Vegan, gluten free, bird nest cookies are a fun Easter treat and can be made free of dairy, nuts, and gluten so they are the perfect Easter dessert for kids with Allergies.
These are basically haystack cookies that you can form into a nest shape. Put in colorful jelly beans, and you have a nest full of beautiful spring eggs.
When I made these for the first time with my kids, I braced myself for a mess, but it was easier than I thought it would be. I also didn’t think that they would come out looking nice on our first try, but we were pleasantly surprised. They were quick, easy, super cute, and most importantly, delicious!
How do you form the bird nest cookies into a nest shape?
The first batch that I made, I used Chow Mein noodles. You can find them in the Asian section of any grocery store. I mixed up the ingredients and then scooped the mixture into muffin tins to form the nest. (You can use the back of a spoon to break up the pieces a little bit more to form it into a nest shape). For the other batch, I just spooned the chow mein and chocolate mixture onto parchment paper and formed the nest shape by hand. Both methods were easy and I can’t say which method is better. They just formed a little different shaped nest.
How do I make these gluten free?
The next time that I made them, I searched the web for gluten free Chow Mein noodles, but I could not find any that were also free of egg. I decided to break up gluten free pretzels and use them instead of the noodles. It worked out well, and I think that they even taste better than the ones that I made using the Chow Mein noodles. The noodles look a little more like a real bird’s nest, but if you have to make them gluten free, pretzels are a great option. You can also use cornflakes or any other gluten free cereal instead of the noodles too.
What if I need the bird nest cookies to be nut free too?
For my husband who can’t eat any nuts, I made another batch with coconut oil instead of nut butter. They came out tasting great, just a little darker in color. Let me know what combinations that you tried!
Bird nest cookies that are vegan and can be made gluten free and nut free too! A fun Easter cookie that your kids will love!
- 1 cup of dairy free chocolate chips
- 2 TBS nut butter or coconut oil
- 2 ¼ cups chow mein noodles or broken gluten free pretzels
- 36 vegan jelly beans
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Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler or microwave.
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Stir in nut butter or coconut oil until smooth.
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Mix in the chow mein noodles or gluten free pretzels (broken into small pieces) or cereal of choice
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Spoon about 2 TBS of mixture into a muffin tin or onto parchment paper
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Form into nest shape with the back of a spoon
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Let cool completely
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Fill with vegan jelly beans
- If using a microwave. Heat chocolate chips on high for 1 minute 20 seconds and then stir until smooth.
- Heat just enough to melt chocolate chips, don't overheat.
Pin the bird nest cookies for later:
Want another cute recipe to serve on Easter?
Try these delicious deviled potatoes!
Are you wondering what Easter candy is vegan?
Check out this post about where to find the best deals on Easter candy that is vegan, gluten free, and dye free too!
