Root Beer Float Pieces (Copycat Recipe) 7 Jun 9:23 PM (27 days ago)
Make the popular Trader Joe’s Root Beer Float Pieces at home! This copycat candy recipe combines vanilla sandwich cookies, popping candy, and root beer coating to produce a homemade candy that tastes just as delicious as the original.
🍻 Make Root Beer Float Pieces at Home
Can a grocery chain be your soulmate? If so, I’ve been in a (one-sided) love affair with Trader Joe’s for years now.
It’s no secret I love a wacky food combo, and TJ’s is always taking bold swings and coming out with creative new products. (I swear they’re one step away from releasing dill pickle ice cream or ube-flavored mustard.)
So when I saw these new Root Beer Float Pieces on the shelves, of course I bought them immediately, even though they sounded insane. They’re described as “vanilla sandwich cookie pieces with popping candy covered in a root beer flavored coating.”
Real talk: that description sounds like something I would come up with in a dream, write down in the middle of the night, and then wake up the next morning, read it, and think “…what?! Why did I think this was a great idea?”
These Root Beer Float Pieces are, in fact, bizarre. Your mouth is telling you the texture is like a chocolate-covered Oreo, but your tongue is telling you it tastes like a root beer float, and just when you’re starting to accept these competing ideas, the popping candy bursts into the mix all, POP FIZZ POP POP POW in your mouth and then you have no idea WHAT is going on. It’s confusing.
All that is to say, I love these little oddballs. I went back and bought several more bags. I kept them in the office so I wouldn’t have to share with the kids. And sometime deep into my second or third bag, I had the idea to try and make them at home. To the SugarHero laboratory! 👩🏻🔬
No false modesty here: After 4 different attempts to nail the ratio of candy to cookie and get the root beer coating juuuuuust right, I’ve done it! These homemade Root Beer Float Pieces are SO good, and – with apologies to my secret boyfriend T. Joe – even better than the original! Here’s a comparison shot:
The homemade ones have the perfect mix of smooth root beer flavored coating, crunchy cookie pieces, and fizzy popping candy. The store-bought ones are also delish, but they mostly suffer from age. They’ve spent who-knows-how-long jostled around in a bag together, getting scuffed and slowly losing their freshly-made taste.
If you want to try making these yourself at home, I have alllllll the info and lots of advice for you in this post. Before we begin, you should know:
- You will need some specialty ingredients, listed and linked in the Ingredients section below. Unless you live in a magic land where unflavored popping candy is on every store shelf, you’ll need to plan ahead and order a few things online. Sorry ‘bout it.
- I didn’t do any math, but I can’t imagine it’s cheaper to make these candies at home. If you make 4 or 5 batches, you’ll probably break even, but this isn’t a “cheap Trader Joe’s hack.” This is for the weirdos like me who think it’s fun to play with their food and try new things for the sake of trying. I see you out there and I love you.
So without further ado (there has been so much ado already!), here’s how to make your own root beer float pieces at home, complete with step-by-step photos. Let’s gooooooo!
More Soda Desserts
After you make these, use leftover root beer flavoring to make my Deep Fried Root Beer Floats, or make a root beer version of Dirty Coke Fudge!
Table of Contents
🧾What You’ll Need
Ingredients
As you might imagine, a unique recipe like this requires a few unique ingredients. I’m linking the exact products I used and recommend. You’re welcome to make substitutions if you’d like, but I can’t guarantee you’ll get similar results. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)
- Vanilla Sandwich Cookies: I used Double Stuf Golden Oreos because I love maximum cream fillling, but the cookies don’t matter too much – any tasty vanilla sandwich cookie should work.
- Unflavored Popping Candy:These are sweet little candy pieces that look like crushed rice crispies, and produce a popping sensation when they come into contact with moisture (like in your mouth!) While flavored popping candy is fairly common (“Pop Rocks” is one well-known brand), for this recipe we don’t want fruity flavors, so we need the much less common unflavored variety. I used this Unflavored Popping Candy and had great results – the popping effect was strong and long-lasting in the candy.
- White Candy Coating:Also known as “candy melts” or “confectionary coating,” these vanilla-flavored wafers melt smoothly and are great for making dipped candies. Caution: water will cause melted candy coating (and chocolate) to thicken, seize, and become unworkable, so you should only use oil-based coloring or flavoring.
- Brown Candy Coloring: This is optional, but if you want your candy to look like the original TJ’s product, you will need to color the white coating with brown oil-based candy coloring, NOT regular food coloring. (Why not just use brown candy melts? Because they’re always chocolate flavored, boo!) You can certainly leave your candy coating white if you’d like – the coloring is only for aesthetics.
- Root Beer Flavoring: I used Lor-Ann Super Strength Root Beer Flavor, which has a nicely realistic root beer taste. Unfortunately this product does contain some water (I couldn’t find a completely oil-based root beer flavor) but the good news is that it’s formulated so that it can still be used in candy coating! It won’t cause your coating to seize, but it will make it thicker and harder to work with. That’s why our last ingredient is…
- Paramount Crystals (or vegetable oil): I highly recommend paramount crystals any time you want to thin our your candy coating. These little flakes of magic are added to melted candy coating to make it thinner. They’re made from the same fat that’s in candy coating, so they blend beautifully, make the coating nice and fluid, and help it set shiny and hard. Substitution: you can use vegetable oil or canola oil to thin out your coating instead, but you might find your coating sets softer than normal. Instructions for oil are in the Notes section of the recipe card.
Equipment
- Dipping tools: Dipping tools aren’t a necessity, but they make dipping candy much easier, and I’d recommend picking some up if you regularly make candy. If you don’t have dipping tools, a regular fork is fine to use.
Ready to Make These?
- Get the recipe below 👇👇
- Scroll below the recipe for step-by-step photos
- Read important FAQs and more
🍬 More Fun Candies
Leave a Review!
If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe below, and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram @elabau, or use #sugarhero on IG!
Homemade Root Beer Float Pieces Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 vanilla sandwich cookies
- 16 oz white candy coating
- Brown oil-based candy coloring optional
- 1 TBSP root beer flavoring or to taste
- 1 oz paramount crystals (¼ cup)
- 0.75 oz unflavored popping candy (2 TBSP)
Instructions
- Chop the cookies. Chop the sandwich cookies roughly into quarters and set aside.
- Melt the coating. Place white candy coating in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Melt it for 1 minute at 50% power, then stir. (If you can’t adjust the power setting, melt it in 30-second intervals instead.) Microwave it for an additional minute at 50% power, then stir again. Continue to heat in smaller spurts, stirring regularly, until the coating is completely melted and smooth.
- Color the coating (optional). Add a generous squirt of brown oil-based candy coloring, and stir until completely mixed. Add more until you’re happy with the color.
- Add root beer flavor. Add the root beer flavoring and stir well. The flavor will cause the coating to thicken as you stir – this is expected.
- Thin the coating. Add a spoonful of paramount crystals to the coating and stir gently while they melt. Continue to add the crystals, a bit a time, stirring often so they are well-incorporated. Add crystals until the coating is once again fluid enough to dip candies in. I found ¼ cup (1 oz) was a good amount for me, but yours might vary depending on the candy coating used. If your coating cools down too fast, microwave it briefly so it stays warm and fluid.
- Alternative: use oil to thin. If you don’t have paramount crystals, you can use a neutral-flavored oil like vegetable oil or canola oil instead, using the same procedure. Add a bit at a time to thin out the coating, up to a maximum of about 3 TBSP (1.1 oz or 32 g).
- Combine popping candy and coating. Place the popping candy in a large bowl and add about ½ cup melted coating on top. You can eyeball the measurement – it doesn’t need to be precise. Stir the popping candy and coating together until well-mixed. You’ll hear the popping candy start to pop a bit during this step.
- Add the cookies. Add the chopped cookies to the large bowl, and stir so that they’re lightly coated with the root beer coating/popping candy mixture. Make sure everything is well-mixed and there aren’t big pockets of naked cookies or unmixed chunks of popping candy. Add a bit more coating if you need to, just enough to help the popping candy stick to the cookie pieces.
- Chill the cookie chunks. Scrape the cookie pieces out onto a baking sheet covered with parchment. Separate the pieces into smaller clumps – having it in small chunks will make things easier later. Chill the tray for 10-15 minutes to set the coating.
- Prepare for dipping. The bowl of melted coating will have cooled a bit at this point, so microwave it briefly so it is warm (but not hot!) and fluid. Cover another baking sheet with parchment, and have your dipping tools or fork ready to go.
- Dip the cookie chunks. Using a dipping tool or fork to dip a chunk of cookie into the melted coating. Tap the fork on the edge of the bowl a few times to get excess coating to drip back into the bowl. Set the dipped candy on your prepared baking sheet, and continue to dip the remaining pieces.
- Chill until set. Once everything is dipped, place the sheet back in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to fully set the coating.
- Enjoy! For the best taste and texture, serve these candies at room temperature. They can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature. Nothing in these candies will spoil quickly, but I’ve found the popping candy is most effective within the first week.
Video
Notes
Ingredient notes:
- Color: The brown coloring is completely optional, and is used to make the candies look more like the original version. You can skip it and leave your coating white if you’d like. Another option is to mix complimentary colors of candy coating (red and green, or orange and blue), which should produce a muddy brown color. Or, if you can find brown candy coating that isn’t chocolate flavored, that works too! (I wasn’t able to find any.) If you do decide to color it, be sure that your coloring is oil-based, not water-based.
- Flavor: I used Lor-Ann brand root beer flavoring. Other brands might work, but I can’t guarantee it. If you do use another variety, I recommend adding much less flavoring and taste it as you go, since brands can vary so much in strength.
- Thinning: Add the paramount crystals (or oil) a bit at a time, stirring VERY well the whole time to incorporate the fat. Add only as much as you need to get a dippable texture – less is better!
Yield:
You should get 50-60 candies from this recipe. Your yield will vary depending on how you cut the cookies and separate the cookie clusters.Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Nutrition
📸Photo Tutorial: How to Make Root Beer Float Pieces
Grab the printable recipe from the recipe card above, then follow along as I show you just how easy it is to make these Root Beer Float Pieces!
- Chop the cookies. Chop 16 vanilla sandwich cookies roughly into quarters.
- Microwave the coating. Place 16 oz white candy coating in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power in one-minute intervals, stirring after every minute. If you can’t change the power of your microwave, stir after every 30 seconds instead – you don’t want to accidentally overheat it.
Color and Flavor the Coating
- Melt the coating. You can stop heating when there are just a few small pieces of unmelted coating remaining – the residual heat will melt them as it sits.
- Add coloring. Add oil-based candy coloring and stir it in. (See the recipe card notes for alternatives.) I used Colour Mill chocolate brown, along with a touch of black. As you can see, it was still more of a reddish-brown, but our next step will help with that…
- Add root beer flavor. Add 1 TBSP of root beer flavor and stir well. The good news is that it adds a lot of color too, making our coating a richer dark brown. The bad news is that it causes the coating to thicken up a lot, but don’t freak out – it will be okay!
- Thin the coating with paramount crystals. Add a spoonful of paramount crystals to the coating and stir gently while they melt. Continue to add the crystals, a bit a time, stirring often, until the coating is once again fluid enough to dip candies in. I found ¼ cup (1 oz) was a good amount for me, but yours might vary depending on the candy coating used. If you’d like to use vegetable oil instead, check the recipe card notes for instructions. Use only as much as you need and no more – less is better!
Mix Everything Together
- Combine popping candy and coating. Place 1 oz (1/4 cup) popping candy in a large bowl and add about ½ cup melted coating on top. You can eyeball that measurement – it doesn’t need to be precise.
- Stir together. Stir the popping candy and coating together until well-mixed. You’ll hear the popping candy start to pop a bit during this step.
- Add the cookies. Add the chopped cookies to the large bowl, and stir so that they’re lightly coated with the root beer coating/popping candy mixture.
- Mix well. Make sure everything is well-mixed and there aren’t big pockets of naked cookies or unmixed chunks of popping candy. Add a bit more coating if you need to, just enough to help the popping candy stick to the cookie pieces. At this point, it’s looking like dog food (or worse). Trust the process!
- Chill. Scrape the cookie pieces out onto a baking sheet covered with parchment. Separate the pieces into smaller clumps, then chill the tray for 10-15 minutes to set the coating. If you leave it in the fridge for a long time and it gets very cold, let the candy come close to room temperature before moving on to dipping.
Dip the Candy
- Dip the cookie chunks. Make sure your melted coating is warm and fluid. Using a dipping tool or fork to dip a chunk of cookie into the melted coating. Tap the fork on the edge of the bowl a few times to get excess coating to drip back into the bowl.
- Chill again. Set the dipped candy on a parchment-covered baking sheet, and continue to dip the remaining pieces.
💡 Tips & FAQs
What To Do With Extra Candy Coating?
You’ll most likely be left with extra root beer-flavored coating after dipping your candies. It’s the nature of the beast – in order to have enough coating to make dipping easy, you’ll need more than is strictly necessary in the recipe. So what to do with the extra?
