9 best kids cookbooks

Kids cookbooks are a special category of cookbooks designed to engage children in the culinary world. These cookbooks are typically tailored to suit the tastes, interests, and skill levels of young chefs, making cooking an enjoyable and educational experience. Here are some key points about kids cookbooks:

  1. Simple Recipes: Kids cookbooks feature straightforward and easy-to-follow recipes.They often include step-by-step instructions with colorful illustrations to make cooking fun and accessible for children.

  2. Kid-Friendly Ingredients: These cookbooks emphasize recipes that use ingredients commonly found in a family kitchen, avoiding overly complex or exotic ingredients. This encourages children to experiment with cooking without requiring extensive shopping trips.

  3. Safety Tips: Kids cookbooks prioritize safety in the kitchen. They provide guidelines on using utensils, handling hot items, and other safety precautions to ensure that children can cook with confidence and minimal risk.

  4. Healthy Eating: Many kids cookbooks focus on promoting healthy eating habits. They often include recipes for nutritious meals and snacks to teach children the importance of balanced diets.

  5. Educational Element: In addition to cooking, these cookbooks may include educational content related to food and nutrition. This can include information about food groups, where ingredients come from, and the basics of kitchen science.

  6. Cooking Skills: Kids cookbooks aim to develop children's cooking skills gradually. They start with simple recipes and gradually introduce more advanced techniques as children gain confidence and experience in the kitchen.

  7. Fun Themes: Some kids cookbooks incorporate fun themes, such as cooking adventures, food from different cultures, or recipes inspired by favorite children's books or characters.

  8. Encouraging Independence: These cookbooks often encourage children to take charge in the kitchen, fostering a sense of independence and responsibility. This can boost their self-esteem and culinary skills.

  9. Family Bonding: Cooking together as a family is a common theme in kids cookbooks. They promote the idea of parents or guardians cooking alongside their children, creating opportunities for quality family time.

  10. Life Skills: Learning to cook from a young age can instill important life skills in children. Kids cookbooks aim to teach not only how to prepare food but also the value of planning, organization, and creativity in the kitchen.

  11. Variety of Dishes: These cookbooks cover a wide range of dishes, including breakfast items, snacks, main courses, and desserts. This variety helps children explore different flavors and cuisines.

  12. Gift Ideas: Kids cookbooks can be great gift options for birthdays or special occasions. They provide an enjoyable and educational gift for young aspiring chefs.

Overall, kids cookbooks are designed to make cooking an enjoyable and educational experience for children while promoting essential life skills and a love for good food. They cater to various age groups and skill levels, ensuring that there is something for every young chef to explore in the kitchen.

Below you can find our editor's choice of the best kids cookbooks on the market
  

Food Network Magazine The Big, Fun Kids Cookbook: 150+ Recipes for Young Chefs (Food Network Magazine's Kids Cookbooks)

Hearst Home Kids

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Easy Family Dinners

These recipes are simple to follow—and a blast to make! Find fun food trivia and smart test-kitchen tricks along the way.

Fun After-School Snacks

Choose from ants on a log, fruit and veggie fries, easy snack mixes and more.

Creative Desserts

Find shortcut treats you can make in minutes, plus amazing cakes for budding bakers.

Create Your Own Recipes

Design your own granola bars, chicken salad and more—just choose your mix-ins.

Pop Quizzes

Test your hot dog IQ, and find out how well you know your cereal shapes!

Fake-Out Cakes

Make a cake that looks just like a candy bar or a bowl of mac and cheese! Each recipe comes with step-by-step photos.

Special Coloring Book Section

Color a cupcake or an ice cream cone right in the book!

The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs: 100+ Recipes that You'll Love to Cook and Eat

Sourcebooks Explore

Based on 11 reviews Check latest price

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Avocado Toast with Fried Eggs (ingredients, equipment, instructions)

Instructions:

1. In small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon oil, lemon juice, pinch salt, and pinch pepper.

2. Use butter knife to cut avocado in half. Separate halves, then remove and discard pit. Scoop avocado into bowl with lemon dressing; discard skin. Use fork to break avocado into large pieces, then mash into dressing until mostly smooth.

3. Place bread in toaster and toast until golden on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Spread avocado mixture evenly on toasts.

4. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil over low heat for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, crack eggs into second small bowl and add pinch salt and pinch pepper.

5. Increase heat to medium-high and heat oil for 1 minute (oil should be hot but not smoking). Working quickly, pour eggs into skillet, cover skillet, and cook for 1 minute.

6. Turn off heat and slide skillet to cool burner. Let sit, covered, for about 1 minute for slightly runny yolks or about 2 minutes for set yolks.

7. Use spatula to transfer 1 fried egg to each toast. Serve.

Breakfast

The first meal of the day really is the most important. Kids who eat breakfast do better in school. (It’s true.) And weekend breakfasts are fun for the entire family. Start your day right!

“These pancakes are very fluffy, in a good way.” – Charlotte, 13

Snacks & Beverages

Snack food is fun. Looking for an after-school nosh or maybe something for a sleepover party? It’s all here.

“This is a quick and easy way to make popcorn.” – Hudson, 10

Cooking for Family & Friends

Making dinner is a great way to up your cooking game. And nothing says “I love you” like a home-cooked meal.

“Kind of sweet because of the sauce, but broccoli balances it.” – Mary, 9

Desserts

Celebrate something special with something sweet. Bake amazing cakes and cookies or chill out with homemade ice-cream.

