Chef notes
It’s always fun when your little ones get involved in the kitchen and these Easter treats are the perfect thing for them to prep. A simple recipe is key when it comes to having the kids help out and this one requires just five ingredients. Plus, you don’t even need to turn on the oven! Even though this dessert is so easy, it feels celebratory and special. You may just find you and your family making it year after year.
What makes these bird nests stand out is the use of both chocolate and peanut butter. Not only is it a classic flavor combination that can’t be beat, but the combination is the secret to getting the pretzel sticks to form the shape of mini birds nests. To make them, melt chocolate chips and peanut butter together in the microwave, then combine the mixture with broken pretzel sticks. Next,drop the coated pretzels onto a lined baking sheet and use your fingers to shape the mounds into the shape of small birds nest. From here, all you have to do is transfer the baking sheet to the refrigerator for 15 minutes to allow for the chocolate to harden. Once firm, fill the nests with jelly beans and candy-coated chocolate eggs to complete the seasonal spring treat.
If you’re worried about a peanut allergy, know that it’s easy to alter this recipe to accommodate. Just swap the peanut butter for an equal amount of smooth almond butter or sunflower seed butter!
Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
- 5 cups pretzel sticks, broken in pieces
- 1 10-ounce bag candy coated chocolate eggs
- 1 10-ounce bag jellybeans
- green sprinkles
Preparation
1.Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
2.In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips and peanut butter for 30-second intervals until melted, stirring between each interval.
3.Break the pretzel sticks into smaller pieces and place them into a large bowl. Pour the chocolate mixture on top of the pretzels and toss to coat completely.
4.Drop 2 tablespoons of the chocolate-covered pretzel mixture into a small pile on the prepared baking sheet. With your fingers, lightly mold the pile into a nest shape. Garnish with green sprinkles to create edible grass and leaves. Repeat until the mixture has been used up.
5.Place the baking sheet into the fridge for 15 minutes, or until the chocolate hardens. Once the nests have set, take the sheet out of the fridge and fill the nests with chocolate eggs and jelly beans.
