When I think of Easter, the first thing that comes to mind is all the delicious food and Easter treats. This Easter may be a bit less crowded than in previous years, but that doesn’t have to stop you, your family or housemates from enjoying your favourite Easter treats!
My top 5 Easter treats to bake with the family
Most recipes in this blog are dairy-free and suitable for vegans whilst some are gluten-free and nut-free, so there’s something for everyone. I have specified this for every recipe. No one is missing out on this holiday!
1- No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Nests
The first Easter treat is a dairy-free spin on the classic; chocolate nests AKA cornflake cakes. This is an absolute staple for Easter and the no baking part means they are perfect to get the younger kids completely involved too.
Vegan / Dairy free / Gluten free
Ingredients:
50g plain dairy-free chocolate
2 tsp coconut oil
1 tbsp Golden Syrup
50g Corn flakes
Instructions:
1- Start by standing eight fairy cake cases inside a tart tray
2 - Using a glass bowl covering a pan of water, gently melt together the chocolate and coconut oil on low heat until runny.
3- Remove from heat and stir in the golden syrup
4- Add in the cornflakes and stir until evenly coated
5- Working daily quickly, divide the mixture between each cake case to form the ‘nests’
6 -Add any toppings of your choice if you wish and then place them in the fridge until they are set and enjoy!
2 - Easter Bunny Biscuits
Secondly, another Easter treat that goes down... well, a treat… is these cute bunny biscuits. For this one, you will need a bunny-shaped cookie cutter, 2 baking trays, a rolling pin, mixing bowls and a saucepan.
Vegan / Gluten-Free / Dairy free
Ingredients:
1 cup vegan buttery spread
1 cup of organic cane sugar
¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups gluten-free flour blend ¼ tsp salt
Decorateit:
¼ cup buttery spread (vegan or non-vegan)
1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
½-1 tbsp non-dairy milk or water
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, mix the buttery spread and the sugar until you have a light and fluffy mixture. Add in the applesauce and vanilla extract and mix again.
- Add the salt and gluten-free flour blend, one cup at a time, mixing between every addition. The dough will be quite thick, that’s normal.
- Divide the dough into two portions and flatten. Cover each one with cling film and put it in the fridge for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to around 180 degrees. Use some gluten-free flour (or plain flour) to coat the rolling pin and the surface. Place one half of the dough on the surface (add more flour over the dough to stop it from sticking!). Roll the dough until it is about ¼ inch thick.
- Cut out the shapes using the bunny cookie cutters and place them on a lined baking tray.
- Bake for around 9 -11 minutes until just golden. Leave them for 5 -10 minutes to cool and then place on a cool wrack.
- Repeat this with the second half of the dough.
- Whilst your Easter treats are cooking, you can begin making the frosting, starting with the buttery spread and sift in the sugar. Add the non-dairy milk or water gradually until the frosting is a thick texture.
- Spoon the icing into a frosting bag.
- Lastly, pipe the frosting onto the bunny cookies, this is the perfect opportunity for the kids to get involved and have fun decorating them. For the last step, take a seat and enjoy!
Serve on a cute Easter plate and let the whole family enjoy.
3- Cheesecake in a jar
This cheesecake Easter treat is a true showstopper and requires minimal effort (always a bonus!). The only equipment you will need is a jar and a hand mixer (or a whisk and some elbow grease). Again it’s a no-bake recipe so it’s super easy for kiddos to help.
Vegan / Dairy Free
Ingredients:
2 cups plant-based whipped cream
½ cup vegan or non-vegan cream cheese (I use Oat based)
1-3 tbsp maple syrup
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
Optional- ½ lemon zest
½ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp spirulina powder
1 tsp raspberry powder
1 cup crumbled cake/ muffin / brownie / cookie OR granola
⅓ cup raspberries or berries of your choice
Instructions:
- Mix whipped plant-based cream, vegan cream, lemon and syrup with a hand mixer until you have a thick and fluffy cream.
- Divide into three parts and colour your first with turmeric powder, then add spirulina powder to the second and then colour your third jar with the warm red of raspberry powder.
- Taste and add the sweetener and lemon if needed
- Place the crumbled cake/cookie/granola on the button of the jar, add the raspberries/berries and mash-up slightly.
- Add the cream on top and place it in the fridge
4 - Vegan carrot cake truffles
These mini truffles are the perfect Easter treat for placing on some snack plates so the whole family can enjoy them throughout the day/bank holiday. It’s another great recipe to get the whole family involved and again there is no oven time required.
Vegan / Gluten Free (CONTAINS NUTS)
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted walnut halves
1 cup pecans
1 cup Medjool dates (pitted)
½ cup dried pineapple
1 cup coconut (unsweetened and shredded)
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp kosher salt
1 ½ cups carrots (finely shredded)
Instructions:
- Place walnuts, pecans, dates, and pineapple in a high-power food processor until it is almost like a paste. Then, add 1 cup coconut, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt and process again. Add this to a mixing bowl.
- Use a paper towel to blog excess water from carrots. Add carrots to the date mixture and mix to combine. Form mixture into 24 rounded spheres. Roll them gently with coconut flakes to coat. Chill from around 30 minutes or longer if needed.
5- Instant Pot Apple Bake
This is a really quick and fun Easter treat that can be cooked in a slow cooker or an instant pot. It takes only 7 minutes to make and requires minimal effort in a cast iron dish. It’s even good enough to serve guests! For this recipe, you will need a pressure cooker or slow cooker.
Vegan / Dairy Free / Gluten Free
Ingredients:
4 large apples, chopped into chunks
½ cup maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
4 ounces raisins (optional)
1 tbsp unsweetened coconut (shredded)
1 cup water (for the instant pot)
Instructions:
In a large mixing bowl mix together the chopped apples, maple syrup/honey, cinnamon, nuts and raisins. Pour mixture into the pressure cooker. Close the lid and seal the valve. Set to a high temperature and cook for 7 minutes. Quick-release the pressure and serve with any toppings of your choice.
Concludeit -
Quality time with family is so precious and what better quality time is there than baking some delicious Easter treats! When I was little I used to look forward to these days so much and I hope this blog has given you some inspiration to do the same with your family, or even by yourself!
If you make any of these please do tag us @rinkit or #RINKIT on Instagram, I’d love to see all your yummy Easter treats!
As always, thank you for reading.
Love Georgina and the Rinkit! Team