Fun Fall Recipes to Make with Your Kids

Yahoo! Contributor Network

My daughter loves helping me in the kitchen. Unfortunately, not every meal I make is conducive to a tiny budding chef. When I'm looking for fun fall recipes for my children and I to do together, there are several tried and true favorites that my family adores.

Seasonal cereal treats

My daughters adore marshmallow and crispy rice cereal treats. Fall is the perfect time to add some color to this yearlong treat. Consider dipping half of a cereal treat in orange, yellow, or green candy coating (available at your local craft store) or melted milk chocolate. Add edible eyes and a chocolate drizzle mouth to add some spook to these seasonal creatures. Or, stick with basic fall colors for a simple Thanksgiving treat the kids can help create without too much fuss.

Homemade applesauce

Ever since my daughters made applesauce at preschool several years ago they've been on me to make applesauce at home. Fall is the perfect time of year for this family-friendly fall recipe. Start with a trip to your local apple orchard, if you're adventurous and are looking for a fun fall family outing. If you don't have the time, apples from a roadside stand or grocery store will work just as well. I love this crockpot applesauce recipe because it's practical with children and doesn't require a pressure cooker (which I don't own). 12-15 apples, a bit of sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice and you're set. My children love the idea that we're creating our own applesauce, and I love that we'll get something that is delicious and not store-bought.

If you aren't interested in applesauce, homemade apple pie is another relatively simple recipe to make with small children. Use your own apples, or for a simple alternative with young children, canned apple pie filling and a store-bought crust. No matter how you make it, they'll love it with vanilla ice cream on top!

Pumpkin muffins

Pumpkin muffins or a loaf of pumpkin bread are also delicious seasonal options that the entire family can help make and enjoy. Though we typically use canned pumpkin when we make pumpkin-related items in the fall, you can definitely modify any recipe to use fresh ingredients. I like this simple recipe for pumpkin mini-muffins. My children can help me make these the bite-sized muffins, which are perfect for a snack. You can also make extra to freeze for a later date!

Content by Kelly Herdrich.