Chocolate Easter cookies

These gorgeously rich, chunky chocolate Easter cookies have a crisp edge and a soft and decadent centre, dotted with Mini Egg pieces.⠀

The flavour of these cookies is almost like thick hot chocolate in cookie form, rich and warming. The cookies are thick, yet yielding and impossibly melt-in-the mouth.

The dark richness of the crumb is perfectly complemented by the sweet, crisp Mini Egg pieces. Honestly, they're just GORGEOUS.

And good news, the cookie dough is easy to make. First, you'll beat butter and golden granulated sugar together, then an egg, then a glorious helping of melted dark chocolate. Stir in flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder and your dough is ready to receive sweet and tasty handfuls of Mini Eggs.

Best of all? These cookies take just 12 minutes to bake, and you can top them with extra chocolate Mini Egg pieces while they're still warm, for the ultimate Easter treat.

Here’s how to make these beautiful chocolate Easter cookies!⠀

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan) and grease and line two large baking sheets.

Put the softened butter and golden granulated sugar in a mixing bowl.

Whisk together until pale and fluffy.

Add the egg.

Whisk again.

Add the cooled melted chocolate.

Whisk to combine.⠀

Add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder.

Mix to produce a chocolate dough.⠀

Add most of the Mini Eggs (keep a handful back).

Mix to evenly distribute throughout the dough.

Divide the mixture into 16 pieces, rolling into balls with your hands. Place the balls on lined baking sheets, making sure you allow plenty of room for them to spread.

Flatten the cookies about halfway, to give fat discs.⠀

Bake in the oven for 12 minutes.⠀

Once out of the oven and while still warm, gently press the remaining Mini Egg pieces on top of each cookie so that they melt a little and stick.⠀

Once they've firmed up, transfer to a wire rack to cool. They're rather stunning warm, so you don't have to wait for them to cool completely!

Let me know how you get on with making these incredibly delicious chocolate Easter cookies. Enjoy!

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect chocolate Easter cookies

Are chocolate Easter cookies easy to make?

These extra chocolatey Easter cookies topped with Mini Eggs are super easy to make!

First, you'll cream butter with sugar, then whisk in an egg and melted dark chocolate, and then stir in cocoa, flour, bicarb and baking powder. Finally, you'll fold in smashed candy-coated, speckled chocolate Mini Eggs, and your dough will be ready for the oven.

Adding a few extra pieces of Mini Eggs on top of each cookie while they're still warm not only tastes great, it gives your chocolate Easter cookies a pretty and somewhat professional look that's sure to wow.

I've included photos with every step of the recipe, so you can see exactly where you should be as you make the recipe.

Will I need any special equipment to make chocolate Easter cookies?

The best thing about this recipe is that you won't need any special equipment to make your chocolate egg Easter cookies.

You'll just need some fairly standard kitchen equipment to mix your cookie dough, like weighing scales and measuring spoons, a kitchen knife and chopping board, a mixing bowl and an electric whisk (or wooden spoon).

Then to bake your cookie dough into delicious Chocolate Easter cookies, you'll only need a standard baking tray and baking paper. No special-shaped tins or hi-tech gear, simple!

Where can I buy chocolate Mini Eggs?

You can buy Cadbury Mini Eggs (the brand I used) in pretty much any store in the UK between January and Easter. 

But you don't have to use Cadbury Mini Eggs; any other candy-coated speckled chocolate egg will do. Or just any type of mini Easter egg.

The nation's favourite Easter treat, Creme Egg, now comes in miniature form. Other brands have also released their own mini Easter eggs. For example, you could use Oreo mini eggs, Galaxy mini eggs, Terry's Chocolate Orange mini eggs, Nestle Milky Bar mini eggs, the list goes on!

You'll usually find chocolate Mini Eggs in the chocolate/candy section of your local supermarket, or you can buy them on Amazon or other online food stores.

If you live outside of the UK, you probably won't have access to some of these brands. It seems that Easter isn't as widely celebrated in the US. However, if you're in the US, you can still find Hershey's and Reese's mini eggs in the store or on Amazon.

Or, if you can't find any egg-shaped chocolate in-store or online, you could always just use M&Ms. Though make sure no one has a nut allergy if you use peanut flavour!

Are chocolate Easter cookies suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, these chocolate Easter cookies are totally suitable for vegetarians if you use Cadbury Mini E

Yes, these chocolate Easter cookies are totally suitable for vegetarians if you use Cadbury Mini Eggs.

However, if you use a different brand of speckled chocolate mini eggs, you should check the label to make sure they're vegetarian.

