What Baking with My Children Has Taught Me:

Lessons, Laughter, and Leftover Cookie Dough

There’s something magical about flour on the floor.

Not in the moment, of course. In the moment, it’s chaos. A toddler is licking a measuring cup like it’s a popsicle, the preteen is “accidentally” eating all the shredded cheese, and someone forgot to preheat the oven (again—it was me). But somehow, when I look back at those moments, I see them for what they are: the heartbeats of our home.

Baking with my children has taught me more than any cookbook ever could.

It’s taught me patience. Real, deep, “try not to scream while eggshells go into the bowl” kind of patience. (And let’s be honest—I didn’t always succeed. There were plenty of sharp exhales, forehead pinches, and moments I wish I’d handled with more grace.) But I’ve also learned that perfection is overrated, crooked cookies still taste amazing, and sometimes the most memorable meals come from the biggest messes.

But mostly, baking with my kids has taught me that the kitchen is not just a place to feed people—it’s where we become a family.

Little Hands, Big Lessons

Family Traditions

Italian Christmas Ravioli’s - Made together, enjoyed together.

When my older three were younger, we used to bake together all the time. They had jobs—serious ones, like stirring batter, sprinkling cinnamon sugar, and shaping rolls into lumpy masterpieces. Their hands were always sticky, their hair dusted with flour, and their eyes wide with wonder. It was beautiful, and chaotic, and slow in the best way.

Now they’re 16, 14, and 11, and those little hands are a lot bigger. These days, they mostly pop into the kitchen to ask if the cookie dough bowl is available for “cleaning,” or if pancakes are up for grabs. One of them asked the other morning, “Are these for the stand or can we eat them?” (A valid and frequent question around here.)

And sometimes—sometimes—I catch my oldest pausing just long enough to say, “I love having a baker in the house. The mornings smell so good.”

Cue my heart melting into the sourdough starter.

Now, it’s my four-year-old with the messy fingers and the big baking ambitions. He’s the cheese sprinkler, the taste tester, and the one who insists that cookie dough is best eaten with two spoons—one for each hand. Watching him now brings back all those memories of the others, and while I miss those slower little-hand seasons, there’s such comfort in knowing the warmth of the kitchen stayed with them.

They may not stir the batter like they used to, but they still show up. And to me, that means I must be doing something right.

The Great Cake Bake-Off

Throwback One of Our Legendary Family Cake Bake-Offs!

We even had our own little “Cake Wars” at home. Full-on family bake-offs where the older kids would team up, raid the pantry, and decorate like their lives (and bragging rights) depended on it. It was loud. It was messy. And it was hilarious.

They’d pipe icing with intense focus and whisper strategies like it was a Food Network showdown. One year, someone even tried to bribe the judge (me) with an extra cookie. I won’t name names.

It wasn’t really about the cakes (though honestly, some were pretty impressive). It was about watching them light up, be creative, and feel proud of something they made with their own hands. That’s the magic of baking. It teaches skills—but it also builds confidence, humor, and stories that stick with you longer than the frosting on the wall.

This Is Why I Bake

At Sweet & Savory Cottage Bakery, the goal has never been just to sell bread. It’s to nourish—bellies, yes—but also homes, stories, and traditions. If you’ve ever stopped by the stand, you’ve tasted a little bit of that.

Every sourdough loaf, every cookie, and every pie crust holds more than ingredients—it holds a moment, a memory, or a conversation that happened while someone was “just passing through” the kitchen. And that's the magic I hope reaches your home, too.

So whether you’re baking with little ones at your feet, or just catching a teenager scooping the last of the dough, I hope you find joy in the sweet, fleeting mess of it all.

A Quick Tip for Savoring the Season

Give kids "ownership" in the kitchen by assigning one small job: stirring, sprinkling cheese, or shaping rolls. Little hands make big memories—and those memories become the foundation they return to.

✨ Let’s Stay Connected

Want to see more behind-the-scenes peeks, family recipes, and weekly bakery updates?

👉 Follow us on Facebook for stories from the stand and real-life moments from my kitchen
👉 Visit the Bakery Stand to see what’s fresh this week
👉 Or just stop by—Thursdays through Saturdays, the smell of fresh bread is always waiting

Because around here, bread is just the beginning.