Teaching kids the basics of baking is easy and fun with this time-tested simple recipe for Chocolate Oat Squares. Warm oats and brown sugar, topped with melted chocolate. Few ingredients but maximum payoff!
Baking With the Kids
I know – the idea of baking with children can be a bit daunting. You envision a kitchen covered in flour and granulated sugar, slopping thin cake batter all over the place. It makes me kinda tired just thinking about it.
That’s why this recipe for Chocolate Oat Squares is perfect for teaching kids the basics of baking. There’s no flour, for one thing! Just oats and brown sugar. And for having relatively few ingredients, this recipe packs a big payoff in chewy, chocolatey treats.
The Benefits of Teaching Kids to Bake
Baking is a great way to teach kids about math, science, and reading. It can also help them develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Lindsey at “The Lean Green Bean” has a great article on how she approaches kids in the kitchen. I highly recommend it.
You can boil it down to a few simple things:
- Start with simple recipes: Choose recipes that are easy to follow and don’t require too many ingredients. This will help build your child’s confidence and make them more interested in baking.
- Let them do the measuring: Measuring ingredients is a great way to teach kids about fractions and other math concepts. Let them measure out the ingredients and explain what each measurement means.
- Teach them about food safety: Make sure your child knows how to properly wash their hands and keep their work area clean. Teach them about cross-contamination and how to handle raw ingredients safely.
- Make it fun: Baking should be a fun activity for kids. Let them decorate their creations with frosting or sprinkles, or make funny shapes with cookie cutters.
- Be patient: Baking can be messy and time-consuming, but it’s important to be patient with your child. Let them take their time and enjoy the process.
Chocolate Oat Squares
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 cups Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 1 1/4 cups Light Brown Sugar firmly packed
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Butter melted. 1 1/2 sticks
Frosting
- 9 oz Semisweet chocolate or chips If using squares, chop them into small pieces
- 5 tbsp Heavy Cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a 9X13" baking pan
- Mix together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt.
- Pour melted butter over flour mixture and stir until well-combined. Spread oat mixture into pan and press down firmly.
- Bake the crust until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- While the crust is cooling, prepare the frosting. Melt the chocolate in microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring after each heating until just melted.
- Stir in the heavy cream and spread the frosting over the cooled crust.
- Chill, covered in the fridge until chocolate is set. Cut into 2.5" squares.
For more easy recipes for the kids, check out my special menu “Baking With Kids” up above. They’ll love the Mississippi Mud Bars and the Peanut Butter Cookies!
If you have your own tips or experiences teaching your kids to bake, please share them with us below.
