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For National Jelly Bean Day, make these cool candy-studded desserts

Like any food "holiday," National Jelly Bean Day—April 22—is mainly an excuse to indulge in the namesake vice all day long. But how much candy can you really eat in one day? (Don't answer that!) Muster your willpower and set a few jelly beans aside to make these cheerful, candy-flecked sweets.Jelly bean sugar cookiesTo create these soft, buttery, jelly bean-studded sugar cookies, you'll need o
Jelly bean sugar cookies
kitchen-tested.com

Like any food "holiday," National Jelly Bean Day—April 22—is mainly an excuse to indulge in the namesake vice all day long. But how much candy can you really eat in one day? (Don't answer that!) Muster your willpower and set a few jelly beans aside to make these cheerful, candy-flecked sweets.

Jelly bean sugar cookies

Jelly bean sugar cookies
Today

To create these soft, buttery, jelly bean-studded sugar cookies, you'll need only one bowl—and 10 spare minutes. 

Pink champagne ombré cake

Pink champagne ombre cake
Today

This ingenious cake is lined with intricate rows of candies in a gradient color pattern for a stunning ombré effect.

White chocolate bark

White chocolate bark
Today

Now that Easter is over, use up any leftover pastel-egg jelly beans to make this easy white chocolate bark—perfect as a hostess gift too.

Jelly bean cupcakes

Jelly bean cupcakes
Today

In this recipe, the jelly beans melt but don't vanish, leaving behind colorful, chewy pockets inside the white cupcakes. 

Coconut lemon macaroon nests

Coconut lemon macaroon nests
Today

Designed to look like birds’ nests, these coconut macaroons  are topped with lemon curd and jelly-bean "eggs."

Homemade jelly beans

Homemade jelly beans
J. Pollack Photography / Today

Ready for the ultimate jelly-bean challenge? Make your own candies at home. The results will be softer, gummier—and not to mention unprocessed. The best part: You can coat the jelly beans in any flavor you like, and yes, that includes your favorite cocktail.

Alesandra Dubin is a Los Angeles-based writer and the founder of home and travel blog Homebody in Motion. Follow her on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter.