The Ultimate Easter Recipe Guide
Around 80% of Americans celebrate Easter every year. You’re likely one of them. Whether you’re planning an Easter egg hunt, an Easter party, or an Easter brunch, this guide will help you meet the occasion.
Easter Food Ideas For: A Party
Hot Cross Buns
These fresh, sweet buns are a certified Easter classic. These buns date back to the 12th Century. When you make this recipe with grass-fed whole milk and grass-fed unsalted butter, you are making hot cross buns the way they’ve been made for centuries.
Hot cross buns are traditionally eaten on Good Friday in commonwealth countries such as England, Scotland, and Ireland. You may recall learning ‘Hot Cross Buns’ as a nursery rhyme, or as your first song in elementary school.
What You’ll Need
2 large mixing bowls
A stand mixer
An oven
A whisk
A wooden spoon or rubber spatula
A 9x13 baking pan, or two 9-inch square or round baking pans
Ingredients
Buns
2 and ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast or instant yeast
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
5 tablespoons Zeal grass-fed unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into 5 pieces
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon (see note)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3 and 1/2 cups (438g) all-purpose flour or bread flour (spoon & leveled)*
1 cup (140g) raisins
Flour Cross
1/2 cup (63g) all-purpose flour or bread flour
6–8 Tablespoons (90-120ml) water
Orange Icing
1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
3 Tablespoons (45ml) fresh or bottled orange juice (or use milk and a splash of vanilla extract for plain icing)
Instructions
Prepare the dough: Whisk the milk, yeast, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer. Cover and allow mixture to sit for about 5 minutes or until foamy on top. *If you do not own a mixer, you can do this in a large mixing bowl and in the next step, mix the dough together with a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula. It will take a bit of arm muscle. A hand mixer works, but the sticky dough repeatedly gets stuck in the beaters. Mixing by hand with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula is a better choice.*
Add the brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, eggs, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and 1 cup (125g) flour. Using the dough hook or paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 30 seconds, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add the remaining flour and the raisins. Beat on low speed until the dough comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 2 minutes. Dough should be a little sticky and soft. If it’s too sticky and not pulling away from the sides of the bowl, mix in additional flour 1 Tablespoon at a time.
Knead the dough: Keep the dough in the mixer and beat for an additional 3 minutes or knead by hand on a lightly floured surface for 3 minutes.
1st Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat all sides in the oil. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rise in a relatively warm environment for 1-2 hours or until double in size. (I always let it rise on the counter. Takes about 2 hours. For a tiny reduction in rise time, see my answer to Where Should Dough Rise? in my Baking with Yeast Guide.)
Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or two 9-inch square or round baking pans. You can also bake the rolls in a cast iron skillet or on a lined baking sheet.
Shape the rolls: When the dough is ready, punch it down to release the air. Divide the dough into 14-16 equal pieces. (Just eyeball it– doesn’t need to be perfect!) Shape each piece into a smooth ball, pinching it on the bottom to seal. I do this entirely in my hands and you can watch in the video above. Arrange in prepared baking pan.
2nd Rise: Cover shaped rolls with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow to rise until puffy, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
Add the cross: Whisk the cross ingredients together, starting with 6 Tablespoons of water. You want a thick paste that will pipe easily. Add remaining water if needed. Spoon paste into a piping bag or zipped-top bag. (No need to use a piping tip if using a piping bag.) Snip off a small piece at the corner. Pipe a line down the center of each row of buns, then repeat in the other direction to create crosses.
Bake the rolls: Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown on top, rotating the pan halfway through. If you notice the tops browning too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil. Remove from the oven and allow rolls to cool for a few minutes as you prepare the icing.
Make the icing: Whisk the icing ingredients together, then drizzle or brush on warm rolls. Serve immediately.
Enjoy your hot-cross buns!
Adapted via Sally’s Baking Addiction
Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)
This savory Greek pie has been enjoyed in one form or another since the days of Plato and Aristotle. If a dish has survived ancient history, you know it must be good. Today, spanakopita is a staple food on Greek Easter. It’s best topped off with a good brushing of Zeal grass-fed unsalted butter.
