These crunchy little nest cookies are filled with the (seriously addictive!) Cadbury mini eggs and a pinch of coconut. A perfect Easter treat!
I just want you to know… I am the owner of the perfect no-bake cookie recipe. It’s my mom’s recipe, and it is perfect because it was the recipe we grew up enjoying. My mom passed away about 6 years ago, and I cherish every recipe I have of hers. When I was thinking about making Easter nest cookies, this recipe was the 1st to pop into my head. For sure I could have made it with the traditional oatmeal, but that’s not very nest-y, is it? So I used shredded wheat (the big ones!) I had to look a little bit to find the full-size shredded wheat (there are like a million flavors of mini!), but I found it- and it worked perfectly. I see you, chow-mien nest-makers- but I just could not bring myself to cover chow mien noodles in chocolate. Ewww. Sorry. Sticking with cereal here 🙂
Want to know how to make these little nest cookies? Here is the recipe: (printable version)
Ingredients: (makes 24 mini nest cookies)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup margarine (or one stick of butter)
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy)
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups of broken up shredded wheat (this was 9 big pieces, broken up)
- 1/2 cup coconut (optional) with a tiny bit of green food coloring
- 72 mini Cadbury eggs (just get a big bag- you’ll want the rest- I promise!)
Directions:
- Crunch up the shredded wheat until you have 4 cups.
- If you use coconut, place it in a zip-top bag with the food coloring and shake until green.
- Spray a mini-muffin tin with non-stick spray and set aside.
- Measure sugar, milk, margarine, and cocoa into a large saucepan.
- Heat until boiling (stirring constantly) and then boil for 2 minutes.
- Add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
- Take off heat, and add Shredded wheat, stirring until it is completely coated. I recommend adding it one cup at a time and using a little less if it gets too thick to stir well.
- Working quickly, spoon or scoop into mini-muffin tin.
- Use a tart shaper or a rounded measuring spoon to press the center in (spray this item with cooking spray between each nest to keep it from sticking).
- Sprinkle a little coconut over each nest.
- Press three eggs into each nest.
- Allow nests to cool and harden.
- Use a small knife to pop nests out of pan.
- Enjoy!
My thoughts: I love how interesting these cookies taste with a different cereal added! For sure the shredded wheat gives these a more nest-like appearance. I really wanted to get the Cadbury eggs that are shimmery, but I couldn’t find them at my grocery, so I sprinkled a few edible sparkles over the top.
If you want to try these with the oatmeal (and experience one of my favorite cookies from childhood), I will leave you with my mom’s original recipe (in her handwriting :)). I actually remember her writing this out for me (from memory). I’d just gotten my 1st apartment out of college and was craving these and she pulled out her notepad and jotted this down for me.
Just a note though- she NEVER used butter (even though the recipe says butter). Butter translated to her was always Country Crock. I use margarine as well- just to be true to her recipe- but I’m sure butter works fine too. Enjoy! ~r
Looking for other fun recipe ideas for Easter? We have lots of them! Just click a photo to see the recipe!
. I got mine on Amazon and you won’t want to skip this ingredient because it is the secret deliciousness behind this recipe. Plus, once you have it you can make the lemonade- and you will not regret it!!
for a dessert that will make everyone smile!
. I love this food coloring…it says its for icing but I use it in everything– it makes things SO bright and doesn’t change the consistency of what you add it to.
and I just LOVE the way they turned out. Just cut solid cookies for the backs and for the tops use the tiny shapes to cut bunnies and chicks and flowers from the center of each cookie. It IS a little fussy, but worth it in the end!
EASYBAKED 