How fun are these Easter bird’s nests? This recipe uses sliced almonds and roasted pistachios instead of chow mein noodles, so these candies are a more wholesome treat than many other options. They taste similar to Bark Thins, if you’ve tried their nutty options. Add a sprinkle of crushed green pistachio and flaky salt for extra flavor and a more realistic nest look!

These gourmet nests are easy to make. Once you’ve gathered your ingredients, you can make a dozen in under 20 minutes (including 10 minutes in the refrigerator). I know these nests will become a tradition at our Easter brunch.

I love making nostalgic treats like these with our four-year-old. She’s always eager to stir, scoop, and lick the spoon, of course. (Parents, I’ve just learned that mini eggs are a choking hazard for kids ages four and younger, so these nests are a better option for bigger kids.)

Bird’s Nest Ingredients

You’ll need just five basic ingredients to make these Easter sweets.

Chocolate

I recommend using chocolate baking bars for a glossy finish, such as Guittard’s 64% or Ghirardelli’s 60%. Use milk chocolate if you prefer its flavor. Chocolate chips work, but the nests tend to turn a dull brown, especially after a day or two.

Sliced almonds

Store-bought sliced almonds offer the perfect light texture and mild almond flavor. Slivered almonds would work, but they will offer more crunch.

Pistachios

I used lightly salted roasted pistachios from Wonderful Pistachios, which seem to be readily available. If you can find quality raw shelled pistachios and roast them yourself, they’ll have an even nicer flavor, but I was pleased with my results. (Bake at 350 for 7 to 9 minutes until fragrant, then cool before using.)

Alternatives: You can substitute more sliced almonds, unsweetened shredded coconut, chopped walnuts or pecans.

Flaky sea salt and chopped pistachios

Both of these garnishes are optional. Maldon flaky sea salt ramps up the flavor and makes these nests taste more like a gourmet treat, while adding some extra texture (real bird’s nests look messy, after all). Finely chopped green pistachios add fun pops of color and even more texture.

Miniature eggs

See the next section for an in-depth review of options.

Chocolate Egg Options

I like to alternate between two or three eggs per nest to look more dynamic. Buy your eggs locally because they tend to get beat up during shipping. I’ve linked mostly to Target’s options so you can check whether they’re in stock near you.

• Cadbury milk chocolate eggs or dark chocolate eggs: The milk chocolate eggs are shown in my photos. I prefer the flavor of Cadbury’s dark chocolate eggs, but the colors are so saturated, almost like primary colors.
• Lindt mini eggs: These are slightly bigger than the other options. They’re naturally colored, so if that’s your top priority, these are the winners. You could use one to two per nest. I found some at CVS.
• Hershey’s candy-coated eggs: These are similar to Cadbury’s options and taste like Hershey’s kisses.
• M&M’s peanut butter eggs or peanut eggs: Slightly smaller, with glossy coatings.

Please let me know how your nests turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you.

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