Fun Baked Birthday Treats
 by: Susanne Myers

The traditional birthday cake isnt the only yummy option you have when it comes to baked goods for your childs birthday party. We have come up with some other ideas that are more than just a substitute for a birthday cake. They are creative, delicious and just plain different.

Decorate A Cookie

Sugar Cookie Dough
Cookie Cutters
Wax Paper
Confectioners Sugar
Water
Food Coloring
Assorted candies
Colored Sugar (different colors)
Sprinkles

Prepare a batch of your favorite cookie dough, or purchase some refrigerated sugar dough. Roll it out and place it on the wax paper. Let the kids cut out cookies using the cookie cutter, then bake them according to the baking instructions for your dough.

Allow the cookies do cool. Prepare Glue by mixing the confectioners sugar with water to form a sticky paste. You can add food coloring to turn it into different colors. The kids can paint the cookies with this glue, then add candies sprinkles and colored sugar.

Allow them to dry and either let the kids eat them at the party, or place them in plastic bags so they can take them home after the party.

Magic Wands

Refrigerated Sugar Cookie Dough
Star Cookie Cutter
Popsicle Stick
Confectioners Sugar
Hot Water
Food Coloring

Roll out the sugar cookie dough and cut using a star-shaped cookie cutter; bake according to package instructions.

As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, and are still soft to the touch, carefully push a Popsicle stick between any two points of the star. This makes the handle for your wand.

Frost the cookies with glossy icing. To make glossy icing, simply sift confectioners' sugar into a bowl. Slowly add hot water, while mixing, until it becomes a smooth paste. Add a few drops of food coloring to make extra colorful treats. These wand cookies are somewhat fragile, but they're delicious and a lot of fun to eat!

Dessert Pizza

Sugar cookie dough, store bought
8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Fruit slices like banana, strawberries, apples and blueberries
Greased cookie sheet or pizza pan

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Slice up the dough like you're making cookies.

Press the dough into a pizza pan. You should end up with thin, sweet pizza dough. Bake it for about 8 minutes and cool it on a rack.

Combine the sugar, vanilla and softened cream cheese. Spread it all over you pizza crust.

Top with the fruit slices.

There you have it Three fun baked treats that not only make a great addition to any birthday party, whether you are serving cake or not. They are also a fun activity for the kids during the party. Give one of these a try at the next child birthday party you throw.

About The Author Susanne Myers For tips and ideas to plan the perfect birthday party visit http://www.littlegirlbirthdayparty.com and for more kid-friendly recipes delivered to your inbox every week visit http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/info

This article was posted on August 31, 2006