It’s been a BEAUTIFUL week here in Vermont. It’s looking like spring might stick around and I couldn’t be happier about that! Since the weather is so nice some local creemee stands are opening for the season. For those of you who don’t know, a creemee is a soft serve ice cream, but the correct name for it. Try and order a “soft serve” around here and you’ll be shown the door! NOT. A. THING! Anyway, since they’re opening and we’re exploring I thought it would be AWESOME to surprise the kids with a local favorite on the way home from a hike. The problem? Everyone else had the same idea and we were on a tight schedule. Needless to say I had some disappointed kids after that. Well, you’ve heard of lemons into lemonade, but have you heard of no creemee into brownie cookies? Now you have!
Here’s the part where I remind you that if you haven’t already you should go and buy 100 Cookies by Sarah Kieffer. I don’t know how many times or ways I can say it but this book has fast become our go-to for ALL the cookie recipes. She’s a genius! Here’s the link (in case you’ve missed it in one of the other posts) https://www.thevanillabeanblog.com/100-cookies, now run along and order it! Then you can make all the yummy things we’ve been trying and have so much fun!
Before we set off on this particular baking journey there was some disagreement about whether it was a cookie day or a brownie day. Thankfully, we didn’t have to decide! We made brownie cookies! Yup, that’s right. In this amazing book there is a recipe for brownie cookies and it is WOW! Honestly, it is the best of both worlds. They are crispy around the edges like a cookie, but tender and gooey in the middle like a brownie. Oh, and they have ALL the big chocolate flavor of a brownie.
There are several steps in this recipe, but my two little bakers took the lead as usual. They are becoming so comfortable in the kitchen and at following recipes. Every time we bake they need me less and less, except for the eggs, they still won’t do the eggs! I even let them take charge of the part of the recipe that involved melting the butter and chocolate on the stove top. The big kid got it all measured and in the pan, the little kid stood very carefully over the pan and stirred and watched. I did poor it into the stand mixer myself, she thought just to irritate her, but safety first and it was a hot pan with hot liquid so it seemed prudent.
I think the biggest thing when you’re in the kitchen with your kids is to know their ability as well as their comfort level…and to recognize that these two things don’t always match up. Also keep in mind that this is an ever changing process and one day will be totally different from the next. Just have fun, know it will never be the same, and roll with it. (See what I did there? ROLL with it…like rolling dough…I crack myself up!)
Let us know how your kitchen adventures are going! We always love to hear what others are up to and what is working and where you might be getting tripped up. Come visit us on Instagram @100daysofbakingwithkids and on Facebook at 100 days of baking with kids. We’re closing in on baking day 20 and are working on some fun things to do so stay tuned! Happy baking friends!
100 days of baking with kids 