Easter Treats

By More Food

Easter is here! Save money and make Easter snacks at home. Turn those baskets into tasty homemade gifts this year. Peanut Butter Eggs and Carrot Cake Cookies are easy recipes to get the children involved, or you can make them solo. The choice is yours!

Don’t forget that Easter baskets aren’t just for kids. Gift your adult friends and family members with items to reduce their food spending.

Easter Basket Items to Reduce Food Spending:

  • Calculators
  • Low-Cost recipes
  • Coupons
  • Book or list of money management tips
  • Budgeting worksheet
  • Dry food (canned goods, rice)
  • Full ingredients for an at home meal

Check out two homemade recipes for a delicious Easter treat. All ingredients in both recipes are SNAP eligible. Both treats can be made in advance of Easter.

Peanut Butter Eggs

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Serving Size: 7

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup all-natural peanut butters
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon coconut flour (alternative flours can be used)
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut flour, and salt. Mix well, until a uniform batter is formed.
  2. Line a baking sheet or place with parchment. Use a tablespoon to scoop the batter into 7 balls. Use your hands to press and shape each ball into an egg-like shape. Place the pan of peanut butter eggs in the freezer to set.
  3. While the peanut butter middles are setting in the freezer, melt the dark chocolate chips. Stir until smooth.
  4. Remove the peanut butter eggs from the freezer, and use a spoon to spread the melted chocolate over the top of each one. The chocolate may set very quickly if the eggs are cold from the freezer, or you can place the pan back in the freezer for a few minutes to help the chocolate set.
  5. Flip the eggs over and coat the other side with chocolate too.
  6. Use any remaining melted chocolate to drizzle over the top, and sprinkle one side with flaky set salt (optional). Serve chilled from the fridge. Peanut butter eggs will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge, or up to 6 months in the freezer.

Nutrition Facts:

(Per 1 piece – Estimate. If substitutions were used, nutrition facts will vary.)

  • Calories: 197
  • Carbohydrates: 15g 
  • Protein: 6g 
  • Fat: 13g
  • SaturatedFat: 6g  
  • Cholesterol: 1mg 
  • Sodium: 184mg
  • Potassium: 214mg
  • Fiber: 2g 
  • Sugar: 10g 
  • Calcium: 53mg

Peanut Butter Eggs accessed and Nutrition at: https://detoxinista.com/healthier-peanut-butter-eggs/

Carrot Cake Cookies

Servings: 28

Cookie Ingredients:

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 ½ cups finely shredded or grated carrots
  • 1 cup raisins
  • Cream Cheese Frosting
  • ½ cup finely chopped walnuts, optional

Directions:

  1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cornstarch together. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine butter and brown sugar together with a hand mixer on high speed for about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat for another minute.
  3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat on low, until combined. Add in the old-fashioned oats and combine on low speed. Fold in the shredded carrots and raisins.
  4. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  5. Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  6. Drop about 2-3 Tablespoons of dough onto the baking sheet. 
  7. Bake for 11-13 minutes. Don’t overbake. The edges will start to brown first. The middle of the cookie may seem like it’s underbaked, but it will continue to bake when it’s taken out of the oven.
  8. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to sit on the baking sheet for an additional 5 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
  9. If desired, make a half batch of homemade cream cheese frosting. Spread over cooled cookies and sprinkle with walnuts.

Cream Cheese Ingredients:

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 package (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

  1. Beat butter and cream cheese in a mixing bowl with electric (or hand held) mixer for 3-4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mixture should be light and fluffy.
  2. Add in vanilla, powdered sugar, and heavy cream. Beat an additional 3-5 minutes until frosting has doubled in size and is fully blended and fluffy. Add more cream if you want the frosting thinner.
  3. Use on cookies once cool.

*Frosting not reflected in the Nutrition Facts*

Unfrosted Carrot Care Cookies Nutrition Facts (Estimate):

Serving Size: 1 cookie (amount per serving)

  • Calories: 201
  • Total Fat: 9g
  • Saturated Fat: 4g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Cholesterol: 31mg
  • Sodium: 136mg
  • Carbohydrates: 28g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Sugar: 14g
  • Protein: 3g

Carrot Cake Cookies and recipe and nutrition facts accessed at: https://www.shugarysweets.com/carrot-cake-cookies/

Cream Cheese Frosting recipe accessed at: https://www.shugarysweets.com/cream-cheese-frosting-recipe/

For questions about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or to receive Application Assistance contact the More In My Basket staff:

  • Visit: morefood.org
  • English Toll Free: 1-855-240-1451
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