The Best Kids Cookbooks

Here we share our pick of the best kids cookbooks to help get your children in the kitchen and having fun while learning how to cook.

Do your kids love to cook? Learning to cook is such an important skill for them.

Not only does it inspire confidence, but it also teaches them something they can use for the rest of their lives.

My kids have been hanging out in the kitchen with me and learning cooking skills since they were toddlers. I am hoping this will lead to a lifelong love of cooking.

But teaching young kids how to cook isn’t always the easiest thing in the world. That’s why having a specific cookbook for children can be great to have on hand.

There are a surprising number of these available on the market today, ranging from basics of cooking for beginner chefs to more advanced recipe books.

So we’ve decided to narrow them down to the best of the best. Here is a list of the absolute best cookbooks for kids that the whole family can benefit from.

You may also like this article: The Best Family Cookbooks.

Cooking Step by Step

Cooking Step by Step is one of the most popular cookbooks for children, with over 50 different recipes.

The recipes in this kids cooking book are easy to do, and they’re all foods that kids love. Some of these include pizza, pasta, meatballs, lasagne, and quesadillas.

Moreover, the recipes in Cooking Step by Step are all very healthy with several vegetarian options to choose from.

It also teaches many kitchen fundamentals like mixing, measuring, chopping, and stirring. This helps prepare young children for when they’re ready for more complicated recipes.

Cooking Step by Step is a great kids recipe book for children of all ages.

The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs

The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs is an all-time favorite cookbook of many.

It has been honoured with a number of awards such as the IACP and an Amazon Best Book of 2018. It was also number one on the New York Times Bestseller list.

This award winning recipe book for kids was tested by over 750 little chefs who worked directly with the authors to make sure their recipes were fun and effective.

It has over 100 amazing recipes for all different skill levels. There are also sections for healthy eating and getting started in the kitchen.

This is one of the best cookbooks for teens or pre-teens.

Kid Chef: The Foodie Kids Cookbook

Kid Chef: The Foodie Kids Cookbook separates itself from the competition in a few different ways. One of these is its focus on healthy recipes and healthy eating habits.

This book has over 75 recipes with health-conscious foods such as mini quiches and lamb burgers.

This healthy kids cookbook is also different because it doesn’t oversimplify the recipes. It features in-depth instructions that help your children gain confidence in their own kitchen.

Furthermore, it teaches several skills that are related to cooking like handling a knife and making a grocery list. This book is best for older children with sophisticated palates.

Good Housekeeping Kids Cook!

Good Housekeeping is a brand that’s beloved around the world, so you know their cookbook for kids is going to be high-quality.

This cookbook features over 100 easy recipes. Most of these recipes are health conscious, but there are a few sweet desserts to try as well.

Some of what you can expect include burgers, cakes, salads, and mac n’ cheese. There’s even a two-page recipe for hot cocoa!

Once again, the recipes are very detailed and not oversimplified. You can find something for cooks of all skill levels.

A few of these recipes will give your child a challenge if they’ve already mastered some of the simpler foods. This is the perfect book for kids of all ages.

Masterchef Junior Cookbook

If your child was inspired to cook by the TV show Masterchef Junior, then they’ll love this Masterchef cookery book.

This book has more than 100 recipes, some of which have been featured on the show. Again, this is a good book for kids that are looking for something a little more complicated than a simple bowl of macaroni and cheese.

This book also has a few unusual recipes that you won’t find in any other cookbook for children. Some of these include beef tenderloin and lobster. There’s even one recipe that calls for venison!

It’s a great book for older kids who already have some cooking experience.

Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook

Is your child a Harry Potter fan? If so, this is a really fun way to get them started on their cooking journey.

This cookbook will teach them how to make several of the meals that are actually featured in the books. These include treacle tart, pumpkin pasties, Molly’s meat pies, and Kreacher’s French onion soup.

In addition to the Harry Potter theme, this is also a good introduction to British dishes such as haggis and meat pies. All of the recipes are fun and easy to make with easy to follow instructions.

This book is an excellent choice for young chefs of all ages. Adult Harry Potter fans might even enjoy it as well!

The Forest Feast for Kids

If you’re an aspiring vegetarian chef yourself, then you might have heard of The Forest Feast. It was a New York Times Best Seller and is recognised as one of the best plant based cookbooks available.

Well, here is a version of that great vegetarian cookbook that’s made specifically for kids. It’s an excellent way to introduce your children to some vegetarian recipes.

This book features some of the most kid-friendly recipes from the original Forest Feast. In addition to that, there are also 20 brand-new tasty recipes. It even includes some menus for kids’ parties.

Some of the wholesome recipes you can look forward to are kale tacos, pesto pepper pizza, and watermelon smoothies.

The Silver Spoon for Children: Favorite Italian Recipes

Here is another children’s version of a classic adult cookbook. This is a great book to try if your kid has an interest in Italian dishes.

