OhNuts! sent me candy-coated almonds and I didn’t want to bake with them because I was fearful that the pink, blue, orange, and green pastel-colored candy shells would bleed and run during baking, creating a big ugly mess on whatever I made.
So I decided to go the no-bake route and I stuffed them into no-bake peanut butter cookie dough.
A 10 minute project which results in great little peanut butter cookie dough bites.
Creamy peanut butter, slightly sweet, and a hint of cinnamon and vanilla make for perfect cookie dough.
I thought these were fun for Easter. You know, “Easter eggs”, the nests, the pastel spring colors. I tried anyway.
If you don’t want to color real eggs for Easter, you could do this little project instead. Less mess, a one-bowl, mix-it-by-hand special, rather than boiling water, boiling eggs, and red dye #40 staining your hands.
Plus these candy-coated almonds taste better than hard-boiled eggs and don’t stink up your house.
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“Egg”-in-a-Nest Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites (No-Bake, Vegan, Gluten Free)
Makes 12 to 14 small cookie nests
1/4 cup peanut butter (I used store-brand, inexpensive, non-”natural”, creamy peanut butter*)
1/8 cup butter or margarine, softened (2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (to make gluten free, use a gluten free flour blend of your choice)
pinch salt, optional
1/4 cup pastel Jordan Almonds (or use plain almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, Peanut M&Ms, Whoppers, ball-shaped candy, diced candy bar pieces)
In a small bowl, whip the peanut butter and butter until creamy. I did this by hand but you can do it in a mixer if desired. Tip: microwave the peanut butter and butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 15 seconds, taking care not to melt them but just soften them, and they will combine easier. Add the sugars and whip until smooth. Add the cinnamon, vanilla extract, salt, flour (add the flour slowly in case you need slightly less than recipe indicates) and stir until combined.
The dough should be easy to work with and form into balls at this point, but if the dough is dry or crumbly and is not coming together, add a touch more peanut butter and mix until desired consistency is achieved. Conversely, it dough is too wet or sticky, add slightly more flour. Also, chilling the dough in the freezer for 10 minutes or refrigerator for 20-30 minutes prior to shaping it into balls can be helpful if the dough is a little wet or sticky.
After appropriate dough consistency is reached, roll the dough into 1 inch golf ball-sized shapes. After the balls are rolled, gently push in and insert an almond or candy. After inserting the almond, I raised the sides of the cookie up by “pulling” the dough up a bit, creating more of a nest appearance. Treat the dough like clay and form the shapes and sides as you see fit. Store extras in the refrigerator for weeks, or in the freezer for up to 3 months for longer term storage. I have successfully stored batches of no-bake cookies and cookie dough balls for many months in the freezer but do as you see fit and use common sense.
Notes: I recommend using non-natural peanut butter. Something like Jif, Skippy, or similar. Peanut butter that separates into a solid and oil is not recommended for these cookies.You could likely make these with almond butter, cookie butter, cashew butter, sunflower seed butter, or alternate nut butter or spread but you may need to play around with the ratio of dry ingredients (increase them) since most other nut butters tend to be runnier than peanut butter and you will need more dry ingredients in order to get the dough to come together.
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You don’t have to stuff candy-coated almonds into the cookie dough.
You could use plain run-of-the-mill almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts, Peanut M&Ms, Whoppers, ball-shaped candy, diced Snickers bars, diced candy bar pieces, the skies the limit.
Or just use jelly.
I’m a fan of peanut butter recipes in general…
cookie dough in general
and any dessert that has something stuffed into it…
…So these were a natural progression.
Housekeeping details:
1. I was nominated to The Kitchn’s Best Food Photography on a Blog list.
If you want to vote for me, I’d love it. You can sign in with your Facebook or Twitter name to register and voting is anonymous. Takes about 1.18 seconds to do. Wait for the page to load (it’s a bit slow and you may need to scroll “up” to see the names). Click to Vote and of course, Vote for anyone who’s work you love. There are so many extremely talented photographers, professional photographers, and fabulous bloggers on the list, so to even make the list and be nominated, I was honored.
