It's crazy to think it's already the start of the holiday season! With so much decorating, shopping, and wrapping, we sometimes forget to stop and share the seasonal spirit with our little ones through food. It can be both easy and enjoyable to make Christmas cooking with kids a part of your December plans with our Strawberry Santa Pops!
All it takes are a few ingredients that you probably have lying around your house anyways. Kids can make this recipe almost entirely by themselves, giving them a great project for a snowy afternoon. It can be served as a yummy snack or dessert, and will put you on the nice list in terms of nutrition. The strawberries and bananas are a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth without going overboard on sugar. It's cute, creative, and filled with Christmas cheer.
Strawberry Santa Pops
Makes 14 servings | Prep Time: 20 minutes
COLLECT INGREDIENTS:
7 bananas
14 strawberries
14 mini marshmallows
7 regular marshmallows
14 red M&M's
28 brown sprinkles
Toothpicks
COLLECT TOOLS:
Cutting board
Kid chef knife (or a butter knife)
Recipe Steps:
Wash hands
Peel bananas
Slice each banana in half. Then slice off tips of banana so they have flat edge
Wash strawberries
Slice green leaves off of strawberry tops.
Take the bigger marshmallows and slice them in half horizontally, making bases for the Strawberry Santa Hats.
Grab a toothpick to assemble Santa Hats.
Stack first a half of a regular marshmallow, then a strawberry, and top it off with a mini marshmallow to make a Santa Hat.
Repeat 14 times.
Once all hats are assembled, add a hat to the top of a banana. May need additional toothpicks to stabilize.
Repeat 14 times, giving one hat to each banana half.
Lay all banana pops down on a cutting board
Gather M&M candies to place in the middle of the banana
Repeat for each banana
Place two brown sprinkles above the M&M, giving the banana some eyes.
Enjoy right away or place in the freezer for a chilly treat.
Nom!
Grown-up Pro Tips:
1. Strawberry Santa hats can be used in so many different ways! They can be served on top of other fruits and sweets, or even by themselves. The possibilities are endless!
2. Assembling the pops can be easier when the fruit is colder. Stick the strawberries and bananas in the fridge for 20 minutes before starting.
3. Lots of different candy can be used to decorate your Strawberry Santa Pops. We went with red M&M's for a Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer vibe, but get creative with festive friends!
4. Make your treats last longer by popping them in the freezer. After a quick taste test, you can extend the life of your fruit pops by placing them in sealed containers in the freezer. They still taste just as good!
5. It's best to keep these cold until the start of your party. Keep in the fridge as long as possible, or try the freezer technique. When ready to serve, take them out and they should last at room temperature for all your guests to enjoy!
Some more Christmas posts you might enjoy:
Nomster Chef Gift Guide: For Kids Who Like to Cook
Christmas Recipes for Kids to Make: Broccoli Tree Appetizer
ABOUT THE AUTHOR & PHOTOGRAPHER
Katie Holzman is a Social Media Marketing Intern for Nomster Chef. She is currently a junior at Ithaca College studying television-radio and marketing. She loves creating food media almost as much as she loves eating, and you can check out more of her work at her blog or @katies_plate on Instagram!
Amazon Link Disclosure: Nomster Chef is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Clicking on these links and making a purchase earns Nomster Chef a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thanks so much for your support!