These desserts are an egg-cellent way to celebrate the Easter holiday. There are-easy to-find ingredients and simple recipes so you can involve any friend or family member in the fun.

Story by Abby Morgan

Pictures by Kiana Fernandez

EDIBLE EASTER BASKETS

Ingredients:

1 package of chocolate chip cookie dough (16 ½ ounces)

1 7 oz. package of coconut flakes

1 package of Twizzlers or Red Vines

Green food coloring

Instructions:

1.     Preheat the oven to 350° F.

2.     Spread the cookie dough evenly inside a greased cupcake pan. Press the dough onto the bottom and the sides of the cupcake shape; this may take more than one pre-cut piece of dough.

3.     Bake for 11-12 minutes.

4.     While the cookies are baking, put 5 tbsp. of coconut flakes into a small bowl with 3 drops of food coloring. Stir them together until the coconut is the color you want.

5.     Make small holes on the sides with a knife or fork on opposite sides of the cookie and arch the Twizzlers to be the handle of the basket. where you want the Twizzlers to go on the cookies and gently put them there in an arch.

6.     Put 1 tsp. of the coconut, or your desired amount on top of the cookie.

OREO BALL EGGS

Ingredients:

1 8 oz. package cream cheese

38 Oreos, single stuffed

1 24-piece package of white chocolate bark

3 Ziploc sandwich bags

Instructions:

1.     Leave the cream cheese out to soften for at least half an hour.

2.     Divide the Oreos into two Ziploc bags and crush them into fine crumbs.

3.     Combine the Oreos and cream cheese in a medium sized bowl.

4.     Roll the mixture into a ball, shape it into the size of an egg and place them on a plate that can fit in your refrigerator.

5.     Melt the chocolate in a small bowl.

6.     Put the chocolate in a Ziploc bag, cut a small hole in the corner and decorate the Oreo eggs.

COLORED SUGAR COOKIES

Ingredients:

½ cup shortening

½ cup butter

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

3 tsp. baking powder

1 cup sugar

2 ¼ cup flour

Food coloring of your choice

Instructions:

1.     Preheat the oven to 375° F.

2.     Combine and melt the butter and shortening in a small bowl.

3.     Add the egg and vanilla and stir well.

4.     Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

5.     Stir in the small bowl of wet ingredients slowly until well combined and refrigerate for one hour.

6.     Separate the dough into bowls, depending on the number of food coloring colors you have. Add the food coloring to the separate bowls and combine well.

7.     Roll the dough into balls and flatten them into cookie shape that you want.

8.     Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie appears brown.