Since I was sixteen years old – and that was a while ago – I have been baking Christmas cookies for our extended family and friends. I bake hundreds of cookies and they all go into the freezer in early December, ready to be parcelled out in cookie baskets. This is the time of year when I begin saving for and planning the great excursion to the grocery store to pick up cookie supplies. I also make a list of families who will receive baskets this year, so if you’re not on it yet, now’s your chance!
The last four years, I’ve done the epic Christmas baking with a baby, then a toddler, and now a preschooler in tow. I don’t send her off to grandma’s while I bake – I get her involved. After all, Christmas cookies come with a built-in bribe. You get to lick the spoons and eat the results. Well, some of the results, anyway. I’ve found that some Christmas treats lend themselves to preschooler participation, while others definitely do not. What cookies work well for preschoolers?
• Cookies you can play with. Preschoolers love playing with playdough, and some cookie dough is just like edible play dough. Choose dough that you can roll into balls or cut out with cookie cutters. Collect the extra dough that is left over from making gingerbread men and sugar cookies and give it to your preschooler to fashion into kid-style cookies. This dough is often overly floured, but it is still fun to play with.
• Cookies you can dip. We love Snickerdoodles – it’s a simple recipe that involves mostly sugar, flour, and margarine. Then you dip the cookie balls into cinnamon and sugar. Dipping cookies is quite easy for a preschooler to do, and it’s fun to mix up the dip at the beginning too!
• Choose recipes that are easy to stir. Smooth drop cookies are a good choice. Thick recipes like Christmas cake are really difficult for a preschooler to stir, and preschoolers love stirring.
• We all love glittery sugar and fancy icing on our cookies. Make simple sugar cookies, then let your preschooler go wild with the sprinkles, icing, and sugar.
Christmas cookies are an excellent gift for teachers, friends, and neighbours.