I have sweet Johnny Appleseed cookies and some facts about Johnny Appleseed. Also, you’ll love some facts on my page Apple Lapbook and Apple Unit Study.
Besides, National Johnny Appleseed Day is September 26th to honor the contributions he made.
The recipe is a semi-homemade one that starts with a basic sugar cookie mix and uses fresh apples.
Cooking teaches fantastic life skills like following directions, measurements, creativity, and math skills. It can also be used to give kids a glimpse into other people, places, and times.
Cook a little, read a little, make a craft or two, learn some new facts about Johnny Appleseed, and enjoy celebrating this simple day with your child.
8 Facts About Johnny Appleseed
- Unlike a lot of other legends, Johnny Appleseed is a real person, his given name was John Chapman.
- He loved nature, insects, and animals, and later in his life became a vegetarian.
- Besides planting apple trees, he also planted medicinal plants and herbs, like -mullein, motherwort, mayweed pennyroyal, and several others.
- The image that comes to mind of Johnny planting apple trees may be of him randomly tossing seeds out of a sack here and there as he went but he actually planted orchards on unclaimed lands. By planting there it was a way of legally claiming ownership in parts of the west. He went back later and sold the trees at a profit and would comeback years later and sell the trees at a profit.
- John was very wealthy when he died, he then left his 1200 acres of apple orchards and other land to his sister.
- The apples that he planted were not sweet, delicious apples, instead, they were small, tart apples used to make Applejack and hard cider, two very popular drinks at the time.
- You can still see one of the trees he planted in Nova, Ohio, here is a 176-year-old tree, the last known tree to be planted by Johnny Appleseed.
- He traveled through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, parts of northern West Virginia, and Ontario planting mostly barefoot, sometimes via canoe.
Next, look at some of these resources and books to learn about Apples and Johnny Appleseed.
Fun Learning About Apples Books and Resources
You will of course need a few great books that not only teach but that your kids will enjoy, a fun game or two, and maybe a few other items to make a fun apple unit.
Discover the well-loved tradition of growing and picking apples - a fruit that has been in existence for about two million years. Explore the history of the apple but also the way that families and farmers grow and care for apple trees today, from planting to selling, to turning them into delicious treats and using them for classic games like "bobbing for apples" .
This is a clear and appealing environmental science book for early elementary age kids, both at home and in the classroom.
Questions addressed in this book include:
- Did you know that when you bite into an apple, you're eating part of a flower?
- Why do apple trees need bees to make apples?
- How does the tree feed the growing apples and make them ready to eat?
Read and find out in the proven winner How Do Apples Grow!
In this simple yet lively book, preschoolers will be introduced to John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed. Lyrical text and bright, appealing artwork capture the essence of this important American and early conservationist who traveled the country planting apple trees. Little ones will enjoy engaging anecdotes about Johnny Appleseed, beginning with the young John, who liked to walk barefoot in the cool, quiet woods.
Don't let the apples drop! Three animal friends practice balancing apples on their heads in this hilarious introduction to counting, illustrated by Roy Mckie. The sturdy board book teaches all about numbers, with a dose of signature Seuss charm. Kids will learn to count to ten--and want to start all over again!
- An "apple" game board with five twisting levels to create different puzzles!
- Includes 60 challenges and is great for on the go fun.
- Helps develop Spatial Insight, Problem Solving, Planning and Logic Skills
- All SmartGames are made with the highest quality materials to ensure long product life
- Set Includes twisting apple game board, 3 caterpillar puzzle pieces and challenge booklet
Bake a delicious apple pie--and take a trip with this culinary global adventure!An apple pie is easy to make...if the market is open. But if the market is closed, the world becomes your grocery store. This picture book takes readers around the globe to gather ingredients for a delicious apple pie. First hop a steamboat to Italy for the finest semolina wheat. Then hitch a ride to England and hijack a cow for the freshest possible milk. And, oh yes! Don't forget to go apple picking in Vermont! A simple recipe for apple pie is included.
Choose a level and push the letter tiles into the letter slot to reinforce letter names, phonics and word skills
Magnetic back makes it great for fridge play in the kitchen
26 magnetic letter tiles stick to the fridge and help kids learn the shape of each letter
Three photo tiles can be customized with your own photos for a unique, personalized play experience.
Get your recommended daily allowance of facts and fun with Food Anatomy, the third book in Julia Rothman’s best-selling Anatomy series. She starts with an illustrated history of food and ends with a global tour of street eats. Along the way, Rothman serves up a hilarious primer on short-order egg lingo and a mouthwatering menu of how people around the planet serve fried potatoes — and what we dip them in. Award-winning food journalist Rachel Wharton lends her expertise to this light-hearted exploration of everything food that bursts with little-known facts and delightful drawings. Everyday diners and seasoned foodies alike are sure to eat it up.
Also, look at these Johnny Appleseed resources to enjoy with your Johnny Appleseed cookies.
More Johnny Appleseed Resources
- Make Johnny Appleseed No-cook Apple Pie Play Dough for a fun sensory experience.
- Create this Fizzy Paint Apple Craft
You can find out more about apples like planting an orchard, apple varieties, and how a flower becomes a fruit using Food and Farm Anatomy, a favorite resource of mine.
- Watch the video Who Was Johnny Appleseed?
- Learn all about the Parts of an apple with this activity.
Additionally, look at these apple activities for kids.
More Fall Apple Activities for Kids
- Apple Themed Back to School Crafts & Fun Calming Apple Jar Craft
- Free Homeschool Volcano Unit Study and Fun Apple Volcano
- Fun Apple Lapbook and Hands-on Unit Study for Multiple Ages
- Apples Unit How to Make a Fall Kids Garland Apple Craft
- Dried Apple Crafts: Hands-on Fun Shrunken Head Apple Craft for Kids
- Kids Fun Hands-on Apple Unit Make Dried Apple Slices
Finally, look at how to make the fun Johnny Appleseed cookies.
Johnny Appleseed Cookies
You will need:
- Sugar Cookie Mix
- (whatever supplies your mix calls for)
- 2 large apples
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg
- ½ cup of water
First, coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Prepare your packaged cookie mix according to the directions, mine called for softened butter and water.
To give your cookies a little extra flavor you can also add a little cinnamon to your mix.
Place the prepared dough in the refrigerator to chill while you work on the next step.
Peel, slice, and finely chop the apples.
Put brown sugar, lemon juice, water, spices, and cornstarch in a small shallow pan.
Add diced apples and stir, simmer the mixture over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until the apples are soft and tender.
The mixture should be darker and have thickened up.
Set aside and remove the dough from the refrigerator.
Roll pieces of dough into little balls and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
Press down in the center with your fingers or the back of a spoon to create a shallow well in the center.
Spoon in a little of the cooked apple mixture, maybe a teaspoon worth.
Top with another small piece of dough to create a “stuffed” cookie.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until top is golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes before enjoying.
