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5 from 765 votes

Mom's Easter Bird's Nest Cookies

Course: Dessert
Keyword: cookies, dessert, easter
Servings: 50 cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tbsp Baking Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter room temperature
  • 8 oz Light Cream Cheese my favorite is the Philadelphia brand
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 3/4 tsp Almond Extract
  • 3 cups Coconut Flakes make sure they are moist, like the ones from the Baker's brand
  • 1 drop Pink (or Red) Food Coloring
  • 1 drop Yellow Food Coloring
  • 2 9oz Pastel-Colored Almond M&Ms the pastel colored ones usually come out around Easter time only

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until creamy and well-combined.
  • Add sugar and almond extract to mixing bowl with butter and cream cheese; beat until fluffy, approximately 2 minutes.
  • Add flour mixture to mixing bowl and slowly beat until well-combined. Then, add 1 cup of coconut flakes and fold in using a large rubber or wooden spatula.
  • Refrigerate dough mixture in mixing bowl for 45 minutes or until firm.
  • Once dough is ready, preheat oven to 350 degrees (or 325 degrees if using non-stick baking sheets).
  • Put 1/2 cup coconut flakes into a small glass bowl and add 1 drop of yellow food coloring. Stir with a spoon until coconut flakes are coated in yellow coloring.
  • Then, put 1/2 cup coconut flakes into another glass bowl and add one drop of pink or red food coloring. Stir with a spoon until coconut flakes are coated in pink/red coloring.
  • Optional: mix both bowls of coconut flakes into one bowl and mix well to combine.
  • Roll dough into individual small balls, rolling into the bowl(s) of coconut flakes until covered, and placing on to a baking sheet 1" apart with one M&M placed into the center of each ball.
  • Bake on a non-greased cookie sheet for approximately 12 minutes. Remove from oven, adding two more M&Ms to the center of each cookie to make them look like a bird's nest with eggs.
  • Place back into oven and cook for 5 minutes longer or until the cookies are lightly golden brown.
  • Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack.