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    Home » Recipes » Easter

    Published: Apr 3, 2023 by Paula Montenegro · Income from ads and affiliates

    Easter Brunch Recipe Ideas

    Easter table with sweet breads, tart on green cake stand, cookies and more; pink brown text overlay

    How are you preparing for Easter? I feel that any holiday, especially on a Sunday, is a great excuse to put together a brunch table. So I prepared a list of great baking ideas to inspire you. Some are easy and perfect if you need a last-minute addition to your menu. There are both sweet and savory recipes, our fav ones.
    This recipe roundup is updated every year with new content.

    Table of Contents Open
    The recipes
    Savory
    Easy Baked Ricotta
    Savory Scones
    Tomato Galette (savory recipe)
    Crustless Quiche Recipe (any flavor!)
    Mushroom Quiche
    Pizza Rustica (savory ricotta pie)
    Bread & Scones
    Hot Cross Buns
    The Best Strawberry Scones
    Glazed Easter Bread (with video)
    Lemon Blackberry Bread
    Blueberry Scones
    Crunchy Almond Holiday Bread
    Cookies and Candy
    Easter Bark
    Lemon Crinkle Cookies (with video!)
    Cadbury Egg Cookies
    Chocolate Peanut Clusters (super easy!)
    Easy Snickerdoodle Recipe
    Almond Macaroons
    Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
    Chocolate Walnut Cookies
    White Chocolate Almond Cookies
    Lemon Shortbread Cookies
    Buckeye Fudge
    Easy Bunny Cookies
    Pies, Bars, and Desserts
    The Best Ricotta Pie (Italian recipe)
    Pineapple Dump Cake
    White Chocolate Walnut Blondies
    Lemon Blondies
    Easiest EVER Cherry Tart
    Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies
    Lattice Fig Tart
    Cinnamon Rice Pudding
    Chocolate Coconut Brownie Bars
    Carrot Pineapple Cake
    Ricotta Cheesecake
    Super Moist Carrot Cake
    Maple Walnut Cake
    Crustless Ricotta Cheesecake
    Chocolate Torte
    Lemon Almond Cake
    Hummingbird Layer Cake
    Easy Easter sugar cookies
    Purple and white text overlay on image of ceramic bunny plate with mini egg cookies.


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    Every year I gather with family, sometimes old friends, and celebrate around a nice brunch table for Easter.

    It's always special and there's always too much food, as pertains to those of us brought up with any type of Italian heritage.

    Setting the table: take the time to think about what color palette you want that goes with your food. Easter and Spring are all about light and sunshine (hopefully) so make sure your plates and linens match the spirit you want for the brunch.

    The recipes

    The great thing about baking is that most recipes are good to eat year-round. We are not as eager to bake in the scorching summer, but spring and fall are perfect occasions. And a holiday is the perfect excuse.

    These are, hands down, my favorites for Easter.

    Savory

    I have to confess that savory baking is one of my favorite things. And eating the results is a big part of why I love it.

    Grey round dish with baked ricotta topped with tomatoes, white linen underneath, olives in background.

    Easy Baked Ricotta

    This simple recipe is a great appetizer recipe that is quick and easy to make. It can be mixed by hand or in the food processor if you want a smoother texture. A perfect addition to a brunch table, as a dip in a charcuterie or cheese board, or as a light lunch if you make it as a crustless pie. 

    Get the recipe
    Close up of three scones stacked with a light colored background

    Savory Scones

    This recipe is stunning and ready in an hour. I use cheese and chives for an amazing flavor but think of it as a master savory scone recipe dough where you can add other ingredients, like bacon. They rise beautifully and bake to a fantastic golden brown. Wait until you smell the aroma in the kitchen!

    Get the recipe
    Whole baked tomato ahead seen from above on a white surface. Cherry tomatoes around.

    Tomato Galette (savory recipe)

    Galette is the French word for a free-form pie recipe. This one has a layer of cheese mixture, a buttery herb crust, and ripe, bursting-with-flavor tomatoes. It's the easiest way to make a pie since you don't need to line a pie dish. And is so delicious!

    Get the recipe
    Round dish with baked quiche on white surface

    Crustless Quiche Recipe (any flavor!)

    Crustless Quiche is a simple, flavorful dish great for weekend brunch or a light lunch. It's egg-based and very versatile with fillings. Ready in less than an hour, it keeps well for several days in the refrigerator!

    Get the recipe
    Whole baked square mushroom quiche in the pan being held with white kitchen towels.

    Mushroom Quiche

    Quiche is a short, fancy tart with a buttery crust and a rich, creamy filling. Mushrooms and leeks make this recipe extraordinary, full of flavor, and a wonderful dish for brunch, potlucks, and picnics, and to have frozen at all times, just in case.

    Get the recipe
    Single slice of savory ricotta lattice pie on a white plate. Striped cloth and rest of pie in the background.

    Pizza Rustica (savory ricotta pie)

    This is a classic Italian savory pie made with ricotta, cheese, and cold meats. The crust is amazing and slightly sweet, something that goes incredibly well with the salty filling. It's a traditional dish for Easter and a great recipe for leftovers.

    Get the recipe

    Bread & Scones

    There are some traditional recipes below that I love to include on a holiday table. All brunches should have bread and cookies, of course!

    Tight cluster of hot cross buns. Close up image.

    Hot Cross Buns

    These are traditional little sweet Easter buns. They are super soft, tender, with a hint of cinnamon, and studded with raisins. They can be made ahead and frozen. 

    Get the recipe
    Strawberry scones on wire rack, white background

    The Best Strawberry Scones

     A fabulous tender strawberry scone recipe that bakes to a golden brown and has the most eye-catching pink drizzle of strawberry glaze. You can make them ahead, cut, and keep them frozen until ready to be baked. I give you all my tips and tricks for making the best homemade scones!

    Get the recipe
    Beige parchment paper with sliced glazed almond Easter braided bread. Top partial view.

    Glazed Easter Bread (with video)

    My favorite Italian Easter bread is braided, glazed, and has simple flavors, perfect for brunch or with a cup of coffee. This is a gorgeous sweet dough that's easy to make and great to work with. And versatile enough to add flavorings, fillings, or top with colored eggs if you want to.

    Get the recipe
    Close up of blackberry bread with pink icing on wooden board, cut slices in front.

    Lemon Blackberry Bread

    A quick bread similar to a light pound cake that bakes to a golden brown and is covered with the most eye-catching pink icing. The flavors are amazing together, you can use fresh or frozen fruit, the crumb is soft and keeps well. It's one of our favorite recipes to make for Easter and Mother's Day brunch. 

    Get the recipe
    Three blueberry scones stacked on a white marble surface with greyish blue background.

    Blueberry Scones

    Scones that are bursting with blueberries, this recipe makes tender, buttery, flaky ones that are ready in an hour and can be frozen.

    Get the recipe
    On a wooden table a slice of sweet bread with crunchy topping, scattered almonds, whole braid in background

    Crunchy Almond Holiday Bread

    A gorgeous holiday braid, with a crunchy almond crust and a soft, fluffy crumb. Make it plain or add cranberries, chocolate chips, or spices for a more festive look. It can be made ahead and frozen.

    Get the recipe

    Cookies and Candy

    Easter is not complete without cookies and easy candy recipes. Here are our favorites.

    Easter Bark

    Super easy thin chocolate bars that are perfect for celebrations. This Easter bark recipe has two variations: white or dark chocolate. Top them with colored chocolate, sprinkles, chopped mini eggs, or any other themed decoration you like. It takes 10 minutes to put together and extra time to set, and that's it. A great holiday project to make with kids. 

    Get the recipe
    Stack of lemon crinkle cookies, white cloth with color dots, green leaves in background

    Lemon Crinkle Cookies (with video!)

    Since Lemon Crinkle Cookies are a crowd-pleaser, let me tell you this is the only recipe you'll ever need. They’re simply sensational! Perfectly tender, easy to make and with a fresh lemon flavor. I'm hooked.

    Get the recipe
    Several mini egg cookies on a white plate with a bunny. Grey background.

    Cadbury Egg Cookies

    These are easy, cute, and delicious cookies. Made with chopped chocolate mini eggs and almonds, they're especially great for Easter brunch. The dough is vanilla-flavored and you get crunchy bits of chocolate in every bite. 

    Get the recipe
    White plate with chocolate peanut clusters on pink surface, peanuts around

    Chocolate Peanut Clusters (super easy!)

    This might be the easiest chocolate candy ever. It's a simple concept of mixing different types of chocolate (or only one kind) with peanuts and a little bit of salt. Let the clusters dry, and they're ready to eat! They are super easy, ready in 25 minutes and the perfect thing to make with kids, and for birthdays. I mean, who doesn't love chocolate and peanuts together?

    Get the recipe
    Green wooden board with several snickerdoodles piled and a cinnamon stick.

    Easy Snickerdoodle Recipe

    These traditional snickerdoodle cookies are sweet and soft, with that slight tang that makes them unique. Rolled in cinnamon sugar, they're a favorite for the holidays, potlucks, and picnics. The dough can be made a day ahead, and the baked cookies keep well.