2. I was nominated to Fitness Magazine’s Blogs We Love: Best Healthy Eating Blogs list. I’m the first to admit, my blog’s focus has changed from where it was three years ago and I’ve moved from posting about raw vegan food and yoga and onto decadent desserts and comfort food, but I’m still honored to be nominated. If you want to vote for me, I’d be grateful.
3. Thanks for the Yoga Mat Giveaway entries. Winner announced tomorrow.
Do you have memories of coloring Easter eggs as a child or plans to color eggs this year? Participating in Easter Egg hunts?
Are you prone to losing things in your own kitchen and having to hunt them down?
These cookie dough bites are my kind of “Easter Egg hunt”. As in, go into the kitchen and “hunt” for one of these. Hide them just well enough that the family doesn’t know where they’re at but not so well that I can’t find them in a peanut butter-craving “emergency”. Yes, I have lots of those.
I’ve been known to stash sprinkles, cupcake liners, a small jar of vanilla, or small packages of things in random places in my kitchen cupboards and then weeks later, I’m unable remember exactly which drawer, cupboard, or overstuffed cabinet I put it and have to tear apart my own kitchen on a sprinkles hunt or a cupcake liner hunt. Whoops.
Have a great week!
All I have to say right now is: Thank God for you and your cute little nests and the fact that they are no bake since I have 30 minutes to come up with an Easter dish to bring to a party!!! This is why you are my FAVORITE!!!!! :) Have a great Easter!!!!
Awww, thanks for LMK these came in handy. LMK how they go over!!
They were great! I didn’t have pretty almonds like you though, so in Easter spirit I filled the nests with shredded coconut and put chick-shaped sprinkles in them. They were super cute!!!
Well they sound fabulous! Lucky relatives/friends who got to nibble on them :)
These are too cute – and those nuts look so delicious!
these look so good! could definitely go for 1 [no, 5] right now!
Love this! Just posted our Kitchen Fun and Crafty Friday link party…would LOVE for you to share this! http://kitchenfunwithmy3sons.blogspot.com/2012/03/kitchen-fun-and-crafty-friday-link_08.html
aw these are adorable! :)
i love love LOVE jordan amonds! :) I had a friend who’s middle name was Jordan (in college) and her mother constantly sent her bags of them, telling her that they were named after her…so cute :D
I can never find anything in my kitchen. I have far more gadgets and appliances than I have space for. I can’t wait to make these! I’m probably going to use peanut M&M’s since I can’t have almonds. But either way I want some peanut butter and sugar in me, stat!
Oh, good! LMK if you make them and peanut M&M’s will be great (and smaller than the almonds so easier to work with!)
These are too cute! I’d have to stuff mine with peanut butter M&M’s I think though, since we’re not huge nut fans here. Perfect for Easter!
What a fun idea for Easter, this is my kind of treat!
Saw your Oreo cheesecake on the Top 9. Congrats!
I love what you did with your Oh!Nuts Jordan Almonds! I especially love that it has peanut butter and is no bake!
Btw, I’ve been seeing links to your blog all over the place lately and today you stopped by..thanks! :)
What a fun idea for Easter! These are so adorable!
These are the cutest things I’ve EVER SEEN!!
We colored Easter eggs every year and I remember the strong vinegar smell, the coloring all over my hands, and the fact that I do not like hard-boiled eggs! I was always more excited for the chocolate pb-filled eggs@
I am not really a hard boiled egg fan either…the whites, so-so. But the yolks, no way!
Congrats on all of your nominations – you deserve it :) Always love your blog and look forward to it each morning.
These are just about the cutest little treats! It’s making me long for spring, warm weather (it’s like 30 degrees in NYC today) and Easter time!
Awww, thanks, Rachel!
