When it comes to Easter, there’s no better way to indulge in a sweet treat than with a batch of freshly baked Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies. This festive twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie is perfect for celebrating the season with a splash of color and sweetness. With pastel-colored chocolate candy like M&M’s and the gooey goodness of chocolate chips, these cookies are sure to become a favorite in your holiday baking collection.
Whether you’re preparing for an Easter party, a family get-together, or simply looking for a fun baking project, these cookies are a delightful way to spread some cheer. The addition of vibrant candy pieces gives a fun, colorful pop to each bite, while maintaining the beloved, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chip cookie texture. So, roll up your sleeves, preheat that oven, and let’s dive into the Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe that will bring smiles to faces!
Why You’ll Love These Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies
There’s a lot to love about these festive cookies! Not only are they bursting with flavor, but they’re also visually appealing, making them the perfect treat for Easter. Here’s why this recipe will become a holiday favorite:
- Festive Appeal: The pastel-colored chocolate candies add a fun, Easter-inspired touch to the classic chocolate chip cookie.
- Easy to Make: This recipe is simple, requiring no fancy ingredients or complicated steps. Whether you’re a novice baker or a seasoned pro, you’ll find the process quick and straightforward.
- Deliciously Soft and Chewy: The cookies have the perfect balance of softness in the center and a crisp golden edge, making them irresistible.
- Perfect for Sharing: These cookies are perfect for holiday gatherings, Easter baskets, or as a sweet treat to share with family and friends.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Before you get started, let’s gather all the ingredients to make these mouthwatering Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies. Don’t worry – it’s all simple and easy to find in your local grocery store.
For the Cookie Dough:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour: This is the base for your cookies. The flour provides structure and texture to your dough.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda: Baking soda helps the cookies rise and achieve that perfect chewy texture.
- ½ teaspoon salt: A small amount of salt enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness.
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened: Softened butter ensures that the dough mixes easily, resulting in the perfect texture. Make sure it’s softened but not melted!
- ¾ cup granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and a slight crunch to the cookies.
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar: Brown sugar provides moisture, contributing to a chewier texture.
- 2 large eggs: Eggs bind the ingredients together and help with the structure of the cookies.
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract: Vanilla adds that classic, comforting flavor to your cookies.
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips: The star of the show! Semisweet chocolate chips provide the perfect balance of sweetness without overwhelming the flavor.
- 1 cup pastel-colored chocolate candy (such as M&M’s): These colorful candies will add a festive Easter touch and a burst of sweetness in every bite.
Directions for Perfect Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Before diving into mixing the dough, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures that the oven is at the right temperature for baking the cookies. For easy cleanup, line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. These will help the cookies bake evenly and prevent them from sticking to the sheet.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisking the dry ingredients first helps distribute the baking soda and salt evenly throughout the flour, ensuring your cookies rise evenly when baked. Set this bowl aside for later.
Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or a stand mixer to cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat the ingredients together on medium speed for about 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is crucial because the air incorporated into the butter and sugar mixture helps the cookies become soft and chewy once baked.
Step 4: Add the Eggs and Vanilla Extract
Add the two eggs, one at a time, to the butter-sugar mixture, mixing well after each addition. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated. After the eggs are fully mixed in, add the vanilla extract and stir until combined. The vanilla extract gives the dough a comforting flavor that complements the sweetness of the chocolate chips and candies.
Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Now it’s time to combine the wet ingredients with the dry. Gradually add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing just until everything is incorporated. Be careful not to overmix at this stage, as overmixing can make your cookies tough. The dough should come together nicely, soft but slightly firm.
Step 6: Add the Chocolate Chips and Pastel Candies
Once the dough is ready, fold in the semisweet chocolate chips and pastel-colored chocolate candies. The candy pieces will add a fun pop of color and sweetness to each cookie. Be gentle when folding so that you don’t break the candies or the chocolate chips.
Step 7: Scoop the Dough onto Baking Sheets
Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop rounded balls of dough and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Make sure to space them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading as they bake. You should be able to get around 24 cookies from this batch, depending on how large you make each scoop.
