51 Dessert Recipes To Make With Your Grandchildren

What kid doesn’t love dirt and worms? This interactive weekend bake layers chocolate cookie crumbs, gummy worms, and a creamy, whipped pudding filling for a treat that’s as fun to eat as it is to make.

Let’s be honest: Snacking on cookie dough is half the fun of making cookies. For grandchildren who love cookie dough, making safe-for-eating cookie dough will be a blast to do together.

These three ingredient dessert treats are ready in less than an hour. Like a candy bar but even better homemade, they incorporate salted roasted nuts and yummy melted chocolate. The recipe is conducive to a little experimentation—have fun with your cluster shapes and enjoy the process with kids of just about any age.

Gooey tart blueberrieswith a perfectly browned crispy crust. All you need to make this dump cake is a few ingredients—just dump and bake! When the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling up on the sides, your cake is done. And don’t forget to serve it with vanilla ice cream.

For those chocolate lovers—grandparents and grandchildren alike—this is the cake to make. While most dump cakes don’t require stirring, this does require just a little bit. All you need is a spoon, and it’s the perfect task for eager tiny chefs!

Peach Dump Cake

Moist, gooey, and sweet, peach dump cake is a simple and delicious dessert bursting with late summer flavor. Featuring two shortcut ingredients—canned peaches and yellow cake mix—this indulgent cake is perfect for whipping up something special, easy, and quick with kiddos.

You may think of a hot fudge as a special treat at an ice cream shop, or something to buy jarred and drizzle over ice cream—but it’s easy to make hot fudge and share with little ones when decorating sundaes like this one.

There’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than a heaping bowl of homemade ice cream. This one has kids’ favorite cookies: Oreos.

This new recipe is quickly becoming an all-time favorite amongst readers, and every budding baker needs a go-to chocolate chip cookie recipe on hand. You’ll love the rich, nutty flavor of the brown butter, and the kids will be all too happy with the chocolate chips.

Every Grandma has her own chocolate fudge recipe, and we’re willing to bet plenty of them rely on this iconic one from the ’50s. This is one dessert that the kids are sure to remember.

Kids love s’mores and we guarantee that they’ll love it in pie form too. Unlike its campfire adjacent cousin, no-bake S’mores Pie doesn’t need any heat.

We may have opted for pink food coloring and sprinkles, but your grandkids can easily customize these bars with their favorite colors.

The kids will have so much fun baking and decorating these candy-pink adorned cupcakes made with the beloved Southern-made soft drink. These bright sweets also have a cherry on top that the kids will adore.

Kids love a good PB&J, so why not take that great flavor combo and turn it into a delectable cookie sandwich? Chunky or smooth peanut butter, grape or strawberry jelly, we’re sure the grandkids will love them.

With this go-to sugar cookie recipe, the grandkids can decorate them any way they want. Have a lineup ready to go of fun cookie cutters for the cutest cookies to come.

Is there any treat easier or more nostalgic than a milkshake? Top with as much fresh whipped cream as the kids want.

The best part of this recipe is getting to select which breakfast cereal you make these nostalgic treats with. Go bold and colorful with Froot Loops or super chocolatey with Cocoa Puffs.

This base recipe can be turned into four different variations like our Salted Caramel-S’mores Brownies or Coconut-Almond-Fudge Skillet Brownies, for an anything but boring dessert.

Loaded with M&Ms, toffee bits, and chocolate chips, the grandkids will be more than excited to help bake up these cookies. Feel free to customize them with your own favorite candies too.

Make any day feel like a birthday with a homemade chocolate chip cookie cake. The grandkids can go wild with frosting and sprinkles designs.

Don’t wait for the ice cream man—make these nostalgic treats right at home. These are a grand Memorial or Independence Day treat but will also satisfy on any sweltering Southern summer day.

These easy little treats start with a box of cake mix, and your grandchildren will love making them. A dessert this bright and tasty is one that the kids will want to make again and again.

Even kids who aren’t keen on eating their servings of fruit each day will devour this rich cobbler that’s more like a cake. Plus, even kids with a short attention span will be able to see through this snappy cake that asks only 10 minutes of active time.

The grandkids might add the packaged version of these to your cart at the grocery store, but our homemade recipe tastes better and makes for a fun project. This treat may have been a childhood favorite of yours and now it can be theirs too.