- If you don’t want to make another candy right away: pour out the remaining coating onto a piece of parchment or waxed paper, and spread it into an even layer. Once it sets, break it into thin shards and store in a bag or container for later. I always do this with my leftover coating – the thin pieces melt quickly and it’s easier to grab just as much as I need for the next project.
- Root Beer Rocky Road Candy: add mix-ins like mini marshmallows and toasted almonds, then drop clusters of candy onto a piece of parchment to make root beer rocky road!
- Root Beer Float Bark: pour the root beer coating out onto parchment and spread it into an even layer. Dollop vanilla coating over the root beer, then swirl them together. Let it set, then break it into uneven pieces to serve.
💭 Candy FAQs
There are a LOT of reasons candy coating can be too thick! The biggest culprits are:
⓵ old coating. The older it is, the thicker it gets when you try and heat it. If it’s been kicking around your cupboards at home for over a year, time to buy a new batch! (Hopefully what you purchase in a store is fresh, but there’s always a risk you’re buying older product since you can’t know how long it has been sitting on store shelves or in a warehouse before you buy it.)
⓶ overheating. This is a BIGGIE. The biggest rule in heating candy coating is low and slow. Heat in intervals at 50% power, stirring often. The worst thing you can do is heat it too much – it will clump together into one big ball and at that point, you basically can’t save it. So be very gentle! A good rule of thumb is to stop heating when there are still a few small lumps of candy unmelted – the residual heat will melt them and this way you won’t overheat accidentally.
⓷ Adding water. (Boy did I talk about this a lot in the post!) This includes random droplets from the sink, steam from a water bath, etc. And as mentioned above, you should avoid water-based flavorings or colorings as much as possible. And yes, in this recipe, we do use a flavoring with water, and it does thicken the coating. But when possible, use only oil-based additives.
If your coating is too thick, you can add a bit of paramount crystals (my top recommendation), shortening, coconut oil, or vegetable oil to thin it out.
Sometimes, candy coating dries with whitish or grayish streaks. This is called “fat bloom” and it’s totally harmless, but can look a bit unappetizing! It happens when fat from the candy coating separates and comes to the surface, usually due to temperature fluctuations.
My best advice for avoiding fat bloom is to:
⓵ not overheat the candy coating
⓶ not dip candies when they are very cold (slightly chilled is okay, but closer to room temp is always better)
⓷ place your dipped candies in the refrigerator to set as soon as you’re done.
I most often get bloom when my candies set at room temperature, or when they are partially set and then I refrigerate them. You want to go from dipping to the fridge as soon as possible! This is called “shock-chilling” and while it’s not something you should do with tempered chocolate, it helps candy coating to avoid bloom and have a shiny surface.
Theoretically, these should keep for a long time! None of the ingredients will spoil quickly. However, “edible” and “most delicious” are two different things. I’ve found that after a week, the cookies get soft and the popping candy loses a lot of its “pop.” It’s still there, just…muted. So I will say you CAN keep these for weeks, but probably SHOULD eat them within a week or less of making them.
New York Style Cheesecake Recipe 19 May 2:19 AM (last month)
This rich and creamy New York Style Cheesecake recipe is everything classic cheesecake should be. With a buttery graham cracker crust and a lightly sweetened cream cheese filling, it’s perfect on its own or topped with your favorite dessert sauce.
🍓My Favorite New York Cheesecake
When you want the ultimate indulgent, treat yourself, put-on-sweatpants-and-go-to-town dessert, you want cheesecake.
Layer cakes are great, brownies are delicious, and I would never say no to a warm cookie fresh from the oven — but nothing can compare with a slice of dense, creamy cheesecake when it comes to satisfying a craving for dessert decadence.
This recipe for an ultra-rich New York Style Cheesecake is exactly what comes to mind when you think of classic cheesecake. It’s built on a buttery, crispy graham cracker crust, and topped with a velvety, tangy cream cheese filling.
While it’s perfect on its own, I especially love this cheesecake topped with an easy fruit sauce, like strawberry sauce or blueberry sauce.
More Cheesecake-Inspired Desserts
If you are a cheesecake lover, don’t miss our other delicious desserts featuring cheesecake, like Deep-Fried Cheesecake, Easter No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes, and Caramel Cheesecake-Topped Brownies!
Table of Contents
🧾 What You’ll Need
New York Cheesecake Ingredients
Here are some things to keep in mind as you put together your shopping list for this cheesecake recipe! (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)
- Graham crackers: You’ll need enough graham crackers to yield 1 2/3 cups of crumbs for the crust. This usually works out to approximately 14 graham cracker sheets.
- Unsalted butter: I usually use unsalted butter for the crust, but salted butter also works fine.
- Granulated Sugar
- Flour: Just a little all-purpose flour works magic in the cheesecake batter. It makes the filling creamier and helps prevent cracks.
- Cream cheese: This is extremely important: be sure to use full fat blocks of cream cheese for the best results. Avoid “light” and “whipped” cream cheese, and any cream cheese sold in a tub. Some of these products have additives or stabilizers that will negatively impact your cheesecake’s texture. I recommend using Philadelphia brand cream cheese if possible. Also, make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before you begin.
- Vanilla: New York cheesecake is all about the cream cheese flavor, so I typically only use vanilla extract for flavoring. However, you can experiment with other extracts, like orange, lemon, or almond.
- Cream: To get the super-creamy texture of this cheesecake right, you’ll want to use a high-fat cream, like heavy cream or double cream. A lower fat cream, like whipping cream or half-and-half will also work. I do not recommend using milk in place of cream.
- Eggs: You’ll want to use room temperature large eggs. Give them about 30 minutes to come to room temperature, or submerge them in warm water for 5 minutes before using them.
Equipment
- Food processor: It’s helpful to have a food processor to make the graham cracker crumbs for the crust. If you don’t have one, you can also crush the crackers in a plastic bag with a rolling pin.
- Mixer: A mixer is necessary to achieve the ultra-smooth cheesecake texture. You can use either a hand mixer or stand mixer for this recipe.
- Springform pan:A springform pan is a MUST for making cheesecakes. Unlike most cake pans, the sides of this pan expand so you can easily remove the cheesecake from the pan without damaging it. This recipe calls for an 8-inch springform pan, but you can also use a 9-inch springform pan to make a shorter cheesecake.
Ready to Make This?
- Get the recipe below 👇👇
- Scroll below the recipe for step-by-step photos
- Read helpful Tips and more
❤️ More Cheesecake Recipes
Leave a Review!
If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe below, and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram @elabau, or use #sugarhero on IG!
New York Style Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the graham crust:
- 14 graham crackers to yield 1 ⅔ cups (7.5 oz) crumbs
- 2.5 oz unsalted butter melted (5 TBSP)
For the filling:
- 32 oz cream cheese at room temperature, see Note below
- 7 oz granulated sugar (1 cup)
- 0.80 oz all-purpose flour (3 TBSP)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 6 fl oz heavy whipping cream (¾ cup)
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
To serve:
- Strawberry sauce optional
Instructions
To make the graham crust:
- Preheat your oven to 350° F (176° C). Prepare an 8-inch springform pan by spraying it generously with non-stick cooking spray, and set aside.
- In a food processor, add 14 graham crackers, and pulse until they are fine crumbs. Add in the melted butter and pulse until combined, or stir the crumbs and melted butter together in a small bowl.
- Pour the crumbs into the bottom of the springform pan and use the back of a spoon to press firmly into the bottom to form the crust. Bring the crumbs about 1 inch up the sides.
- Bake for 10 minutes in the 350° F oven, then remove and allow to cool.
To make the filling:
- Add the room temperature cream cheese bricks to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a large bowl if using a hand mixer. Mix the cream cheese on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until smooth and creamy.
- Add the sugar, flour, vanilla, and salt to the cream cheese, and mix until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for an additional 30 seconds.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the heavy cream and mix until just combined. Then increase the speed to medium for 30-60 seconds.
- Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl. Add the eggs slowly with the mixer running on low. Mix just until combined–some streaks of eggs remaining are okay! Finish mixing by hand, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. Be careful not to overmix, and stir just until everything is incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the springform pan, on top of the cooled graham cracker crust, and smooth the top.
- Place the cheesecake in the oven, on a middle rack, and bake at 350° F for 15 minutes then, without opening the door, reduce the heat to 200° F (93° C) for an additional 50 minutes.
- Once the 50 minutes is up, turn off the oven and slightly crack the oven door and allow the cheesecake to cool slowly in the cooling oven for 20-30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven after 30 minutes, and allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours (overnight is even better!) to allow the cheesecake to completely set.
To serve:
- To remove the cheesecake from the springform pan, take a long spatula or butter knife, dip it in warm water, and slide it around the sides of the pan to release the cake.
- To get perfect cheesecake slices, run a large chef’s knife under hot water on both sides until it’s warm. Wipe off with a clean paper towel, then make your first slice. Repeat the process for the other slices until the cheesecake is fully cut.
- Serve with whipped cream, strawberry sauce, blueberry sauce, caramel sauce, or just enjoy it on its own!
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Notes
Tips for Cheesecake Success
- Make your own graham cracker crumbs. Although you can purchase boxes of graham cracker crumbs, I think the crust turns out better when I crush my own crackers. Purchased graham crumbs tend to be more expensive, and the crumbs are coarser and sometimes taste stale.
- Use cream cheese bricks. You want full-fat cream cheese bricks for the best texture. “Whipped” or “light” cream cheese won’t have the same effect.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Make sure to bring the cream cheese and eggs to room temperature before using them in the cheesecake. This ensures that everything incorporates together easily without lumps.
- Add the eggs last and don’t overmix. When you add the eggs, you want to mix only just until the yolk disappears. Be sure to mix as little as possible after adding the eggs, because overmixing can result in a cracked cheesecake.
- Look for a jiggly center. You’ll know the cheescake is done when it is firm (set) around the edges and slightly jiggly in the center when you gently wiggle the pan.
- Cool slowly. To achieve a soft, creamy texture the cheesecake needs to finish cooking while it simultaneously cools. The cooling process is purposely very slow and extremely important. Ultimately, if it cools down too quickly, cracks will form on the surface. It will still taste good, but it just doesn’t look as pretty.
- Chill overnight. For the best results, let the cheesecake chill in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 6 hours before serving so that it can fully set.
- Cut with a warm knife. To get the perfect slice of cheesecake, run a large chef’s knife under hot water on both sides until warm. Wipe off with a clean paper towel, then make your first slice. Repeat the process for the other slices until the cheesecake is fully cut.
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Nutrition
📷 Photo Tutorial: How to Make New York Style Cheesecake
Here’s a step-by-step photo guide to making perfect New York cheesecake. Full, printable instructions are included in the recipe card above.
Make the Graham Cracker Crust
- Prepare to bake. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (176ºC) and spray an 8″ springform pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Prepare graham cracker crumbs. Place graham crackers in a food processor and pulse into a fine crumb. Alternately, place the crackers in a plastic bag and crush them into a fine crumb with a rolling pin.
- Mix crumbs and butter. Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter, and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened. The crumb mixture should have the appearance of wet sand.
- Press crust into pan. Pour the crumb mixture into the bottom of the greased springform pan. Use the back of a spoon or measuring cup to press the mixture firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the pan.
- Bake and cool. Bake for 10 minutes at 350ºF (176ºC), then remove from the oven, and let cool completely.
Make the Cream Cheese Filling
- Add cream cheese to mixer bowl. Add the room temperature cream cheese to the bowl of a large stand mixer. And yes, this is a lot of cream cheese!
- Beat cream cheese. Beat the cream cheese on medium speed using a paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes, until smooth and creamy. This is your chance to avoid any lumps in your cream cheese, so don’t skip this step.
- Mix in sugar, flour, salt and vanilla. Add the sugar, flour, salt and vanilla to the bowl of cream cheese, and mix just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters.
- Slowly pour in heavy cream. With the mixer running on low, slowly stream in the heavy whipping cream and mix until combined, then raise the speed and mix on medium speed for 30-60 seconds, until everything is well-incorporated.
- Whisk eggs. Mix the eggs together in a small bowl using a whisk or fork. Mixing the eggs together first helps reduce overmixing the cheesecake batter and possible cracks while baking.
- Slowly add the eggs. Add the eggs slowly with the mixer running on low. Mix just until combined–some streaks of eggs remaining are okay! Finish mixing by hand, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. Be careful not to overmix, and stir just until everything is incorporated.
Bake the Cheesecake
- Pour batter in pan. Pour the batter into your springform pan with the baked and cooled graham cracker crust and smooth the top.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 350ºF. Place the cheesecake in the oven on the middle rack and bake at 350ºF for 15 minutes.
- Reduce oven temp and continue baking. Reduce the heat (without opening the door) to 200ºF (93ºC) and cook for an additional 50 minutes.
- Turn off heat and crack oven door to begin cooling. Once the 50 minutes is up, turn off the oven, slightly crack the oven door open, and allow the cheesecake to cool slowly in the oven for 20-30 minutes. See tips below for more information about the cooling process.
- Continue cooling on the counter. After 20-30 minutes, you can remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool completely on the counter to room temperature.
- Chill cheesecake. Once cooled, transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator and chill for at least 6 hours–overnight is even better.
Slice and Serve the Cheesecake
- Release cheesecake from pan. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan by taking a long spatula or butter knife dipped in warm water and slide it around the sides of the pan to release the cake.
- Slice with warm knife. Cut the cheesecake into slices with a warm, sharp chef’s knife.
- Enjoy! Serve plain or topped with strawberry sauce or other toppings.
💡 Top Tips for Perfect Cheesecake
Here are our top baking tips for making the perfect cheesecake:
- Make your own graham cracker crumbs. Although you can purchase boxes of graham cracker crumbs, I prefer to make my own by using a food processor or crushing them with a rolling pin. Purchased graham crumbs tend to be more expensive, and the crumbs are coarser and sometimes taste stale. For more tips on making the perfect graham cracker crust check out my Homemade Graham Cracker Crust Tutorial.
- Use cream cheese bricks. You want full-fat cream cheese bricks for the best texture. “Whipped” or “light” cream cheese won’t have the same effect.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Make sure to bring the cream cheese and eggs to room temperature before using them in the cheesecake. This ensures that everything incorporates together easily without lumps.
- Add the eggs last, and don’t overmix. When you add the eggs, you want to mix only just until the yolk disappears. Be sure to mix as little as possible after adding the eggs, because overmixing can result in a cracked cheesecake.
- Look for a jiggly center. You’ll know the cheescake is done when it is firm (set) around the edges and slightly jiggly in the center when you gently wiggle the pan.
- Cool slowly. To achieve a soft, creamy texture the cheesecake needs to finish cooking while it simultaneously cools. The cooling process is purposely very slow and extremely important. Ultimately, if it cools down too quickly, cracks will form on the surface. It will still taste good, but it just doesn’t look as pretty.
- Crack the oven door. As part of the gradual cooling process you will turn off the oven after the initial 50 minutes of bake time. You might be tempted to take the cheesecake out but instead all you need to do is crack the oven door open and let it sit for another 20-30 minutes in the slowly cooling oven.
- Chill overnight. For the best results, let the cheesecake chill in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 6 hours before serving so that it can fully set.
- Cut with a warm knife. To get the perfect slice of cheesecake, run a large chef’s knife under hot water on both sides until warm. Wipe off with a clean paper towel, then make your first slice. Repeat the process for the other slices until the cheesecake is fully cut.
💡 FAQs
If you’ve never heard of “New York style cheesecake” before, you might be looking at these photos and descriptions and wondering what makes this particular cheesecake different from any other. The main difference between traditional cheesecake and New York style cheesecake comes down to one simple ingredient: sour cream.
Traditional cheesecake has a lighter, silkier texture because the filling is made from a combination of sour cream and cream cheese.
New York style cheesecake, on the other hand, is typically made without sour cream, so all of the tangy dairy flavor comes from cream cheese. This results in a richer, creamier, and denser texture. Although both types of cheesecake are similar, New York style cheesecake is an overall more indulgent dessert.
Fridge: Leftover baked cheesecake will last for up to 1 week in the fridge.
Freezer: To freeze cheesecake, wrap it in plastic wrap followed by foil, then place it in a ziplock bag and store it in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
💭 Variations
This New York cheesecake is delicious as-is, but if you’re looking to switch things up a bit, here are some other ideas:
- Make it chocolate-y. Add chocolate chips or swirl in a couple spoonfuls of chocolate espresso sauce.
- Use another crust. Swap the graham crackers out for pretzels, gingersnaps, Nilla wafers, or use Oreos to make an Oreo crust.
- Top it with whipped cream. Cool Whip is always an option, or you can give it a flavor twist with homemade mocha whipped cream or lemon whipped cream.
- Make a fruity filling. Swirl your favorite fruity jam into the batter before you bake it.
3 Ingredient Strawberry Sauce Recipe 28 Apr 2:37 AM (2 months ago)
Make delicious Strawberry Sauce from scratch with just a few ingredients. This quick and easy recipe transforms fresh or frozen berries into a flavorful strawberry topping that’s perfect on all your favorite desserts.
🍓 Fresh Strawberry Topping for Cheesecake & More
Bold claim time: you can improve almost any dessert with three ingredients and 20 minutes. For instance:
- Ice cream? Check.
- Cheesecake? Got ya covered.
- Tarts? You better believe it.
All of these things can be improved at least 37.45%* by adding an easy homemade strawberry sauce on top.
*Figures have not and will not be scientifically checked
This fresh strawberry sauce is the magic weapon you need in your life. It’s delicious, perfectly sweet, has a vibrant berry flavor, requires just three ingredients, and is so versatile!
It’s wonderful with fresh berries, but can also be made with frozen berries during off-peak months, so you can have a little bit of strawberry sunshine all year long.
How to Use Strawberry Sauce
Just like my Blueberry Sauce, you can drizzle it over breakfast foods like pancakes or waffles, ladle it on ice cream, use it in lieu of frosting for pound cake, or as a topping for cake or cheesecake. Heck, you might just want to eat it by the spoonful on its own. There’ll be no judgement from me! 😉
If you love this strawberry sauce recipe, you will also love my other berry desserts!
Table of Contents
🧾 What You’ll Need
Ingredients
Any recipe that just has three ingredients is a recipe I can get on board with! Here’s what you’ll need for this homemade Strawberry Sauce. Check the recipe card for full ingredient amouts.
- Strawberries: You’ll need one pound of strawberries to make 2 cups chopped berries. The recipe makes 1 1/2 cups of sauce, but if you need more sauce than that, you can easily double or even triple this recipe in a larger pot. The flavor is better when using fresh berries, but you can also use frozen berries–check the FAQ section below for information on how to use frozen berries in this recipe!
- Sugar: The recipe calls for 1/3 cup granulated sugar, but you can add more or less depending on how sweet your berries are, and your personal preference.
- Lemon Juice:Just a little lemon juice brightens the sauce and deepens the sweet berry flavor. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice if you have it, but bottled juice will work as well.
Equipment
All you need are a few basic kitchen tools to make this sauce!
- Saucepan: I use a 4-quart saucepan which is the perfect size for this amount of sauce. If you’re doubling or tripling the recipe, I recommend using a larger size.
- Juicer: You can squeeze the lemon juice by hand, but I recommend using a juicer. This makes it easier to get more juice out of the lemon!
- Spatula: You’ll want to use a spatula to regularly stir the strawberry sauce as it cooks so it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan.
- Jars: You can store any leftover sauce in mason jars in the fridge.
Ready to Make This?
- Get the recipe below 👇👇
- Scroll below the recipe for step-by-step photos
- Read important FAQs and more
❤️ More Strawberry Desserts
Leave a Review!
If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe below, and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram @elabau, or use #sugarhero on IG!
Strawberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh strawberries (to yield 2 cups sliced)
- 2.3 oz granulated sugar (1/3 cup)
- 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Prepare the berries. Wash the strawberries well. Remove the stems, and slice the strawberries.
- Combine the ingredients. Combine the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a 4-quart saucepan, and heat over medium heat.
- Cook the sauce. Stir regularly while the strawberries cook. Let them bubble and boil for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the berries are very soft. The longer the sauce cooks, the thicker it will get.
- Let the sauce cool. Remove the pan from the heat and let the strawberry sauce cool at room temperature. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Blend the sauce (optional). If you want a smooth strawberry sauce, you can use an immersion blender or transfer the sauce to a regular blender to puree it.
- Serving suggestions: This sauce is equally delicious when served warm or cold. It's wonderful on all kinds of desserts, but it especially shines on cheesecakes, pound cake, and ice cream.
- Storage instructions: Homemade strawberry sauce will last in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for 3-4 months. If it's been frozen, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, then enjoy chilled, or gently warm it in the microwave.
Notes
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Nutrition
📸 Photo Tutorial: How to Make Strawberry Sauce
This homemade Strawberry Sauce comes together in less than 30 minutes! Here’s a quick overview of how to make it, and for full printable instructions, visit the recipe card above.
Prep Ingredients
- Juice a lemon. Use a juicer to squeeze fresh lemon juice. You’ll need 1 TBSP which will be 1/2-1 lemon, depending on the size. No fresh lemons? You can use bottled lemon juice instead.
- Wash strawberries. Wash 1 lb of strawberries well under cold water.
- Hull and slice berries. Use a knife to remove the stems, and slice the berries into thin slices.
Cook the Strawberry Sauce
- Combine ingredients in saucepan. Combine 2 cups sliced strawberries, 2.3 oz (1/3 cup) sugar, and 1 TBSP fresh lemon juice in a 4-quart saucepan, then heat on the stove over medium heat, stirring regularly.
- Boil and thicken. Let the mixture bubble for 20 minutes or until thickened to your liking. The longer it cooks, the thicker the texture will be, and the more concentrated the flavor
- Cool and enjoy! Remove from the heat, and let it cool a bit before serving. Strawberry sauce can be enjoyed warm or cold.
💡 Tips and FAQs
Make the most out of your homemade Strawberry Sauce with these helpful tips!
Yes! I typically find that ripe, fresh berries give a better, more vibrant flavor. But if berries are out of season or you only have access to frozen, you can swap those in instead. Let the frozen berries defrost in a colander so excess liquid will drain away, then proceed with the recipe as written. You can use the same quantity of frozen berries as fresh.
It’s important to wash them thoroughly before using them, then cut off the stems and chop up the strawberries. I usually slice medium berries into 4-5 slices, but you can chop them coarser or finer depending on your personal preference.
Bottled lemon juice contains preservatives that can make it taste almost chemical or stale. When possible, I recommend freshly squeezing your lemon juice to give this sauce the best flavor. But if you don’t have access to fresh, bottled is fine.
A coulis is a sauce that has been blended and strained. So while this is not a coulis, it is easy to make a strawberry coulis from this recipe! Here’s how: After cooking the strawberry sauce, blend it with an immersion blender or food processor until it is very smooth. Pour it through a fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds or texture, and you have a beautiful strawberry coulis!
There are plenty of ways you can serve fresh strawberry sauce! Here are some of my favorites:
Over cheesecake. Strawberry sauce makes a delicious topping for so many different cheesecakes!
With breakfast. Try it on over pancakes or waffles, on French toast cake, mixed into yogurt, or even in oatmeal.
Over ice cream. Try it with Lavender Rose Ice Cream or over strawberry lemonade ice cream pie.
On cake. You can drizzle it over a slice of cake, cupcakes, or pound cake to add a little something extra. I love it on chocolate pound cake, orange bundt cake, strawberry swirl bundt cake, or chocolate cupcakes!
Homemade strawberry sauce will last in the fridge for 4-5 days or in the freezer for 3-4 months. When you’re ready to enjoy again, it can be served warm or cold. If it’s been frozen, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, then enjoy chilled, or gently warm it in the microwave.
💭 Variations
This Strawberry Sauce is very customizable and forgiving. Here are a couple of things you can do to switch things up!
- Make another berry sauce. This recipe can be easily adapted to accommodate different berries. Try it with raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries. You can also use cherries, pitted and halved, to make a homemade cherry sauce!
- Adjust the sugar. You can adjust the amount of sugar you use depending on the ripeness of the berries. Very ripe berries will need less sugar. Under-ripe berries will need more.
- Add another flavor. Some of my favorite additions are 1 tsp vanilla extract, a shake of ground cinnamon, or adding lemon zest in addition to the lemon juice. Almond extract is another fun flavor you can try if you think it will work with the other components of your dessert.
More Dessert Sauces
Peanut Butter Eggs 18 Apr 2:20 PM (2 months ago)
Skip the store-bought candy and make your own Peanut Butter Easter Eggs with our easy recipe. These no-bake homemade treats feature a sweet-and-salty peanut butter filling in a rich chocolate shell.
🥚 Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs: Reese’s Copycat Recipe
Peanut Butter Eggs, once one of my favorite Easter candies, just don’t hit the same these days. I loved them as a child, but somewhere between childhood and adulthood, something changed—and it wasn’t just my taste buds growing up. Now when I eat one, the filling seems overly sweet and artificial, and the chocolate is waxy and flavorless. Womp-woooomp.
The good news? Making your own peanut butter eggs at home isn’t just easy—it’s a complete game-changer! This recipe yields peanut butter eggs the way I think they SHOULD be: with a thick chocolate shell, and a soft but slightly crumbly filling packed with sweet-and-salty peanut butter flavor.
I already have one recipe for peanut butter eggs on SugarHero – these pastel-decorated peanut butter Easter egg candies, made using a chocolate mold. They’re tasty and gorgeous, but a bit difficult to make without advanced planning, since you have to have the right candy mold.
