Jelly Bean Cookies

These cookies deliver a big Easter surprise~ jelly beans in the middle!  Pretty on the outside and sweet surprises on the inside?  These are a must-try Easter treat!

These really are just the cutest thing…but fair warning: I brought these to church and overheard the following conversation between an 8 year old and a 6 year old:

“There’s jelly beans in the middle!”
“And the cookie tastes like Play-Doh!!”
“I want another one!”

So…maybe this is a bigger hit with the under 12 set…?

I thought they tasted ok.  The cookies are very dense and full of white chocolate, but colored like Play-Doh…I can see the connection.  I really don’t like jelly beans either…so I wasn’t a very objective taste-tester.  But they are super cute…

In any case, if you are up for an adventure and you have lots of kids to entertain with something new….here’s the recipe: (printable version)

INGREDIENTS: (makes about 36 cookies)

• One bag of Nestle white chocolate morsels.
• One can (14oz.) of sweetened condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla
• 2 cups of flour
• Food coloring gels
• One bag of large jelly beans (I used Brach’s Classic Jelly Bird Eggs)
• One bag of Wilton’s white chocolate candy melts
• Sprinkles

DIRECTIONS:

• Carefully melt Nestle morsels in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between until completely melted and smooth.
• Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla, mixing until well combined.
• Add flour and mix, eventually using clean hands to knead dough into a ball.
• Divide dough into parts and knead in food color gels until you get the colors you want.
• *Note* This dough is very oily, because of all that white chocolate.  This is ok.  Just keep a paper towel handy to wipe your hands on during this process.
• Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
• Take about a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball.  Then press it flat, lay two jelly beans on it and pull dough up around the jelly beans to cover them.  Pinch cracks and seams closed and then roll into a ball again to make it smooth.

• Place on a cookie sheet that has been covered in parchment paper.  These don’t spread, so you can place cookies very close together.
• Bake at 350F degrees for 10-12 minutes.
• Remove from oven and slide parchment paper (cookies and all!) off the sheet and onto a counter to cool.  There will be oil from the white chocolate on the paper- this is ok.
• After cookies have cooled completely, melt white candy melts in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between until completely melted and smooth.
• Lay a fresh sheet of parchment paper on the counter, and get a clean paper towel.
• If needed, dab the bottom of each cookie on the paper towel to remove any excess oils. Then, dip the top of the cookie into the candy melts, set on the clean parchment paper and sprinkle with decorations before the chocolate hardens.
• Enjoy!!!

My thoughts:  I’m not sure what to say about these…I asked for honest opinions from the adults that tried them and they all said they loved them.  Then I caught one person chucking his out the back door….so much for honesty…!  If you like jelly beans (and apparently Play-Doh…) you should give these a try.  They are a little time consuming, but not difficult at all.  Who knows?  It might be a new family Easter favorite?  Or maybe just a good laugh…?  Enjoy!!!! ~r

Other Easter treats I would wholeheartedly recommend: