Cookies with Kids {Simple Jack O’ Lanterns}
Ahhhh…the life of mom. Busy, busy, busy, and sometimes {or maybe often} a little {or a lot} behind. Especially this year.
It worked out that I was going to be out of town during Halloween, so before I left, I wanted to do something fun with my kids. Since I’m always decorating cookies that they can’t touch, I thought it would be fun to let them help for a change.
When it comes to cookie-ing with kids, it’s not about perfection. It’s about quality time and having fun. Kids will always use too much icing, go overboard with the sprinkles, and cover every empty surface with food color marker, so the most important thing is to relax and encourage their creativity.
Start by outlining and flooding pumpkin cookies and letting them dry overnight. If you need the recipe for my basic sugar cookies or royal icing, click on the appropriate link.
Next, gather up the kiddos {and maybe a few of their friends} and let them use black food color markers to decorate the cookies.
There will be giggles, creativity, and fun all-around.
I love the look of intense concentration.
Especially the “mouth wide open” expression here. I think it helps keep his hand steady or something.
I love seeing what they came up with. We ended up with an ode to the Aggies {plus a few Longhorns so Dad wouldn’t be sad}.
A beautiful princess {keep looking, you’ll see it}
And some very happy cookie artisans.
I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween!
Such a cute post! Your children are so cute:) I MUST make some cookies for the munchkins to color at Christmastime when they’ll all be here together! 🙂
Gee, I think I need to expand my vocabulary, at least the adjectives! haha!
I love the idea of letting kids color on the cookies- definitely gonna have to try this next time I’m babysitting my nieces! Also, some of those cookies look pretty darn scary!
That is so sweet! I love letting the young ‘uns decorate cookies. And it makes them so happy!
Super cute!! Looks like they all had fun! I love their cookie art!
I LOVE those adorable little faces!!! (Both on the children AND the pumpkins!)
They turned out cute and the kids look like they had a great time! I bet the mouth open while drawing is equivalent to a woman holding her mouth open while putting on mascara. It seems to help you concentrate! Haha! Have a BLAST in SLC!! <3
Maybe the cutest creations 😉
LOVE.
OMG… You stole my idea! Well not really, but I actually just did this with my nieces 3 weeks ago. They each got 6 pumpkins to “decorate” and went to town. They had a total blast doing it.
Such a wonderful idea! Hope you have a blast at Cookie Con!! I won’t be able to make it this year (darn expensive flights from the East Coast), but I’m hoping to go to some kind of cookie event in the future!!
Love this! Wish I would have thought of this earlier. Would have been perfect for my room mother duties today at school for the Halloween party! I did this with plain white iced cookies and lots of colors at my daughters birthday party. They made one for her and another to take home! Was a great activity and part of their take home treats!
Aww it looks like they had loads of fun! 🙂
Okay, who knew that you could get food colouring markers? That has just made my day, okay my year. I am buying me some of those ASAP.
What a great idea for kids (and adults) to decorate cookies.
The most beautiful cookies any Mom would love!
So precious!! Did you say what marker you use? Hmm will need to go back and read again. My markers stinkity stinkity stink!
great minds think alike! 😉 I was so sorry to find out I would be away from home for Halloween because there is so much baking and crafting that can be done for school, work, home, etc. So I too prepped some cookies so that the kids could do exactly as you did here. By all accounts they had fun…and were probably glad that mom was not peering with a critical eye over their shoulders!
So fun!
I really wish my kids were still small! Totally amazing idea and I cant wait for my grandson to get big enough to do this for Halloween. LOVE!!!!
The open-mouthed intense focus is precious! Great pics!
A true work of art! And love 🙂
That is such a great idea looks like they had a lot of fun, I think my two are a little small yet. I’d have cookie smushed up everywhere and my 1 year old would have the pen in his mouth, but thank you because I will store that idea up my sleeve! I love your blog by the way, your cookies inspire me to be more than a baker but a decorator too.
biutiful, is pretty
ADORABLE! My favorite are the little fingers of babes. Super cute! Have fun on your trip. I can imagine the excitement everyone is feeling to meet you!
This is such a great idea!
OMG, I love the looks on the kids’ faces! SO adorable, Callye!
Love it when the little ones can get involved in the decorating and they do too! Great pictures of the little artists at work. Looks like a great time was had before Mom had to leave 🙂
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Can you buy orange frosting coloring? What brand are the black edible markers? Thanks
Yes, there are many brands in your local craft stores. Try Hobby Lobby or Michaels, and often even Walmart. They will definitely have what you need!