    Get the recipe
    Piece of parchment paper with chocolate drizzled almond cookies on top of a wire rack. Pink background.

    Almond Macaroons

    Italian macaroons are naturally gluten-free cookies made with almonds and egg whites. They have a rich, nutty flavor and chewy texture, making them a popular dessert worldwide. We drizzle them with chocolate for a flavor combination that will make almond lovers swoon.

    Get the recipe
    Peanut butter blossom cookies close up on a cream colored plate with a grey cloth in the background.

    Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

    Soft and chewy peanut butter cookies with a chocolate center, these cookies are easy to make and loved by everyone. They're perfect for Christmas, bake sales, potlucks, and picnics. Also known as Hershey's peanut butter blossoms.

    Get the recipe
    White and pink surface with chocolate walnut cookies, whole and half

    Chocolate Walnut Cookies

    These intense chocolate cookies have been my favorites for years. They have nuts, a shiny, crackly skin, and a dark chocolate fudgy center with chocolate chips that is gooey and incredibly rich. They can be made in different sizes and last several days. A fabulous chocolate cookie recipe I'm sure you'll love!

    Get the recipe
    Flat close up view of baked almond cookies on white parchment paper.

    White Chocolate Almond Cookies

    Soft, chewy, and delicious, these cookies are a one-bowl recipe full of sweetness from the chocolate chips and crunchiness from the almonds. It's a recipe that will make a fantastic addition to your list of Easter and Christmas baking, for potlucks and picnics, or as an afternoon treat. 

    Get the recipe
    Green wood board with stack and individual lemon glazed cookies.

    Lemon Shortbread Cookies

    A twist on our very popular lemon shortbread recipe, this 5-ingredient recipe makes a more delicate, crisp cookie with a melt-in-your-mouth quality. The lemon flavor can be adjusted to your palate and is topped with a zesty powdered sugar glaze. The unbaked dough can be frozen for a month. And they keep well for a week or more after they're baked.

    Get the recipe
    Three squares of peanut butter chocolate fudge on a white paper and white surface.

    Buckeye Fudge

    Super easy to make and a total crowd-pleaser, these peanut butter fudge squares are topped with a layer of semisweet chocolate and is beyond amazing! It uses few ingredients and is a great idea for the holidays, birthdays, or just because. 

    Get the recipe
    Overview of white plate with a pile of iced bunny sugar cookies on a white tray with beige hearts.

    Easy Bunny Cookies

    These bunny sugar cookies make a great addition to any Easter celebration and can become a fun family tradition. The dough is vanilla-flavored and straightforward to make. The cookies and icing can be made ahead as they keep for several days or weeks. 

    Get the recipe

    Pies, Bars, and Desserts

    Some traditional pies and some wonderful desserts that your pickiest eaters will approve of.

    Single slice of ricotta pie on parchment over wooden table, with book, pan in background

    The Best Ricotta Pie (Italian recipe)

    The best Italian ricotta pie, with an easy-to-make sweet pastry dough and a filling full of flavor. A great recipe for Easter and a brunch table.

    Get the recipe
    Eaten pineapple dump cake in a light blue baking dish with a spoon inside. Wooden surface with a striped cloth.

    Pineapple Dump Cake

    A simple and easy-to-make recipe that combines the sweetness of the pineapple with the buttery, cakey texture of the cake mix. They combine to create an indulgent, juicy, and delicious dessert, making it a popular choice for potlucks, family gatherings, and other casual events.

    Get the recipe
    Several blondie squares on a white marbled surface.

    White Chocolate Walnut Blondies

    Wonderfully easy to make, these white chocolate walnut bars have a hint of coffee, are ready in under an hour, and freeze very well. They taste like the best giant caramel cookie.

    Get the recipe
    Three stacked glazed lemon brownies (or blondies) on a wooden board. Top one is bitten. White background.

    Lemon Blondies

    Also known as lemon brownies, these are sweet, moist, and intensely lemon-flavored bars that are easy to make and glazed to perfection. A mouthwatering recipe that will bring raves! They keep for several days and can be frozen. 

    Get the recipe
    Front view of cherry tart on white cake stand, grey background

    Easiest EVER Cherry Tart

    An easy cherry tart with a vanilla custard filling, fresh cherries, and a crust that doesn't require refrigeration or rolling before using!

    Get the recipe
    Close up stack of three brownies on a white surface with light blue and cream colored background.

    Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

    These are fudgy, easy to make, and incredibly rich, one of the best brownies I ever made. And they happen to be gluten-free. They keep well and can be frozen. I hope you make them soon because they're fabulous!

