Chocolate Easter Egg Nests
How delightful are these Easter bird’s nests? This recipe incorporates sliced almonds and roasted pistachios in place of chow mein noodles, making these confections a healthier choice compared to many alternatives. They have a taste reminiscent of Bark Thins, if you’ve sampled their nutty varieties. Add a touch of crushed green pistachio and flaky salt for enhanced flavor and a more authentic nest appearance!
These gourmet nests are simple to prepare. Once you’ve assembled your ingredients, you can whip up a dozen in less than 20 minutes (including 10 minutes in the fridge). I believe these nests will become a custom at our Easter brunch.
I adore crafting nostalgic treats like this with our four-year-old. She’s always enthusiastic to stir, scoop, and, of course, lick the spoon. (Parents, I just discovered that mini eggs are a choking risk for kids aged four and younger, so these nests are a preferable option for older children.)
Bird’s Nest Ingredients
You’ll require just five fundamental ingredients to create these Easter delights.
Chocolate
I suggest utilizing chocolate baking bars for a shiny finish, such as Guittard’s 64% or Ghirardelli’s 60%. Opt for milk chocolate if that’s your preference. Chocolate chips are acceptable, but the nests often turn a dull brown, particularly after a day or two.
Sliced almonds
Pre-packaged sliced almonds offer an ideal light texture and subtle almond flavor. Slivered almonds would also suffice, but they will add more crunch.
Pistachios
I used lightly salted roasted pistachios from Wonderful Pistachios, which are typically easy to find. If you can source quality raw shelled pistachios and roast them yourself, they’ll have an even more delightful flavor, but I was satisfied with my outcome. (Bake at 350 for 7 to 9 minutes until aromatic, then allow to cool before using.)
Alternatives: You can replace them with additional sliced almonds, unsweetened shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, or pecans.
Flaky sea salt and chopped pistachios
Both of these toppings are optional. Maldon flaky sea salt intensifies the flavor and makes these nests taste more like a gourmet indulgence, while providing some added texture (real bird’s nests appear messy, after all). Finely chopped green pistachios contribute fun pops of color and even more texture.
Miniature eggs
Refer to the next section for a detailed examination of options.
Chocolate Egg Options
I enjoy alternating between two or three eggs per nest for a more dynamic appearance. Purchase your eggs locally as they tend to get damaged during shipping. I’ve primarily linked to Target’s selections so you can verify availability near you.
Recipe Tip
For a light, crisp texture, attempt to avoid compressing the chocolate-nut mixture in the muffin cups. There’s no need to pack it down.
Kindly share how your nests turn out in the comments! I delight in hearing from you.
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Chocolate Easter Egg Nests
These chocolate bird’s nests with pastel eggs are the ideal sweet indulgence for your Easter gathering. They’re simple to create with basic ingredients and have a gourmet flavor! Recipe yields 1 dozen.
- Line a muffin tin with paper or silicone liners. Dissolve the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring after each. Don’t exceed the time. The chocolate is ready when it’s about 90% melted—continue stirring off the heat, and the pieces should thoroughly dissolve. (Alternatively, you can melt it in a heat-proof bowl placed over a saucepan of gently simmering water.)
- Mix in the sliced almonds and chopped pistachios until they are thoroughly coated in chocolate. Using a medium cookie scoop or two spoons, gently scoop (try not to compact the mixture more than necessary) about 1 ½ tablespoons of the blend into each muffin liner, aiming to concentrate the mixture a bit more around the edges to form a well for the eggs.
- Gently press two to three eggs into the center of each nest. Immediately sprinkle them with chopped pistachios and flaky salt, if you choose to.
- Transfer the tray to the refrigerator and chill until the chocolate is set, about 10 minutes (avoid refrigerating longer than necessary to minimize the risk of water marks). Remove them from the liners. Store at room temperature in an airtight container. They look their finest up to 3 days after making, but they’ll last for up to 1 month.
Notes
Recipe inspired by Eating Bird Food’s Chocolate Coconut Nests.
Change it up: Replace the pistachios with another nut (more sliced almonds, chopped pecans or walnuts, etc.). For a nut-free alternative, you could try lightly toasted pepitas (green pumpkin seeds) instead of the almonds and pistachios.
Nutrition
The information presented is an estimate from an online nutrition calculator. It should not be viewed as a substitute for a qualified nutritionist’s guidance. See our complete nutrition disclosure here.
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