Springtime Rice Krispie Nests

Celebrate spring with these cute Rice Krispie treat nests filled with green-tinted coconut “grass” and chocolate eggs. A fun and easy snack project that kids will love to make (and eat), these are perfect for Easter.

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The best kinds of seasonal craft projects are the ones you can eat, and these adorable goodies would brighten up any Easter brunch table. Cook up a colorful batch for your kids to share in the classroom, or take these edible bird’s nests to the office to help your coworkers shake off winter.

A little bird tells us that if you’ve got budding chefs around, they’ll be excited to help create these sweet little nests. (Although they might need some adult elbow grease to help stir when the marshmallows start to get sticky.) The recipe starts with three-ingredient Rice Krispie treats, the ultimate no-bake dessert — so you can whip some up even while your Easter ham is monopolizing the oven.

You don’t need a fancy mold — just divide the warm Rice Krispie treats into a muffin tin and use the back of a spoon to press them into shape.

Then the blades of “grass” are made with shredded coconut — sweetened or unsweetened, it’s up to you — tinted green with food coloring.

Fill each nest with malted Robin Eggs candy, tiny chocolate eggs, pastel Jordan almonds, or jelly beans. And if you make your nests a little bigger, they could even be a home for a marshmallow chick or bunny.

Rice Krispie Nests

Makes 16-20 nests
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 1 (10 oz) bag of marshmallows
  • 6 cups crisp rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)
  • 2 – 4 drops green food coloring
  • ¼ teaspoon water
  • ½ cup flaked coconut
  • chocolate eggs, Jordan almonds, or jelly beans
  • Directions

    1. Coat 2 (12 cup) muffin tins with cooking spray or butter.
    2. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
    3. Melt the butter over low heat in a large saucepan. Add the marshmallows and stir until they’re completely melted. Remove from heat and add the crisp rice cereal. Stir the marshmallow mixture until all of the ingredients are well combined.
    4. Divide the warm marshmallow mixture between the coated muffin tin cups (about ⅓ to ½ cup per nest). Shape the mixture into individual nests by pressing into the center with the back of a tablespoon coated in cooking spray. Allow the nests to cool for 30 – 60 minutes or until they’re set.
    5. In a small bowl, stir together the green food coloring and water. Add the flaked coconut and stir until they’re combined and the coconut is tinted light green. Spread the coconut mixture on your lined baking sheet to dry.
    6. Fill the cooled nests with the coconut “grass” and chocolate eggs, Jordan almonds, or jelly beans. The nests are best if served the same day, but can be stored for no more than two days at room temperature in an airtight container.
    7. You can also freeze any unfilled nests in a single layer on wax paper in an airtight container. They’ll keep frozen for up to 1 month. When you’re ready to use your frozen nests, allow them to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before filling them.

    Hunting more Easter ideas? Check out our make-and-take Easter brunch ideas and our favorite Easter recipes.

    Recipe adapted from Rice Krispies.