Holiday Baking With Children

By Sidonie Maroon, Culinary Educator for The Food Co-op

So much good comes when you take time to cook and bake with children. This year’s apple harvest was abundant. In October we hosted an apple pressing with neighbors and family. The children picked and gathered; they watched apples pressed into juice. Evenings brought trays of apple rings to the dehydrator. Our new toy this year was an apple corer and turner—the Yankee peeler, as they say. The week before Thanksgiving, Alder and Atlas—five and three—came to bake apple pies. I made the dough ahead of time. They rolled circles, tucked in apples and cinnamon, and learned to weave a lattice top. We used small tart pans with removable bottoms. When the pies came out to cool, they sat over them, inhaling baked apples and pastry, and then ate them to the last crumb—no kidding.

From Whole to Parts to a New Whole

I like to live the arc of a season with them: we start outside with what’s growing on the trees, in the garden, or wild, then bring it inside. We slice, peel, chop, assemble, and bake. We begin with the natural whole, move to the parts, and return to a new human-made whole. It’s a sacred geometry of the kitchen—this is the secret of cooking. Children understand this alchemical process and love it.

While we work, I tell simple stories or make up silly songs about gathering, chopping, and making. Most of the time, everyone finds their zone, concentrating on rolling dough or pressing out shapes with the cookie cutters.

A Few Words About Praise and Correction

Yearly art and craft experiences go deep and stay with us a lifetime. As a longtime arts educator, I learned not to hover. Let the children engage at their level and complete each step. When you praise, praise the job, not the child: “I like how that sugar plum rolled. It made a round ball when you worked it between your palms.” There isn’t anything wrong with corrections—it’s how we improve—but keep them necessary, short, and helpful: “I’m finding that pinching off a small piece of dough is easier to roll.” Leave it at that. They’ll take it up or not, just as you would.

It helps if parents make their own cookies alongside the children. Parents need their own creative projects to keep micromanaging at bay. Young children may need us to make with them—stepping in and out as needed, but not taking over.

Setup, Cleanup, and the Arc of a Session

It’s wise to set up before children arrive—doughs made, tools laid out, steps in mind—so they walk into a magical place. Keep the baking session matched to the group’s focus and energy. Two hours, including cleanup, works well. Baking is an important togetherness time, so encourage good vibes.

Please remember that cleanup is part of the fun. Let the children carry dishes to the sink, wipe tables, and sweep floors. It helps to sing together or play little games. Don’t let anyone rush off; finishing is part of the whole baking practice.

Treats Tied to Celebration

I love to pair baking with celebration—St. Nicholas Day, Santa Lucia, Solstice, Christmas Eve. My children always helped make their birthday cakes and chose their favorites; the making was part of the day.

If you’re new to baking, start simple. Sugar plums are no-bake and perfect for an evening: the pleasure is in the rolling and the rhythm, perhaps with a cup of Sugar Plum Fairy tea at hand. I keep gingerbread dough in the freezer—and made five pounds this season. Thawed in the refrigerator, it’s ready to roll into stars, bells, trees—or a dinosaur. Joy and little hands, one batch at a time.

Sugar Plums

Makes ~60 small balls

“... and visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.”

3/4 cup dried apples, finely chopped

3/4 cup dried figs, finely chopped

3/4 cup dried prunes, finely chopped

3/4 cup dates, pitted and finely chopped

3/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional; substitute pistachios or pepita seeds)

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Coating: 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, ground in a coffee grinder, mixed with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Alternative coating: finely ground almond flour with a pinch of cinnamon

1. Combine the chopped apples, figs, prunes, dates, walnuts (or chosen nuts/seeds), 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix by hand until the mixture binds, or pulse in a food processor just until it holds together, leaving some texture.

2. Divide the mixture into about sixty even portions and roll each into a small ball between your palms.

3. In a shallow dish, blend the ground coconut with 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Roll each ball to coat (or use finely ground almond flour with the cinnamon). Set on a tray and chill for 30 minutes to firm. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze for longer storage.

Poached Figs with Mascarpone

2 cups dry white wine

1/4 cup honey, or to taste

12 whole dried white or black figs

Water as needed

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Generous pinch freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon sea salt salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ⅓ cup mascarpone cheese or whipped cream

Combine the wine, honey and figs in a 3- or 4-quart non-reactive saucepan. Add enough water to barely cover the figs. Stir in the cinnamon, pepper, salt and vanilla. Bring to a simmer. Cook partially covered for about 30 minutes or until figs are tender, but not falling apart. If making ahead, cool and refrigerate the fruit in its syrup. Boil down cooking liquid until syrupy (about 8 to 10 minutes). Spoon over the fruit. Place a generous daub of mascarpone or whipped cream next to each serving.

Figgy Bars

10-inch round tart cut into diamonds

Cardamon crust with a hint of black pepper, and an orange, anise figgy top.

Base

¾ cup sunflower seeds

¾ cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup pitted dates

¼ cup flaxseeds, ground

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon black peppercorns, ground

¼ teaspoon decorticated cardamom, ground

¼ cup avocado oil (or other oil of choice)

Topping

1 cup dried figs

½ cup raisins

¾ cup boiling water

3 tablespoons chia seeds, ground

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons anise seed

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 teaspoon orange extract

Making the Base

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Using a spice grinder, grind the flaxseeds, pepper, ginger and cardamom into a rough powder.

2. Using a high-speed blender, grind the sunflower and pumpkin seeds and together, add the dates and flax mix and grind into a rough paste. Put the paste into a bowl, mixing in the oil and salt. Press into a 10-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom. I like to line the tart pan with a 12-inch round of parchment paper, so that it lines the bottom and sides of the pan. Press the dough into the bottom and bake in a preheated oven for 12 minutes.

Making the Topping

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Using a spice grinder, grind the chia and anise seeds into a rough powder.Soak the figs and raisins in ¾ cup boiling water until soft, about 10 minutes.

2. In a high-speed blender, blend the figs, raisins, soaking water, chia mix, salt and extracts until smooth.

3. Spread the topping onto the base and bake at 350 F for 15 minutes.

4. Cool and cut into bars on the diagonal (diamonds)

Date and Pistachio Cookie Bars

Flourcraft Method

Makes 30 small diamond shaped bars

Easy to make, filled with nutritious ingredients and sure to please. These spiced date and pistachio bars are spicy, rich and sweet.

Flour

½ dry bulk chickpeas

½ cup dry prewashed quinoa

½ cup tapioca starch

½ cup coconut sugar

¼ cup flax seed

1 tablespoon psyllium seed husk powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon anise seed

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon decorticated cardamom

Additions

1 cup pitted dates

1 cup pistachios

Liquid and Fats

1 ½ cubes unsalted butter (12 tablespoons), chopped into small pieces.

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup water

Optional: 1 teaspoon lemon or orange extract or 1 tablespoon zest

1. Using a high speed blender, Vitamix, on high speed, grind the flour for 1 minute. Sift into a large bowl. Regrind and fines. Grind the sifted flour once more for 30 seconds or so to make an ultra fluffy flour.

2. In the same blender, grind the dates and pistachios into a rough meal. Add them to the flour.

3. Using a large food processor, or by hand, pulse in the butter pieces with the other liquid until it comes together into a smooth dough.

4. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Ready a large pizza pan with parchment paper. Pat the dough evenly onto the pan. I use wet hands. Smooth the dough and score into diamond shapes.

5. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes. Allow the bars to cool. Cut along the scored lines. Keep them in the fridge or freeze. They’d be great cold or toasted.