Just because it’s summer, it doesn’t mean that the kids don’t want goodies.  It DOES mean you don’t want to have to turn on the oven and heat up the house!  Keep these kid-friendly recipes on hand for those days that you need a need a quick, easy no-bake treat.    Two recipes require a small amount “cook” time on the stove top but kids can easily handle the job of getting the cookies onto the cookie sheets.  The other two recipes takes time to freeze up but it can be done easily by the kids with just a bit of adult supervision.

Fudgy Buttons (makes 1 ½ doz)

2 TBS butter
1 ½ tsp baking cocoa
½ cup confectioner’s sugar
½ tsp milk
2 TBS creamy peanut butter

In a small saucepan, melt butter; remove from the heat.  Add cocoa and mix well.  Stir in the sugar.  Add milk and stir until smooth.  Add peanut butter and mix well.  Drop by the teaspoon full onto waxed paper lined cookie sheet and flatten the tops and shape into 1” patties.  Chill for about 30 minutes.

Chocolate Yummies (makes about 4 doz)

1 cup of chocolate chips
½ cut butter
16 large marshmallows
2 cups quick cook oats
1 cup flaked coconut
½ tsp vanilla

Over low heat, melt the chips, butter and marshmallows, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat and Stir in remaining items.  Drop by the teaspoon full onto waxed paper lined baking sheets.  Chill until set-about 30 minutes.

Frozen Fruit Cupcakes (makes 12)

2 cups of buttermilk
1 small lemon
½ cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups of assorted fresh fruit (berries, peaches, nectarines)

Line twelve,   2 ½” muffins cups with fluted baking cups.  In a large bowl, grate peel from lemon (remember to avoid the white, bitter layer under the bright yellow rind); add buttermilk, sugar and salt and stir until blended.  Gently stir in 1 ¼ cup of fruit.  Spoon mixture into cups.  Cover and freeze until firm (3 hours).

To serve:  Peel off the paper and allow to stand 15 minutes.  Garnish with a bit more fruit if desired.

This frozen treat just speaks to me about summer!  A cool dessert that tastes like a cold glass of limeade!  It’s really good after a summer barbecue and it’s made so easily and can be prepped the day before.

Cool Lime Pie

1-8oz. bar of cream cheese, softened
1-14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
6 oz can of thawed limeade concentrate (found in the freezer section)
8 oz of thawed, frozen non-dairy whipped topping, divided
1 graham cracker crust
Green food coloring is optional

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and milk until smooth.  Add the limeade and the food coloring (remember, it’s optional).  Fold in HALF of the non-dairy whipped topping.  Pour into the cracker crust and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.  Garnish with the remaining whipped topping.

Tammy Paquin is a work-from-home mom of 3 boys and the owner and publisher of Frugal-Families, an online resource for frugality, finances, budgeting and everything else related to stretching the dollar and living well while spending less. For more great recipes and money saving ideas visit, Frugal-Families.com/recipes

Last 5 posts by Tammy Paquin

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Tags: kid-friendly recipes, no bake recipes, no bake summer goodies