20 Easy Desserts To Make With Kids (Chaos Optional)

Spend time together in the kitchen making these easy, kid-friendly desserts.

By
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud
Devan Grimsrud

Devan Grimsrud is a Berlin-based writer, editor, and recipe developer originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota. After working in television production with James Beard Award-winning chef Andrew Zimmern, she relocated to Berlin and became the managing editor at Kitchen Stories, an international digital cooking platform with millions of active users. 

Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Published April 18, 2025
Devan Grimsrud
Plate of no-bake m&m cookies next to a glass of milk

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Not every recipe is ideal for little hands, but these 20 desserts most definitely are. They're not only fun to eat, but fun to make, and have many steps built in where kids can get their hands dirty (not too dirty!) and enjoy the process right alongside you. From dirt cups to chocolate covered pretzels to 3-ingredient s'mores sliders to a French yogurt cake that is basically "no-measure," children of all ages can help with these easy recipes.

Make sure to save your favorites for a rainy day when the family might be stuck inside with nothing to do, and don't forget to read our helpful tips and tricks below each recipe.

  • 3-Ingredient Chocolate-Peanut Butter Spoons

    Overhead shot of six spoons with chocolate and sea salt covered peanut butter

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "These are basically homemade peanut butter cups, but ten times easier than using a muffin tin since you make and eat it directly out of the spoon." —Rebecca Fennel, Recipe Developer

  • Brookies (Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies)

    Brookie Cookie

    Simply Recipes / Cindy Rahe

    These cookies are the best of both worlds and fun to make with kids. Both doughs can be made ahead and chilled, then get all hands on deck to make small balls of each dough, pressing and rolling them together to get the half chocolate chip and half brownie cookies.

  • Peanut Butter Buckeyes

    Peanut Butter balls or Buckeye balls

    Simply Recipes / Irvin Lin

    Let your kiddos get their hands dirty with rolling the peanut butter buckeyes. Then, as recipe developer Irvin Lin suggests, skewer each ball with a toothpick to make it easier for all to dip them in melted chocolate.

  • Gateau au Yaourt (French Yogurt Cake)

    Slice of French yogurt cake with raspberry sauce and a dollop of whipped cream on a plate next to a cake pan with more and a bottle of Oui yogurt

    Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph

    "This cake is so easy, my 6 year old can make it. It doesn't require measuring cups or a mixer, just a pot of yogurt and my ratio for ingredients." —Molly Adams, Recipe Developer

    Continue to 5 of 20 below

  • Lime Icebox Pie

    A slice of lime cracker pie in a dish

    Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

    Put the kids to work juicing the limes and layering in the crackers for this easy recipe. The hardest part will be keeping them busy while the pie chills.

  • Grilled S’mores Sliders

    Side View of Grilled S'mores Slider on a Wooden Board

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    This recipe is just 3-ingredients and so simple to make when the family is craving s'mores but can't have a campfire. Let the kids layer up the fillings before grilling or baking in the oven and tearing into the sliders.

  • Strawberry Kiss Cookies

    Overhead view of strawberry chocolate kiss cookies on a white background

    Simply Recipes / Jessica Furniss

    "Kids love to add the chocolate Kisses to the top of the warm cookies, and we always sneak a few candies in the process." —Jessica Furniss, Recipe Developer

  • Dirt Cake

    Cups of Dirt Cake with Gummy Worms

    Simply Recipes / Micah Siva

    There are lots of ways to get kids involved here—smashing up the Oreo cookies, layering the pudding cups, or even just decorating them before serving.

    Continue to 9 of 20 below

  • No-Bake M&M Cookies

    Plate of no-bake m&m cookies next to a glass of milk

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    Scooping and decorating these simple no-bake cookies is a job anyone can do, and older kids can certainly make these cookies on their own, too; they're that easy.

  • Grandma's Soda Cracker Pie

    soda cracker pie slice (topped with whipped cream and fresh strawberries) on a small plate with a fork

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

    "As a child, I visited my grandma every summer and, if we were lucky, we would get to help make her soda cracker pie. My brother would get to crack the pecan shells with the nutcracker and crush a sleeve of saltines, and I got to use pointy metal tools to extract the pecans." —Cynthia Christensen, Recipe Developer

  • 5-Ingredient Peach Dumplings

    Peach dumplings in a glass pan on a blue tablecloth

    Simply Recipes / Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Tiffany Schleigh

    It's fun an easy to wrap up the peaches in the puff pastry dough in this recipe, and each portion is a cute little package to devour.

  • 3-Ingredient Tahini-Chocolate Dates

    Tahini-Chocolate Dates, one cut open on top of several whole ones in a bowl

    Simply Recipes / Shayma Saadat

    Once the dates are pitted, let kids fill them with tahini and dip them in chocolate. Then they're ready to decorate with shredded coconut, crushed nuts, sesame seeds, orange or lemon zest, or even edible dried flowers or sprinkles.

    Continue to 13 of 20 below

  • Chocolate-Covered Pretzels

    Chocolate Covered Pretzels

    Simply Recipes / Irvin Lin

    "Leave the pretzels plain or drizzle them with a little extra chocolate. If you want to get fancy, dress them up with candy sprinkles, coconut flakes or chopped nuts. Sprinkles are a great way to dress up these treats for Halloween, Christmas, or any holiday." —Irvin Lin, Recipe Developer

  • Best Sugar Cookies

    Round sugar cookies decorated with Royal icing for sugar cookies and rainbow sprinkles.

    Simply Recipes / Irvin Lin

    There are endless ways to decorate and serve sugar cookies, but one thing is for sure: the kids love to get involved! Let them press the cookies out and decorate them however they like best.

  • Caramel Apple Nachos

    Caramel apple nachos on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Laurel Randolph

    "Caramel apple nachos take very little time to assemble and are so fun—ask your kids or a guest to help!" —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

  • Cake Pops

    Sprinkled Cake Pops in Jars on a Plate Next to Two Small Plates of Sprinkles

    Simply Recipes / Claudia Cash

    These cake pops are a great use for cakes that didn't turn out so well (or use boxed cake mix!), and they're fun and easy to assemble with a group.

    Continue to 17 of 20 below

  • 2-Ingredient Ice Cream Sandwiches

    2-Ingredient Oreo Ice Cream Sandwiches Stacked on a Plate Next to Colorful Single Use Napkins

    Simply Recipes/ Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Jennifer Wendorf / Prop Styling by Josh Hoggle

    Put the kids to work on separating the Oreo cookies and filling—maybe they can even snack on them a little bit while they're at it, I'll never tell.

  • Frozen Chocolate-Covered Bananas

    Frozen Chocolate Covered Bananas on a Tray

    Simply Recipes / Cambrea Gordon

    "Easy to make with fresh, not too ripe bananas. Just slice, let the kids dip them in melted chocolate and decorate, then freeze." —Rachel Knecht, Recipe Developer

  • Strawberry Eton Mess

    Glasses of Strawberry Eton Mess with Spoons

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    Tire the kiddos out by having them whip the cream for this dessert by hand, or let them make each serving by layering in the whipped cream and berries for their own little edible sculpture in a glass.

  • Smash Sugar Cookie

    Smash sugar cookies on a plate

    Simply Recipes / Sarah Crowder

    "Since smash cookies are all about having fun, I suggest getting a kid or two involved. They’ll love helping form the balls, roll them in sugar, and then give them a good smashing. Because the quirky cookies do not need to look perfect (in fact, the opposite), they’re fairly kidproof." —Laurel Randolph, Associate Editorial Director

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