Cookies and Biscuits

Baking Cookies and Biscuits with Children

Homemade cookies rarely last long, which is probably a sign you have done something right. Most recipes take very little time to put together, making them ideal for baking with children.

Once your child has learned the basic techniques, they can adapt recipes with different flavours and ingredients. Biscuits and cookies are generally forgiving to work with, so minor mistakes in measuring or mixing will often still produce a decent result.

Basic Techniques to Learn

Most cookie recipes use one of a few standard methods. The most common is the creaming method, where butter and sugar are beaten together until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy. This incorporates air into the dough, which helps create a lighter texture. An electric hand whisk makes this easier, though children can manage with a wooden spoon if they have the patience.

Folding is another technique that comes up often. This involves using a metal spoon or spatula to gently combine flour or other dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. The motion is a cutting action followed by lifting and turning. The aim is to keep as much air in the mixture as possible rather than knocking it out with heavy stirring.

Younger children can help with weighing ingredients, greasing baking sheets, and shaping the dough into balls. Older children may be ready to manage the whole process with supervision, particularly around the oven. Always supervise children closely when removing trays from the oven and handling hot baking sheets.

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Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe makes around 20 cookies, depending on size.

You will need: 170g butter at room temperature, 115g caster sugar, 225g plain flour, half a teaspoon of baking powder, and 115g chocolate chips.

• Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 4). Lightly grease two baking sheets or line them with baking parchment.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. This takes a few minutes with an electric whisk or longer by hand.
• Sieve the flour and baking powder into the bowl and fold it in using a metal spoon.
• Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed through the dough.
• Roll small portions of dough into balls, about 20g each or roughly the size of a walnut. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each one as they will spread during cooking.
• Flatten each ball slightly with the back of a fork or your fingers.
• Bake for around 15 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. The centres may still look slightly soft but will firm up as they cool.
• Leave on the tray for five minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Oat Cookies

These have a chewier texture than plain biscuits. The egg in this recipe helps bind the oats and creates that softer consistency. The oats add fibre and make them more substantial.

You will need: 115g butter at room temperature, 115g caster sugar, 1 egg, 170g plain flour, quarter teaspoon baking powder, a pinch of salt, and 55g rolled oats.

• Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 4). Prepare two baking sheets as above.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
• Beat in the egg until fully combined.
• Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt into the bowl, then fold in gently.
• Stir in the rolled oats.
• Shape the dough into small balls, about 20g each, and place on the baking sheets with space between them.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden around the edges.
• Allow to cool on the tray for five minutes before moving to a wire rack.

Both recipes can be adapted. Try adding dried fruit, different types of chocolate, or a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Some children enjoy experimenting with flavour combinations once they are confident with the basic method.

Store cookies in an airtight tin, where they will keep for up to five days.