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    Home » Dessert » No Bake Recipes

    Bird's Nest Cookies

    April 2, 2023 by Marley Braunlich 2 Comments

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    Jump to Recipe· 5 from 1 review

    These birds nest cookies are made with only 3 ingredients including puffed rice cereal, chocolate chips and creamy peanut butter. These no-bake treats are topped with mini Cadbury eggs. This is a festive recipe to make for Spring and Easter.

    These chocolate peanut butter treats are a healthier dessert option and taste like a decadent dessert without the hard work. They are also easily gluten-free, vegan and dairy-free.

    Birds nest cookies with mini chocolate eggs on a pink baking tray.

    If you love chocolate and peanut butter together, you will definitely love these no-bake treats. This recipe kind of reminds me of Muddy Buddies or Puppy Chow, which calls for similar ingredients.

    For more delicious Spring and Easter recipes, you have to try these Cadbury Egg Cookies, Copycat Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs and Sprinkle Sugar Cookies. These easy desserts will be a hit at your next family gathering!

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutions
    • Variations
    • How To Make Easter Birds Nest Cookies
    • Expert Baking Tips
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • More Recipes You'll Love
    • Recipe

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    • This recipe calls for only a few ingredients and uses pantry staples so you should already have everything you need at home.
    • The combination of peanut butter and rich chocolate makes these treats taste amazing!
    • The puffed rice cereal adds a wonderful crunch to these Easter cookies.
    • This is a no-bake cookie recipe and is easy to make.
    • These chocolate peanut butter rice treats are topped with mini Cadbury eggs to make them look like a bird's nest! This is a fun recipe to make for Spring or Easter.
    • This recipe is fun to make with kids or young baking enthusiasts.
    • These delicious bird nest cookies stay good for a week in the fridge so you can make them in advance and they still taste fresh.
    Birds nest cookies with mini chocolate eggs.

    Ingredients

    • Natural peanut butter (just peanuts and salt!)
    • Chocolate chips
    • Puffed rice cereal
    • Cadbury mini eggs, for topping

    See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

    Birds nest cookies with mini chocolate eggs on a pink baking tray.

    Substitutions

    Need to make a substitution or missing an ingredient? Here are some ways you can alter this recipe to fit your unique dietary needs.

    • Dairy-free? You’ll want to use dairy-free chocolate or chocolate chips to make this recipe without any dairy. Use dairy-free mini eggs or toppings.
    • Gluten-free? Make sure you choose a gluten-free cereal. Puffed rice cereal should already be gluten-friendly but you can look for a certified gluten-free brand.
    • Vegan? Use dairy-free chocolate or chocolate chips to make these treats vegan. Use vegan mini eggs or toppings.
    • Peanut butter? You can substitute the peanut butter for a different nut or seed butter of your choosing, such as almond butter or sunflower seed butter. I have only made these bird's nest cookies with natural, drippy peanut butter (ingredients are just peanuts and salt), but they should still work with traditional peanut butter like Jif or Skippy.

    Variations

    Here are a few ideas for customizing this recipe and making different flavor variations:

    • Switch up the chocolate! You can use dark, milk, bittersweet, semi-sweet, or even white chocolate.
    • Change up the toppings. Instead of Cadbury chocolate eggs, you can top these easter cookies with sprinkles, chopped nuts, peanut butter M&Ms or other types of mini eggs.
    • Add a little extra salt, vanilla extract, or cinnamon to the chocolate peanut butter mixture to mix up the taste.
    • Add some chopped peanuts or use chunky natural peanut butter for some crunch!
    • Use a different nut or seed butter like almond butter or sunflower butter. I have only made this recipe with natural peanut butter, so I can’t speak to how other nut or seed butter would taste. If you try making these with another nut or seed butter, leave a comment and let me know how they turned out. 

    This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!

    How To Make Easter Birds Nest Cookies

    A glass mixing bowl with peanut butter and chocolate chunks.

    Step 1: Add natural peanut butter, chocolate chips and butter to a bowl.

    A mixing bowl of melted chocolate and peanut butter mixed together.

    Step 2: Melt in the microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth and melted.

    A glass mixing bowl with melted chocolate and peanut butter and puffed rice cereal for birds nest cookies.

    Step 3: Add your puffed rice cereal to the melted chocolate peanut butter mixture.

    Chocolate peanut butter rice cereal mixture for birds nest cookies.

    Step 4: Use a rubber spatula or large spoon to fold the cereal until it is fully coated with the chocolate mixture. Adjust the amount of rice cereal if needed.

    Chocolate peanut butter rice cereal mixture in a muffin tin for birds nest cookies.

    Step 5: Grease a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Add the chocolate rice mixture into each muffin tin. Use a tablespoon to make a small indent in the center of each muffin cup. This is where the mini eggs will sit.

    Chocolate peanut butter rice cereal mixture in a muffin tin for birds nest cookies.

    Step 6: Place the muffin tin in the fridge or freezer until the chocolate is set.

    Birds nest cookies with mini chocolate eggs in a muffin tin.

    Step 7: Once the chocolate is set, slide a butter knife or the handle of a measuring cup along the side of the muffin tin to release and scoop the chocolate cookie cup out of the tin.