It features 40 different easy to follow recipes that are healthy and easy to make.

This cookbook is also conveniently separated into different categories such as lunches, snacks, main courses, and desserts.

The recipes are easy to follow, but they’re never dumbed down or oversimplified.

And in addition to its authentic recipes, this book also has helpful tips for kitchen safety such as proper knife technique.

Pizza! An Interactive Recipe Book

This book is a great cookbook for toddlers who loves pizza. We all know how much toddlers want to help in the kitchen.

This interactive book is a fun, safe way to allow them to participate.

It features one single, simple recipe that doesn’t require a knife or an oven. The book itself is also interactive like a pop-up book. It's the perfect first cookbook!

If you decide this style of book is what you’re looking for, then you’ll be happy to know it’s part of a book series.

You can also find Cookies! An Interactive Recipe Book and Pancakes! An Interactive Recipe Book.

Best Baking Cookbooks for Kids

Perhaps your kids aren't ready to start cooking big, complicated recipes. Luckily, there are plenty of kids baking cookbooks out there to choose from.

Kids love baking as it usually means some tasty treats at the end of it, making baking an excellent place to start when it comes to kids cooking.

Here is our list of cookbooks dedicated to baking for kids.

Kid Chef Bakes

The Kid Chef Bakes book is another entry in the Kid Chef brand. Like the previous Kid Chef book, it features over 75 recipes with simple instructions.

Some of these include roasted strawberry shortcakes, mini triple chocolate muffins, and sprinkle cake pops.

Along with the delicious treats we just mentioned, this kids baking book teaches essential skills such as preparing the kitchen and using the oven. It also includes over 65 photos that help kids along as they’re following the directions.

Overall, this is an excellent, easy to read cookbook that’s especially appropriate for older children.

Good Housekeeping Kids Bake

Here is another high-quality kid’s cookbook from the Good Housekeeping brand, this time geared towards teaching kids how to bake.

With this easy recipe book, your child will learn to bake everything from big meals such as Margherita pizza to sweet desserts like double chocolate chip cookies.

Additionally, this book teaches other important kitchen skills such as safety, choosing the right ingredients, and using the correct tools.

All of the recipes are relatively simple to make, and the pictures make it easy to follow along. This cookbook is a great choice for children of all ages.

American Girl Baking

This book was made by the famous American Girl toy brand, and has become one of the most popular cookbooks for girls who want to learn how to become independent bakers.

Kids will love this book because of its focus on making delicious treats. You’ll find several different ways for your child to bake cookies, cupcakes, madeleines, and much more. This book contains over 40 recipes in all.

Another thing that distinguishes this book is that most of the recipes use more or less the same ingredients. Therefore, you’ll only have to make one trip to the store. After that, your child will be able to make all sorts of different snacks.

It’s a great cookbook for girls of all ages.

Baking Class: 50 Fun Recipes

Baking Class: 50 Fun Recipes is a fun cookbook for kids that’s won multiple awards. A few of these include NPR’s Best Books of the Year for 2017, Mom’s Choice Award, and the IACP Cookbook Award.

It uses 50 recipes to teach children important skills like kneading dough and measuring ingredients.

It also teaches the importance of using fresh fruits and vegetables. Some recipes even allow them to decorate their creations in cute ways.

All of this is done with large photos and easy to follow, step by step directions. And along with all the recipes, it also includes a number of goodies such as stickers, gift tags, and bake sale signs.

This book is one of the best easy cookbooks for young bakers who are just getting started.

The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs

Finally, we have a cookbook that made it to number one on the New York Times Bestseller List, making it arguably one of the best bakery cookbooks out there.

The Complete Baking Book for Young Chefs tested its recipes alongside 5,000 kids. The end result is a list of over 100 recipes for children at all skill levels. Some of these recipes are great for first-time bakers while others will provide a challenge for young veterans.

This best selling cookbook teaches everything from breads and pizzas to cookies and cupcakes.

All of the directions are accompanied by large photographs, and it even features testimonials from some of the kids who helped make the book.

Moreover, the recipes inside are for foods that kids will actually enjoy eating. It’s good for children of all ages, but older kids will see particularly great results.

Conclusion

Now you know some of the best cookbooks for families on the market today. As you can see, there’s a very wide range of cookbooks to choose from.

When shopping for a cookbook, make sure you consider your child’s age and skill level. You should also consider what kind of food they like. Do they enjoy Italian, do they like baking, or would they prefer vegetarian meals?

If your kid already has some experience in the kitchen and wants a challenge, then Masterchef Junior is a great choice.

If you have a beginner that just wants to help in the kitchen, then Baking Class: 50 Fun Recipes might be more appropriate. No matter what you choose, any of these books is a great way to get your child started on their cooking journey.

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