Bake It ‘Til You Make It: Extra Special Easter Recipes!
Easter’s coming - and with it, the perfect excuse to fill your kitchen with delicious smells, your table with mouth-watering Easter food, and your house with chocolate-covered kids bouncing off the walls. Whether you’re hosting a big Easter feast or planning a chilled weekend at home, we’ve got Easter recipes that’ll make your celebrations egg-stra special.
This guide has it all: golden hot cross buns fresh from the oven, a show-stopping lamb roast, and chocolate treats so good they might mysteriously disappear before you serve them (blame the Easter Bunny). Plus, we’ve thrown in some no-fuss Easter ideas for those who’d rather spend Easter hunting eggs than washing dishes.
So, grab your apron, tie up your bunny ears, and let’s get cracking!
Fun Easter Traditions and Activities
Easter’s not just about stuffing your face with Easter food (although we fully support that). It’s also about making memories, having fun, and creating family traditions that the kids will never forget (even if they only remember the chocolate). Here are a few Easter ideas to make the day extra special:
The Great Easter Egg Hunt:
Hide chocolate eggs around the garden and let the kids loose with their baskets! For a fun twist, leave rhyming clues that lead to a giant chocolate egg at the end. (Pro tip: Write down where you hid them - no one wants to find melted eggs in July.)
Egg Decorating Challenge:
Boil some eggs, grab paints, markers, and stickers, and see who can create the funniest, prettiest, or weirdest egg. Bonus points for turning eggs into bunnies, chicks, or superheroes! Display your masterpieces on the Easter table.
Bunny-Themed Breakfast:
Start the day with bunny-shaped pancakes, carrot cake muffins, and dippy eggs with soldiers. Serve carrot juice in jars with stripy straws for extra Easter vibes - it’s cute, easy, and guaranteed to impress the kids.
Spring-Themed Table Setting:
Set the table with pastel-coloured plates, bunny napkins, and a centrepiece of fresh spring flowers like daffodils and tulips. Scatter some Mini Eggs across the table - just be warned, they might mysteriously disappear before dessert.
💡 Top Tip: Combine your Easter recipes with these fun activities to create a day full of laughter, delicious Easter food, and plenty of chocolate!
Easter Meal Planning Tips
Cooking for Easter doesn’t have to feel like competing on MasterChef. Follow these simple meal-planning tips to keep things easy, fun, and stress-free:
Plan Ahead: Choose your Easter recipes early, make a shopping list, and do as much prep as possible the day before.
Make-Ahead Dishes: Hot cross buns, brownies, and rocky road can all be made in advance - just try not to eat them before Easter!
Timing is Key: Roast the lamb early and keep it warm while you finish the sides. This way, everything hits the table hot and ready to impress.
Balance Your Menu: Mix rich dishes like roast lamb with lighter sides like honey-glazed carrots and fresh salads so no one needs a nap before dessert.
Veggie Options: Got veggie guests? Whip up a mushroom and spinach wellington or stuffed peppers - they’ll love you for it!
Clear Space: Clear your countertops and fridge before you start cooking - you’ll need all the space you can get!
💡 Pro Tip: On Easter morning, set the table and lay out serving dishes so you’re ready to plate up without a last-minute scramble.
Hot Cross Fun!
Image Source: Sweet and Savory Meals
Why Hot Cross Buns?
Easter wouldn’t be Easter without the sweet, spiced goodness of hot cross buns. Whether you love them fresh out of the oven, toasted with butter, or turned into pudding, they’re a must-have Easter food. These buns are soft, fragrant, and packed with dried fruit - and they’re guaranteed to vanish within minutes of hitting the table!
Classic Hot Cross Buns Recipe
Ingredients:
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500g strong white bread flour75g caster sugar
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2 tsp mixed spice
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1 tsp cinnamon
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10g salt
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10g dried yeast
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300ml warm milk
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50g melted butter
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1 egg
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200g mixed dried fruit
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75g plain flour (for the cross)
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2 tbsp apricot jam (for glazing)
Method:
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In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, spices, and salt. Add the yeast.
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Stir in the warm milk, melted butter, and egg. Mix to form a soft dough.
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Knead for 10 minutes until smooth, then leave to rise for an hour.
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Add dried fruit, knead again, and shape into 12 buns.
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Leave to rise for 30 minutes, then pipe the cross using flour and water paste.
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Bake at 200°C (180°C fan) for 20 minutes until golden.
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Warm the apricot jam and brush over the buns for a sticky glaze!
💡 Quick Tips & Easter Hacks
Speed It Up: Use a stand mixer with a dough hook to save time on kneading.
Make-Ahead Magic: Bake the buns the day before, then warm them in the oven before serving.
Chocolate Twist: Swap the dried fruit for chocolate chips, because chocolate makes everything better!