Some manufacturers use animal-derived colouring or ingredients like shellac in the candy-coating. Unfortunately, animal-derived products can often sneak into the most unsuspecting ingredients, so it's best practice to check all of your labels.

Are chocolate Easter cookies suitable for vegans?

Sorry, these Chocolate Easter cookies aren't suitable for vegans. The recipe for these cookies contains butter, egg and dairy chocolate. However, it should be easy enough to convert the recipe to a vegan version.

I haven't made a vegan version of chocolate egg Easter cookies, but feel free to give it a try with some of the suggestions below.

Chocolate Mini Eggs:

As I said, you don't need to use Cadbury's Mini Eggs; any mini chocolate egg or oval shaped chocolates will do!

In the UK, a brand called Doisy and Dam makes vegan versions of much-loved chocolate classics. And luckily for vegans, they also have Mini Eggs in their range! 

It's important to note that some vegan chocolates, including Doisy and Dam, often contain darker chocolate than Cadbury's Mini Eggs, so bear that in mind if you use them. From January to Easter, you can usually find vegan chocolate eggs in bigger supermarkets or health food stores like Holland and Barrett.

Chocolate:

Most of the chocolate flavour of the cookie dough comes from the cocoa powder, which is already vegan. However, you will need some dark chocolate to add to the dough. 

Luckily dark chocolate is lower in dairy than milk chocolate, so vegan alternatives are often indistinguishable. Many established chocolate brands now offer vegan versions of their chocolate, including Hotel Chocolate. Or you could try using Montezuma's Giant Dark Chocolate Buttons, which would be ideal for melting down.

However, while vegan chocolate is made to taste and look like dairy chocolate, it can behave slightly differently when used in cooking because it has different water, protein, and fat content.

So the difference in water, fat and protein might cause your vegan dark chocolate or vegan mini chocolate eggs to melt or look different to Cadbury Mini Eggs.

So I can't be sure how your vegan version of the Chocolate Easter cookies will turn out as I haven't tested a vegan recipe.

Butter:

You'll also need to use plant-based butter for the cookie dough. Luckily there are plenty of high-quality plant-based kinds of butter available in supermarkets. 

As long as you use plant-based butter with similar fat content to dairy butter (around 80%), the plant-based butter will work just as well as dairy butter.

When I make vegan recipes, I use Flora plant-based butter block, as it has the right fat content and a lovely buttery flavour. However, Naturli and Violife are good alternatives too.

You'll usually find plant-based butter in a refrigerated 'free from' or vegan section of a supermarket. Though sometimes stores will just place vegan butter alongside dairy products. Or, if you can't find any in-store, you can usually find plant-based butter in online grocery delivery services.

Eggs:

To replace the egg, you'd need to use a vegan replacement such as one of the following:

• 3 tablespoons of aquafaba. Aquafaba is the water you get in a tin of chickpeas. The proteins in the liquid mimic egg whites' behaviour, making an excellent egg replacer. But don't worry, it won't taste of chickpeas!
• 1 tablespoon of crushed chia seeds or flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
• 3 tablespoons of applesauce (bear in mind this will add sweetness).

I haven't tried this recipe with vegan alternatives yet, so let me know how you get on in the comments! Good luck!

Are chocolate Easter cookies gluten-free?

No, these Chocolate Easter cookies are not gluten-free. However, if you'd like to try and make a gluten-free version, you'd only need to substitute the flour. 

Gluten-free cookies could work quite well, as they don't need to rise as much as a cake. However, they probably won't have the same texture as this wheat flour version of the recipe.

When using gluten-free flour, it's vital to use a good quality blend of different flours such as rice flour and oat flour and usually a binding agent such as xanthan gum. 

A blend uses several ingredients to replicate the behaviour of starches and gluten in wheat flour, so use a blend if you want the best texture for a gluten-free bake.

I regularly use this gluten-free flour blend from the Free From Fairy, though other brands like Doves Farm offer good quality gluten-free flour blends.

Are chocolate Easter cookies keto-friendly?

Sadly these Chocolate Easter cookies are too high in carbohydrates and sugar for a ketogenic diet. 

Usually I’d suggest a gluten-free alternative to this recipe but it is too reliant on sugar and carbohydrates to adapt for a ketogenic diet.

Are chocolate Easter cookies healthy?

Chocolate Easter cookies are relatively high in fat and sugar. So it’s best enjoyed as a special Easter treat, not a day-to-day recipe. However, they're fine to enjoy a sensible portion as part of a balanced, varied diet.

