Cutie Pies for Kids is a cookbook that is all about mini pies and tarts, and is written for mini chefs (a.k.a. kids). The book is packed with fun recipes and each is accompanied by a colorful full-page photo that makes the desserts look delicious.
It starts off with a solid introduction to the techniques that a young chef might need to get started, such as rolling pie crust and shaping graham cracker crusts, then gets into the recipes. The recipes cover a wide range of fillings, from pecan pie to ice cream pie, and offer recipes that include very simple creations and slightly more complex ones. They are all clearly written and easy to follow along with. Younger kids might need some help putting together the crusts and baking them (for the crusts that need prebaking), but older kids and those with some baking experience will be able to easily hand these from start to finish without assistance.
The best part about this book is that, although it is certainly kid-friendly, it will easily appeal to pie-loving adult bakers whether you’re baking with kids or not. The recipes and photos are inspiring, and it is easy to add a few tweaks here and there to make them seem a little more sophisticated. For instance, you could use a buttery homemade pie crust in place of a store bought crust. Or, you could use the books’ crumb crust recipe and create your own fillings. Frankly, most of the recipes will appeal as written, but it’s nice to know that you can get a lot out of this cookbook no matter your age or baking skill.
What do you think?