Dinosaur Food (No-bake Cookie Recipe)

Over the last few months, Mason has really begun to play with his dinosaurs alot.  He runs around the house chasing me and making roaring sounds in the hopes that I will chase him back.  He can do this for hours! 

While running around, Mason works up an appetite.  He likes to help me prepare his snacks and meals, well, as much as he can.  Since everyone knows that kids love to cook, and Mason is no exception, I try to find easy recipes that he can help with and this one fits the bill perfectly!  This is a fun, simple and quick recipe that toddlers can make by themselves (mostly) and encourages their fascination in dinosaurs.  Even better, the ingredients are typically found in most pantries.

Yields:  2-3 dozen

Ingredients:

• 1/8 cup dirt (cocoa)
• 1/4 cup swamp water (milk)
• 1 cup crushed bones (sugar)
• 1 cup dino fat (butter)
• 1 cup grass (uncooked oatmeal)
• 1/4 cup squashed bugs (peanut butter)

Directions:

1. Mix dirt, swamp water, crushed bones, and fat in a saucepan.  Cook 5-10 minutes.  
2. Remove from heat and stir in grass and squashed bugs. 
3. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. 
4. Let cool and eat. 

 

Above is the original recipe.  Like many recipes I try, I tweaked this one.  Below are the changes I made.  I think I will still experiment with this, but so far, Mason has eaten 3 cookies, so I would say he likes them!

• Try 1/2 cup butter instead of 1 cup
• Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and call it "Muddy Water"
• Use 1/2 cup peanut butter instead of 1/4 cup peanut butter
• And add at least 2 cups oatmeal.  The cookies did form, but were too runny to hold like a cookie and eat. 
• I also rolled them in some powdered sugar and told Mason it was crushed Dinosaur Teeth.  This helped to absorb any excess liquid and keep the form.

I did put them in the fridge for keeping. Mason ate these cookies refrigerated and at room temp. They are gooey and very yummy. A definite to make again!

Get this and more ideas from The Everything Toddler Activities Book: Games And Projects That Entertain And Educate .