They’ll be amazed that their favorite soft drink can actually be used to make a decadent chocolate cake. Let them sip on any leftover soda and you’ll make their whole day.

These nostalgic little cookies make use of pantry staples, and they make plenty of cookies for the kids to bring to the neighbors. Any spare Kisses are up for grabs, plus a few kisses on the cheek from Grandma.

Popular at Christmas and Easter, these vintage cookies are a colorful no-bake treat the kids can make all by themselves. While you man the stove, the kids can handle the mixing.

There’s no shortage of Oreo goodness in this recipe. Between the crust, filling, and topping of this pie, you’ll use an entire family-size pack of Oreos.

This Southern snack is a true baking project to try at home. Introduce the grandkids to a homemade version of this classic treat and they’ll be grateful forever.

The grandkids will love crushing up the Oreo cookie crust for this retro layered dessert. Plus, you don’t have to worry about any oven-related injuries with this no-cook option.

Teach the kids how to make an old-fashioned treat that your mom taught you. Passing down this recipe will start a tradition that the young ones will cherish.

Every budding baker should learn how to make one of these beauties, and who better to teach than Grandma? Thanks to you, they’ll already have a good pound cake recipe in their arsenal.

This deliciously sweet bread is a fun project to layer and devour. The pieces don’t have to be arranged perfectly to come out delicious so the kids can have a go at it.

Instead of making brownies with that box of mix in the pantry, try these soft cookies for a change. The kids will gobble up this fusion dessert that’s as sweet as they are.

Birthday or no, this from-scratch cake can make any afternoon feel like a celebration. Let the kids go crazy with the sprinkles for decoration.

Who doesn’t love a banana split? This fun-sized version is easy to make, kid-friendly, and the perfect summertime activity that will conclude in a delicious reward.

Make this recipe with the kids for Easter so that the whole crew can enjoy your sweet efforts. These cute and cartoon-y cookies couldn’t be easier to make with only four ingredients: fried chow mein noodles, chocolate, peanut butter chips, and candy eggs.

Send the grandkids home with a goody bag from their stay. A mason jar of birthday cake you made together is an adorable and portable dessert that will go the distance.

These adorable sweets are surprisingly easy to make at home. Our recipe starts with boxed cake mix for a project that’s within reach and not too time consuming with young children.

Show the young’ins the joys of an old-fashioned root beer float in a fun, fresh form. Frozen root beer will lose its carbonation, ending up with a perfectly smooth popsicle texture.

Calling all football fans. Not only are these brownies an adorable baking project to make with kids, but they taste great too.

For St. Patrick’s Day or any day, kids will love this fun-colored cake, and Grandma will love that it requires just a few ingredients. The kids can help with every part of the process. Change the taste and color by using different gelatin flavors.

Kids will love making this funny snack that gets its name from pet food, but it’s strictly for people. Whether you call this mix Muddy Buddies, Reindeer Chow, or Monkey Munch, the grandkids are sure to call you up to ask to make it again.

Turn to this creamy shake when you want something quick. It takes only five minutes to whip together. Have fun customizing your vanilla shakes with add-ins like cookies, chocolate syrup, cereal, or fruit.

There’s no baking required for this crunchy treat, but making it will still be sweet. This old-fashioned candy is similar to homemade Rice Krispies treats but dropped on a pan instead of making bars.

This sweet cake is made from two cake rounds and it’s the perfect thing for a spring afternoon. The kids will be proud to say they helped make Easter dessert. And they’ll love decorating the candy bowtie.

Perfect for an impromptu baking session, these cookies use just peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Sandwich them with jam, marshmallow fluff, or frosting, or eat them as is.

This one-bowl dessert recipe cuts down on cleanup so you can enjoy the cake you made with your grandkids and not worry about your kitchen. Use any favorite frosting recipe to finish it off.

For bakers who aren’t quite ready to make a pie, this galette is a good option. Use frozen puff pastry sheets for the base, combine the filling, fold the edges, and bake.

Cookie batter stuffed with chocolate chips, coconut, oats, and crispy rice cereal is sure to please your hungry crew. Vary the recipe with different cereal or chocolate.

What’s cuter than individual cakes served in a breakfast mug? Kids will enjoy making these little cakes that cook up in minutes, so there’s little wait time for hungry chefs.