🔥 Bonus Hack: Leftover buns? Turn them into Hot Cross Bun Bread & Butter Pudding - it’s the perfect way to guarantee nothing goes to waste!
The Ultimate Easter Roast
Image Source: Tatyanas Everyday Food
Why Roast Lamb?
A roast dinner is the heart of Easter food traditions, and nothing beats a slow-roasted leg of lamb. It’s juicy, packed with garlic and rosemary, and paired with crispy roast potatoes. It’s the ultimate showstopper - and the reason everyone will be asking for seconds (and maybe thirds).
Garlic & Rosemary Roast Lamb Recipe
Ingredients:
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2kg leg of lamb
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4 garlic cloves, sliced
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4 sprigs fresh rosemary
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2 tbsp olive oil
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Salt & pepper
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200ml lamb stock
Method:
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Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
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Make small cuts in the lamb and stuff garlic slices & rosemary inside.
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Rub with olive oil, salt & pepper.
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Roast for 1 hour 30 minutes for medium (adjust for rare or well-done).
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Rest for 15 minutes, then slice and serve with roast potatoes & mint sauce.
💡 Quick Tips & Easter Hacks
Marinate Overnight: Rub the lamb with garlic and rosemary the night before for extra flavour.
Perfect Gravy: Use the cooking juices to make a rich, delicious gravy - don’t waste a drop!
Veggie Twist: For a vegetarian option, try a mushroom and spinach wellington - it’s just as impressive and packed with flavour!
🔥 Pro Tip: For crispy roast potatoes, parboil them, shake them in a colander to rough up the edges, then roast in hot oil until golden and crunchy!
Chocolate Lovers’ Dream
Image Source: Little Sugar Snaps
Why Chocolate?
Easter without chocolate? No chance! These Mini Egg Brownies are fudgy, rich, and packed with chocolatey goodness. They’re perfect for using leftover Easter eggs - if you have any left by the time you bake them!
Easter Mini Egg Brownies Recipe
Ingredients:
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200g dark chocolate, melted
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150g butter
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200g caster sugar
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100g brown sugar
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3 eggs
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100g plain flour
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30g cocoa powder
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200g Mini Eggs, crushed
Method:
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Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease a baking tin.
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Melt chocolate & butter together. Let cool slightly.
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Whisk sugars & eggs until fluffy, then stir in the melted chocolate.
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Fold in flour, cocoa powder & Mini Eggs.
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Bake for 25-30 minutes until slightly gooey in the middle.
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Cool before cutting into squares - if you can wait that long!
💡 Quick Tips & Easter Hacks
Gooey Centre: Slightly underbake the brownies for an extra fudgy texture.
Decorate: Press extra Mini Eggs on top before baking for a colourful crunch.
Leftover Chocolate: Use broken pieces of leftover Easter eggs for an extra surprise in every bite!
🔥 Bonus Hack: Warm the brownies in the microwave and serve with vanilla ice cream - because life’s too short not to!
No-Bake, No-Fuss Treats
Image Source: Taste.com.au
Why Rocky Road?
Not everyone wants to spend hours baking - and that’s fine! This Easter Rocky Road is quick, easy, and requires no oven time. It’s perfect for kids to help with - and it’s gone so fast you’ll wonder if you ever made it.
Easter Rocky Road Recipe
Ingredients:
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200g milk chocolate, melted
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100g digestive biscuits, crushed
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50g marshmallows
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100g Mini Eggs
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2 tbsp golden syrup
Method:
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Stir melted chocolate, biscuits, marshmallows & golden syrup together.
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Fold in Mini Eggs.
💡 Quick Tips & Easter Hacks
Quick Set: Speed up chilling by placing the tray in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Customise: Swap Mini Eggs for jelly beans, dried fruit, or nuts.
Kid-Friendly: Let the kids decorate with sprinkles and colourful toppings - just prepare for a bit of sticky chaos!
🔥 Bonus Hack: Leftover chocolate? Melt it down and drizzle over popcorn for an easy, chocolatey movie-night snack!
Easter Baking = Fun, Food & Family!
From Easter lunch ideas to chocolate-packed desserts, these Easter recipes will make your weekend delicious, fun, and full of family moments. Pair your baking adventures with an Easter egg hunt or a bunny-themed breakfast for a day filled with laughter, delicious Easter food, and plenty of chocolate!
So, what are you waiting for? Fire up the oven, grab those Mini Eggs, and get baking!
Family Fun Beyond the Kitchen with Tenpin!
Once you’ve baked your heart out and polished off the last chocolate egg, why not keep the Easter fun going with a family day out at Tenpin? With locations up and down the country, it’s the perfect spot to burn off those Easter treats - and maybe work up an appetite for a few more hot cross buns!