Homemade Reese's Candy

Easters sneaking up on us so I figured I'd better get started making some deliciousness for you guys.  This one has been on my list to try for a while.  Those little chocolate covered peanut butter eggs are addictive and so are these!  I personally think they taste even better than the store bought kind. 

No baking required, if you don't have a mixer that's OK too.  There's nothing stopping you from whipping some of these up for Easter (or anytime). Lots of sweetened peanut butter yumminess in the middle, covered in a layer of chocolate.  Feel free to use whatever is your favorite type of chocolate too.  I really want to try these with some dark chocolate next time. 

Perfect little treat for the kids this Easter!

Homemade Reese's Candy

Recipe from The Recipe Critic

Ingredients

• 3 cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
• 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1-2 bags milk chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp shortening

Cooking Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the powdered sugar, peanut butter, melted butter and milk. Start mixer on low speed until it begins to incorporate, then turn to medium and mix until combined.  The mixture will look a little dry and that's OK. 
2. Roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface or on some waxed paper until about 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a cookie cutter (egg shape for a traditional Reese's Egg) or any shape.  You can even use a knife to cut a design. 
3. Place the shapes on a cookie sheet and freeze for 1 hour. 
4. Melt a bag of chocolate chips with 1 Tbsp of shortening until smooth.  Usually you can microwave in 30 second increments and then a stir, repeat until smooth. 
5. Dip each cut out piece in chocolate and place on wax paper until set. Place leftovers in an airtight container or bag and refrigerate or even freeze. 

Butter Mints

My daughter and I had a great time making these little mints.  Such pretty colors to work into the dough with your hands.  It was like play dough that you could eat!  These mints were a lot easier to make then I thought they'd be.  No banking necessary.  You will need a little bit of hand strength to work in the colors, but it's a fun process and we both enjoyed it!

If you've ever bought the butter mints from the store you know what these are.  Only, these are much better.  After my husband ate one he couldn't believe how "smooth" they were.  They literally melt in your mouth.  The mint flavor is just as you'd expect for an after dinner mint but not so strong that you taste mint for 20 minutes after eating one.  Just perfect.

By the way, this is the second recipe I've made from this cookbook I borrowed from the library and I truly love it.  If you're a baker and you love old time recipes this book is for you (this is not a paid endorsement). "The Back In The Day Cookbook" by Cheryl and Griffith Day.  So awesome, the photo's are fantastic and the recipes have been awesome. I have to go out and get my own copy. 

Butter Mints

Recipe from page 211 of "The Back In The Day Cookbook"

Ingredients

• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 7 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 Tbsp peppermint extract
• liquid gel food coloring, choose 4 colors

Cooking Directions

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the butter and salt. Beat for 2 minutes.
2. Add confectioners' sugar, sweetened condensed milk and peppermint extract. Mix on low until a dough forms. Add about 6 cups of the confectioners' sugar and mix before adding the last cup (you might not need it). The texture will be dry to the touch but should hold together in a ball.
3. Remove the dough ball and separate into 4 equal pieces.
4. Use the food coloring to drop one drop of each color on the four separate balls. Use your hands to knead the color into the dough, add more drops until the desired color is reached.
5. Once the color you desire has been reached, roll the dough ball into a long rope about 1 inch in diameter. You can dust your work surface with confectioners' sugar if the dough is sticking to the work surface. Cut each dough rope into 1/2 to 1 inch pieces.
6. Line a 9x13 inch dish with wax paper or parchment paper and layer each color using wax paper or parchment paper in between so they don't stick.
7. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
8. The mints will keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 1 week.

Coconut Macaroon Nutella Nests

I can hardly believe that Easter is right around the corner.  I'm not prepared, as usual.  I just thought these little cookies were so adorable I had to make them.  My daughter won't eat coconut but that's OK, I will. 

I love a good macaroon.  If you're coconut, there is nothing like a good chewy macaroon. Ton's of sweet coconut flavor which is already sweet enough, add the center of Nutella and top it with some candy eggs and you have got a very decadent treat. 

Adorable for your Easter table, even if the adults are the only one's eating them!

Coconut Macaroon Nutella Nests

Recipe from Two Peas and their Pod

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 large egg white
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 cup sweetened coconut
• 1 cup Nutella
• 1 bag Easter Egg Candy (I used Cadbury White Mini Eggs)

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325º
2. Line two cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
3. In a medium bowl, add the sweetened condensed milk, egg white, vanilla and salt and stir together until smooth.
4. Add the coconut and stir.
5. Drop about two tablespoons of the mixture onto the cookie sheet. Use your thumb to make a hole in the middle and shape like a nest.
6. Bake for 17 - 20 minutes, or until the coconut is turning golden brown. Remove and deepen the hole in the middle again. 
7. Let sit on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. 
8. Let the cookies cool all the way before decorating. 
9. To decorate, add about a small amount of Nutella in the middle hole.  Top with eggs. Serve. 
10. Store in an air-tight container on the counter.