These no-bake Chocolate Easter Nests are a great alternative to the traditional Easter treats made with cereal. The kids love making them as much as they enjoy eating them!
Traditional Chocolate Easter Nests use cereals such as Shredded Wheat, Rice Krispies or Cornflakes coated in syrup and chocolate, making them far too high in carbs to be enjoyed on a GD diet. My lower carb alternative is made with coconut instead of cereal and also has ground flaxseed to increase the fibre, protein and heart-healthy fat content.
Fill your Easter nests with your choice of fillings, from nuts and seeds to hardshell micro eggs. When making these we coloured some of the macadamia and hazelnuts with food colouring to make them look more like brightly coloured Easter eggs.
Note: the hardshell micro eggs are much smaller than the typical Cadbury’s Mini Eggs. The milk chocolate micro eggs I’ve used in this recipe are tiny in comparison (around 1cm each). If using these in your Chocolate Easter Nests, then you will need to limit the amount eaten and/or pair them with more protein and fats to help make them more tolerable as the hard shell is just pure sugar.
Chocolate Easter Nests
Ingredients
- 200 grams dark chocolate chopped
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 100 grams unsweetened desiccated coconut or shredded coconut
- 50 grams coconut flakes
- 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 1 tablespoon xylitol or erythritol sweetener (optional)
egg options for the nests
- 36 micro eggs
- 36 macadamia nuts (optional food colouring)
- 36 hazelnuts (optional food colouring)
Instructions
- Melt the broken pieces of chocolate with the coconut oil in short bursts in the microwave, or over a pan of hot water, stirring until fully melted, then set aside
- Add the coconut, flaxseed and sweetener (if using) to a bowl and stir
- Pour the melted chocolate into the dry ingredients and stir until everything is fully coated (if the mixture hardens/stiffens, then warm the contents of bowl slightly until softened again)
- Line a bun tray with a large piece of baking parchment paper or individual bun casesTIP: If using one large piece of baking parchment paper in a bun tray, scrunch the paper up into a ball and then reopen and flatten it across the tin. Gently push into each bun hole. Scrunching up the paper helps it fit and hold the bun tray better
- Use an ice cream scoop or tablespoon to scoop out balls of the mixture and place in each crevice or bun case. This recipe should make 12
- Use a spoon or fingers to gently push down the middles to create a dip in the centre and to create the nest shape
- Allow the nests to cool down and harden
- Once set, finish each nest with 3 nuts or micro eggs
Notes
If using milk chocolate micro eggs, these are not vegan/dairy-free and increase the carb content, meaning the Chocolate Easter Nests benefit from additional pairing with more protein and fats to make them more tolerable.
If using nuts or seeds as ‘eggs’ the Chocolate Easter Nests are vegan/dairy-free and can safely be eaten without additional pairing
Please note, the nutritional info does not include the ‘eggs’ for the nests as this differs depending on what is used