    Birds nest cookies with mini chocolate eggs on a pink baking tray.

    Step 8: Arrange the bird's nest cookie cups on a small baking tray or platter. Top each no-bake cookie with 3 mini eggs. Store in the fridge so the chocolate does not melt. Serve chilled.

    Expert Baking Tips

    • If using natural peanut butter (recommended), make sure it has a drippy, smooth consistency. A freshly opened jar works best.
    • Don't forget to grease your muffin tin so the birds nest cookie cups will easily slide out of the muffin tin.
    • Use a cookie scoop to portion the chocolate rice mixture into the prepared muffin tin.
    • Use the back of a tablespoon to make an indent in each filled muffin tin so the eggs can rest on the top of each cookie.
    • Freeze or refrigerate the chocolate rice cups in the muffin tin so they can set and hold their shape.
    • Store the finished birds nest cookies in the fridge so the chocolate remains hardened and they stay fresh.
    Birds nest cookies with mini chocolate eggs on a pink baking tray.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Have a question about this recipe? Here are some additional tips and commonly asked questions:

    How to decorate Easter cookies?

    You can decorate Easter cookies with mini chocolate eggs, festive sprinkles, peanut butter M&Ms, a chocolate drizzle, or even jelly beans.

    How to shape bird's nest cookies?

    Start by gently pressing the chocolate rice cereal mixture into a greased muffin tin. Next, use the back of a spoon or a tablespoon to make an indent in the center of each cookie cup. This will give you the right shape so the mini eggs can rest on top without falling off.

    Equipment

    This recipe does not require any baking and therefore does not require many baking tools. You will need a microwave-safe mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a rubber spatula, a cookie scoop, and a muffin tin to make this recipe.

    Storage

    Refrigerator Instructions

    Store finished birds nest cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days. Storing the chocolate peanut butter treats in the fridge helps maintain freshness and ensures the chocolate stays set. Plus, these treats taste better chilled.

    Freezing Instructions

    Place birds nest cookies (without the Cadbury eggs or other decoration on top) in a freezer storage bag and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge for a bit so the cookies can soften and add your desired topping before serving. Frozen and thawed treats may differ in texture and flavor than freshly made treats.

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      Strawberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
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      Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
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    Print

    Recipe

    No-Bake Birds Nest Cookies

    Birds nest cookies with mini chocolate eggs on a pink baking tray.
    Pin Recipe
    Print Recipe

    5 from 1 review

    These birds nest cookies are made with only 3 ingredients including puffed rice cereal, chocolate chips and creamy peanut butter. These no-bake treats are topped with mini Cadbury eggs. This is a festive recipe to make for Spring and Easter. 

    • Author: Marley Braunlich
    • Prep Time: 15
    • Total Time: 30
    • Yield: 12 1x
    • Category: Cookies, Dessert
    • Method: No-bake, Freezer
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 3 to 3 ½ cups puffed rice cereal
    • ½ cup creamy natural peanut butter
    • 1 cup chocolate chips or chunks (I use semi-sweet or dark chocolate)
    • Cadbury eggs, for topping

    Instructions

    1. Add natural peanut butter and chocolate chips to a bowl. Melt in the microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth and melted.
    2. Add the puffed rice cereal to the melted chocolate peanut butter mixture. Use a rubber spatula or large spoon to gently fold the cereal until it is fully coated with the chocolate mixture.
    3. Grease a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Add the chocolate rice mixture into each muffin tin. Use a tablespoon to make a small indent in the center of each muffin cup. This is where the Cadbury eggs will sit. Make sure you press the tablespoon in enough so you form an edge and the eggs won't roll out.
    4. Place the muffin tin in the fridge or freezer until the chocolate is set. Once the chocolate is set, slide a butter knife or the handle of a measuring cup along the side of the muffin tin to release and scoop the chocolate cookie cup out of the tin.
    5. Arrange the bird's nest cookie cups on a small baking tray or platter. Top each no-bake cookie with 3 mini eggs. Store in the fridge so the chocolate does not melt. Serve chilled. Cookies are best enjoyed within 7 to 10 days.

    Notes

    • See the blog post for more baking tips and details on how to customize this recipe.

    Keywords: birds nest cookies, no bake cookies, easter cookies, chocolate peanut butter cookies, bird's nest cookie recipe

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    LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!

    Did you try these easy bird nest cookies? Leave a five ⭐️ review below and tag @bakedabundance on Instagram & Facebook!

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    1. Sam

      April 30, 2023 at 11:34 pm

      These cookies are soo good and insanely easy to make! They are so cute and perfect for Easter and spring baking and especially fun to make with kids too. Thanks for an awesome and delicious recipe!






      Reply
      • Marley Braunlich

        May 01, 2023 at 8:08 pm

        Hey Sam, thank you for leaving a 5 star review for these easter bird nest cookies! I'm so glad you and your kids loved these chocolate peanut butter puffed rice treats. Enjoy!

        Reply

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    About Marley

    Hey, I'm Marley! I'm a recipe developer and food photographer based in Pittsburgh. I share traditional and allergen-friendly baking recipes that anyone can make! Learn more about my story and what Baked Abundance is all about here.

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