-quality milk chocolate,

sea salt

Watch our how to cook frozen chocolate chip cookies video.

Frozen chocolate chip cookies

This simple lemon sheetcake or school cake is ideal for a bake sale or children’s birthday party. 

In November 2023, this recipe was costed at an average of 54p per portion when checking prices at four UK supermarkets. The recipe is designed to be made in conjunction with a <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/budget_recipes">low-cost store-cupboard</a>.

Lemon school cake 

225 grams/8 ounces butter, softened,

lemons, finely grated zest and juice

200 grams/7 ounces-300 grams/10½oz icing sugar

Flapjacks are perfect for taking to work, school or having a snack with a cuppa! You can use any of the dried fruit and nuts you like. This version is slightly more healthy than normal, with a bit less butter and syrup, so it's great for families.

Each serving provides 231 kcal, 4.5g protein, 27g carbohydrates (of which 14g sugars), 11g fat (of which 5g saturates), 3g fibre and 0.25g salt.


Healthier flapjacks

oil,

grams/3½oz butter, cubed

grams/1¾oz seeds,

grams/1¾oz cranberries

grams/1¾oz raisins

grams/1¾oz apricots,

250 grams/9 ounces jumbo porridge oats (gluten-free, if required)

free-range egg, beaten

How to make flapjacks with tasty fruit and bit less butter than normal

How to make flapjacks

This easy fairy cakes recipe is perfect for baking with children. Decorate with a little drizzly icing and plenty of sprinkles, or go for the full butterfly effect. If you want to change the flavour, quantity or ice your fairy cakes, use our <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/sponge_cake_calculator">cake calculator</a> to customise this recipe.

Each serving provides 217 kcal, 1.9g protein, 35.3g carbohydrate (of which 29.4g sugars), 7.4g fat (of which 4.4g saturates), 0.3g fibre and 0.11g salt.


Easy fairy cakes

110 grams/4 ounces caster sugar

milk

300 grams/10½oz icing sugar

food colouring

hundreds and thousands, or other sprinkles

This is my go-to recipe when I want to make a classic chocolate chip cookie, but feel free to swap the chocolate for any other fillings you fancy. Treat this recipe like a master cookie dough and experiment with your favourite flavours. Ideally make the dough the night before you want to eat the cookies.
Each serving provides 248 kcal, 2.9g protein, 34.6g carbohydrate (of which 23g sugars), 10.6g fat (of which 6.4g saturates), 1.7g fibre and 0.33g salt.


Perfect chocolate chip cookies

½ tsp sea salt flakes,

110 grams/3¾oz unsalted butter,

110 grams/3¾oz light brown sugar

110 grams/3¾oz caster sugar

vanilla extract

chocolate (see tip)

Edd Kimber's go-to recipe when he wants to make a classic chocolate chip cookie.

This simple lemon drizzle cake recipe is super-quick to bake and perfect with an afternoon cup of tea. It's made in a food processor, so in 10 minutes you'll have it in the oven! 

This recipe makes a lemon drizzle loaf, but if you want to make a cake in a different shape, try our <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/sponge_cake_calculator">cake calculator</a>.
Each serving provides 401 kcal, 5.3g protein, 47.5g carbohydrate (of which 31.3g sugars), 20.9g fat (of which 12.4g saturates), 0.9g fibre and 0.29g salt.


Easy lemon drizzle cake

lemon,

icing sugar sugar

Top 23 baking with children recipes from across the web

The most viewed baking with children recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Banana bread

Gingerbread Men

Basic iced biscuits

Cheese scones

Easy honey flapjacks

Flapjacks

Shortbread

Raspberry and white chocolate muffi...

Lemon drizzle traybake cake

Chocolate and almond ghriba

Raspberry amaretti biscuits

Mary Berry's banana bread

Healthy banana muffins

Mary's easy chocolate cake

Rock cakes

Banana cookies

Scones

Easy chocolate chip cookies

Lemon school cake

Healthier flapjacks

Easy fairy cakes

Perfect chocolate chip cookies

Easy lemon drizzle cake

Top 23 baking with children recipes from across the web

The most viewed baking with children recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Banana bread

Gingerbread Men

Basic iced biscuits

Cheese scones

Easy honey flapjacks

Flapjacks

Shortbread

Raspberry and white chocolate muffi...

Lemon drizzle traybake cake

Chocolate and almond ghriba

Raspberry amaretti biscuits

Mary Berry's banana bread

Healthy banana muffins

Mary's easy chocolate cake

Rock cakes

Banana cookies

Scones

Easy chocolate chip cookies

Lemon school cake

Healthier flapjacks

Easy fairy cakes

Perfect chocolate chip cookies

Easy lemon drizzle cake

The most viewed baking with children recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine