For me and Mike, Easter is all about the candy. I love Peeps (the chicks, preferably yellow, never the bunnies). I used to try all of the different novelty Peeps flavors and review them, but in recent years I just buy the ones that I know I'll like—a package or two of the classics, some of the dark-chocolate dipped ones, and anything involving a chocolate or caramel filling.
Mike is partial to Robins Eggs, egg-shaped chocolate candies with colorful candy shells and crunchy malted centers. We're in agreement about our runner-up for favorite Easter candy: Cadbury Mini Eggs.
On paper, they're pretty similar to M&Ms—milk chocolate candies with a candy shell. But the egg shape gives them a better shell-to-chocolate ratio, the chocolate is of a slightly higher quality, and the shell just tastes really good. When I was a kid, my mom would fill a wicker basket with Cadbury Mini Eggs and Robins Eggs, and Easter was a glorious day of eating chocolate by the handful.
Last spring, when I was on my pandemic baking kick, I tapped into that Easter memory with these cookies. Crushed Cadbury Mini Eggs are swirled into a chocolate dough for a cookie that's all about sugary joy.
I like to use equal parts butter and margarine in my cookies for the best of both worlds: rich flavor and crisp edges from the butter, and soft, chewy centers thanks to the margarine. Although I used a chocolate chip cookie recipe as a starting point, crushed Cadbury Mini Eggs will give you a significantly different flavor and texture than a chocolate chips. The milk chocolate provides a mellow sweetness, and the bits of candy shell add a satisfying crunch.
The first time I made these, I ended up with exactly two dozen cookies. It was a thrilling moment.
Adapted from Hershey's Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield: about 2 dozen cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4 tablespoons stick margarine, softened
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 9-10 ounce package Cadbury Mini Eggs
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place Cadbury Mini Eggs in a sturdy zip-top plastic bag, set on a flat surface, and crush with a rolling pin.
Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. In a large bowl, beat butter, margarine, sugars, and vanilla. Add egg and mix until well-combined. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until completely incorporated. Fold in crushed Cadbury Mini Eggs.
Using a tablespoon-sized cookie dough scoop or two spoons, drop rounded balls of dough on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are set and the edges are lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets, and then remove cookies from the baking sheets to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store tightly covered at room temperature.
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