Easter "Nest" Cookies {Times Two!}

Easter and eggs are pretty much synonymous with one another {not that there's much mention of eggs, brightly colored or not, in the Bible ~ but we tend to take a little creative liberty with our holidays these days}.  Of course, on Easter morning children will be waking up to baskets brimming with bright green "grass", a plethora of candies, perhaps a toy or two, and even a few dip-dyed eggs in some houses.

If you want to keep the Easter Egg theme going from morning straight through to dessert, give one of these yummy Easter egg "nest" cookies a whirl.  Both recipes call for just a handful of ingredients {especially if you use ready-made dough and frosting for the sugar cookie variety}, and the second kind is even no-bake!

On either of these nest cookies, your "eggs" could be jelly beans, Cadbury mini-eggs, Easter-colored M&Ms, or any other candy you think looks good.   Bright jelly beans will look the most striking, but chocolate-based candies will probably taste better combined with the other ingredients.

All credit goes to Pillsbury and Art of Dessert for these festive morsels!  {Follow the links for the original posts ~ especially Art of Dessert's, who included great step-by-step pics}.




These sweet little pastel-y darlings are a snap to make with your preferred store-bought sugar cookie dough and frosting; or, use your favorite homemade recipes to give them an extra special touch!  {Hint:  while homemade buttercream frosting made with real butter is divine, it tends to have a yellow tint; these cookies look best with a pure white frosting.  To achieve this in a homemade frosting, use shortening instead of butter}.

Easter Nest Cookies

yields 24 cookies

Ingredients
1 pkge {16 oz}   refrigerated sugar cookie dough {or homemade sugar cookie dough}
12 oz                  fluffy white frosting
1 cup                  flaked coconut
                          food coloring
                          jelly beans {or egg-shaped candy of choice}


Directions
Bake cookies as directed on package {or according to your recipe}.  Cool completely, about 10 minutes.

Frost cookies.  Add coconut to a 1-quart resealable food-storage plastic bag {separate into multiple bags if you're making the "grass" more than one color, as in the picture}.  Add 2-3 drops of food coloring, shaking bag to blend color.  It may be necessary to add 1 to 2 teaspoons of water to help disperse the color evenly or additional food coloring until desired color is reached.  Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of coconut on each cookie.

Top with jelly beans or candy.




For a true "nest" to hold your candy eggs, try these adorable, no-bake sweets.  You only need three ingredients {including one not often found in desserts!}.

Bird's Nest Cookie's

yields 30 cookies

Ingredients
12 oz         chow mein noodles
12 oz         butterscotch morsels
90             egg-shaped candies

Directions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  Pour the butterscotch morsels into a microwave-safe bowl and place them in the microwave.  Heat for 30 seconds; remove to stir.  Return morsels to the microwave and heat again for 30 seconds.  Stir until melted.  Add in the chow mein noodles and mix until combined.  Use a 1/4 measuring cup to portion out the cookies onto the baking sheet.  If the mixture starts to solidify in the mixing bowl, you can reheat for 15 to 30 seconds to melt.  Place three egg-shaped candies in the center of each cookie, first dipping the bottom of the candies in melted butterscotch to help them stick to the nest.  Allow to set for at least 5 minutes before serving or transferring.

AoD tip:  Depending on the brand of butterscotch you use, 12 ounces may not seem "wet" enough to coat the noodles.  If so, just up the amount of melted butterscotch morsels.



{photo credit:  pillsbury.com; artofdessert.blogspot.com}