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Recipe Box: 3 Easy Easter Sweets You Can Make With Your Kids

🐰 Yummy Treats for Easter or to Celebrate Spring

By Valarie Fisher, Publisher of Macaroni Kid Roseville-Rocklin-Lincoln and Citrus Heights March 24, 2021

One of the things my family looks forward to most on Easter? The fun food! Here are three favorite Easter treats I make with my kids:


Easter Bird Nests


These fun "bird nests" are made with a sweetened cream cheese filling. Add in the coconut and cookie crust and you have a combination that is just so good!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tube refrigerated sugar cookie dough
  • 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • Green food coloring
  • Speckled malted milk eggs (or you could use jelly beans or chocolate eggs)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F and coat a cupcake pan with cooking spray.
  2. Separate the cookie dough and push it into each hole, pressing it up the sides so it forms a "nest."
  3. Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes (or until golden brown).
  4. Let cool slightly and release from the pan. Let cool completely on the rack.
  5. Beat the sugar into the softened cream cheese. Add vanilla and mix well. Add a dollop to each nest. 
  6. Stir green food coloring into the coconut, a few drops at a time, until you get the desired color. Spoon the coconut into each nest and top with the speckled eggs. 

Easter Popcorn


Mmmm... sweet and salty! I love this combination. 

When I was a kid, we would go to the drive-in, and I would have popcorn with a candy bar, alternating bites of each. At the time, I didn't realize other people loved to do the same, so I kind of felt sneaky, as if I was doing something wrong by mixing the two. Now, of course, I know just about everyone loves that sweet and salty mix. So if you're like me, this popcorn mix will be a favorite!

Ingredients:

  • Popcorn
  • Mini pretzels
  • Chex® cereal
  • Candy melts in pastel colors
  • M&M® candies
  • Sprinkles

Directions:

  1. No need to measure! Just mix together the popcorn, mini pretzels, and cereal in a large bowl.
  2. Melt the candy melts (you can add a tablespoon of coconut oil or shortening if you need to thin it a bit) and drizzle them all over the mixture. 
  3. Add the M&Ms and continue to stir. Add colorful sprinkles for more sweetness and color (and to make it look even more festive).

Cut-Out Crisp Rice Cereal Treats


These were a fun project for the kids. They loved decorating them, and we all loved eating them!

Ingredients:

  • 10-ounce package of marshmallows
  • 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • Candy melts or frosting
  • Coconut oil or shortening
  • Candy eyes

You will also need cookie cutters (unless you want to freehand your cut shapes).

Directions:

  1. Melt the marshmallows and butter in a pan over low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in cereal. 
  2. Spread into a 13x9 pan that has been coated with cooking spray. Spray cooking spray onto a spatula and use it to spread and smooth out the mixture in the pan. Let this set.
  3. Using cookie cutters coated with cooking spray, cut out various shapes. If you are cutting with a knife, be sure to coat it well with cooking spray too! 
  4. Melt the candy melts as directed, or use frosting. 
  5. Time to decorate! 

Have a great Easter, and I hope you and your kids enjoy making these fun Easter treats!