Contributor Micah Siva says, “Don’t feel like making your own dough? No problem! Substitute 3 pieces of pre-made, rolled pie dough to form 9 hand pies. You may have to re-roll some of the pieces to form rectangles.”
2-Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse
Chocolate mousse
Associate Editorial Director Myo Quinn says, “Chocolate chips contain stabilizers like soy or sunflower lecithin to help them hold their shape. This means chocolate chips melt more slowly, not as smoothly, and solidify more quickly. Baking chocolate bars or chunks are better for melting and what you should use for this recipe.”
Classic Shortbread Cookies
Shortbread cookies recipe
This shortbread cookie dough rolls out beautifully and is easy to cut out into whatever shape your kids are excited about. My kids love to sandwich a dollop of strawberry jam between two cookies. I prefer them simply, straight out of a cookie jar.
Continue to 13 of 28 below
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
Easy chocolate chocolate cookies on a white plate.
When you’re making chocolate chip cookies, more chocolate is always better—just ask your kids. These double chocolate cookies are rich and chewy, which makes for an ideal Valentine’s Day treat. Let your kids pick their own chocolatey add-ins like M&Ms.
Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Browned Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
All bakers should learn to brown butter, so start ’em young! Help them stir the butter as it browns and decide together when it’s brown enough. No need to buy special chocolate. Here is an idea: Break up the leftover Halloween chocolate you stashed in the cupboard. You’ll have gooey chocolate cookies in no time.
Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
Hershey’s Peanut Butter Blossoms
This cookie has a highly recognizable candy on top. It was a hit when I was a kid and many decades later, it is a hit with my kids. The dough can be stirred with a wooden spoon, and if you have impatient children (or adults) at home, you can practically eat them straight from the baking sheet. But don’t. Please wait a few minutes for them to cool, and then dig in.
Cocoa Coconut Macaroons
Cocoa Coconut Macaroons
Coconut Macaroons are my favorite gluten-free treat. Combine them with cocoa powder (and a little applesauce!) for an even more special dessert. For young bakers, skip the food processor and piping bag. Give them a large spoon or cookie scoop to shape the batter. Maybe let them sprinkle on the flaky sea salt too.
Continue to 17 of 28 below
7-Layer Magic Bars
Overhead shot of magic cookie bars ready to eat
One of my earliest baking memories was making a batch of these 7-layer bars with my mother. I’m going to pass on the magic to my young baker.
Brookies (Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies)
Brookie Cookie
This is one fun baking project that combines two types of treats: chewy chocolate chip cookies and fudgy brownies! Let the kids help mold the two together.
Blondies
Overhead view of blonde brownies scattered on a counter with a butter knife next to it
Blondies are the perfect alternative to chocolate on Valentine’s Day. You could make these plain, but not in our house. We treat the batter as glue that holds all sorts of ingredients together like crumbled-up pretzels, shredded coconut, dried fruit, and yup, chocolate.
Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
Peanut Butter Brownie Recipe
There are plenty of peanut butter and chocolate recipes in this round up, and for good reason. They are the perfect match! If you want to bring these in as a classroom treat but need to keep it peanut-free, try tahini!
Continue to 21 of 28 below