For this recipe, I wanted to keep things simple and recreate Reese’s eggs as closely as possible, so we’re ditching the chocolate mold and dipping the peanut butter filling in chocolate instead.
The filling is the best part. It’s easy (made with just 6 common ingredients!), just the slightest bit crumbly (just like a regular Reese’s egg), and has a strong nutty flavor. You’ll want to eat it with a spoon!
Speaking of the filling – you can use this same filling to make Buckeyes, or homemade peanut butter cups…or even Mega Peanut Butter Cups!
🪺More Egg-Shaped Easter Treats
Obsessed with Easter desserts? Me too! There’s nothing cuter than Easter Bunny Cupcakes and Chocolate Easter Bird’s Nest Cookies!
But, when I really want to get festive, egg-shaped goodies are my go-to! Don’t miss my Marbled Easter Egg Truffles, Easter Egg Doughnuts, and Easter Egg Petit Fours with Tangerine Buttercream!
Table of Contents
🧾What You’ll Need
Ingredients
Ready to get started? Here are a few helpful ingredient tips to make sure you get everything you’ll need. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)
- Graham crackers: You’ll need three full graham cracker sheets to make enough crumbs for the filling.
- Unsalted butter: Before getting started on the recipe, give the butter about 30 minutes on the counter to come to room temperature. It will make it much easier to blend.
- Creamy peanut butter: To make sure the peanut butter filling has the right texture, use creamy peanut butter. I’ve used both Jif and Skippy with great results. I have not tried this recipe with natural peanut butter.
- Salt
- Vanilla extract: A hint of vanilla sets the filling apart from the store-bought kind. I love this vanilla extract by Nielsen Massey because it’s got amazing flavor, but feel free to use any brand you like.
- Powdered sugar: Helps to sweeten and thicken the peanut butter filling, without adding a grainy texture.
- Chocolate wafers (candy coating): I like using chocolate candy coating because it is easy to use, dries shiny, and stays hard at room temp. Chocolate chips or chopped chocolate can be substituted, but they tend to be duller, softer, and stickier unless tempered before use. See the Tips below for more information about how to use chocolate chips.
Equipment
Candy making is a lot of fun and you’ll only need a few tools so that you can make these year after year! Here’s what I recommend having on hand. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)
- Mixer: You can use a stand mixer or hand mixer to make the filling.
- Small cookie scoop: It’s really helpful to use a small #60 cookie scoop that holds 1 tablespoon to make the candy eggs so that they are all roughly the same size.
- Dipping tools: I like to use dipping tools when making candy, but if you don’t have a set, a fork will also work just fine.
- Baking sheet and parchment paper: The peanut butter eggs will need to chill and set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Rolling pin and zipper bag: To crush the graham crackers into a fine crumb, place them in a plastic zipper bag and crush them with a rolling pin. You can also pulse them in a food processor.
Ready to Make These?
- Get the recipe below 👇👇
- Scroll below the recipe for step-by-step photos
- Read important FAQs and more
💗More Chocolate Easter Desserts
Leave a Review!
If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe below, and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram @elabau, or use #sugarhero on IG!
Homemade Peanut Butter Easter Eggs
Ingredients
- 3 graham cracker sheets yielding 1.6 oz crumbs
- 2 oz unsalted butter (4 TBSP) at room temperature
- 9.5 oz creamy peanut butter (1 cup)
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 oz powdered sugar (2 cups)
- 12 oz chocolate candy coating (2 cups)
Instructions
- Crush the graham crackers. Place the graham crackers in a plastic zip-top bag, and roll over it with a rolling pin to crush them into fine crumbs.
- Cream the butter. Place the butter in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or use a large bowl and a hand mixer. Beat the butter for a minute, until light and creamy.
- Add the peanut butter. Add creamy peanut butter, salt, and vanilla to the bowl, and mix them together.
- Add dry ingredients and mix well. Finally, add the powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs, and mix everything on low until the sugar is incorporated. Then continue to mix until everything comes together and you have a candy mixture that is smooth and pliable, but not sticky.
- Scoop and shape the eggs. Scoop 1 tablespoon of candy into your hands – if you have a 1 TBSP/#60 cookie scoop, this makes the job go faster and the eggs more uniform. Roll the candy into a ball, then press it flatter into an oval. Pinch one end slightly to make it more of an egg shape, then place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper.
- Chill the candy. Continue making peanut butter eggs until you’ve used all the candy – you should get 24-28 eggs from the recipe. Chill the candy for at least an hour, so it will be firm enough to dip.
- Melt the candy coating. Melt the chocolate candy coating in the microwave, stirring frequently to prevent overheating.
- Add a chocolate base (optional). Use a small offset spatula or knife to spread a thin layer of melted chocolate on the bottom of each egg. Place the eggs back on the baking sheet, and refrigerate again for 10 minutes or so, to set the chocolate. Although optional, I highly recommend this step to make the dipping process easier and your candy prettier.
- Dip the eggs. Use dipping tools or a fork, and drop a peanut butter egg into the bowl of melted coating. Press it down so it’s fully submerged, then use dipping tools or a fork to scoop it out of the chocolate. Let the excess drip back into the bowl, then gently set the egg back onto the baking sheet. Repeat until all of the peanut butter eggs are dipped.
- Refrigerate until set. Refrigerate the tray for about 20 minutes, until the candy coating is completely set.
- Storage. These eggs can be stored at cool room temperature for a week, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. They are best enjoyed served at room temperature.
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Nutrition
📸Photo Tutorial: How to Make Copycat Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs
Stay on track as you make these better-than-store-bought peanut butter eggs and avoid common mistakes by following along with this step-by-step photo tutorial. Full instructions are included in the recipe card above.
- Crush the graham crackers. Put 3 graham cracker sheets in a plastic zip-top bag, and crush them into fine crumbs with a rolling pin. This should yield 1.6 oz of crumbs.
- Cream the butter. In a large mixing bowl, beat 2 oz (4 tablespoons) butter until light and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add the peanut butter. Add 9.5 oz (1 cup) creamy peanut butter and blend it into the butter.
- Add salt and vanilla. Then add ½ teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons vanilla to the bowl, and mix them together.
- Add dry ingredients. Now add 8 oz (2 cups) powdered sugar and the graham cracker crumbs.
- Mix well. Mix on low until the sugar is incorporated and the filling is smooth and pliable, but not sticky. It should have the texture of Play-Doh. Check the Tips if your filling seems too soft or sticky.
- Scoop the filling. Scoop 1 tablespoon of peanut butter filling into your hands and roll it into a ball.
- Shape the egg. Press the ball flatter into an oval shape and pinch one end slightly to make it egg-shaped. Place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Continue this process until all the filling has been molded into eggs and placed on the baking sheet (about 24-28 eggs).
- Chill the candy. Place the baking sheet(s) in the refrigerator for at least an hour to firm the candy for dipping.
- Melt the candy coating. Melt 12 oz (2 cups) chocolate candy coating in the microwave, stirring frequently to prevent overheating.
- Add a chocolate base (optional). Spread a thin layer of melted chocolate on the bottom of each egg, and place them back on the baking sheet(s). Refrigerate the candy for an additional 10 minutes to set the chocolate foot. Although optional, I highly recommend this step because it makes your candy a lot easier to dip!
- Dip the eggs. Use a dipping tool or fork to drop a peanut butter egg into the warm chocolate coating and submerge it fully. Scoop the egg out with your tool and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Gently set the egg back onto the baking sheet and repeat this process until all of the peanut butter eggs are dipped. (Feel free to reheat the chocolate as needed if it becomes too thick for dipping.)
- Refrigerate until set. Refrigerate the tray(s) for about 20 minutes, until the candy coating is completely set.
- Enjoy! Your candy is ready to be enjoyed and tastes best when served at room temperature.
💡Tips and FAQs for Success
Yes! I do recommend candy coating, because it is easier to use, shiny, and stays hard at room temperature. However, I know it’s not as easy to find, so you can swap in melted chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bars instead.
Both chocolate chips and chopped chocolate tend to be duller, softer, and stickier at room temperature. If you decide to use chopped chocolate bars, you can temper the chocolate to make it hard and shiny – check out my tutorial on how to temper chocolate before getting started. Chocolate chips typically do not temper well.
Chocolate chips tend to be thicker when melted – that’s because they are designed to hold their shape when baked, so melted chips are not as fluid as candy wafers or chopped chocolate. This thick texture can make dipping candy more difficult. If you are using melted chocolate chips, and it seems too thick, you can add a spoonful of shortening or coconut oil into the warm chocolate to thin it out and make dipping easier.
The peanut butter filling should be soft enough to roll, but not too soft or sticky. It should have the texture of Play-Doh when it’s ready. However, different brands of peanut butter can produce different filling results. If you’ve followed the directions and feel like the filling is too soft to easily hold its shape or too sticky, increase the powdered sugar by ¼ – ½ cup (about 1-2 additional ounces). Add it gradually at the end and just keep mixing more in until it feels smooth and easy to mold. You can also add an additional crushed graham cracker if you want a crumblier texture.
If you are new to dipping treats into chocolate, it might seem a bit daunting — even tear-inducing. Occasionally dipped candies actually taste better than they look! 😂 You won’t be the first (or last!) person to have the tines of a dipping tool or fork cut into your soft candy fillings, leaving marks that are hard for chocolate to cover up.
To make sure your peanut butter eggs look pretty right from the get-go, without any tears, I want to share my top pro tip: give the eggs a chocolate base before dipping them completely in the chocolate! This is technically an extra step, but it really makes the dipping process easier because the chocolate “foot” forms a protective layer between the soft filling and sharp dipping tool tines, allowing the candy to be completely enrobed in chocolate without any unsightly dings or scratches.
To make the chocolate base, use a small offset spatula or knife to spread a thin layer of melted chocolate on the bottom of each chilled egg. Then place the eggs back on the baking sheet, and refrigerate them for another 10 minutes to set the chocolate into a solid base. Check out the step-by-step photo tutorial above!
Room temperature: These eggs can be stored at cool room temperature for one week. If you plan to stack them, place a sheet of parchment paper between each layer.
Refrigerate: They can also be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks. Bring them to room temperature before enjoying!
Easter Fruit Pizza 27 Mar 11:27 PM (3 months ago)
This Easter Fruit Pizza is the perfect Easter recipe! Serve this beautiful fruit pizza for breakfast, brunch, or even as a light Easter dessert. It has a sugar cookie crust shaped like an Easter egg, a generous layer of strawberry frosting, and LOTS of fresh, flavorful fruit.
🍓Fruit Pizza: The Perfect Light Easter Dessert
Easter may have a reputation for being all about the chocolate and jelly beans, but that doesn’t mean we can’t sneak in a little fresh produce every now and again! If you want a break from the non-stop candyfest, give my Easter fruit pizza a try this year.
🍇What is fruit pizza?
I grew up eating fruit pizza, but if you’ve never had one, you may be a bit confused or skeptical. Pizza? Fruit? Haven’t we already done this with Hawaiian pizza?
Fruit pizza is typically made with a sugar cookie crust, topped with frosting, and finished with a variety of fresh fruit. Although it’s most often in a large round pizza shape, you can also make mini individual pizzas, rectangular pizzas, or do what I did here, and make it into the shape of an Easter egg!
🥭When do you serve fruit pizza?
One of the best things about fruit pizza is its versatility. It’s piled high with fruit, so it makes a wonderful brunch or tea time dish. But the sugar cookie crusts and cream cheese frosting can also push it into the after-dinner dessert category. And honestly, it’s so good, I find myself nibbling on it for any and every meal.
More Fresh and Fruity Desserts
If you are a fresh fruit lover, be sure to check out my Strawberry Rose Tarts, Strawberry Rhubarb Layer Cake, and this FANTASTIC Coconut Macaroon Tart!
Table of Contents
🧾What You’ll Need
Ingredients
The good news: this fruit pizza is made with common baking ingredients, so you probably already have most, if not all, of the ingredients you’ll need! Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you make this recipe. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)
For the Cookie Crust
I love making fruit pizza with a homemade cookie crust. However, to save time feel free to use a premade storebought cookie dough in place of the ingredients below.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour for the base of the cookie dough. Make sure to measure carefully, using a food scale if possible.
- Baking soda
- Unsalted butter and salt: Use unsalted butter that has been softened to room temperature. If you only have salted butter, omit the excess salt.
- Sugar: Use regular, white granulated sugar.
- Lemon zest: I love the fresh taste that a bit of lemon zest gives to the sugar cookie crust. If you don’t have 2 large lemons, you can swap in another citrus zest, like orange or grapefruit, or just omit it entirely.
- Eggs: It’s important to use large eggs (not extra large or medium). Bring them to room temperature before getting started.
- Cream: You can use either heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.
- Lemon extract: To flavor the cookie crust, use a high-quality lemon extract.
For the Frosting
Looking for a quicker way to frost the crust? You can use a storebought cream cheese frosting, other canned frosting, or even storebought strawberry cream cheese spread instead of making your own.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese for the best flavor. Bring it to room temperature to make it easier to mix with the other ingredients.
