Slacker Baking

I was once a pretty decent baker. I baked a lot. Almost every weekend, I was making either muffins or cookies or a cake.

While I still make all the desserts for the holiday dinners with my extended family (although I think I'll take this Thanksgiving off), I haven't baked anything for our little (soon-to-be not-so-little) family in a very long time.
And now, I just don't have the energy. There are days when standing up takes a monumental effort, and slicing a brick of cheese takes strength I just don't have.

But one of the things I most looked forward to when I learned I was pregnant the first time was baking with my child(ren). I wanted to share my love of baking with them, and what kid doesn't like to bake? At two years old, Isabella is at a great age to start participating.
She does make pancakes or waffles with her dad most weekends. The blueberry pancakes they made last week were a big hit.

But other than the past two Christmases where I've made cookies with Isabella, we haven't done much baking together.
Until I discovered this miracle baking product: the "Break and Bake" cookie. And I think it's tailor-made for baking slackers like me.


Making these cookies takes about as much effort as brushing your teeth. Open the package, break off the precut cookies from the sheet, stick them on a cookie sheet, and slide the sheets into the oven.

Isabella took her cookie-arranging job very seriously.


The hardest part about making these cookies is getting your two-year-old to wait quietly for 15 minutes until they're done. She wanted cookies and she wanted them now.

Luckily, there was a sweet reward at the end.


Hopefully Isabella won't grow up thinking that "break and bake" is how mommy makes cookies, since baking is so important to me and I really want to share the fun with her.

But while I'm on modified bedrest and too exhausted to lift a fork most of the time, this slacker method will do for now.
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9 Responses to “Slacker Baking”

  1. # Anonymous Anonymous

    I also vascilate between slacker baking and 'proper' baking. I do things like choc chip cookies from scratch, but a box chocolate cake etc. It depends on how 'bakey' I feel. Funny things is Skippy likes to help out with the mixing, but he *will* not eat my homemade chocchip cookies. No idea why, just doesn't want to. Oh and they taste pretty good, it's not that, it's like he thinks they're ugly or something. Ha ha, oh well, more for me and my fat ass. They go especially well with Bits O Tits. sorry, couldn't help myself...ha ha ha.

    Oh and I FINALLY got my ass down to the post office and mailed off your teensy weensy little gift for your little dude. I hope you like it - I went with relatively small stuff, I figured that since he'll be one of a twin, they'll both probably be on the small side, and I went with more neutral colours for some of the stuff (really it sounds like a lot but it's *really* not), again I hope you like it!  

  2. # Anonymous Anonymous

    My husband accused me just the other night of not cooking anymore. See, his version of "cooking" entails me opening up a cook book and fixing a list of ingredients according to the directions. But with as busy as I've been lately, I can barely manage to throw a frozen pizza in the oven and toss a salad. Perhaps that's why my butt is getting so big . . . (sigh)  

  3. # Blogger Chastity

    I actually love these kinds of cookies...so easy! I've never made a batch of cookies from scratch that actually turned out decent. My oven cooks too fast though, so that's part of the problem. I really do need to do more baking with Lila. I know she'd enjoy it so much.  

  4. # Blogger Mom24

    Those are awesome when you just can't do it any other way. I think my kids would definitely rather have those than nothing when I just can't muster up the time/energy to do scratch. No worries. Isabella definitely will just be glad to have the time with you and the cookies--no matter how they're made.  

  5. # Blogger Elowyn

    Dude, at this point? Break & bake is perfect. You've got lots of time with your three little dumplings as they get bigger, to teach the wonders of sifting flour, etc. At least that's what I'm telling myself. ;)  

  6. # Blogger My Wombinations

    Consider yourself ambitious compare to how much I "bake." Darling, that is what little Italian bakeries are for, after all:) But seriously, this is a great idea. I will be trying this with Sam very soon, although she does not like cookies! Can you believe it? I swear sometimes I doubt her maternity.  

  7. # Blogger sara

    Wow those look really good! You're making me hungry :-) When I first went on bedrest I had my husband pick up a whole bunch of break and bake cookies to keep on hand so I could satisfy my sweet tooth even at 3AM since I couldn't be off the couch too much. They have been like heaven when I'm craving! My favorites are anything with peanut butter and chocolate - can't go wrong there, lol. Hope you're having a good week! (oh yeah - I thought of you yesterday when the show The Doctors was on in the morning because they had a whole funny conversation about breastmilk and ben and jerry's!)  

  8. # Blogger Damselfly

    Isabella is so cute!

    I am right there with you. I love to bake, but often there's no time. Or my child wants to play with the hot oven, which is right at his level. I have been known to make those break and bakes....  

  9. # Blogger Shannon

    i get these types of cookies for Lorelei and Jeremy so I don't have to clean up the mess since I can't eat them... but Lore picks off all the sprinkles... so don't get those... or those with chips in them... because she picked out all of those too... lol... but the fun shape ones (like pumpkins on them) are fun too... Lore now thinks that all cookies have faces on them lol...  

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