Christmas baking is so much fun and it’s even more fun and messy when we do it with our niños!

There’s nothing like your casa infused with the scents of canela, ginger and laughter!  My boys had so much fun making gingerbread men with me. I have this fabulous soft gingerbread man cookie recipe that I know you will enjoy!

Before we get started here are some tips for baking with kids: I did this with three boys ages 2, 5 and 8, just in case you’re skeptical about baking with little ones, it is possible. I gave them responsibilities based on their age.

• Let them try measuring the ingredients out.
• Let them mix it in the bowl. (Even if it spills out of the bowl)
• Have them wear an apron or shirt you don’t  mind them getting dirty.
• Give them their own ball of dough to play with.
• Find an area where they have space to move.
• Tell yourself “It will get messy and it’s okay.”
• Bake with your kids when you’re not in a hurry, it will take longer.

1. Mix all of the ingredients from your recipe in a bowl preferably a large one (helps prevent flour from spilling out).

2. Once it’s ready to be rolled out give each child a ball of dough for them to flatten out on a floured surface.  Note, army men made it into our dough!  Remember the tip I shared above? Give them each a ball of dough for them to play with.

3. Once it’s nice and flat, not too flat though, have them press the cookie cutter into the dough.

4. Follow baking directions and then have the kids decorate them with their favorite icing and sprinkles.

5. Enjoy!

Dia de Muertos is a very special holiday for us.  We spend the week prior setting up an altar for my grandparents, searching for cempazuchitl (marigolds), papel picado, making sugar skulls and preparing a mole dinner while we reminisce the joyful times we lived with my grandparents.

This year is very special to us because my son is now at the age where he can participate in many Dia de Muertos activities and begin to understand the meaning of this special holiday.  Since sugar skull making requires lots of practice and patience and is difficult for small hands to maneuver, we decided to make fun Catrina pops out of our favorite cereal –Kellogg’s Rice Krispies.

Rice Krispies Treats are simple to make and everyone loves them — young and old! If this is your first time making them, don’t worry!  It’s a simple process and, most importantly, they are so much fun to make with your children.

Our first challenge was finding an easy way to shape the pops large enough for little hands to handle.  That’s where my chancla (flip-flop, sandal) cookie cutter came in handy.  The sandal shape resembles a skull shape and it was the perfect pop size.

To decorate, use flower candy cake decorations, oogly-googly candy eyes and writing icing to shape the mouth and adhere eyes, flowers and butterflies.

Catrina Rice Krispies Treat Pops

3 Tablespoons butter

1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows or 4 cups miniature marshmallows

6 cups Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal

Supplies

Cooking spray

Cake decorations (flowers and butterflies)

Candy eyes

Writing icing

Lollipop or Popsicle sticks

Instructions

In a large saucepan, melt butter over low heat.

Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted.  Remove from heat

Add Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal and stir until well coated.

Using a spatula sprayed with cooking spray, press mixture into 13x9x2-inch pan coated with cooking spray.  Let cool.

Use cookie cutter to carefully cut out skull shape.

Insert popsicle or lollipop stick at the bottom of each skull shape and decorate with candy eyes, flowers and butterflies.  Use the writing icing to make nose and mouth and to adhere eyes, flowers and butterflies.