I hide things around the kitchen too and often times I completely forget about them until I decided to clean my cabinets – its like finding a gift, lol. Maybe you could keep a little note book where you write down where you have hidden things, but you would have to hide the notebook too so I don’t know if that would work either.
Oh yum! I received Jordan Almonds as well, and yes baking does lose the color and all the candy coating :( I had to resort to other options!
omg these are so adorable and fun! Hope you had a great weekend!
This is a really cute idea. Of course peanut butter cookie dough stuffed with anything is never a bad idea. But the Jordan Almonds make it so spring-y and pretty!
omg, EASTER! Haha I’d completely forgotten that it was coming up. These are too cute, Averie. I’m always losing things in my kitchen. Especially now that I’m home. I’ve been so frustrated because I’ve forgotten where I put everything! haha I guess it makes it fun… searching for things.
How gorgeous and fun is this?!
This will be a really splendid treat for Easter Sunday…The kids will love these! Thanks for sharing!
Definitely one of the cutest and most creative desserts I’ve seen! I adore peanut butter cookies, and who could resist those cut little almonds? Really clever, Averie!
Oh my goodness, you’ve sparked my craving for peanut butter and all nuts in general! (I’ve given them up for Lent) I’m gonna be waiting to try these recipes as soon as I can! :)
So pretty and perfect for Easter :) Although nothing will beat out my beloved Cadbury Creme Eggs, these look like something I wouldn’t mind seeing in my Easter basket (if I still got an Easter basket that is)
the one dessert/sweet that I can say, I would rather have nothing at all than eat it…is a Cadbury Creme Egg. Ok, that and a Pixie Stick. Lol
You know we are big fans of the thumbprints! Too bad my kiddos don’t care for nuts. Meh.
Have you seen this Averie?? I TOTALLY thought of you when someone else blogged about it.
http://www.pbcrave.com/info/Cookie_Nookie
TOO IRONIC..I *just* read about that PB on a blog earlier today. Crazy but true!
I used to make easter egg nests every year with my mom – chocolate haystacks in the shape of nests (you know the chow mein noodle things covered in chocolate) and then cadbury eggs inside. These would be great in something like that too! Or with rice krispie bar nests…or special K bar nests….or….I’m hungry.
the one dessert/sweet that I can say, I would rather have nothing at all than eat it…is a Cadbury Creme Egg. Ok, that and a Pixie Stick. Lol I almost make RKTreats with these eggs but the run-off factor was concerning. I knew I had to make them pretty and take pics so that’s why I went with these..but in other circumstances, yeah, RKTreats.
I am so glad I found your site and this recipe! How adorable! It brings back memories of my childhood when in school one year we made edible bird’s nests around Easter. I can’t wait to make these!
Thanks Alex and LMK if you make them!
You really cant go wrong with peanut butter cookie dough. These are adorable!
How cute! I love these! I would so do them with M&M’s. Now I am going to make these. I made your Chocolate Chip Dough Balls, two batches and at them up, made 4 batches of your Peanut Butter Balls and popped them in my mouth like they were candy and now you show me these. Dam I’m giving my food processor a work out! These look great and will be my next cookie balls!
2x choc chip balls
4x PB balls
= you’ve been having fun :)
These are so easy b/c no food proc required. Just a spoon. LMK if you make them!
What an adorable idea for Easter! I need to find some of these candy coated almonds though…how perfect!
Just use peanut M & M’s or a marshmallow or an uncoated almond or whatever if need be!
ha 10 minutes to make, 5 minutes to eat!
they are cute and dangerous too!
sorry i’ve missed some of your posts–too much crap going on over here.
10 minutes to make, 5 minutes to eat! <-- better than Thanksgiving dinner which takes 12 hours to make and 15 mins to eat :) These are a better return on investment. Lol And I am so sorry about the crap going on...email me if you ever need to chat. Girl, I am here. Always. xoxo
These are so freaking cute!! Love this idea!
ok averie, you win for CUTEST recipe of all time. these are so perfectly precious and adorable. and candy coated almonds sound amazing. AND stuffed inside peanut butter cookie dough?? you’re killin me! i can’t wait to start easter baking! love all the pinks and yellows :)
You are so sweet, thanks Sally!