What You’ll Need
A large skillet
A stove top
9x13 baking dish
A medium mixing bowl
A butter brush
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 scallions, finely chopped
2 pounds fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup snipped fresh dill (or parsley)
4 large eggs
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbles
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp salt
several grinds of black pepper
8 Tbsp Zeal-grass fed unsalted butter, melted
1 lb phyllo dough, thawed
Instructions:
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil until shimmering.
Add the onion and scallions, cooking until softened — 5-7 minutes.
Add the spinach, one handful at a time, and cook until it is all fully wilted and the liquid has been released. Turn the heat up to high and cook until the liquid has evaporated and the spinach is dry — 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in the dill.
Let the spinach mixture cool until you can handle it, then squeeze out any excess moisture.
In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs, feta, parmesan, salt, and pepper together. Add to the cooked spinach and mix until combined.
Lightly butter a 9×13 baking dish, and unroll the phyllo dough onto a dry surface.
You may need to trim the phyllo dough, depending on the exact size of your dough and pan.
Lay one sheet of phyllo dough down into the pan. Brush it liberally with melted butter. Repeat until there are 8 sheets, all with butter (including the top sheet), in the pan.
Spread the spinach mixture out evenly on top of the phyllo dough.
Repeat the phyllo process on top of the spinach, so there are 8 buttered sheets on top and below the spinach. Tuck in any loose edges of phyllo.
With a very sharp knife, cut through the top layers of phyllo and the spinach, taking care to not cut the bottom layers of phyllo, into diamonds.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes while preheating the oven to 350 F.
Bake the spanakopita for 45 minutes, or until the top is crisp and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before cutting all the way through to the bottom.
Enjoy your spanikopita!
Easter Food Ideas For: An Egg Hunt
Greek Baklava
Why shouldn’t adults enjoy some sweets during the Easter egg hunt?
Baklava is a refined sweet delicacy for the adults. It’s a staple dessert of Greek Easter celebrations, and should probably be a staple of yours.
What You’ll Need:
A 9x13 inch baking pan
A medium mixing bowl
A butter brush
An oven
Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough
1 pound chopped nuts
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup honey
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.
Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.
Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.
Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.
Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.
Easter Bunny Cupcakes
For the Cupcakes:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 105g
1 cup sugar 200g
1/2 tsp baking soda 2g
1 tsp baking powder 4g
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup Zeal grass-fed unsalted butter 170g, melted
3 eggs room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract 15mL
1/2 cup sour cream 115g
1/2 cup Zeal grass-fed whole milk 118mL
1/2 cup sprinkles optional
For the Buttercream:
1 pound Zeal grass-fed unsalted butter 453g, room temperature
8 cups confectioners' sugar 880g
1/2 cup cream 118mL
1 tsp vanilla extract optional
1/2 tsp salt optional
For the Assembly:
1 tbsp fondant
1/2 cup pink sanding sugar 198g
12 marshmallows
24 chocolate chips small
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut 200g, approximately
What You’ll Need:
A muffin tin
An oven
A mixing bowl
A medium bowl
A whisk
A pair of scissors
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 340 degrees F and add cupcake papers to your muffin tin. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl then give it a quick whisk and set aside.
2. Add the milk, sour cream, vanilla, eggs, and the Zeal grass-fed unsalted melted butter to a bowl then mix together until combined.
3. Pour the wet into the dry and mix until just combined. If using sprinkles, fold in at this point so they’re distributed evenly.
4. Fill the cupcake papers about 3/4 the way up. I like to use an ice cream scoop but you can spoon it in if that’s easier.
5. For the buttercream: Beat the butter until light and fluffy, add the sugar a cup at a time and beat well. Mix in the cream until a desired consistency is reached. Once your cupcakes are out of the oven and cooled, pipe the buttercream on top.
6. Using a pair of clean scissors, cut your marshmallows diagonally in half. Clean the scissors after each cut. This will help you make a neat edge for the bunny ears. Dampen the blades if they get messy.
