Homemade Easter Cadbury Mini Egg Nest Cookies

Finding the perfect Easter treat that both kids and adults will love can feel like quite the task. Between coordinating egg hunts, planning family gatherings, and keeping up with regular daily routines, who has time to spend hours in the kitchen crafting complicated desserts?

That’s where these Easter Cadbury Mini Egg Nest Cookies come to the rescue – they’re fun to make, quick to put together, and bring that perfect touch of spring to your holiday celebrations. Plus, they combine two favorites that nobody can resist: soft, chewy cookies and those classic candy-coated chocolate eggs we all look forward to each year.

What Kind of Chocolate Should I Use?

For these nest cookies, you’ve got plenty of chocolate options to work with. Semi-sweet chocolate chips are the most common choice and they work great, but you can also use dark chocolate if you want to balance out the sweetness of the Cadbury eggs. Regular chocolate chips from the baking aisle will do just fine, though you might want to consider using chocolate bars chopped into pieces since they tend to melt more smoothly than chips (chips contain stabilizers to help them keep their shape). If you’re melting your chocolate, just be careful not to overheat it – use short bursts in the microwave or a double boiler on low heat. A good rule of thumb is to stop heating when there are still a few small chunks and stir until they melt completely.

Options for Substitutions

These fun Easter treats are pretty adaptable! Here are some helpful swaps if you need them:

• Puffed rice cereal: Regular Rice Krispies work great, but you can also use corn flakes, crushed wheat flakes, or even crushed pretzel sticks. Just keep in mind that different cereals might change how many cups you need to get the right consistency.
• Peanut butter: Not a peanut butter fan or dealing with allergies? Try almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or cookie butter instead. Just make sure whatever spread you use isn’t too runny – you want it to hold the nests together.
• Chocolate chips: Any type of chocolate works here – milk, dark, or even white chocolate. You could also try butterscotch chips for a different flavor. Just avoid chocolate candy melts as they tend to set too firm.
• Cadbury eggs: While these are classic for Easter, you can top your nests with any small candy – M&Ms, jelly beans, chocolate chips, or even colorful sprinkles work great as alternatives.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making

The biggest challenge when making these no-bake nest cookies is getting the chocolate-peanut butter mixture temperature just right – if it’s too hot, the cereal will become soggy, and if it’s too cool, the mixture won’t bind together properly.

A common mistake is rushing to add the Cadbury eggs while the nests are still warm, which can cause the candy coating to melt – instead, wait until the nests are completely cool and firm before decorating them.

For the best texture and shape, avoid crushing the cereal too much when mixing, as you want the nests to maintain their crispy texture and natural “nest-like” appearance with small gaps and crevices.

To make sure your nests hold together well, press the mixture firmly into the nest shape while still warm, and if the mixture seems too loose, add a bit less cereal or a touch more melted chocolate to achieve the right consistency.

What to Serve With Easter Nest Cookies?

These sweet and chocolatey nest cookies are perfect for serving at Easter celebrations with a cold glass of milk or a cup of hot coffee. Since they’re pretty rich on their own, I like to balance them out with some fresh fruit like strawberries or raspberries on the side. For a fun Easter dessert spread, you can serve these cookies alongside other spring treats like carrot cake cupcakes or pastel-colored macarons. If you’re hosting an Easter brunch, these cookies make a great ending to the meal after savory dishes like quiche or ham.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: These cute Easter nest cookies stay crunchy when kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I like to place a piece of parchment paper between layers to prevent them from sticking together. Pro tip: keep them away from direct sunlight or warm spots to avoid melting the chocolate!

Refrigerate: If your kitchen is a bit warm, you can pop these nests in the fridge in a sealed container. They’ll stay fresh for about a week, and the cool temperature will keep the chocolate firm. Just remember that the peanut butter might firm up a bit when chilled.

Make Ahead: Want to prep these ahead for Easter? Make the nests and store them without the Cadbury eggs on top. Add the eggs just before serving or gifting – this keeps everything looking perfect. The base nests can be made 2-3 days before you need them.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	0-10 minutes
Total Time	10-25 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1500-1700
• Protein: 30-40 g
• Fat: 70-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 200-220 g

Ingredients

• 3 to 3 1/2 cups puffed rice cereal
• 1/2 cup smooth natural peanut butter
• 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or pieces
• Cadbury eggs for decoration

Step 1: Melt Peanut Butter and Chocolate

Add natural peanut butter and chocolate chips to a microwave-safe bowl.

Heat the mixture in the microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring well between each interval, until the mixture is smooth and fully melted.

Be careful not to overheat to avoid burning the chocolate.

Step 2: Incorporate Puffed Rice Cereal

Once your chocolate peanut butter mixture is smooth, add the puffed rice cereal to the bowl.

Use a rubber spatula or large spoon to gently fold the cereal into the mixture until every piece is fully coated with the chocolate.

Step 3: Form the Cookie Cups

Grease a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray for easy removal later.

Spoon the chocolate rice mixture into each cavity of the muffin tin.

Use a tablespoon to press down in the center of each to form a small indent, ensuring there is an edge around each cup which will hold the Cadbury eggs securely in place.

Step 4: Set the Chocolate

Place the muffin tin in the fridge or freezer and allow the chocolate to set until firm.

Once firm, use a butter knife or the handle of a measuring spoon to carefully release and lift each chocolate cookie cup out of the tin.

Step 5: Assemble and Serve

Arrange the bird’s nest cookie cups on a small baking tray or platter.

Top each no-bake cookie with 3 mini eggs to mimic birds’ nests.

Store the cookie cups in the fridge to prevent the chocolate from melting.

Servings are best chilled and are ideally consumed within 7 to 10 days for optimal freshness and texture.