Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Gingerbread Mince Pies
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Gingerbread Mince Pies is a free printable baking activity sheet with at home recipes to try over the Christmas period. It is made for parents, teachers and home educators who want a calm, hands on activity for children, with a tasty result at the end.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company. Print the sheet, read it through yourself first, and gather the ingredients and equipment before you invite your child into the kitchen.
What is on the sheet
Children use the sheet as a guide for baking at home with a grown up. They read or listen to the recipe instructions, collect and measure ingredients, and follow the steps in order. Grown ups take care of the oven, hot trays and any sharp tools. Children can handle the safe jobs, such as mixing, rolling, shaping and decorating, and then share what they have made.
Getting ready to bake
Read the sheet first
Read the whole recipe before you start. Check you have every ingredient and every piece of equipment, so nobody has to stop halfway through.
Wash hands and clear space
Wash hands with soap and tie back long hair. Wipe down a clear work surface and put on aprons if you have them.
Check for allergies
Look at every ingredient label for allergens such as gluten, egg, milk, nuts and alcohol. Check mincemeat labels carefully, as recipes and brands differ.
Share out the jobs
Decide who does what. A grown up takes charge of the oven, hot trays and anything sharp. Children can weigh, stir, roll and decorate.
Mince pies, gingerbread and Christmas baking
Mince pies are small sweet pies that many families in Britain eat at Christmas. The filling is mincemeat, a sticky mix of dried fruit, sugar and spices. The name comes from long ago, when such fillings included minced meat. Many jars today contain no meat, but some contain suet, which is animal or vegetable fat. Always read the label.
Gingerbread is a baked treat flavoured with ginger and other warming spices. Ginger comes from an underground stem of a plant. Baking is a useful way to practise real skills. Children read instructions, weigh and measure, follow a sequence and see how ingredients change when they are mixed and heated.
Adults do all the dangerous parts of baking. That means switching on and using the oven, handling hot trays and tins, and using knives or other sharp tools. Keep children well back when the oven door is open. Check ingredient labels for allergens before anyone eats.
Christmas baking facts
- Mince pies are a traditional Christmas treat in Britain.
- Mincemeat is made from dried fruit, sugar and spices.
- Long ago, mincemeat recipes included minced meat. That is where the name comes from.
- Some mincemeat contains suet, so check the label if you need a vegetarian recipe.
- Ginger is a spice that gives gingerbread its warm flavour.
Skills and curriculum link
- Following written instructions
- Measuring and weighing
- Putting steps in order
- Fine motor control
- Kitchen hygiene
- Working with a grown up
Helping children bake well
- Read togetherRead each step aloud before doing it. Ask your child to say what will happen next. This links reading to a real task.
- Measure with careLet children read the scale or measuring jug and say the number out loud. Talk about why amounts matter in baking.
- Keep to the orderBaking works best when steps are done in the right order. Tick each step off as you go.
- Divide the jobsChildren can mix, roll, press and decorate. Adults deal with the oven, hot trays and sharp tools.
Key words
- IngredientOne of the foods that go into a recipe.
- RecipeA set of instructions for making food.
- MincemeatA sweet, sticky mix of dried fruit, sugar and spices used in mince pies.
- GingerbreadA baked treat flavoured with ginger and other spices.
- DoughA thick mixture of flour and other ingredients that you can roll and shape.
- WeighFind out how heavy something is using scales.
How to use it
- Print the sheet and read it through yourself before you start.
- Check the ingredients and equipment, and read every label for allergens.
- Wash hands, clear a work surface and decide which jobs are for the grown up and which are for the child.
- Follow the recipe step by step. Children do the safe jobs. A grown up does everything that involves the oven, heat or sharp tools.
- Let the baking cool before eating. Talk about how it looks, smells and tastes, and what you would change next time.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Break the recipe into small jobs and do one at a time. Let your child tick each step as it is done. Prepare and weigh ingredients into bowls beforehand, so they can concentrate on mixing, rolling and shaping.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to read the recipe and list the equipment and ingredients before you begin. Then let them plan the order of jobs and say who does each one. Afterwards, they can write a short review of what they made.
Make it a game
Play Kitchen Detective. Lay out the ingredients and ask your child to find each one from the recipe list. Then mix up the steps written on strips of paper and ask them to put the steps back in order.
Talk about it
- What do you think will happen to the mixture when it bakes?
- Which job in this recipe do you most want to do, and why?
- Why do we read the whole recipe before we start?
- How could we check we have measured an ingredient carefully?
- What would you change if you made it again?
- Who would you like to share what we bake with?
Take it off the page
Recipe book
Draw and write your own simple recipe book for a favourite snack. List the ingredients and number the steps in order.
Kitchen shop
Set up a pretend shop with food packets. Ask your child to find the ingredients for a recipe and read the labels.
Thank you cards
Make cards to give with the baking. Write who it is for and a short Christmas message inside.
Who it is for
Parents
Choose a time when you are not rushed. Read the recipe together, then let your child do every safe job themselves. You handle the oven and anything hot or sharp. Expect some mess, and enjoy it.
Teachers
Useful as a Christmas themed task for reading instructions, sequencing and measuring. Baking in school needs adult supervision and a risk assessment, and allergies must be checked first. It can also be used for a written recipe task without cooking.
Home educators
Baking fits well into a home education week. It covers reading, measuring, sequencing and following instructions in one practical activity. Children can write up what they did, draw the finished bake or plan a recipe of their own afterwards.
Where baking skills lead
Before they bake, children benefit from handling ingredients, using spoons and bowls, and listening to instructions in order. Helping with simple jobs in the kitchen builds confidence and good habits with hygiene.
Afterwards, children can try other recipes, work with larger amounts, and begin to read scales and measuring jugs more independently. In time, they can plan a recipe, write their own instructions and think about healthy eating and how food is made.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- Is the Gingerbread Mince Pies sheet free?
Yes. It is a free printable from the Mini Minds Hub, the library of activity sheets from Jaques of London. You only need to print it and gather the ingredients and equipment the recipes call for.
- Can children bake on their own?
No. A grown up should be there throughout. Adults must do the oven, hot trays and any sharp tools. Children can do safe jobs such as weighing, mixing, rolling and decorating.
- Does mincemeat contain meat?
Not usually today, but check the label. Many mincemeats contain suet, which can be beef fat or a vegetable alternative. If you need a vegetarian recipe, look for a jar that clearly says it is suitable for vegetarians.
- What about allergies?
Check every label before you begin. Gingerbread and pastry can contain gluten, egg or milk, and mincemeat may contain nuts or alcohol. If anyone has an allergy, choose ingredients carefully and ask the family involved.
- What skills does this sheet practise?
It practises following written instructions, measuring and weighing, putting steps in order, and using fine motor skills. It also supports kitchen hygiene and working with a grown up. These link to reading, maths measurement and cooking and nutrition in the National Curriculum for England.
- Can I use it in a classroom?
Yes, with care. Baking in school needs adult supervision, a risk assessment and an allergy check. If you cannot bake, children can still read and discuss the recipe, plan the ingredients and sequence the steps.
- How can I make it easier or harder?
For an easier task, prepare ingredients in advance and let your child do one step at a time. For a harder one, ask them to read the recipe, list the ingredients and plan the order of jobs themselves.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.