Recipes Kids Can Make for Father’s Day

Father’s Day is a great opportunity to cook for—or with!—dads, grandfathers, or any other father figures. Check out these foolproof recipes from America’s Test Kitchen Kids that young chefs can prepare (and grown-ups will love), and make every food-filled Father’s Day celebration a hole in one.

• Palace Diner Lemon-Buttermilk Flapjacks: These fluffy, lemony pancakes are inspired by the flapjacks on the menu at the Palace Diner—a dining car–style diner in Biddeford, Maine. Kids can ask dad whether he wants medium- or large-size flapjacks, and then top his stack with butter and maple syrup.
• Cheese Omelet: Kids can act as short-order cooks as they make an easy, customizable omelet. Have dad choose his favorite fillings (cheese, veggies, and/or meat) before kids start cooking.

• Rice Noodle Bowls with Pork and Scallions: These noodle bowls are the ideal summer dinner—the light rice vermicelli noodles get coated in a simple soy-based sauce, and each bowl is topped with refreshingly crisp quick-pickled cucumbers, cilantro leaves, and scallion-studded ground pork.
• Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken + Smashed Potatoes: Ambitious young chefs can make a full chicken-and-potato dinner with little adult help. The chicken comes out juicy and tender every time thanks to a buttermilk brine, and dads will love our chunky, tangy spin on mashed potatoes.
• Barbecue Sauce + Grill with Dad: Does anything scream Father’s Day like barbecue sauce–slathered grilled meats? Kids can whip up this better-than-the-bottle sauce, douse their choice of meat with it (Ribs? Chicken? Pork chops?), and then act as sous chef as dad grills it up.

• Nachos: These vegetarian nachos are perfect for company both big and small—make them as is, or double the recipe and make them in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Kids could use their own homemade Quick Tomato Salsa, or up the spice factor with pickled jalapeños.
• Hummus + Pita Chips: This easy hummus is made with canned chickpeas and is lightly spiced with garlic and cumin. Kids can serve it with crudités and/or our pita chips—just scroll to the bottom of the recipe page for plain (and chili-spiced!) variations.

• Blueberry Cobbler: This summery cobbler makes a fabulous grand finale to Father’s Day celebrations. The stir-together biscuit batter keeps this simple (no mixer required). Young chefs can serve their cobbler as is, or top it with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
• Blondies: Even the youngest of chefs—ages 5 to 8—can make these blondies, which come together in a bowl. They’re sweet, a little bit salty, and packed with crunchy pecans and gooey chocolate chips!