What’s the first thing we think of when it comes to Easter? Chocolate! Although Easter obviously has a much more significant meaning to some, the four-day holiday has become synonymous with sweet treats and quality family time. One of the best ways to entertain and teach our grandkids is to get them in the kitchen, so we’ve put together some easy Easter baking recipes for you and the little ones.
Whether you’ve got little chocoholics, cupcake lovers, or a band of biscuit scoffers coming round to visit you in your retirement villa this Easter, we’ve got a recipe to please even the fussiest wee ones!
Hot Cross Buns
Let’s start with the traditional and beloved hot cross buns! These are an easy Easter introduction to bread-making for kids, plus piping and glazing the sticky crosses on top is always a hit.
For a traditional take on these fluffy Easter treats, try master baker Paul Hollywood’s classic hot cross bun recipe. There’s nothing too complicated, and you can keep the kids busy beating an egg or two while you look after the slightly more hazardous milk boiling!
Kids can be finicky with raisins or currents, so if you’ve got a fussy little friend helping you in the kitchen, why not try this chocolate hot cross bun recipe? This tried and trusted method makes for fudgy morsels, but patience is a must, as yeast means there’s some rising time involved – a great chance to segue into an Easter story or two!
Bunny Biscuits
Easy Easter baking doesn’t get any easier, or sweeter, than this! You can make these biscuits yourself with a simple cookie base, but bunny biscuits can be just as easily achieved with oval arrowroot biscuits and a few creative decorating additions.
Simply mix up icing sugar, water, and whatever food colouring takes your fancy before slathering on the biccy base. It’s up to you how creative you get, but think liquorice strips for whiskers, Maltesers for eyes or marshmallow noses to make the perfect little bunny faces. If you’re up for a little healthy competition, why not see who can make the most colourful bunny? Decorating is a great way to get the kids thinking outside the box, ramping up creative brains to get hopping into action!
Chocolate Eggs DIY-Style!
Making your own Easter eggs might sound a little finicky at first, but it’s super simple, and allows the grandkids to get involved, if not get slightly messy!
There are so many easy ways to make your own eggs, but one of our favourite recipes is this one for decadent chocolate-coated tahini eggs. Kids will love to roll sticky filling and dip it in a gooey chocolate coating. Though it calls for dark chocolate, make it more grandchild-friendly with milk or even white chocolate, if you’re really up for it, take the fun further by rolling them in freeze-dried raspberries for a pop of colour! If the kids aren’t keen on tahini, peanut butter is just as sticky, gooey, and delightful.
Easy Easter Cupcakes
It’s the easy Easter baking that’s satisfied sweet tooths for generations—cupcakes! Simple yet effective, this easy recipe has a tasty vanilla base that lets the kids go wild with toppings.
Mix the cupcake batter and while it’s baking, set up a decorating station complete with mini eggs, sprinkles, or even make little bunny ears with chocolate finger biscuits. A great way to get the kids involved is to teach them how to perfect their piping skills. Mix up a simple buttercream icing with ½ cup of butter or margarine to 1 cup of icing sugar, add food colouring if you wish, pop it in a piping bag and let the child run wild! It’s sure to get a little messy, but it wouldn’t be baking without it!
Allergy-Friendly, but Altogether Delicious, Easter Baking
Easter baking sure does seem heavy on the eggs and dairy, but there are so many recipes for grandkids who might have sensitivities or allergies. They won’t have to miss out on treats, or quality time in the kitchen with Nana and Pop with these easy Easter baking ideas.
For those chocolate lovers steering away from dairy and eggs, here’s a decadently rich brownie that uses coconut and almond to create a divine Easter Sunday treat. It’s a little more grown-up, so if your grandkids are hitting double digits, this one is for them!
If your grandkids are a little younger and have gluten-sensitive tums, why not try this gluten-free Easter bunny cake? Or sneak in a few veggies, with a vegan carrot cake that’s moist and delicious – or perhaps keep it traditional, but tummy-friendly with these gluten-free hot cross buns. You can still swap out the pesky raisins for choc chips to make it more kid-friendly!
Make Easter Baking Easy in Your Very Own Retirement Villa
Retirement properties can be spacious and welcoming so you can easily invite the grandchildren and family around to celebrate your Easter holiday. Easter baking in your own Fairview Village retirement villa is easy, spacious, and fun. Fairview allows you to be independent, but community-minded. Our range of senior living options ensures there’s something to suit your lifestyle, whether it’s an apartment, townhouse, or villa on the village grounds.
Get in touch with us today to see a property to suit you, and live the retirement treat at Fairview Village.