- Strawberry jam: To flavor the frosting, you’ll need strawberry jam. Bring it to room temperature before mixing it into the frosting to prevent lumps. If desired, you can use other flavors of jam like raspberry or cherry.
- Powdered sugar: Helps to sweeten and thicken the frosting.
For the Toppings and Glaze
- Fresh fruit: You’ll want to gather ALL THE FRUIT — the more colorful and bountiful, the better! Feel free to use whatever is readily available to you, but my personal must-haves are lots of fresh berries, mangoes, clementine slices, and grapes. Combined, these have a lot of different colors and textures that make the fruit pizza look fresh and vibrant. If you have access to fun fruits like dragon fruit or star fruit (featured below!) that’s just the cherry on top…pardon the fruity pun. ;)You’ll need about 8 cups of assorted fresh fruit, washed and sliced. The only fruit I don’t recommend is bananas because of how quickly they brown.
- Apple jelly: To give the glaze a lovely shine, use apple jelly, or other light-colored jelly. It also prevents the fruit from wilting and drying out after it’s cut.
- Water: To thin the glaze.
Equipment
You’ll only need a few basic kitchen tools to make this Easter dessert. Here’s what you should know. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)
- Microplane: Use a microplane to zest fresh lemons.
- Mixer: You’ll want a mixer to whip up the cookie dough and cream cheese frosting. I prefer using a stand mixer, but you can also use a hand mixer.
- Plastic wrap: It’s helpful to have some plastic wrap on hand to wrap the dough in before chilling it.
- Rolling pin: For easy rolling, place your dough between two sheets of parchment paper and use a rolling pin to smooth it out.
- Parchment paper: The easiest way to move a giant cookie crust around? Bake it on parchment so you can slide it right off the baking sheet, no awkward contortions required!
- Baking sheet: You’ll want to use a half-sheet pan (approx 13×18″) so you have enough room for the large cookie crust. Look for a sturdy one with a thick bottom so the bottom of the cookie doesn’t burn before it’s cooked through. I use and love these Nordic Ware baking sheets.
- Cookie cutters: If you want to cut shapes into some of the fruit slices, you can use small cookie cutters. You could use flowers, hearts, stars and more!
- Pastry brush: Use a pastry brush to glaze the top of the pizza.
- Pizza cutter: I like to use a pizza cutter for slicing up the fruit pizza. You can also use a large knife.
Ready to Make These?
- Get the recipe below 👇👇
- Scroll below the recipe for step-by-step photos
- Read important FAQs and more
🐣More Egg-Shaped Easter Desserts
Leave a Review!
If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe below, and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram @elabau, or use #sugarhero on IG!
Easter Egg Fruit Pizza
Ingredients
For the Fruit Pizza Crust:
- 14.6 oz all-purpose flour (3 1/4 cups)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 6 oz unsalted butter (3/4 cup), at room temperature
- 10.5 oz granulated sugar (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 TBSP lemon zest from 2 large lemons, packed
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 TBSP heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp lemon extract
For the Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/3 cup strawberry jam at room temperature
- 6 oz powdered sugar (1 1/2 cups)
To Assemble:
- 8 cups assorted fresh fruit washed and sliced
- 1/4 cup apple jelly or other light-colored jelly
- 1 TBSP water
Instructions
To Make the Fruit Pizza Crust:
- Mix dry ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside for a moment.
- Cream wet ingredients: Combine the butter, sugar, and lemon zest in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat them together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then add the cream and lemon extract and mix them in.
- Add dry mixture to wet mixture: Turn the mixer to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until there are just a few flour streaks left. Stop the mixer and finish stirring everything together by hand, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl well. Shape the dough into a large disc and wrap the dough in cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour, until firm. Dough can be made several days in advance.
- Heat oven, roll out dough: When the dough is firm, preheat the oven to 350 F and cover a large baking sheet with parchment. Roll out the dough between sheets of parchment or waxed paper until it is a rectangle about 16×12 inches. (You can make it ever thinner if you’d like—I prefer a thick, soft, cake-like cookie.) Use a paring knife to trim it into an egg shape.
- Bake and cool: Transfer the cookie to the baking sheet, and bake it at 350 F for 16-20 minutes, until it takes on a light golden color and is puffed and set in the middle. Let it cool completely at room temperature. The cookie can be baked several days in advance.
To Make the Frosting:
- Combine ingredients: Beat the cream cheese using a mixer until it is smooth and free of lumps. Add the strawberry jam and powdered sugar, and beat until everything is well-mixed.
- Adjust sweetness: Taste the frosting, and add more sugar if desired. Remember that it will be combined with a cookie and fruit, so it doesn’t have to be super-sweet on its own. Frosting can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
To Assemble:
- Prepare the fruit: Right before you are ready to decorate, cut up any large fruit (strawberries, mangoes, star fruit, etc) into slices. For larger grapes and berries, you might want to cut them in half so it’s easier to decorate with them. Small berries can be left whole. If desired, use small cutters on some of the slices to make pretty shapes.
- Frost the cookie: Spread the frosting in a thin, even layer over the surface of the cookie, leaving a small margin around the edges.
- Outline the egg shape: Use fruit to create a general outline of the “sections” of the Easter egg.
- Fill in with fruit: Layer the fresh fruit over the frosting in the pattern of your choosing—don’t’ be afraid to play with colors and shapes! You can use any fruit that you like, but I don't recommend decorating with bananas because of how quickly they brown.
- Make glaze: In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine the jelly and water, and microwave for 15 seconds. Stir them together until the jelly is fluid and smooth. It should have the consistency of a thin gel—if it’s still fairly thick, add a bit more water to thin it out.
- Glaze fruit pizza, serve: Use a pastry brush to spread this glaze on top of your fruit. This gives the fruit pizza a lovely shine, and also prevents the cut fruit from looking wilted and tired at room temperature. Cut the pizza into slices and enjoy!
- Storage and make-ahead: Remember, the cookie crust and cream cheese frosting can be made several days in advance, and it is best to decorate just before serving. The cookie will begin to soften after being decorated. For the best taste and texture, enjoy the pizza the same day it is assembled and finish leftovers within 24 hours.
Video
Notes
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Nutrition
📸Photo Tutorial: How to Make an Easter Egg Fruit Pizza
Here’s a quick overview of how to assemble this fruit pizza! Full instructions are in the recipe card above.
Make the Sugar Cookie Crust
- Mix dry ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together 14.6 oz (3 1/4 cups) flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp baking soda. Set aside.
- Cream wet ingredients: In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 6 oz (3/4 cup) butter, 10.5 oz (1 1/2 cups) sugar, and 2 TBSP lemon zest. Beat until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in 2 TBSP cream and 2 tsp lemon extract.
- Add dry mixture to wet mixture: Turn the mixer to low, add dry ingredients, and mix until only a few streaks of flour remain. Stop the mixer and finish stirring everything together by hand, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl well.
- Chill dough: Shape the dough into a large disc and wrap the dough in cling wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour, until firm.
- Prepare to bake: When the dough is firm, preheat oven to 350 F and cover baking sheet with parchment.
- Roll out dough: Roll out the dough between sheets of parchment into a 16×12 inch rectangle. Use a paring knife to trim it into an egg shape and transfer it to the baking sheet. (Eat the scraps — very important part of the process!)
- Bake and cool: Bake for 16-20 minutes, until light golden brown, puffed, and set in the middle. Let it cool completely to room temperature.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting and Cut the Fruit
- Beat cream cheese: Use a handmixer to beat 8 oz cream cheese until smooth and free of lumps.
- Mix in jam and sugar: Add 1/3 cup strawberry jam and 6 oz (1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar, beat until well-mixed.
- Prep the fruit: Time to get slicing! Prep your fruit right before you are ready to use it. Cut up any large fruit (strawberries, mangoes, star fruit, etc) into slices. For larger grapes and berries, you might want to cut them in half so it’s easier to decorate with them. Small berries can be left whole. If desired, use small cutters on some of the slices to make pretty shapes.
Decorate the Easter Egg Fruit Pizza
- Frost the cookie: Spread a thin, even layer of frosting on the top of the cookie, leaving a small margin around the edges.
- Outline the egg sections: Use fruit to create a general outline of the “sections” of the pizza.
- Fill in the sections: Gradually fill in the entire top with fruit, until the cream cheese frosting is completely covered.
- Make the glaze: Combine 1/4 cup apple jelly and 1 TBSP water in a small microwave-safe bowl, heat for 15 seconds and stir. The glaze should look fluid and smooth like a thin gel. If it’s still fairly thick, add a bit more water to thin it out.
- Glaze fruit pizza: Use a pastry brush to spread glaze on top of your fruit to give it shine, and prevent the cut fruit from looking wilted.
- Enjoy! Cut the pizza into slices and serve immediately.
💭Variations
There are a million and one ways to make a fruit pizza! Consider some of these twists:
- Use another flavor in your cream cheese: Lemon, orange, and raspberry would all be delicious.
- Decorate for another holiday: Try a Fourth of July variation in the shape of a flag with red and blue berries. Halloween time? Make the base in the shape of a pumpkin, use pumpkin spice cream cheese, and fill the top with citrus fruits to keep the orange theme.
- Make the pizzas personal-sized: Mini fruit pizzas are the cutest! Make palm-sized cookie crusts so everyone gets their own. Use an egg cutter to make the mini pizzas look like Easter eggs!
💡Tips and FAQs for Success
Here are our top baking tips for making a delicious cookie crust:
- Don’t overmix the dough. A common mistake when making a cookie crust is overmixing the dough. If you continue mixing after the ingredients are combined, the gluten in the flour will become over-actived, and you’ll end up with a tough, dense crust.
- Measure with precision. Either use a kitchen scale (the best!), or be attentive when using measuring cups and spoons, especially when it comes to flour. Measure your flour by spooning flour into your measuring cup, then use the back of a knife to level off the top of the cup. This method is better and more precise than just dipping your measuring cup into the flour bin, which causes the flour to get compacted. You’ll end up with more flour per cup than the recipe calls for and a hard crust.
- Bring a few ingredients to room temperature. It is important that any refrigerated ingredients be at room temperature before beginning. This is one of the keys to ensuring your cookie dough doesn’t get overmixed and your frosting turns out lump free. Although the time can vary, give these ingredients about 30 minutes on the counter to soften before getting started.
- Cream the butter and sugar. There’s more to creaming butter and sugar than simply mixing them together. It will take about 2-3 minutes to fully cream the mixture. You’re looking for visible changes in color and texture; the color should be lighter and the texture should look fluffy.
- Use the right baking surface. To bake the cookie pizza crust, line an aluminum, light-colored, non-insulated baking sheet with parchment paper. Don’t grease the parchment or pan, and don’t use insulated baking sheets or dark-colored baking sheets.
Yes! If you want to save some time, you can use refrigerated sugar cookie dough. You can also use canned cream cheese frosting, other frosting of choice, or even flavored cream cheese.
This fruit pizza is really best the same day it is assembled. The cookie crust starts to get soggy, and the cut fruit does not look its best after a day of being exposed to air.
However, you can definitely make the pizza components in advance. The cookie dough can be prepared several days ahead of time, and it’s also ok to bake the crust a day or two before you need it. Just keep it well-wrapped until it’s time to decorate. The cream cheese filling can also be made several days in advance and kept in the refrigerator.
Fruit pizza does not store well. The cookie will begin to soften and the fruit will begin to wilt after being decorated. For the best taste and texture, enjoy the pizza the same day it is assembled and finish leftovers within 24 hours. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container.
Sugar Easter Egg Cake 27 Mar 8:33 AM (3 months ago)
Looking for a knockout Easter cake? Try this Sugar Easter Egg Cake! The look is based on old-fashioned panoramic sugar eggs, but it’s made out of CAKE! And unlike those classic sugar eggs, this dessert is entirely edible!
🐇It’s a Panoramic Sugar Easter Egg…Cake!
Growing up, my parents had a set of panoramic sugar Easter eggs they would pull out every Easter. You might be familiar with the type of eggs I’m talking about. They’re large eggs made of hard-packed sugar, usually in pastel colors, decorated with royal icing flourishes and candy accents. They’re delicate, beautiful…and to childhood me, they were complete torture.
Think about it. These gorgeous, colorful eggs were made out of SUGAR! Nectar of the gods! And yet, they were completely inedible, never intended to be eaten at all. They were brought out as decorations year after year, then painstakingly wrapped up after Easter with the rest of the decor. It was a cruel trick.
I obviously still harbor a little bit of a grudge against those delicious-but-forbidden sugar eggs. Now that I’m an adult, I’m here to recreate those panoramic sugar Easter eggs…in cake form. It’s whimsical, beautiful, and definitely a show-stopper on the Easter table!
More Fun Easter Desserts
I like to have fun with my Easter desserts, from sculpting Nest Cakes to making Chick Cupcakes to turning truffles into Marbled Pastel Easter Eggs!