I just love all things Easter…even though we’re not really religious, ha. These are too cute!
nor are we. A jew and a non-practicing catholic. But we still celebrate the Easter Bunny’s arrival…with chocolate :)
How fun. I always liked the candy-coated almonds. Those just look so cute and festive. I lose things all the time. It’s a constant hunt around here LOL
Oh I love the look of these! Peanut butter & almonds in one bite, you know it’s a good time. Also, I’m starting to think Easter desserts might be the prettiest, because of all the pastel colors.
Valentine’s for me, b/c of the pink :) But Easter is a close second!
left you details about the jam on my original reply
These are adorable!! I love Easter- it means SPRING is here. And I still get reminded of wearing white sandals on Easter every year as a kid. I’d always put together an egg hunt for my cousins on Easter Sunday, despite being only about 2 months older than the next in line. I had more fun planning than hunting. Such a precocious little kid…
I love the way you ask your readers questions at the end of a post – what a terrific way to connect!
Like we talked about yesterday, if someone only wants recipes, they can go to allrecipes. If they want more story, more interaction, more than just the recipe, they probably read blogs…such a huge part of is a two-way connection! :)
These are so darn cute! They make me excited for Easter!! Your no bake goodies always look fabulous. YES- we always used to color easter eggs. I’m kind of thinking about doing it again this year!
Those little nest things are cute! I have to make treats for my students this Easter … I think I am going to make cake pops, but not sure.
OMG I love sugar almonds and I love peanut butter these must be a match made in heaven!!!
So cute! Love the idea! I’m still hoping a good idea pops into my ahead for the almonds.
Oh, you got some, too? I have to say, I was STUMPED with what to make and it took me a long, long time to figure this out…the running, bleeding, issue and the fact that the nut itself is pretty big…when you get your post up, I’d love to see it. Remind me :)
I haven’t had Jordan almonds in years and those are really cute Easter cookies! I don’t have young children so no Easter egg hunts at my house this year. Btw, the instant pectin worked well for a quick batch of mango jam. So easy–mix pectin with sugar, add fruit and stir 3 min. and let it set for 30 min. ‘Twas very good on my sourdough bread!
So all you did was combine fruit, pectin, sugar, stir and let sit and in 30 mins you had jam? Are you saying you didn’t put it on heat or boil it? Sorry…I am extremely new to this whole process and read what is written quite literally yet! Clarify b/c I am thinking you have to have heated it at some point and boiled the fruit..for how long, etc…details please!
Hi again–the jam really was that easy. The pectin was instant pectin so no cooking/boiling required!! I used Ball brand Real Fruit Instant Pectin. There are probably other brands out there but as long as it is instant it should work the same. Website on the packet is FreshPreserving.com for more info.
I’ve used this too and it works exactly like it says – instant, no boil. Its great!!
I’ve never heard of this no-boil method and you still get jam in the end?! Where have I been? Boiling vats of water engrained in me from childhood apparently!
Those are just darling! This is really getting me in the mood for Spring!
GREAT idea! LOVE this!!!
Brooke
http://www.MarvelousLoveBlog.com
This is a great idea! It would be pretty simple to make a vegan version as well. I will definitely give it a try :)
Yes, they are vegan already!
Well technically not, due to the butter but oh well:)
OMG, what an adorable idea! Another must try!!! :)
Thanks, Kelli. LMK if you do!
I LOVE anything peanut butter! What a cute idea!
Super easy to handle those PB cravings :)
So cute! I think I might make the balls and then get my preschoolers to nest their own egg!
I think like a 5 year old b/c I have one :) Always trying to come up with things she can do, that don’t make a mess or require me to “babysit” the project, and that are FAST!