Bake up the best cookies for kids to help make and eat, from loaded Chocolate Chip Cookies and easy Sugar Cookies, to Oatmeal Raisin, Pumpkin Cookies, Applesauce Cookies, and more!
Cookies for Kids
In my mind, dessert is meant to be shared—which is why I love making less sweet cookies to share with the kids. These delicious desserts have less sugar and more whole grains than their conventional counterparts, yet still taste amazingly good.
I am always after the best flavor to help make sure we all actually want to eat the foods!
We love making them for the holidays or to share on any afternoon when we want to be in the kitchen.
Easy Cookie Recipes to Make with Kids
These recipes are all super straightforward to bake with the kids as I am fully aware of the reality of kids in the kitchen! Most of the batters are simply stirred together in one bowl without anything more than a wooden spoon or clean hands.
And when you’re done enjoy them together with some milk for a classic combination.
TIP: The majority of these cookies have allergy-friendly options so you can adjust as needed if there’s a food allergy in your house.
Easy Sugar Cookies
These easy sugar cookies are so fun to roll and cut out—and to frost! And the batter is egg and dairy free (and less sweet), so they’re a great option for any families with food allergies.
This makes a small batch of lightly sweet cookies. Double it to make more. If at any point the dough seems too sticky, pop it into the fridge for 5-10 minutes to firm up a bit. Or dust your parchment paper and cookie cutters with flour.
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
These are our favorite loaded cookie recipe, with dried fruit, coconut, and chocolate chips. So darn delicious and easy.
Classic loaded Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies with lower sugar for the whole family. Choose your add-ins based on the kinds you like!
Sweet Potato Cookies
Made with whole grains, mashed roasted sweet potato, and minimal added sweetener, this is a cookie that will surprise you with its deliciousness. We love adding a super simple yogurt frosting to make them extra-special.
These healthy cookies are perfect for a special snack or dessert to share. (This recipe was updated in August 2019 to streamline the process.)
Healthy Oatmeal Cookies
With a shredded apple and carrot in the mix, plus whole grain rolled oats, these oatmeal cookies are a fun afternoon treat to share. I love how well they store and that they have just the right mix of textures.
Make a batch of these healthy oatmeal cookies for dessert, snack time, or a special breakfast. You can make these half the size using 1-tablespoon batter for each cookie and reducing the baking time to about 16-18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown.
No-Bake Chocolate Cookies
Made with protein-rich cashews and dates, these no-bake cookies are easy to make—and you can even turn them into shapes if you press the batter into a silicone baking mold! My girls like to make them into hearts.
Apricot Balls
With granola, dried fruit, and coconut, these simple cookies taste like the old-fashioned Apricot Balls that my grandma used to make (only they’re a lot less sweet). They are a great snack or dessert and you can also play around with using other fruits.
These healthy holiday cookies require only 10 minutes and 5 simple ingredients. And they store well so they’re a great option to make ahead!
Soft Pumpkin Cookies
These cookies are super fluffy and super delicious. They are one of our favorite pumpkin desserts, especially to make in the fall.
These fluffy cookies are not super sweet, so you can add 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar to the batter if desired. (We like them just fine as is with the chocolate chips for sweetness!)
Easy Gingerbread Cookies
These cookies have a pleasant texture with just a tiny amount of crispness and they are so easy to make. We love to bake these together with the kids each holiday season.
Flavorful, whole-wheat gingerbread with just a hint of natural sweetness. These are a perfect holiday cookie to make with the kids. Double the batch to make more.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
A few basic ingredients combine to make a classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookie. These are easy to make with the kids and they freeze well too!
These soft cookies are a perfect afternoon snack (pair them with milk!) or dessert. (Recipe updated September 2020 to reduce the flour slightly to ensure the batter isn’t too dry.) These cookies are soft baked and very tender!
Apple Cookies
Fresh apple and options to adjust for allergies if needed, these easy cookies are so yummy any time of the year…and the easy drizzle on top really seals the deal!
These hearty apple cookies are plenty sweet, yet low in added sugars. You can also serve them as breakfast cookies (you may just want to leave the icing off!)
Applesauce Cookies
Using applesauce in place of oil makes for moist cookies that boast a naturally sweet flavor the kids (and parents!) will enjoy. These are a great everyday cookie (surely I’m not the only one who thinks that sort of thing is a good idea!)
These cookies are a little crispy around the edges right out of the oven, but soften as they are stored.
Healthy Banana Cookies
Without added sugar, these are an amazing cookie to make if you love bananas. The flavor is so good and the sweetness impressive. They’re a great addition to a lunchbox.
These are an easy whole grain cookie to share with the kids—they’re a great baby cookie! Try them for snack, dessert, or as a breakfast cookie
Baby Cookies
With three flavor options, these are a great way to use up purees—or just make a delicious and simple baby snack.
You can use any puree that you like the flavor of in this recipe—it works best with purees that are the consistency of mashed banana or mashed sweet potato. See the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for flavor ideas.
Cut-Out Christmas Cookies
Pull out the holiday cookie cutters and have fun with icing and sprinkles with this easy recipe.
You can use any cookie cutters you like to make these Christmas Cookies for kids—the timing Is for 2-3 inch ones so scale up or down if yours are bigger or smaller. And feel free to make half of the dough at a time (and stash the other Into the fridge for a future day).
Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies
These don’t actually have anything in them that the kids can’t eat, so they have been a must-make for me whenever I’ve had a baby in the house…and my older kids have always loved them too. Not saying you have to share, but you can (and the kids will love them).
These egg, dairy, and gluten-free cookies are perfect for breakfast, treats, or afternoon snacks for any mama. (And they are great to share with the kids too!)
No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies
Assembly-only is the way to go with these mix and shape cookies. They’re satisfying and easy to grab for yourself when you need a snack!
Made with just a handful of pantry staples, these No-Bake Peanut Butter Cookies are both delicious and seriously satisfying. Make them to share with the kids!
Best Tips for Baking with Kids
If you make these recipes with your kids, here are some resources to help.
I’d love to hear which cookies your kids love to bake or eat, so please chime in below in the comments to share. I love hearing from you guys.
This post was first published November 2020.