Table of Contents
🧾What You’ll Need
Ingredients
Although this cake has several steps, the ingredients themselves are pretty simple. Take a look at these ingredient tips to help you get everything you’ll need. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)
For the Pound Cake
- Unsalted butter and salt: I prefer to use unsalted butter so that I can add just the right amount of salt to the batter. If you don’t have unsalted butter, omit the extra salt. You’ll also want to use room temperature butter because it blends much more easily and helps to prevent overmixing the batter.
- Cream cheese: It’s best to use full-fat, brick-style cream cheese (avoid whipped or low fat varieties). Bring it to room temperature before mixing it into the batter.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs: Use large, room temperature eggs (not medium or extra large).
- Vanilla extract: My absolute favorite brand of vanilla extract is Nielsen Massey. Using a high-quality extract will give your cake the best flavor.
- All-purpose flour: It’s important to measure the flour properly so that the cake doesn’t become dense or dry. If possible, use a kitchen scale for accurate weight measurements.
- Baking powder
For the Frosting
- Egg whites: For the best results, use the whites from large eggs (not medium or extra large).
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter and salt: I also recommend using unsalted butter for the buttercream frosting. Salted butter will likely make it taste too salty. The butter needs to be soft but still cool to the touch.
- Vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring: I highly recommend using gel food coloring for this project because the coloring is highly concentrated and won’t water down the buttercream. I like to use Americolor brand: I used Regal Purple and Electric Purple for the purple buttercream and Leaf Green for the flower leaves.
For the Decorations
- Purple sparkling sugar: To make the textured outside coating of the sugar egg, I used purple sparkling sugar.
- Royal icing daisy flowers: Since this cake is a little labor intensive, I decided to use some premade decorations. These royal icing daisy flowers are optional, but very cute and easy to use.
- Easter candy: Use your creativity to design the cut-out Easter scene. You can use chocolate figurines, jelly beans, chocolate eggs, or any other seasonal candy you’d like.
Equipment
To get the right look, you’ll need some specialty equipment and tools. Take a look and make sure you’ve got everything you need to get started. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)
- Football cake pan: I used a 12x8x3-inch football cake pan to make the egg shape. You’ll need to make the cake twice — once for the top of the egg and once for the bottom of the egg. To save time, you could purchase two football pans and bake the top and bottom at the same time. I recommend spraying the pan(s) well with nonstick cooking spray.
- Stand mixer: It’s best to use a stand mixer for this recipe, especially when making the buttercream. It needs to mix for an extended amount of time and your arms will be exhausted if you try making it with a hand mixer.
- Wire rack: Place the cakes on a wire rack to cool.
- Small saucepan: Choose a small saucepan that lets you fit the base of the stand mixer snugly into the top of the saucepan—this will be your makeshift hot water bath.
- Whisk: You’ll need a whisk to whip the egg whites and sugar over the water bath.
- Cake boards: Use a cake board, trimmed to the size of the cake, to build the cake on. Having a cake board on the bottom will also be helpful when it is time to cover the cake with the sparkling sugar because it gives you something to hold on to while decorating.
- Rimmed baking sheet: For easy clean up, decorate the cake with sparkling sugar over a rimmed baking sheet to catch excess sugar.
- Piping tools: To make the panoramic scene you’ll need the following piping tools: piping bags, piping couplers, a small leaf tip, a grass tip, a small or medium open star tip to make the shell borders, and a small round tip to make the vines or pipe a message.
- Offset spatula: Use an offset spatula to frost the cake.
- Serrated knife: To shape the cakes into an egg shape and create layers, you’ll need a serrated knife. You’ll also use the knife and a spoon to scoop out an space for the panoramic scene.
Ready to Make These?
- Get the recipe below 👇👇
- Scroll below the recipe for step-by-step photos
- Read important FAQs and more
Leave a Review!
If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe below, and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram @elabau, or use #sugarhero on IG!
Sugar Easter Egg Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake- Make this recipe TWICE:
- 8 oz unsalted butter at room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- 12.25 oz granulated sugar (1 ¾ cups)
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 9.5 oz all-purpose flour (2 ¼ cups)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the Frosting:
- 12 large egg whites
- 18.66 oz granulated sugar (2 2/3 cups)
- 1.33 lbs unsalted butter soft but still cool
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Assorted gel food coloring I used Americolor brand: I used Royal Purple and Electric Purple, Leaf Green for the primary frosting colors
For the Decorations:
- 16 oz purple sanding sugar not all will be used on the cake
- Royal icing daisy flowers
- Chocolate Easter figurines
- Jelly beans or chocolate eggs
- Other Easter candies as desired
Instructions
To Make the Cake:
- Prepare to bake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 12x8x3-inch football cake pan with nonstick cooking spray, and place it on a baking sheet.
- Cream wet ingredients: In the bowl of a large stand mixer, combine the softened butter, cream cheese, and sugar. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix it in. The batter might appear a little broken at this point—that’s okay.
- Mix dry ingredients, add to wet: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until they’re combined. Finish stirring everything together with a spatula, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Fill pan: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer.
- Bake: Bake the cake for about 65-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. If the top starts to get too dark while baking, loosely tent the top with foil to prevent overbrowning.
- Cool completely: Once the cake is baked, let it cool at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
- Make and cool second cake: Repeat this process to make a second football cake. The cakes need to be completely cool before assembly. They can be made in advance, wrapped in plastic, and stored in the freezer until ready to use. Partially defrost them before assembly.
To Make the Frosting:
- Simmer water: Start your makeshift hot water bath by adding 1-2 inches of water to the bottom of a small saucepan that will let you fit the base of the stand mixer snugly on top. Bring the water to a simmer.
- Heat egg whites and sugar: Combine the egg whites and the granulated sugar in the bowl of a large stand mixer, and whisk them together. Place the mixing bowl on top of the saucepan, making sure that the bottom isn’t in contact with the water, and heat the egg white mixture. Whisk frequently so that the egg whites don’t cook. Continue to heat the whites until they are hot to the touch, and when you rub a bit between your fingers, you don’t feel any grittiness from the sugar. Once the whites are hot, transfer the mixing bowl to your mixer and fit it with a whisk attachment.
- Whip meringue: Beat the whites on medium-high speed until they are a shiny, stiff, voluminous meringue, and are no longer warm to the touch—feel the outside of the bowl, and make sure that it is around room temperature. Depending on your mixer and the temperature of your environment, this may take 15-20 minutes, or more.
- Add butter chunks: Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the softened but cool butter in small chunks, a tablespoon at a time, making sure to wait in between additions. It may separate or look a little gloopy at this point—this is normal!
- Whip till fluffy, add vanilla and salt: Once all of the butter is added, increase the speed again and whip until it comes together and is light and fluffy. If, after 5 minutes, it hasn’t come together, refrigerate the mixing bowl for 5-7 minutes, to cool the mixture down, and whip it again until it has thickened and is smooth and silky. Add the vanilla extract and salt.
- Use or chill: The buttercream can be made in advance and kept at room temperature if you’re going to use it the same day, or refrigerated. If it has been chilled, let it sit at room temperature until completely soft, then re-whip it to get the smooth texture back before you use it.
To Assemble And Decorate:
- Divide and color frosting: Remove 2-1/2 cups of frosting from the bowl. Color 1 cup of this frosting green, and place it in a piping bag. Leave the other 1 ½ cups white, and place it in a separate piping bag. Color all of the remaining frosting purple.
- Prep bottom cake: Trim off the rounded bottom of one of the football cakes so that it will sit flat. Cut out a stiff piece of cake board to be the approximate shape of the bottom of your football cake. Flip the cake over so the flat bottom rests on the cake board.
- Cut cake layers: Trim the long flat tops of both cakes until they are even. Then slice both cakes into two layers, giving you a total of four cake layers total—the trimmed rounded bottom, two long wide layers for the center of the cake and one rounded piece for the top of the cake.
- Stack and frost first layer: Spread an even layer of purple buttercream onto the bottom cake layer, about 1/4-inch thick. Note: Before adding the next piece, take note that the long wide layers that are being used for the center of the cake are not perfectly rectangular. Due to the round shape of the cake pan, you'll notice that one side is slightly wider and the other is slightly narrower. The second layer should have the narrow side pointing down and the third layer should have the narrow side pointing up. That means that the widest parts of the 2nd and 3rd layers will be in the center of the cake, becoming more narrow as they connect with the rounded bottom and top pieces.
- Stack and frost second and third layers: Place a long wide cake layer with the narrowest part pointing downward on top of the first layer and spread more frosting on top. Place the remaining long wide cake layer with the narrowest part pointing upward on top to form the third layer. Then add buttercream to the third cake layer.
- Place final layer and chill: Place the final rounded cake layer on top. You should have a vaguely egg shaped cake now! Chill the cake well, until the buttercream is firm.
- Trim and shave cake edges into egg shape: Use a serrated knife to trim around the edges of the chilled cake to make it egg shaped. Shave off any protruding edges, and shave down the pointy sides.
- Carve spot for panoramic scene: Once you're happy with the shape, use a knife and a spoon to carve out a hollow in the center of the cake for the panoramic scene. Carve an outline with the knife, and scoop out the insides with a spoon. The exact size is up to you, but be sure to leave a margin around the top and sides so the cake is stable (and leave enough cake to eat!) Look at the size of the candies you want to use in the scene and use those to help you determine the size of the hollow.
- Add crumb coat and chill: Spread a thin layer of purple frosting all along the outside of the cake to lock in crumbs, and spread a thin layer of white frosting on the inside of the hollow. Refrigerate the cake again until the frosting is firm.
- Frost outside and cover with sugar: Spread a thicker layer of purple frosting along the outside of the cake and smooth it out. Pour the purple sparkling sugar into a bowl set on a rimmed baking sheet. Hold the cake on a cake board in one hand, and use your other hand to grab handfuls of sparkling sugar. Pour the sugar over the frosted cake and press gently to adhere it to the frosting. Let the excess sparkling sugar fall onto the baking sheet for easy clean-up later. Cover the whole outside of the cake with sparkling sugar.
- Decorate panoramic scene: To decorate the inside, fit the green frosting bag with a leaf tip, and pipe leaves trailing up the walls of the hollow. Switch to a grass tip, and pipe grass on the bottom. Now add your candy decorations! Flowers, candy eggs, and chocolate animals are all great choices, but use whatever you have available.
- Add border: Finish by fitting a small or medium open star tip on the piping bag filled with white buttercream. Pipe a shell border around the outside of the panoramic scene to make it look more polished. You can also pipe more shells around the entire cake, if you’d like.
- Add finishing touches: Finally, place a small round tip on the green piping bag and pipe swirly vines on top of the egg. Add flowers, either purchased royal icing flowers or homemade buttercream roses, and finish it off with small leaves here and there. You can also write a customized Easter message on your egg if you’d like.
- Serve or store: For the best taste and texture, serve this cake at room temperature. It can be kept, well-wrapped, at room temperature for several days, or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Video
Notes
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Nutrition
🥣How to Make A Sugar Easter Egg Cake
This cake takes a bit of planning, mostly because you’ll need to make the pound cake recipe twice, and it requires some extensive chilling times throughout the entire project. Be sure to read through the recipe before getting started, and leave yourself plenty of time to work on the cake! Full instructions are included in the recipe card above.
Here’s how it all come together:
- Make 2 rounded pound cakes: The two batches of pound cake batter are baked in a football cake mold–this will help us achieve that signature egg shape!
- Cut, stack, and frost cake layers: Both cakes will be cut in half and layered one on top of the other with buttercream in between. Once stacked the cake will need to be chilled well.
- Shape the chilled cake: You’ll use a serrated knife to shape the chilled cake into an egg shape. Then you’ll hollow out a cavity in the center of the cake for the Easter scene.
- Apply crumb coat and chill: Now the outside of the cake gets a thin crumb coat of frosting, and another chill in the fridge.
- Frost outside of the cake: The cake is frosted again, with a thicker layer of buttercream this time.
- Apply sparkling sugar: To get the full sugar egg look, sparkling sugar is pressed all over the outside of the cake.
- Finish the cake: Time for decorating! Create your panoramic scene with frosting leaves, candy accents, flowers, and any other flourishes. Add a shell border and embellish the top. Yesssss! Keep reading for more decorating ideas.
💭Decorating A Sugar Easter Egg Cake
Decorating this cake is the most fun part! To come up with my design, I browsed the Internet, looking at lots of different panoramic sugar egg designs to get inspiration. They ranged from simple to quite ornate, and I think my final design ended up somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. You can go as big or as restrained as you want.
One thing all sugar eggs have in common is the central panoramic scene. They almost always include Easter figures like chicks, bunnies, ducks, or geese, along with Easter eggs and flowers. For my cake, I first filled in the cake’s center with some buttercream grass and leaves, then added a white chocolate rabbit with chocolate eggs and royal icing flowers.
Then along the outside and top of the cake, I added a shell border, green vines and leaves, and some buttercream roses. Over the top, or just the right amount of extra? You decide!