7. Dip the cut side of the marshmallow into the pink sanding sugar. Set aside. You can squeeze the marshmallow as you dip to avoid getting sugar on the edge. White outlines make the ears look fuzzy.
8. For the bunny noses, roll a small ball of fondant in the sanding sugar. This works best if you first brush the fondant with water.
9. Once your cupcakes are out of the oven and cooled, pipe the buttercream on top. Start at the edge then pipe a spiral toward the center. you want to build up some height for that bunny head.
10. Pour the shredded coconut into a bowl and lightly dip the frosted cupcakes into it until the buttercream is covered in the coconut.
11. Add the ears and nose to the cupcake. Push aside some of the shredded coconut so they will stick.
12. For the eyes, use two small pieces of chocolate. Press the pointy sides in. Say hello to your Easter Bunny!
Easter Food Ideas For: Easter Lunch / Easter Brunch
Easter Bunny Pancakes
This is a simple crowd pleaser. Who doesn’t like pancakes? And who would not be charmed by the thoughtfulness of this Easter themed variation?
What You’ll Need
A cast iron griddle/pan
A measuring cup to mix in
A whisk
An oven
A large spoon
Multiple serving plates (depending on how many pancakes you’ll make)
Ingredients
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups Zeal grass-fed whole milk
2 tablespoons Zeal grass-fed unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large marshmallows, cut in half
1/4 cup sweetened coconut, shredded
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (flexible)
1 banana, sliced into circles
Steps
Heat up a cast iron griddle or pan on medium heat before you begin cooking. Get it nice and hot and then turn down the heat right before you begin cooking the cakes.
Beat together the egg, Zeal grass-fed whole milk, and Zeal grass-fed melted unsalted butter in a measuring cup. If you are adding vanilla, add it in at this time too. Make sure the butter has cooled to room temperature before adding the egg so that it doesn't start to scramble!
Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
Stir in the wet ingredients. The batter should be a little lumpy. Don't overstir, as this will make tough and not fluffy pancakes.
Let the mix sit for around 5 minutes. The mix should puff up. If the mix is too thick, add a little more milk. If it looks too wet add in a tablespoon of flour.
Using Zeal grass-fed unsalted butter, butter the griddle right before you are ready to cook the pancakes. Spoon 1/8 cup of the batter onto the griddle to form the head. Spoon more batter into two ear shapes. Add a little more batter to create the largest circle, which will be for the body. Create two smaller circles for the feet. Cook on the griddle for a few minutes per side. The pancakes are cooked when the bubbles stand still and stop refilling with batter. Repeat until you have enough shapes for four bunnies. Keep the finished pancakes warm in the oven (200 F) while you are making the other pancakes.
On a large plate, begin making the bunny. You’ll need one plate for each bunny. Start by placing the two ears on the top of the plater. Layer the medium circle on the bottom edges of the ears. Layer the large circle on the edge of the head. Then add the two smallest circles on the bottom edges for the feet.
Place a round of banana on each foot. Place three chocolate chips under each banana to create the foot pads.
Place the half marshmallow on the lower half of the body. Place some of the shredded coconut on the marshmallow and between the bunny ears.
Serve with Zeal grass-fed salted butter, syrup, or anything else you see fit!
Easy Quiche
This is another easy crowd pleaser. Feel free to experiment by adding some easy Easter variations, such as carrots.
What You’ll Need
An oven
A 9” pie plate
A mixing bowl
A whisk or wooden spoon
Ingredients
1 refrigerated pie crust
6 large eggs
¾ cup Zeal grass-fed whole milk
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup cooked ham chopped
1 ½ cups shredded cheese divided
3 tablespoons green onions
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Unroll the pie crust. Press into a 9" pie plate, crimping the top edges.
Whisk together eggs, Zeal grass-fed whole milk, salt and pepper, in a large bowl.
Sprinkle ham, 1 cup of cheese, and green onions onto the pie crust. Pour the egg mix on the top. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheese on top of the egg mixture.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the center is completely set. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.