Wooden spoons ready?

If baking’s on your to-do list this Easter weekend, here are five recipes to try no matter what’s in your cupboard. They’re easy enough for kids (or beginners!) to get involved too. So whether you were planning on cookies, Rice Krispies treats or freshly baked bread – I’ve shared my favourite easy Easter treats to keep you sweet over the bank holiday.

Missing some ingredients? These helpful ingredient swaps might save you a supermarket trip. And if you have any questions as you go, drop them in the comments section or tag us #GoustoWeekly on Twitter so I can help you out.

Happy Easter!

Easter Bunny Trail Mix

Running low on baking supplies? Trail mix is perfect. It’s a classic American snack where you throw everything into a bowl, from crunchy salty pretzels to M&Ms.

Add Mini Eggs and Bunnies Tails (mini marshmallows) for an Easter twist, and customise it with whatever’s in your cupboards, like sultanas, nuts, crisps or even cornflakes. You could also coat some of the harder ingredients (like nuts and pretzels) in melted chocolate and sprinkles to add colour to your mix.

Chocolate Easter Egg Nests

Makes 12

150g chocolate of your choice

3 cups of cereal, either rice krispies, cornflakes or shredded wheat (broken up) works really well

Handful of mini eggs

Paper or silicone cupcake cases to serve

Step 1. Microwave the chocolate for 30 seconds at a medium temperature. Take the bowl out and stir. Place it back in the microwave and repeat for 30 seconds, stop and stir. Keep repeating until the chocolate has melted.

Step 2. Pour the cereal into the bowl and stir to combine.

Step 3. Divide the mixture between the cupcake cases (until they are about half full) then using the back of a teaspoon push the mixture up the sides of the cupcake cases to shape them into nests. This is easier to do if you put the cases into a muffin tin first.

Step 4. Divide the mini eggs between the chocolate nests and leave to cool in the fridge until solid.

Carrot Cookies

Makes 12

These tasty treats are my lighter, Springtime version of a spicy carrot cake. They’re not only lower in sugar, but also taste great! Have little hands helping out? Halve the amount of spice for younger palettes.

125g butter softened to room temperature

150g baking sugar like caster or light brown sugar or a mix of the two

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla – optional

150g plain flour (Don’t have flour? Try using the same amount of crushed Rice Krispies)

¼ tsp baking powder

½ tsp cinnamon – optional, or try a small pinch of ground cloves or nutmeg

¼ tsp salt

100g grated carrot

Step 1. Beat the butter and sugar until light, fluffy and smooth. Use an electric whisk if you have one, or use a wooden spoon and some elbow grease – getting that whipped, fluffy texture is worth the effort.

Step 2. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat until a cohesive batter forms.

Step 3. Sift in the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.  Finally, add the grated carrot and everything’s mixed together.

Step 4. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and dollop golf ball sized cookies onto the sheet. Leave a good gap (around 3 inches) between each biscuit.

Step 5. Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (overnight is best) until the cookies are chilled and firm.

Top Tip:  You can freeze your cookie batter! Place the cookies on the tray in the freezer overnight. Once they’re frozen solid, pop them in a Tupperware and stick them in the freezer until you need them. Then just bake from frozen (just add a few more minutes to the cooking time) whenever you fancy a sweet treat.

Step 6. Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/195ºC/175ºC Fan.  Place the cookies in the middle of the oven and bake for 12 minutes until they’re spread out and golden around the edges.  Remove and allow to cool on the tray for 10 minutes, before moving them to a cooling rack to cool.

Carrot Fact! Carrot cookies were a favourite with children during World War 2 after the government advised that eating extra carrots would help you see in the dark.

Rice Krispie Treats

Makes 6 large bars

1 ½ tbsp butter

1  cups marshmallows

2 cups Rice Krispies

(Optional)

100g white chocolate

Mini Eggs

Rainbow sprinkles

Step 1. Start by lining a deep baking tray with greaseproof paper.

Step 2. In a large heavy bottomed saucepan melt the butter, then once it’s completely liquid add the marshmallows and stir until melted.  Remove from the heat then mix through the Rice Krispies.

Step 3. Tip the mixture into your prepared baking tray. You want  it to be about an inch thick. If you don’t have enough to fill your whole tray, push the mixture up against one end, and using a spatula, create a straight edge.  Leave to cool before cutting into squares.

Step 4 (optional). Add a fun chocolate topping by covering it with white chocolate shavings, sprinkles and Easter eggs. Fill a saucepan with an inch or two of water. Place a Pyrex bowl over the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and that the pan never boils dry.

Step 5 (optional). Tip the white chocolate into the bowl and heat until the chocolate has almost completely melted, being careful not to get any water into the bowl.

Step 6 (optional). Pour over your Rice Krispies treats and top with sprinkles and easter eggs.  Wait until the chocolate has set before cutting into squares.

Easter Bun-nies

Makes 12 bunnies

1 sachet fast action yeast

300ml tepid water

20ml olive oil

1 tsp sugar

560g strong white flour

2 tsp flaky salt (or 1tsp table salt) plus extra to decorate

Splash of milk to decorate

Step 1. Mix the yeast, water, oil and sugar together in a jug then leave for 5-10 minutes until the yeast has activated and gone foamy.

Step 2. Add your dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook) and create a well in the centre.

Step 3. Pour your activated yeast mixture and mix until all the liquid is incorporated.   Knead for 15 minutes by hand (empty your dough onto a clean work surface) or for 10 minutes if using an electric mixer.  You’ll know it’s ready when it’s smooth and silky and will spring back if you press it.

Step 4. Wipe the bowl out, then grease it with a little olive oil.  Roll your dough into a ball and place it back in the bowl. Cover with cling film, a clean tea towel or a clean, new shower cap (I keep one specifically for baking in the cupboard with my flour)  and leave in a warm place to rise for an hour, or until it’s doubled in size.

Step 5. Tip the dough onto a clean work surface and knead a few times to knock the air out of it.  Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and cover with a bit of cling film.

Step 6. One at a time, roll the dough into approximately 25-30cm sausages.  Then cut about 2cm off one end and roll this into a ball (this will be your bunnies tail) and set to one side.

Step 7. Line the two ends up (these will be your bunny ears) then about 5cm down twist the dough round twice, place your bunny down on a lightly floured baking tray.  Spread the ears out a little and straighten up the body, then place the bunny tail in the hole in the centre, brush the tail with a little milk and sprinkle with salt.  Repeat with the other 11 pieces of dough, making sure that they are well spread out as they will grow!

Step 8. Cover with cling film and leave to rise for 1 hour or until they have doubled in size.

Step 9. Preheat oven to gas mark 7/220ºC/200ºC fan.  When your rolls have risen bake them for 18-20 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.

I had so much fun developing these recipes specially for Easter, so I hope you enjoy making them – and don’t forget to hashtag #goustoweekly to share your Easter weekend bakes!