Other things you can add to your sugar egg cake:
- Coconut grass
- Jelly beans
- Candy carrots
- Marshmallow flowers
- Fondant ribbon
- Sprinkles and other small decor
- Custom frosting messages
💡Tips and FAQs for Success
When attempting a labor intensive cake, avoid common mistakes by reading through these tips and common questions before getting started. You’re guaranteed to make the most beautiful cake!
- Measure with precision. Either use a kitchen scale (the best!), or be attentive when using measuring cups and spoons, especially when it comes to flour. Measure your flour by spooning it into your measuring cup, then use the back of a knife to level off the top of the cup. This method is better and more precise than just dipping your measuring cup in the flour bin to fill it. When you dip your cup in to fill it, the flour gets compacted and you end up with more flour per cup than the recipe calls for. More flour = dry cake.
- Don’t overmix the cake batter. A common mistake when making cake is overmixing the batter. If you continue mixing after the ingredients are combined, the gluten in the flour will become over-actived, and you’ll end up with tough, dense cake.
- Use room temperature ingredients. One of the best ways to make sure you don’t overmix the batter is to use room temperature butter, cream cheese, and eggs for the cake. Once these ingredients have a warmed a bit, they’ll blend more easily with the other ingredients and be less prone to forming lumps.
No. This cake design requires a sturdy, stable cake recipe, and cake mixes produce a cake that is quite soft. If you have a favorite homemade cake recipe that you know is sturdy, you can swap that in, but I do not recommend using a boxed mix for this one. (Sorry!)
Again, no. Canned frosting won’t give you enough stability or support. You need either a good Swiss meringue buttercream or American buttercream for this recipe. I’ve provided a Swiss meringue that I love, but you can use American if you prefer. Just don’t bring out the jars of frosting!
No, but I do recommend it. I chose the football cake mold because it will produce the least amount of waste. You’ll have to do very little trimming of the cake to achieve an egg shape. But if you have a different cake pan that you think will also work to create an egg shape, of course you can use that instead. The football pan is 12 x 8 x 3 inches, if you use a different pan that’s a different size, you may need to adjust baking time and the amount of batter you use.
Make-ahead: The cakes can be made in advance, wrapped in plastic, and stored in the freezer until ready to use. Partially defrost them before assembly. The buttercream can also be made in advance and refrigerated. If it has been chilled, let it sit at room temperature until completely soft, then re-whip it to get the smooth texture back before you use it.
Storage: You can store the well-wrapped cake at room temperature for 2-3 days, or in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. For the best taste and texture, serve cake at room temperature so that the buttercream softens.
Browse More:
EASTER CAKE RECIPES 🐇
We’ve rounded up 35 adorable Easter cake recipes that will make your holiday extra-special — click here to get all the recipes!
Easter Egg Brownies 25 Mar 10:33 AM (3 months ago)
These Easter Egg Brownies have triple the chocolate flavor! They’re rich, fudgy brownies, topped with a glossy dark chocolate frosting, and finished with colorful Cadbury mini eggs on top.
🥚 Cadbury Mini Egg Brownies
Fudgy brownies get a holiday makeover with the addition of colorful chocolate eggs to make these Easter Egg Brownies!
Top these rich homemade brownies with a layer of glossy chocolate frosting and festive chocolate eggs, and you’ve got a showstopping treat that’s perfect for Easter celebrations or any spring occasion.
You’ll love the balance of flavors and textures – the brownies are moist and chewy with a deep chocolate flavor, the frosting is light yet indulgent, and the chocolate eggs add a fun crunch and pop of color.
There are 3 simple steps to making these: Bake the brownies until they’re just set in the center, then let them cool completely before frosting. The real magic happens when you spread on the luscious frosting and arrange the chocolate eggs on top. Slice and serve these decorated brownies for an Easter dessert that’s guaranteed to have guests going back for seconds.
More Easter goodies
If you find yourself with extra Cadbury eggs left over after making these brownies, put them to good use and make our Bird’s Nest Cupcakes, Chocolate Nest Cookies, Easter Basket Cupcakes, or this cute Easter Nest Cake!
Table of Contents
🧾 What You’ll Need
Ingredients
Here’s what you need to know as you gather ingredients for these brownies. (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)
- Chocolate: Semi-sweet chocolate is chopped and used twice in the brownie recipe: some is melted into the batter, and some is left in chunks and folded in at the end. Avoid using chocolate chips – instead, opt for good-quality bar chocolate.
- Cocoa powder: Cocoa powder is used in both the brownies and the frosting. I recommend using a high-quality cocoa powder for the best results. My personal favorite is Cacao Barry Extra Brute – it hits that sweet spot between very high quality but also pretty affordable since it is sold in bulk. Whatever you use, look for cocoa that is dutch-processed (also known as alkalized), because it has a deeper, richer flavor and color.
- Granulated sugar: Is whisked with eggs in the brownie batter
- Powdered sugar: Make sure you sift the powdered sugar after measuring, but before adding to the frosting.
- Eggs: Use large eggs, and make sure they are at room temperature.
- Flour: We’re using just a bit of all-purpose flour to hold the batter together.
- Vanilla and salt: Two must-have flavorings for both the brownies and frosting!
- Milk: You can use any fat percentage of milk in the frosting – just make sure it’s at room temp.
- Butter: We’re using unsalted butter in both the brownies and frosting. You can swap in salted butter – just reduce (or omit) the additional salt.
- Baking powder: Gives the brownies a little lift and keeps them from being too dense.
- Cadbury mini eggs: You can use any chocolate eggs you’d like. Or forgo the eggs entirely and use your favorite Easter sprinkles, pastel jimmies, or whatever other decorations you’d like!
Equipment
- 8×8 baking pan: An 8×8-inch pan is the perfect size for these brownies. If you like thin brownies, you can use a 9×9 pan instead. Or double the recipe and bake it in a 9×13-inch pan.
- Whisk: No mixer required – a whisk is truly the only tool you need to combine the batter!
- Wire strainer: I recommend using a wire strainer to sift the dry ingredients into the brownie batter. It prevents lumps in the batter and gives the brownies great texture.
- Parchment paper:Line your pan with parchment paper for easy removal and clean-up.
Ready to Make These?
- Get the recipe below 👇👇
- Scroll below the recipe for step-by-step photos
- Read important tips, variations, FAQs, and more
🐣 More Easter Desserts
Leave a Review!
If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe below, and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram @elabau, or use #sugarhero on IG!
Easter Egg Brownies
Ingredients
For the brownies:
- 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate
- 3 oz unsalted butter
- 4.5 oz granulated sugar (⅔ cup)
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 oz all-purpose flour (⅓ cup)
- 0.75 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (¼ cup)
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
For the frosting and decoration:
- 2 oz unsalted butter (4 TBSP)
- 1 oz unsweetened cocoa powder (⅓ cup)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 TBSP milk at room temperature
- 8 oz powdered sugar (2 cups) sifted
- Chocolate eggs or other candies for decorating
Instructions
To make the brownies:
- Heat oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177C°).
- Prepare pan: Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper so that it extends up and over the sides, and spray the bottom and sides of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Chop and divide chocolate: Chop the semi-sweet chocolate into small chunks. Separate out half of the chunks (4 oz, or about ⅔ cup) and save for later.
- Combine and melt chocolate and butter: Combine the remaining 4 oz chocolate chunks and the butter in a medium bowl. Heat them together in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring regularly, until the butter and chocolate are melted and smooth. (Alternately, melt them together in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring often.)
- Whisk eggs and sugar: Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a large bowl for about 2 minutes. They should look light yellow and frothy at the end. Stir in the vanilla.
- Mix chocolate mixture into egg mixture: Pour the chocolate mixture into the eggs and whisk them together for 1 minute, or until well-combined. The batter should be glossy and smooth, with the texture of chocolate pudding.
- Sift dry ingredients into batter: Place a wire strainer over the bowl, and sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt over the chocolate-egg mixture.
- Stir batter, fold in chocolate chunks: Gently stir everything together until the streaks of flour disappear. Finally, fold the remaining semi-sweet chocolate chunks into the brownie batter.
- Bake: Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and bake at 350 for 21-24 minutes, until it is puffed, shiny, and crackly on top. Start checking for doneness after 20 minutes of baking. A toothpick inserted into the center should have just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool: Let the brownies cool completely before frosting them.
To make the frosting and decorate:
- Melt butter: Melt the butter in a medium bowl in the microwave or in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. The butter should be warm and completely melted, but not boiling.
- Mix with cocoa powder: Remove it from the heat, and whisk the cocoa powder into the butter until the mixture is very shiny and there are no lumps.
- Add salt, vanilla, and milk: Add salt, vanilla, and 3 TBSP milk, and whisk well.
- Mix in powdered sugar, frost brownies: Whisk in the powdered sugar. Once everything is completely smooth, scrape the frosting on the pan of cooled brownies and spread it evenly to the edges. It’s important to frost the brownies right away, as the frosting will get firm as it cools down and won’t spread smoothly.
- Decorate with candy: Dot the top of the brownies with chocolate eggs and press them gently into the frosting.
- Set frosting: Let the frosting set for 1-2 hours at room temperature, or about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Cut: Remove the brownies from the pan using the parchment paper as handles. Cut into 16 squares, and serve.
- Store: Brownies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days.
Video
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Nutrition
📸 Photo Tutorial: How to Make Easter Egg Brownies
Here’s a step-by-step guide for making Easter Egg Brownies. Grab a printable version of this in the recipe card above.
To Make the Brownies:
- Prep the chocolate: Chop 8-oz of semi-sweet chocolate, and divide it in half. Set 4-oz aside for now.
- Melt half the chocolate with butter: Combine the other 4-oz of chocolate with 3-oz of butter, and melt them together in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring well between each heating until smooth. Or, heat over low heat on the stove, stirring constantly until completely melted and smooth.
- Cool chocolate mixture: Once the chocolate mixture is fully melted and combined, let it cool on the countertop for a few minutes while you continue with the recipe.
- Whisk eggs and sugar: Whisk 2 large eggs and 4.5 oz granulated sugar (2/3 cup) together in a large bowl for about 2 minutes. They should look light yellow and frothy at the end.
- Add vanilla to egg mixture: Whisk 2 tsp vanilla extract into the eggs.
- Add chocolate mixture to the egg mixture: Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the eggs, and whisk them together for 1 minute, or until well-combined. The batter should be glossy and smooth, with the texture of chocolate pudding. Don’t skimp on this step – it improves the texture of the brownies and gives them that crackly top!
- Sift dry ingredients into the batter: Set a wire strainer over the bowl, and sift 1.50 oz (1/3 cup) flour, 0.75 oz (1/4 cup) cocoa, 1/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt on top.
- Stir to combine: Gently stir just until the streaks of flour disappear and everything is combined.
- Fold in chocolate chunks: Add the reserved 4-oz of chopped chocolate to the brownie batter and stir it in.
- Fill baking pan: Spread the batter in an 8×8-inch pan lined with parchment and sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.
- Bake and cool: Bake the brownies at 350 F for 22-25 minutes, until they are puffed, shiny, and crackly on top. A toothpick inserted into the center should have just a few moist crumbs attached. Let the brownies cool completely.
To Make the Frosting:
- Melt butter: Melt 2-oz of butter in a large microwave-safe bowl.
- Add cocoa powder: Add 1-oz (1/3 cup) high-quality cocoa powder to the warm butter, and whisk until smooth, glossy, and free of lumps.
- Whisk in salt, vanilla, and milk: Add 1/4 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla, and 3 TBSP of milk to the bowl, and whisk those in as well.
- Add powdered sugar: Finally, add 2 cups of sifted powdered sugar, and whisk until everything is smooth and shiny.
- Frost immediately: Scrape the frosting on top of the baked and cooled brownies. It’s important to frost the brownies right away, since it will firm up as it cools down and be difficult to spread.
- Make frosting swirls: Use a small spatula to spread the frosting evenly over the top of the brownies. I love to make small swirls with this frosting – I think it looks beautifully rustic that way.
- Decorate: Add chocolate eggs or Easter sprinkles on top of the frosting.
- Set the frosting: Let the frosting set at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Cut: For the cleanest cuts, cut the brownies when they’re chilled, and rinse off your knife in hot water between each cut.
💭 Variations
Here are a few ideas for making these brownies your own:
- Flavors: try adding flavoring extracts like mint, almond, or orange, or stirring in a teaspoon of espresso powder to both the batter and frosting. Coordinate the flavors of the candy eggs on top to match the flavors of the brownies.
- Mix-ins: Swap the chocolate chunks for something else like white chocolate, peanut butter chips, caramel chips, or toasted nuts.
- Decorating: skip the frosting and drizzle unfrosted brownies with chocolate or caramel sauce, or just keep things simple and opt for a light dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa powder.
- Toppings: frost the brownies, and instead of chocolate eggs, use your favorite Easter sprinkles, toffee bits, crushed cookies, or other Easter candies.