Are chocolate Easter cookies safe to eat while pregnant?

Nothing in the recipe for these Chocolate Easter cookies would usually pose a risk to pregnant people as long as all the ingredients are in good condition and the cookies are prepared hygienically. 

The eggs are fully cooked, but egg advice for pregnant and breastfeeding people can vary in different countries, so please check information local to you. 

In the UK, pregnant people can even eat raw eggs stamped with the British Lion seal. Whereas in another country eating raw eggs would be considered high risk. So make sure you check your local health advice.

If you have any questions or concerns, please speak to a health professional. A Mummy Too does not give medical advice.

What goes well with chocolate Easter cookies?

Your Chocolate Easter cookies should turn out lovely, rich and moist, which makes them gorgeous on their own, but they do go down very well with a cup of tea or coffee!

You could also try crumbling them over vanilla ice cream with some fruit and nuts for a decadent “Easter Sundae”!

Can I make this recipe without Mini Eggs?

Yes, you can leave the Mini Eggs out if you like, and if you otherwise follow the recipe exactly, you'll be left with lovely melt-in-the-mouth chocolate cookies.

As I said, if you can't find Mini Eggs, you could use a different type of chocolate in place of the Mini Eggs. For example, if you're making these over the Easter holidays, you might have some chocolate Easter eggs or other chocolate bars to use up.

Or you could use M&M's, Revels or any other small round chocolates!

I haven’t got cocoa can I use instant hot chocolate powder?

If you don't have cocoa powder, you could use drinking chocolate powder. However, it isn't pure cocoa. Instead, it tends to be made up of milk powder, sugar and cocoa, so will give a different texture, colour and a sweeter flavour. I'm sure they'll still be delicious though!

Can I add extra Mini Eggs to this recipe?

There's plenty of chocolate in these cookies, but you could probably add a small amount more if you really wanted to. No more than 50g (1.75 oz), though, as too much will prevent the cookies from holding together.

How should I store chocolate Easter cookies?

These Chocolate Easter cookies are best stored in a sealed container somewhere cool, such as a cupboard or pantry, to keep them at their best. Or you can keep them in the fridge if you live somewhere warmer.

Wherever you decide to store them, make sure to keep the cookies in an airtight container.

How long do chocolate Easter cookies keep?

If stored correctly in a sealed container placed somewhere cool, they'll stay fresh for about three days.

If stored correctly, they'll be safe to eat for a few more days, but they might begin to turn stale.

Can I leave chocolate Easter cookies out on the counter?

No, you should keep your cookies in a sealed container. It's fine to leave your Chocolate Easter cookies out on the counter for a couple of hours while you enjoy them, but then they're best transferred to a sealed container and placed somewhere cool to keep them fresh.

Can I keep chocolate Easter cookies in the refrigerator?

You can put the sealed container of cookies in the fridge if you like, but they'll keep just as well in the cupboard or a cool pantry.

If you live somewhere warmer, or your kitchen is often hot, it's probably best to keep them in the fridge.

Can I freeze chocolate Easter cookies?

Yes, you can freeze these chocolate Easter cookies really easily.

All you have to do is place the cookies in a container with a piece of baking paper between layers to stop them from sticking.

The less space in the container, the better, as this helps reduce the likelihood of freezer burn (where frost and damaged-looking patches appear on your frozen food).

Replace the lid to seal, then place in the freezer, where they'll keep for about a month

Once they're frozen and no longer at risk of sticking together, you could transfer them into a sandwich bag to save on space.

What is the best way to defrost chocolate Easter cookies?

It's quick and easy to defrost your Easter cookies. Just remove a cookie from the container, reseal it, and place it on a plate. Depending on the temperature in your kitchen, it should defrost within 15-30 minutes.

Alternatively, you can transfer the whole container from the freezer to the fridge and leave the cookies to defrost overnight.

Can I make chocolate Easter cookies in a different quantity?

Yes, you can make as many or as few Chocolate Easter cookies as you like! It's really simple to make more or fewer cookies using the tool in the recipe card below.

If you want to change the number of cookies the recipe makes, just scroll down to the recipe card below. You'll see the number of servings set to 16 cookies.

To change the amount you want to make, simply click on the servings, and a slider will pop up that you can move to get the number you need.

All the ingredients will update automatically with the correct quantities, so you're ready to get baking!

Luckily you won't need to change the cooking time or temperature, as these cookies cook individually. So it's much easier to adapt than a cake or pie recipe!

Can I make chocolate Easter cookies in a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?

Yes, you could use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to mix each stage of ingredients.

