Can you have ocean-inspired fun in your kitchen? Of course! If this mermaid toast idea awakened your child’s inner “mer-kid,” here are four more recipes for underwater treats that kids can help make and decorate. These fun and easy nautical treats are *ahem* shore to help anyone feel part of the mer-world.
Sand-Dollar Cookies
Sand-dollar cookies are an easy treat to make with kids. Start by making a batch of your go-to snickerdoodle or sugar cookie dough—we won’t tell if you buy premade dough. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a cookie sheet, according to recipe directions. After a few minutes of baking, when the cookies have flattened out a bit, take the cookies out, and firmly press 5 sliced almonds on top to make a star pattern around the center of the cookie. (This step is best done by mom or dad, as the cookie sheet will be hot from the oven.) Return the cookies to the oven to finish baking.
Crispy Rice Treats
Crispy rice treats are a nostalgic snack to whip up any time. This sea-themed version is easy to make using the microwave or on the stove. To get started, melt a half stick of butter (4 tablespoons) in a large pot over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add in a 12-ounce bag of mini or standard size marshmallows and stir frequently until melted. Then, remove the buttery marshmallow mixture from the stove and add in 5 cups of crispy rice cereal, stirring quickly. Pour mixture into any size pan—a 9×13 inch pan will make thinner bars, while an 8-inch square pan will make thicker bars. Using a piece of wax paper or greased fingers, press the mixture until it is even. The bars will harden as they cool.
While the bars cool, empty a bag of white chocolate melting wafers into a microwave-safe bowl and melt in the microwave, heating and stirring in 30-second increments. Once melted, squeeze a few drops of blue food coloring or another naturally pigmented juice and stir to create a light blue coating for the rice treats. Cut the cooled bars in any shape and dip into blue melted chocolate mixture. Then, kids can help decorate with sprinkles, Swedish fish, or whatever strikes their fancy.
Mermaid Cupcakes
These cupcakes are the icing on the mermaid cake! Just make (or buy) unfrosted vanilla cupcakes and a batch of your favorite white frosting. Divide the frosting into two bowls. Add a couple drops of blue food coloring to one bowl and green to the other. Stir each, adding more food coloring if needed to create desired colors. Use a butter knife, spoon, or piping bag to top each cupcake with the frosting; then decorate with sprinkles and candy. Imaginative kids and parents wanting to swim the extra mile can try swirling the two frosting colors either by hand or using a store-bought kit.
Mermaid Milkshake
Don’t be scared off by the color; this milkshake tastes just like the classic, but with a flair of underwater imagination. To make, blend up vanilla ice cream with a touch of milk, and add a couple drops of blue food coloring. Pour into a glass, top with whipped cream, sprinkles, and a sand-dollar cookie.
(Looking for mermaid-inspired activities on the Front Range? Check out these 4 Fintastic Ways for Kids to Explore Their Inner Mermaid)