💡 Brownie FAQs
Here are a few things you can do to prevent dry brownies:
– Don’t over-mix the batter. Mixing longer than necessary leads to tough, dry brownies.
– Use an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is accurate.
– Additionally, start checking for doneness before the stated time. All ovens and pans are different, so your baking time may vary.
– Use a toothpick in the center of the brownie pan. You don’t want the toothpick to be gooey, but you do want to see some crumbs attached to it.
– The brownies will continue to cook for a bit after they come out of the oven, so if you’re not sure, err on the side of under-baking. Fudgy brownies are better than dry brownies!
Yes, a boxed mix will work. Scratch brownies will have a richer, more decadent flavor, but once you add the frosting and chocolate eggs, you’ll have plenty of decadence already!
Make sure the brownies have cooled completely before frosting them. As soon as the frosting is made, scrape it on top of the cooled brownies in the pan, and spread it in an even layer, using a small spatula to make swirls on the top of the frosting. The frosting will start to set soon after it’s made, so it’s important to use it right away.
Store these brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days, or the refrigerator for up to a week. You can stack them in a double layer with parchment between the layers – the frosting forms a crust, so as long as you don’t put a lot of weight on them, it should stay nice.
🍫 Tips For Brownie Success
Here are our top baking tips for making delicious brownies:
- Use good quality ingredients – High quality cocoa powder, chocolate, butter, and vanilla extract make a big difference in flavor.
- Use room temperature ingredients – This allows for proper blending and prevents overmixing. To quickly warm up your eggs, place them in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes. To warm up butter, microwave it at half power in 5-10 second intervals, flipping and checking frequently so it doesn’t start melting.
- Don’t skip the salt – A bit of salt enhances the chocolate flavor and cuts sweetness.
- Don’t overmix the batter – Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, resulting in dry, tough brownies. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Fold in extras gently – For mix-ins like nuts or chocolate chips, use a folding motion to avoid overmixing.
- Use the right pan – Use a light-colored metal pan for even browning, or a glass pan if you like crispy edges. Line with parchment for easy removal, and spray with nonstick spray or brush with cake goop.
- Check doneness correctly – Don’t overbake. Brownies are done when a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Underbake slightly – Always err on the side of underbaking. Fudgy, gooey brownies are preferable to dry, cakey ones for most brownie lovers.
- Let cool completely before cutting – Cutting warm brownies leads to crumbly, messy edges. Most brownies cut best when the brownies are slightly chilled. For the cleanest cuts, rinse the knife with hot water between every cut.
- Add extra flavors – Boost flavor with espresso powder, cinnamon, orange zest, or extracts like mint, almond, or coconut.
Frosted Easter Brownies (with Malted Milk Eggs) 23 Mar 10:47 AM (3 months ago)
These Frosted Easter Brownies are ultra-fudgy brownies, packed with malted milk Easter egg candies and topped with chocolate frosting and LOTS of fun sprinkles and candies! They’re perfect for Easter, showers, and springtime birthday parties.
🥚 Pastel Easter Brownies
It’s hard to argue with classic brownies. There’s something about the crisp top, soft interior, and rich, decadent chocolate flavor that is pretty hard to beat. But sometimes classic brownies need a colorful twist–and these Frosted Easter Egg Brownies do just that!
These brownies started off innocently enough. I had a big bag of malted milk Easter eggs (a family favorite!) and decided to chop them up and add them to brownie batter. Then I decided to add malted milk chocolate frosting, to tie in that malty flavor, and because chocolate desserts always need more chocolate, right? One thing lead to another, and pretty soon I was loading them up with sprinkles and whatever Easter candy I could find laying around: Sixlets, sugar pearls, swirled chocolate bark, and more.
These springtime brownies are sweet and fudgy, colorful and festive, and incredibly delicious! They’re also really flexible, so you can use whatever candy and sprinkles you have on hand. Read on to learn how to make them!
More Brownie Recipes
Love ultra-chocolatey desserts? You’ve got to try our Easter Egg Brownies, Salted Fudge Brownies, Ultimate Fudgy Chocolate Brownies, and Cosmic Brownie Mini Cakes!
Table of Contents
🧾What You’ll Need
Ingredients
Most of the ingredients for these Easter candy brownies can probably be found in your fridge or pantry. Just a couple specialty ingredients needed to make these brownies springy and festive! (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)
- Semi-sweet chocolate: I used Pound Plus 54% Cocoa Dark Chocolate from Trader Joes which melts deliciously and adds just the right amount of extra sweetness to the brownies and frosting.
- Unsweetened chocolate: Since chocolate is arguably the most important component of chocolate brownies, use the good stuff! For the unsweetened chocolate, I used Guittard 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate.
- Butter and salt: I prefer to use unsalted butter so that I can control the salt content more precisely. If you don’t have unsalted butter, make sure to omit the excess salt. For the brownies, cube the butter into chunks; they’ll be melted right into the chocolate. Use room temperature butter for the frosting to prevent lumps.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs: Use large eggs (not medium or extra large).
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract provides the best flavor.
- Flour: Take care to measure the all-purpose flour correctly. Use a food scale if possible. Too much flour will make the brownies overly dense.
- Chocolate malted milk powder: To enhance the chocolatey flavor of the brownies and tie in the flavor of the malted milk eggs, you’ll need some chocolate malted milk powder for both the brownie batter and the chocolate frosting! I used Olvaltine brand.
- Powdered sugar: Helps to sweeten and thicken the frosting.
- Milk: To thin the frosting to the right consistency. Use any percentage of milk you’d like.
- Candy mix-ins and toppings: I top the brownies off with pastel malted candy eggs, Sixlets, sugar pearls, sprinkles, and/or chocolate bark (learn how to make swirled chocolate bark discs below). Feel free to swap in your personal favorites instead!
Equipment
You’ll only need a few kitchen tools to get started on these ultra rich and fudgy brownies! (Links are affiliate links and I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.)
- Foil and nonstick spray: To make sure the brownies don’t stick to the pan, line it with foil and then coat it with nonstick spray.
- 9×13 baking pan: This recipe makes a large pan of brownies. I like to use a 9×13 baking pan with squared corners so that all the brownies have nice straight edges once they are cut.
- Saucepan: You’ll need a small saucepan to melt the chocolate and butter in.
- Whisk and mixer: I prefer to mix the brownie batter by hand with a whisk. It’s best to use a stand mixer or hand mixer for the frosting.
Ready to Make These?
- Get the recipe below 👇👇
- Scroll below the recipe for step-by-step photos
- Read important FAQs and more
💜 More Easter Desserts
Leave a Review!
If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on the recipe below, and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram @elabau, or use #sugarhero on IG!
Frosted Easter Brownies
Ingredients
For the Brownies:
- 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
- 4 oz unsweetened chocolate finely chopped
- 8 oz unsalted butter cubed
- 10.5 oz granulated sugar (1.5 cups)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4.25 oz all-purpose flour (1 cup)
- 1.85 oz chocolate malted milk powder (1/2 cup), I used Ovaltine brand
- ½ tsp salt
- 6 oz malted milk eggs (1 cup), plus more for decorating, I used Brach's brand
- 3 oz chocolate chunks (1/2 cup)
For the Frosting and Assembly:
- 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate (1 cup), finely chopped
- 16 oz powdered sugar (4 cups)
- 8 oz unsalted butter (2 sticks), at room temperature
- 1.87 oz chocolate malted milk powder (1/2 cup), I used Ovaltine brand
- 4 tbsp milk plus more if necessary
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the Toppings (optional):
- Candy eggs pastel colored
- Sixlets pastel colored
- Sugar pearls
- Chocolate bark
Instructions
To Make the Brownies:
- Prepare to bake: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil, extending the foil up and over the sides, and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- Heat chocolate and butter: Place the finely chopped chocolate in a large saucepan, and gently heat it over low heat, stirring often, until it is nearly melted. Add the cubed butter and stir it in until the butter is melted. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Add sugar, eggs, and vanilla: Add the granulated sugar and stir it into the chocolate—it will become grainy. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, and continue to whisk until the batter loses its grainy texture and becomes smoother and thicker—it will start to clump together and feel thick like chocolate pudding. This may take several minutes of whisking, but this process gives the brownies a better final texture.
- Add dry ingredients and mix-ins: Finally, add the flour, malted milk powder, and salt, and stir it together with a spatula. Add the malted milk eggs and chocolate chunks, scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth it into an even layer.
- Bake and cool: Bake the brownies at 350 F for 30-35 minutes, rotating halfway through. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center is no longer gooey but still has moist crumbs attached. Cool completely before adding the frosting.
To Make the Malted Milk Chocolate Frosting:
- Melt chocolate: Place the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and melt it in 30-second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Combine remaining frosting ingredients: Place the remaining ingredients (sugar through salt) in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the sugar is thoroughly moistened, then raise the speed to medium and beat for 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add chocolate to frosting mixture: Turn the mixer speed back to low, and add the chocolate. Once the chocolate is mixed in, raise the speed back to medium and beat for one minute more. If the frosting seems too stiff, add a bit more milk until you get a texture you like.
- Make-ahead and storage: Use immediately, or place in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed on top. The frosting can be made several days in advance and kept in the refrigerator. Allow to come to room temperature before using.
To Decorate:
- Frost: To finish the brownies, spread the frosting all over the top of the cooked brownies, and create swirls with the back of a spoon.
- Decorate: Sprinkle your toppings all over the top: use a variety of shapes and colors for maximum fun! Press down gently on the larger items to embed them in the frosting.
- Chill and serve: If you have time, chill the brownies before cutting them—having the brownies and frosting firm will give you really clean cuts. Before serving, top each brownie with a piece of swirled chocolate bark (optional but fun!). For the best taste and texture, enjoy these brownies at room temperature.
- Storage: Keep brownies in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Nutrition
🍫 How to Make Swirled Chocolate Bark Discs
The little discs of swirled pastel chocolate on top of the brownies are completely optional–and completely adorable! If you want to give them a try, you’ll need:
- 5 oz chocolate candy coating (like Wilton’s Candy Melts)
- 4-5 different colors of pastel candy coating, about 1 oz of each color
Step-by-Step Directions
- Prepare pan, melt candy: Line a baking sheet with waxed paper or aluminum foil. Melt each color of candy coating in its own bowl in the microwave.
- Spread chocolate candy on pan: Pour the chocolate coating onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it into a layer less than ¼-inch thick.
- Drizzle remaining candy colors: Drizzle the other colors on top of the chocolate in a random pattern. No need to be precise—just dip a spoon in the color and fling it around over the chocolate! Repeat until the chocolate is covered with a web of different colors.
- Use toothpick to swirl candy: Take a toothpick and swirl it through the bark, creating swirls of chocolate and pastel colors. Stop while you still have distinct swirls so the colors don’t get muddy.
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate the tray to set the coating, for about 15 minutes. Once set, remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.
- Cut: Use small cookie cutters to cut shapes out the swirled bark, or just break them into shards by hand. The bark can be made several weeks in advance.
💭Variations
Now, I’m a big fan of these brownies just as they are. However, brownies are incredibly customizable. Feel free to have a little fun and play around with the recipe!
- Add nuts. Mix some chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter or layer them on top for a little extra crunch.
- Add marshmallows. Mini marshmallows are an excellent addition to the brownies or they can be used as another topping.
- Use other candies. Top these brownies off with any candies your heart desires. You can use other Easter candies like Jordan Almonds or Peeps OR you can venture into any other type of candy. Try M&Ms, mini Reese’s peanut butter cups, or your favorite chopped up candy bars.
💡 Tips and FAQs for Success
- Whisk well. When you mix together the chocolate, sugar, eggs, and vanilla, you may need to whisk for several minutes to achieve the right texture. It should feel thick almost like chocolate pudding by the time you’re done whisking. This gives the final product a better texture!
- Rotate the pan. I recommend rotating the pan in the oven halfway through the cooking time to ensure the brownies cook evenly.
- Cool completely. Make sure you let the brownies cool completely before you add the frosting. If they’re still warm, the frosting will just melt.
- Chill the brownies. After the brownies are frosted, pop them in the fridge for a while before you slice them. Chilled brownies are easier to slice with a clean cut.
- Serve at room temp. You can enjoy these brownies cold but I like to set them out at room temperature for a little bit before serving so they can get extra soft and gooey.
The key to ultra-fudgy brownies is to under-bake them slightly. I recommend baking them until a toothpick inserted into the center is no longer gooey but still has a few moist crumbs attached. The brownies will set up as they cool and the texture will be perfectly soft and moist.
If your brownies came out chewy, they are likely over-baked. Again, take them out when the center is still moist. If they’re baked too long, they lose all of that moisture and become dry and chewy.
You can prep this recipe ahead of time by making the frosting and storing it in the fridge for a few days. Once the brownies are baked and frosted, they will last for up to 2 weeks in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. To freeze the brownies, leave them unfrosted and wrap them tightly to preserve freshness. When you’re ready to frost and serve them, thaw first in the fridge!