Once you add the flour, cocoa and raising agents, make sure not to over-mix the dough as it may become tough. Your dough only needs to be brought together, not kneaded like bread dough.

When you overmix cookie dough the gluten in the wheat flour activates, causing it to behave more like unleavened bread dough.

Similarly, when you add the chocolate Mini Eggs, you should only briefly pulse the dough to distribute the Mini Eggs. You don't want to break the Mini Egg pieces down too much.

Can I make chocolate Easter cookies with a food processor?

I wouldn't recommend using a food processor to make these cookies. The dough is quite thick, and a blade attachment may struggle to mix everything evenly.

Even if your food processor managed to mix the dough, it would most likely cause the dough to become tough and also break down the chocolate Mini Eggs too much.

How can I make sure my chocolate Easter cookies are perfectly cooked?

There are a few things to look out for to make sure your cookies come out perfectly.

First, you'll need to make sure that you preheat your oven to the right temperature. If you add your cookies to an oven that is too cool they won't rise or cook properly. Or if the oven is too hot, they'll dry out and burn.

I often recommend using an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is running at the correct temperature. So if you think your oven is a bit unpredictable it would be a good investment for your kitchen.

The next point to watch is the dark chocolate. Make sure that the melted dark chocolate has cooled a little so that it doesn't cook the egg when added to the bowl. Test the chocolate with your finger first to check it isn't too hot.

If you're really worried about your eggs curdling, you could let your eggs come to room temperature before cooking. Then add a little melted chocolate to the egg and mix it together. Then add the egg/chocolate mix to the rest of the melted chocolate.

Adding a little chocolate to the egg first helps the egg come to a warmer temperature without cooking, which reduces the chance of the eggs curdling in the melted chocolate.

Once you begin to add the dry ingredients, make sure to add the cocoa, salt and raising agents all at the same time so that they're evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Once you've added the flour, try not to overwork the dough. Instead, mix it just enough to incorporate everything. As I said, the overworked dough will result in tough, bread-like cookies.

Finally, when you place the cookies on trays, don't skip the baking paper and be sure to leave room for them to spread. This will stop them from sticking together and sticking to the tray.

Once your cookies go into the oven, set a timer so that they don't overcook.

Why did my chocolate Easter cookies turn out dry or crumbly?

If your cookies turned out dry or crumbly, it could be that you added too much of the dry ingredients or too little of the wet. I always recommend measuring everything out before you start so that you're less likely to run into problems.

Alternatively, it could be that your cookies baked for too long or the oven was too hot. Next time, be sure to set a timer and keep an eye on your cookies towards the end of their baking time. You could also try investing in an oven thermometer so that you can be sure your oven is running to the correct temperature.

Finally, be sure to let your cookies firm up before transferring them to a wire rack, as they're delicate when hot.

Why did my chocolate Easter cookies turn out wet/soft/doughy?

If your Chocolate Easter cookies turned out too wet, then it could be that you added too little of the dry ingredients or too much of the wet.

This is why I always recommend measuring everything out before you start so that you're less likely to run into problems with ingredient ratios.

Another cause could be that your cookies weren't baked for long enough or the oven was too cool.

Next time, be sure to set a timer and keep an eye on your cookies towards the end of their baking time. You could also try investing in an oven thermometer so that you can be sure your oven is running to the correct temperature.

Why did my cookies spread too much?

You only need to press the cookies down to about half the height of the original balls. If you press them more, you'll get thinner cookies, and they may bake a little more quickly.

Alternatively, it may be that you added too much of the wet ingredients or too little of the dry ingredients, resulting in a wetter batter that spreads more. I always recommend measuring everything out before you start so that you're less likely to run into problems.

How can I add/change the flavours in these chocolate Easter cookies?

If you follow this recipe, these Chocolate Easter cookies really are an amazing Easter treat, but if you want to add your own twist to the recipe then I get it! 

If you want to pack some extra flavour into the dough, you could try adding orange extract, a little orange zest, peppermint extract or coffee extract. Or you could add some spices like mixed spice, nutmeg, cinnamon etc.

If you aren’t into Mini Eggs (impossible, surely!), then you could also swap the Mini Eggs for chocolate chips, chopped up chocolate bars, or even some dried fruit. 

The recipe should be quite forgiving as long as you don’t drastically alter the ratios of wet ingredients! So just avoid adding too much liquid flavour extract or using chocolate with wet caramel centres and you should be fine!

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If you enjoyed this recipe why not also try my incredible Nutella sandwich cookies or these delicious vegan Easter biscuits.

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