Kid-Friendly Easter Cookies and Desserts That the Entire Family Can Make Together
From bite-sized birds' nests to big egg cookies, these kid-approved Easter recipes aren't just adorable—some are easy enough for older children to make on their own while others have steps little ones can tackle.
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These kid-friendly Easter desserts hit every mark: They're tasty, perfectly themed to the spring holiday, and each sweet recipe includes at least one step that even small children can help tackle (older kids can help with more).For decorated cookies, consider our lemon shortbread cookies that little ones can turn into chicks and eggs using sanding sugar, sprinkles, mini chocolate chips, and candy. There are also painted eggs (which you can, of course, make any shape you'd like, such as flowers, bunnies, or chicks). Using tinted egg wash or glaze, kids can turn basic cookies into works of art.
Nests feature prominently in this collection, whether made from macaroon mixture, like the adorable bite-sized ones shown here, or from shredded phyllo or a mixture of coconut and chocolate. Their fillings are equally sweet, made from candies such as jelly beans and mini chocolate eggs. If you'd prefer skipping decorations altogether, you'll find lots of other kid-friendly dessert options. Carrot cake-inspired thumbprint cookies are uncomplicated and delicious (you can easily swap in cream cheese for goat cheese, if that's what your brood prefers). There are also Lemon Icebox Cookies, the dough for which comes together in a food processor; then, roll the dough in sugar, slice, and bake. We're also sharing recipes for cupcakes that you "decorate" with fresh edible flowers, which you can find in the produce section of many supermarkets.
Finally, small cooks may want to try their hand at making candy and marshmallow treats, and we've got plenty of ideas; from fruit jellies that require just four ingredients (which you may already have in your pantry!) to a homemade version of marshmallow bunnies and chicks, these tasty recipes are as fun for little hands to put together as they are to eat.
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Coconut-Coated Marshmallow Shapes
Kids will have fun making these cute critters (they can be rabbits, birds or anything they'd like). First, pipe shapes out of marshmallow. Then, cover completely with toasted coconut. You can also make nests and fill them with jelly beans.
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Easter Chick Cookies
Little ones can definitely help decorate these lemon shortbread cookies. Using sanding sugar, sprinkles, mini chocolate chips and candy, they can turn the oval-shaped treats into the sweetest chicks and eggs.
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Carrot Cake Thumbprint Cookies
These carrot cake-inspired thumbprint cookies are simple and delicious. And while the recipe calls for a filling made from goat cheese, you can easily swap in cream cheese if that's what your kids prefer.
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Coconut Chick Cupcakes
To make these mini chicks, turn vanilla-bean cupcakes upside down to frost, then have little hands help give them eyes, beaks, combs and feet with nuts and candies. They're (almost) too lovely to eat.
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Painted Egg Cookies
Petite artistes will love decorating these fanciful eggs. Use various shades of "paint" (an egg wash dyed with food coloring) for a gorgeous array of cookies that'll look fabulous on your Easter table.
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Watercolor Easter Bunny Cookies
Another variation on the painted cookie, these impressionist-style ones turn out best if an adult or older kid pipes a line of icing around the border of each cookie. Then, tots can paint brushstrokes of colored glaze over the surface of the cookies, giving them stunning color.
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Lemon Icebox Cookies
With an adult's help, kids can make this dough, which is as straightforward as processing ingredients in a food processor. Then, roll the dough in sugar, slice and bake. The finished treats—which need no decorations—are simply delicious.
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Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
These unusual treats are a brilliant combination of strawberry shortcake and cookie, incorporating the best of both worlds: sweet strawberries and handheld ease. Kids can use an ice cream scoop to drop dough onto baking sheets.
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Edible Flowers Cupcakes
Kids can easily decorate these beautifully simple cupcakes: All you need are fresh edible flowers, which you can find in the produce section of many supermarkets. Some of the best-tasting (and prettiest) ones include nasturtiums, pansies, hibiscus, snapdragons, and violets.
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Fruit Jellies
Kids will love making these jiggly jelly candies—it's almost like doing a science experiment. Fruit juice, gelatin, sugar, and preserves or jam are all you need to make them.
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Phyllo Nests
Here's another twist on the filled nest that's fun to make. You pull pre-shredded phyllo into bundles; toss with butter, sugar and cinnamon; and bake in muffin cups until golden and crisp. Fill with jelly beans for crunchy and cute little nests.
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Crunchy Critters
Children will love rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands sticky to make these treats, which include chicks made from a butter, marshmallow and cornflake mixture, and nests made from coconut and chocolate.
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Little Lamb Cookies
Depending on their age, kids can join in for all of the steps of making these darling lamb cookies—making the dough, rolling it out, and cutting it into lamb shapes—or just the decorating, which includes royal icing and sanding sugar.