Chocolate Easter Eggs Birds Nest Recipe
One of the things I’ve learned in my few years of mothering is that you don’t have to be fancy to make special traditions with your kids.
At the end of the day, I think it comes down to being intentional about making memories with our kids and spending time with them. Our kids don’t care if we’ve made a Pinterest-worthy craft or the best tasting recipes as much as they love spending time together. In my humble opinion, that’s what creates the best memories, especially around the holidays.
When it comes to Easter, there are an endless number of things we can do with and for our little ones. I started making these easter egg nests with my kids because I wanted to do something fun and interactive with them that was also easy.
I don’t consider myself a very crafty person, and sometimes it’s overwhelming having so many kiddos in the kitchen at once, eager to help. But these chocolate birds nests come together so easily using the simplest ingredients and are super cute for Easter and springtime.
Creating Your Easter Eggs Birds Nest
Making these Easter nests is similar to rice krispy treats. While I use chow mein noodles to make the main nest part, you can swap out with rice krispies cereal if you have that on hand. I love using dark chocolate candy eggs to top the nests. The crunchy chow mien noodles topped with chocolate eggs resemble a sweet little bird’s nest that kids love.
The best part of this recipe, in my opinion, is the simplicity of it. With just a handful of ingredients, you and your kids can put this together in no time. It’s a hands-on activity, which makes it fun for kids to be involved with. There is no baking involved, and clean-up is a breeze.
Ingredients:
4 cups crunchy chow mein noodles (can find at Target and most grocery stores)
2 cups mini marshmallows
¼ cup butter
1 package chocolate candy eggs (My favorite are the Cadbury Dark Chocolate)
Cooking Spray
Muffin Tin, Regular
Directions:
In a large saucepan, heat butter and marshmallows together over medium-low heat. Stir periodically to combine. Once melted, turn off heat.
Add the chow mein noodles to the melted marshmallows and mix until completely coated.
Spray your muffin tin and your hands with cooking spray.
To create your “nests”, spoon the chow mein noodle mixture into the muffin cups , using your hands to form the nest shape.
Allow the nests to cool in the muffin tin. You can also place your muffin tin in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes to cool nests completely.
Once cool, remove each nest from the muffin tin and place on a tray or plate.
Fill each nest with chocolate candy eggs. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips For Making Your Easter Nests
To make it easier to put your Easter Nests together, keep these tips in mind:
The nests can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Let your kids help by measuring ingredients, mixing the chow mein noodle and marshmallow mixture, forming the egg nests in the muffin tins, or adding chocolate candy eggs to the nests. They will love being involved and learning from you in the kitchen.
Line your serving tray or plate with parchment paper to prevent the nests from sticking.
Give out these Easter egg birds nest to guests or friends or use as a party favor by placing in a cellophane bag
Chocolate Nests Recipe Option
If you’re a chocolate lover like me, then you will love this alternative option for this recipe. Instead of using marshmallows, you can simply melt down chocolate and butterscotch chips to create a sweet and surprising twist on the traditional birds nest.
For this recipe option, you will need 12 ounces each of chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. Combine in a large bowl and microwave in 30 second increments until melted. Stir in your chow mein noodles into this melted mixture and combine until coated. Then you can create your nests, using a muffin tin to help form each nest.
As you can see, this is a simple yet fun way to create a memorable Easter tradition with your kids. Most importantly, enjoy the process and embrace the mess as part of the learning experience.
Happy Easter to you and your family!