Step 8: Bake the Cookies
Pop the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centers are still soft. The cookies will continue to cook a bit even after they’ve been removed from the oven, so don’t worry if they still look a little soft when you take them out. The key to perfect cookies is to catch them at just the right moment.
Step 9: Cool the Cookies
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes. This will help them set up and make them easier to transfer to a wire rack. After 5 minutes, use a spatula to carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. The cooling process allows the flavors to meld and the texture to firm up.
Step 10: Serve and Enjoy!
Once your Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies have cooled, they’re ready to be enjoyed! Serve them with a glass of milk, bring them to an Easter party, or simply enjoy them on your own. These cookies are perfect for any occasion, but especially as a fun treat for the holiday season.
Tips for Making the Best Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies
1. Use Room Temperature Ingredients
For the best texture, ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature before starting. Softened butter helps achieve that perfectly creamy texture when mixed with the sugars, while room-temperature eggs mix in better, resulting in a smoother dough.
2. Don’t Overmix the Dough
Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, it’s important not to overmix the dough. Overmixing can lead to dense cookies instead of light, fluffy ones. Stir until just combined!
3. Chill the Dough (Optional)
If you have the time, chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before scooping and baking. This helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking, ensuring they stay thick and chewy.
4. Customize with Different Mix-ins
While the pastel-colored candy and chocolate chips make these cookies perfect for Easter, feel free to mix things up! Try adding chopped nuts, dried fruit, or even white chocolate chips for a unique twist on this classic cookie.
5. Keep an Eye on the Bake Time
Every oven is different, so start checking the cookies a minute or two before the suggested baking time. You want the edges to be golden, but the centers should remain soft. This will give you that perfect chewy texture.
Nutritional Information
Each Easter Chocolate Chip Cookie contains approximately:
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Carbs: 31g
- Fat: 11g
- Protein: 2g
- Sugar: 17g
These cookies are a sweet treat that can fit into your Easter festivities without feeling overly indulgent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Make These Cookies Ahead of Time?
Yes! The dough can be made in advance and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just scoop out the dough when you’re ready to bake, or you can freeze the dough for up to 3 months. If you freeze it, just allow the dough to thaw before baking.
How Can I Make These Cookies Gluten-Free?
To make these cookies gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Make sure to use a 1:1 ratio flour substitute for the best results. Additionally, ensure the chocolate chips and candies are gluten-free.
Can I Use Other Chocolate Candies Instead of M&M’s?
Absolutely! You can substitute pastel M&M’s with other candies like chocolate eggs, Skittles, or even peanut butter candies for a different flavor profile.
Final Thoughts: A Sweet Treat for Easter!
These Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect balance of soft, chewy, and chocolatey goodness with a festive twist. With the addition of pastel-colored chocolate candy, they’re a delightful treat for anyone celebrating Easter, or for anyone who simply loves a good chocolate chip cookie. Whether you’re baking for a crowd or just for yourself, these cookies are sure to make your holiday even sweeter.
If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to try out these related cookie recipes for more delightful treats:
Happy Easter, and happy baking!
Print
Delicious Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies for Family Fun
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect festive treat! Soft, chewy, and packed with chocolate chips and pastel M&Ms, they bring a colorful and delicious twist to a classic favorite. Perfect for Easter gatherings, spring celebrations, or just a fun baking day with the family!
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup pastel-colored chocolate candy (such as M&M’s)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in eggs, one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract until combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
- Add Chocolate Chips and Candies: Gently fold in chocolate chips and pastel candies.
- Scoop the Dough: Drop rounded balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges turn golden brown but the centers remain soft.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy: Serve and enjoy these festive, chewy Easter treats!
Notes
- For extra softness, slightly underbake the cookies and let them firm up on the baking sheet.
- Swap pastel candies with mini chocolate eggs for more Easter vibes!
- Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized cookies.
- To store: Keep in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 100mg
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: Easter Chocolate Chip Cookies, Easter cookies, festive chocolate chip cookies, springtime cookies, pastel cookies, holiday cookies, Easter desserts