    Get the recipe
    White plate with slice of lattice fig tart, fork, white kitchen towel, beige apron

    Lattice Fig Tart

    A wonderful fig tart (or crostata alla marmellata as the Italians call it) with a lattice top with step-by-step instructions for the sweet dough and homemade fig jam.

    The time given in the recipe is for the pie (making the dough and baking it), not included is the time it takes to make the fig jam.

    Get the recipe
    White marble surface with glass bowls containing creamy rice pudding. Cinnamon sticks and lemon peel strips around.

    Cinnamon Rice Pudding

    Creamy, sweet, and with a hint of citrus, this Spanish rice pudding recipe has been in my family for ages. It is easy to make and keeps refrigerated for several days. Serve it cold dusted with ground cinnamon. 

    Get the recipe
    Squares of brownie bars on light blue surface, loose coconut

    Chocolate Coconut Brownie Bars

    Fudgy and gooey chocolate coconut bars that will become a favorite!

    Get the recipe

    Cakes

    I narrowed down my favorite cake recipes for this time of year, which was difficult. I hope you find them amazing like I do.

    Frosted carrot pineapple cake square sprinkled with walnuts on a white plate with a fork. More cake in the white background.

    Carrot Pineapple Cake

    Add pineapple to carrot cake and you have a new favorite! It's very moist, super flavorful, and perfect to make year-round.

    Get the recipe
    Single slice of ricotta cheesecake with berries on a white plate with a fork. Light pink cloth on a grey background.

    Ricotta Cheesecake

    This fabulous cheesecake combines cream cheese and ricotta to create a lighter, but slightly rustic texture than regular cheesecakes. A creamy, sweet, and barely tangy filling is poured into a buttery graham cracker crust and baked until golden and set. It keeps very well and can be frozen, so you can make it in advance. 

    Get the recipe
    Eaten slice of filled and frosted carrot cake on stack of white plates, pecans and silver fork.

    Super Moist Carrot Cake

    This is truly a celebration carrot cake, with a very moist crumb and spiced flavor. Filled and frosted with cream cheese, both the cake layers and the frosting can be made ahead. Whether you bake it in layers, cupcakes, a tube pan, or loaf pans, it's a certain crowd-pleaser.

    Get the recipe
    Top view of whole glazed walnut bundt cake on a white plate, gold forks, and light-colored cloth.

    Maple Walnut Cake

    A moist and dense walnut pound cake with a hefty dose of ground nuts and maple syrup in the batter. Two flavors that pair fantastically well. The bundt cake is a simple recipe that can be made ahead and frozen. A finger-licking maple icing is the perfect topping. We like to serve it for Easter and mother's day.

    Get the recipe
    Lifting a slice of ricotta cheesecake from the whole cake on a white plate with a silver knife. White background.

    Crustless Ricotta Cheesecake

    This 7-ingredient ricotta cheesecake is a fantastic recipe. Soft and very creamy, it leaves the most wonderful aroma in your kitchen, lasts several days, and cuts like a dream.

    Get the recipe
    A berry topped chocolate torte on a pink cake stand with one slice being removed. Grey and white background.

    Chocolate Torte

    A rich and showstopping dessert served with berries and cream. This chocolate almond torte is flourless, cuts like a dream, and keeps well.

    Get the recipe
    A whole bundt cake on a green cake stand, white background, lemon wedges, plate stack

    Lemon Almond Cake

    Not your typical cake, this one has almond cream swirled into a wonderful lemon batter. The result is moist, perfectly tight, and with a fantastic flavor! It's a beautiful recipe to make for a brunch table or just because you want a little sunshine in your day. It freezes very well so you can make it ahead.

    Get the recipe
    Slices of frosted layer cake on blue background, whole cake in white cake stand

    Hummingbird Layer Cake

    Beautiful layers flavored with banana, pineapple, cinnamon, and walnuts are combined with sweet cream cheese frosting. A fantastic classic cake that keeps well and can be frozen!

    Get the recipe

    Easy Easter sugar cookies

    A bonus recipe that is more an idea, because it doesn't have a post, only the image below.

    We took our favorite sour cream sugar cookie dough and made egg and bunny cookies decorated with chocolate candies in pastel colors. Look for those that are meant to be baked without losing color or form.

    Cookie decoration was never easier!

    Several Easter sugar cookies on wire rack over wooden table with linens.

    Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
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    About Paula Montenegro

    I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe developer, sharing the best ones here with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

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    1. Jacquie Gariano says

      April 14, 2022 at 6:06 pm

      Love all the choices. will be doing 2-3 and pining some for later use. Thanks

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Paula!

    A baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe finder, sharing the best ones on this blog, with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

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