“Good balance of tart strawberries and sweet cream.” – Owen, 11

The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs: 100+ Sweet and Savory Recipes that You'll Love to Bake, Share and Eat!

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Apple Crisp

Instructions:

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. In medium bowl, use rubber spatula to stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Drizzle melted butter over oat mixture and toss with fork or your fingers until mixture comes together.

3. In large bowl, use rubber spatula to stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add apples to bowl with cornstarch mixture and toss to coat.

4. Use rubber spatula to scrape apple mixture into 8-inch square baking dish. Crumble oat topping into pea-size clumps and sprinkle oat topping evenly over apple mixture.

5. Place baking dish in oven. Bake until filling is bubbling around edges and topping is golden brown, about 40 minutes.

6. Use oven mitts to remove baking dish from oven (ask an adult for help). Place baking dish on cooling rack and let apple crisp cool on rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Making a Crisp Topping

1. Toss oat mixture with fork or your fingers until mixture comes together.

2. Crumble oat topping into pea-size clumps and sprinkle evenly over apple mixture.

Muffins, Quick Breads & Other Breakfast Treats

“This was very fun. We had learned about fractions in school, and now we are using math. And chocolate chips. Yummy!” – Morgan, 9

Pizza, Flatbread & Other Savory Baked Goods

“Loved the quick and easy sauce. Delicious. Perfect crust.” – Helen, 12

Cookies & Bars

“This would be a great snack to have when I get home from school!” – Victoria, 13

Cakes & Cupcakes

“The recipe was so good! I had a soccer game, so I made an extra batch for my soccer team. They loved it!” – Perrie, 9

My Very First Cookbook: Joyful Recipes to Make Together! A Cookbook for Kids and Families with Fun and Easy Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks, and More (Little Chef)

Sourcebooks Explore

Based on 443 reviews Check latest price

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Breakfast & Lunch

Best-ever buttermilk blueberry muffins, apple cinnamon overnight oats, waffle pizza sammies, veggie fried rice, and more!

Snacks, Sides, & Beverages

Superstar guacamole, crunchy fried pickles, grannie’s special creamed corn, mean green fruity smoothie, and more!

Dinner & Desserts

Sheet pan fajitas, sizzling beef and broccoli, very berry short crust cobbler, orange creamsicle milkshake, and more!

Bonus Deliciousness

A recipe for laughter, celebrations and conversations, write your very own recipe!

Super Simple Cooking for Kids: Learn to Cook with 50 Fun and Easy Recipes for Breakfast, Snacks, Dinner, and More!

Rockridge Press

Based on 369 reviews Check latest price

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Picky eaters rejoice!

Familiar foods will appeal to even the pickiest of palates, without compromising on nutrition.

Fewer ingredients, more flavor

Enjoy 50 super simple recipes that use 5 to 10 ingredients—tops.

Fun facts on the menu

Fun food facts throughout will pique kids’ interests as well as their appetites.

Food Network Magazine: The Big, Fun Kids Baking Book: 110+ Recipes for Young Bakers (Food Network Magazine's Kids Cookbooks)

Based on 107 reviews Check latest price

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Easy Baking Projects

Created by Food Network's test kitchen, these recipes are perfect for new bakers and they're a blast to make after school or on the weekends.

Creative Recipes

Choose from Blueberry-Corn Quick Bread, Chunky Monkey Bars, S’mores Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cinnamon Dulce de Leche Cupcakes, PB&J Sheet Cake and many more!

Test Your Baking IQ

Find fun food trivia and smart test kitchen tips with each recipe.

Create Your Own Recipes

Design your own banana bread, whoopie pies, and rainbow layer cake. Just choose your favorite ingredients and make something special.

Fun Food Crafts

Discover how to build a cookie puzzle, color your frosting and sprinkles, and decorate doughnuts.

Fake-Out Cakes

Make a cake that looks just like spaghetti and meatballs or even a pineapple! Each recipe comes with step-by-step photos.

Kid in the Kitchen: 100 Recipes and Tips for Young Home Cooks: A Cookbook

Clarkson Potter

Based on 237 reviews Check latest price

The Unofficial Disney Parks Cookbook: From Delicious Dole Whip to Tasty Mickey Pretzels, 100 Magical Disney-Inspired Recipes (Unofficial Cookbook)

Adams Media

Based on 3 reviews Check latest price

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Churros

1. Line an ungreased baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add water, 3 tablespoons sugar, salt, and 3 tablespoons oil. Stir until mixture reaches a boil, about 4 minutes, then remove from heat.

3. Add flour and stir until combined.

4. Scoop dough into a large piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Let dough cool until you are able to hold the bag comfortably, about 10 minutes.

5. Pipe dough into 6” lines onto prepared baking sheet.

Place sheet into freezer to set 1 hour.

‌‌6. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat, add remaining 4 cups oil. It should measure to a depth of about 3”. Heat until oil reaches 375°F. Line a large plate with paper towels and set aside.

7. In a medium shallow bowl, combine remaining sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

8. Carefully slide one Churro into hot oil. Flip while frying until golden brown, about 2 minutes total.

9. Remove from oil with tongs and place in bowl with sugar cinnamon mixture. Turn to coat Churro thoroughly, and transfer to lined plate to cool. Repeat with remaining Churros.

Milk Bar: Kids Only: A Cookbook

Clarkson Potter

Based on 703 reviews Check latest price

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