The birds are chirping, the sun is shining— Spring is finally here! Which also means warm weather, fresh fruit and veggies... and lots and lots of Easter candy lining store shelves. 😋 Even as adults who won’t be getting near an Easter egg hunt, we get a little giddy around Easter baskets every year. We've been picking up Peeps and Reese’s eggs with our toothpaste and vitamins since they started showing up after Valentine’s—now that the springtime holiday is actually upon us, we want to do something a little more special and make our own sweet treats. These 53 candy recipes *might* even be better than the store-bought stuff—make them for Easter and all year long.
When it comes to easy candy making, it’s all about fudge, truffles, and chocolate bark, so we’ve got a ton of recipes for both. Everything from the more basic, like classic peanut butter fudge or our unicorn bark, to some you may be less familiar with, like Brazilian brigadeiros (think extra-chewy chocolate truffles) or halva. A few recipes, like our fantasy fudge and peanut brittle, DO use a candy thermometer, but we promise it’s worth the extra effort. Getting comfortable with the proper temperature for candy making may seem difficult, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll feel like a confectionary wizard.
And don’t worry, store-bought Easter candy continues to make an appearance, like in our Whopper’s Robin Egg fudge. Feel free to find your favorites and incorporate them into these recipes—trust us, everything looks cuter with a miniature egg or bunny on top.
For more springtime inspiration, check out our Easter dinner and side dishes (you’re going to need some sustenance to go along with all this sugar!). Want even more sweet ideas? See our Easter cakes and cupcakes too.
1
Pecan Pralines
A classic Southern dessert, pecan pralines are the melt-in-your-mouth candy perfect to bring for any gathering. The perfect cross between a cookie and a candy, these soft and chewy bites make for an ideal food gift any time of year—who wouldn’t want homemade candy?
Get the Pecan Pralines recipe.
2
Easter Egg Oreo Truffles
Decorate these Oreo truffles however you want, using colorful royal icing, candies, or sprinkles. No matter what you go with, they're sure to be the cutest (and most delicious!) Easter eggs at the table.
Get the Easter Egg Oreo Truffles recipe.
3
Easter Egg Strawberries
These chocolate-covered strawberries are the cutest Easter treat you'll ever see. They're like dyed Easter eggs that you'll actually want to eat! Want to take them OTT? Turn them into chocolate-covered strawberry cheesecakes next.
Get the Easter Egg Strawberries recipe.
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4
Tiramisu Truffles
Craving a sweet pick-me-up at the end of a meal? These tiramisu truffles are for you. Luscious espresso and mascarpone white chocolate ganache is coated in a crisp chocolate shell for a dreamy bite-sized dessert that’s sure to delight every coffee lover.
Get the Tiramisu Truffles recipe.
5
Robin's Egg Malt Fudge
Some people live for the day the first Peeps hit the stores. For us, it's Robin's Eggs. This fudge has a creamy texture with an amazing crunch—and thanks to Ovaltine, the malted milkshake flavor is intense (in the best way).
Get the Robin's Egg Malt Fudge recipe.
6
Brigadeiros
Chocolate sprinkles are traditional for these chewy Brazilian truffles, but you can use anything from nonpareils to your favorite nuts.
Get the Brigadeiros recipe.
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7
Halva
Halva is a Middle Eastern tahini-based treat similar to fudge, but less sweet. Try this recipe, and we know you'll be just as obsessed as we are.
Get the Halva recipe.
8
Confetti Squares
Rainbow marshmallows make for an extra fun pop of color in these dessert bars, but regular minis are good too. Or chop up some Peeps!
Get the Confetti Squares recipe.
9
Caramel Popcorn
Making from-scratch caramel corn couldn't be easier, but don't be hesitated to rush it—baking at a low temperature for about an hour is key to popcorn with that irresistible sweet crunch.
Get the Caramel Popcorn recipe.
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10
Strawberry Shortcake Truffles
Freeze-dried strawberries add the perfect pop of red here. Don't like white chocolate? Swap for dark or semisweet instead.
Get the Strawberry Shortcake Truffles recipe.
11
Chocolate Coconut Balls
If you love Almond Joy candy bars, these chocolate coconut balls are calling your name. Packed with toasted almonds and two kinds of coconut, they are chewy, nutty, and totally scrumptious. Oh... and did we mention they’re also covered in chocolate?
Get the Chocolate Coconut Balls recipe.
12
Unicorn Bark
The more sprinkles on this rainbow chocolate bark, the better. Raid the Easter candy aisle for fun candy toppers too!
Get the Unicorn Bark recipe.
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13
Buckeyes
Loaded with peanut butter and dipped in chocolate, these buckeyes are basically a homemade Reese’s peanut butter cup in truffle form. They’re easy to make and great for taking to parties—although if you do, you should probably attach a warning label to the plate. You won’t be able to have just one.
Get the Buckeyes recipe.
14
Cookie Dough Easter Eggs
We're just going to say it: These edible cookie dough truffles even better than Reese's Eggs. 😮 And so cute! Make them with kids for a fun Easter activity.
Get the Cookie Dough Easter Eggs recipe.
15
Salted Caramels
Sea salt and caramel are a total match made in heaven, whether it's in a luscious caramel sauce or, in this case, perfectly chewy, wrappable candies. If it seems silly to top them with salt, trust us—it pulls the flavors together (and adds a little crunch!).
Get the Salted Caramels recipe.
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16
Chocolate Almond Bark
This homemade chocolate bark puts just about any store-bought chocolate candy to shame, offering an unbeatable sweet, salty, crunchy hit to the palate.
Get the Chocolate Almond Bark recipe.
17
Chocolate-Covered Pretzels
Dipping pretzels in chocolate is nothing revolutionary, but boy, are they good. Here's how to do it perfectly every time. Full disclaimer: This recipe yields A LOT. Feel free to halve the recipe, but we've never had a problem eating and gifting them all.
Get the Chocolate-Covered Pretzels recipe.
18
Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
We know these aren't candy per se, but when warm weather strawberries return for spring, we think they taste just as sweet.
Get the Chocolate-Covered Strawberries recipe.
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19
Fantasy Fudge
Fantasy fudge is a shortcut fudge that is just as good as the real thing. Our two favorite things about it are that, 1) it's quick to make, and 2) it's totally customizable! Not only can you use any chocolate you like, but you can also choose whatever mix-ins you want (put all your favorite Easter cookies and candies in here!).
Get the Fantasy Fudge recipe.
20
Baileys Truffles
Have you been out Easter egg hunting all day? You deserve a boozy little Baileys treat.
Get the Baileys Truffles recipe.
