Autumn is growing at record speed. Okay, she is not, she is in fact she is still teeny tiny. But I can’t believe she is almost 2!! Sobs!!

I’ve loved every age so far, but right now this is so super cool as she is so active. We are starting to be able to participate in things together more as she can take instruction well and give it well too.

My new favorite activity together is baking!!!

Everyone has geared up for back to school activities, including fall baking, recently, but since my wee one is still so young, our focus has just been on the yummy fall baking.

While I love to bake from scratch, I have found that using a mix has really simplified things for us so that we can quickly and easily get started right after I pick her up from daycare.

I get home about 30-40 minutes before I pick Autumn up from daycare so I prep for our new baking adventures by taking out the Krusteaz mix, butter, and preheating the oven, grabbing the dog for a walk, dropping him off at home, and then I head over to get Autumn. On our walk home I tell her what we are making that night. She gets excited about using the mixer and using her hands to ‘play’ with the dough.

Last week we made yummy cookies using Krusteaz’s Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookie Mix to make cookies. She helped with the mixer and by (sorta) rolling out the cookies.

And last night we made a toddler friendly version of Krusteaz’s Crispy Gold Star Day Cookies with their Meyer Lemon Cookie Mix. So good! And the perfect cookies to make with a toddler or young kids as they can use the cookie cutters to cut out the cookies and then decorate them with the sprinkles that came with the mix.

I started out by mixing the dough while Autumn was busy eating her dinner of lasagna, mango, and yogurt. Once she was done we were all ready to go!

I set her on the counter to help me cut out the cookies. It was the first time she used cookie cutters! She would grunt a bit as she push it down and then say ‘ah!’ when she was done, while she waited for me to pick it up to do it again and again.

We received the most adorable red aprons from Krusteaz, which would have been great to wear, but a certain toddler didn’t want to wear it. Something, something, screaming about her Minnie shirt. I, of course, wanted to protect the precious Minnie shirt, but she didn’t want it covered. #toddlerlyfe

We would then pat and roll out the dough again and again as we made more cookies. She certainly loved rolling out the dough.

Then I baked them. ‘Oven HOT mommy HOT!!!!” At least she gets that.

And how important it is to help with clean up!

We then decorated them the next morning, as the cookies need to cool before putting the glaze them and she goes to bed so early (6.30) so we just couldn’t fit it all in the night.

She did pretty well putting the glaze on them, but I think getting the sprinkles on the cookies was her favorite part!

We then brought them to daycare to share with her friends.

I hope you’ll bake up these! Be sure to grab a kid or two to for some fun help with the baking. You’ll love it, and so will they!

Crisp Lemony Star Cookies

Makes 12-24 cookies, depending on cookie cutter size

Ingredients

For the Cookies

For the Glaze

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with a nonstick baking sheet.
2. To make the cookies, pour the cookie mix in the medium bowl.  Add the butter and egg, stir until a dough forms. It will be a dry crumbly dough.
3. On a well floured surface, knead the dough into a disk. Roll dough 1/4 inch thick, cut stars and place 2 inches apart onto the cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8-9 minutes, until the cookie is no longer soft in the center and the edges are golden brown. Time will vary depending on cookie size.
5. To make the glaze, combine powdered sugar and milk in a bowl, whisk until smooth.
6. Decorate the cookies when they have completely cooled by drizzling or spooning the glaze on them and then sprinkle with the decorating sugar.

Adapted from Krusteaz

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And now the fun stuff… a GIVEAWAY!!!!

Be sure to enter for your chance to win the following goodies from Krusteaz!!!!

• New Krusteaz Bakery Style Cookie Mixes including:

• Triple Chocolate Chunk
• Meyer Lemon
• Double Peanut Butter
• Brown Sugar Oatmeal
• Oatmeal Scotchie
• Butter Vanilla Sugar

• A Krusteaz lunchbox
• Some fun kitchen items like a Krusteaz-branded oven mitt and aprons (one for an adult and one for a child!)
• A selfie stick (for fun family photos taken while baking and enjoying cookies!)
• Cookie cutter and measuring spoons for kids from Curious Chef
• Cookie recipe inspiration cards

***ENTER HERE***

The giveaway runs for a week, ending on October 6th at midnight. Open to US residents.

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This is a sponsored post from Krusteaz, but all opinions are my own.