Annabel Karmel’s Delicious Easter Recipes for Little Ones

Spring has sprung! And what better way to celebrate than with some wonderful Easter recipe inspiration.

Here, leading children’s cookery author and food expert Annabel Karmel shares her latest cracking collection of Easter favourites for the whole family to get stuck into!

Annabel Karmel’s Delicious Easter Recipes

Carrot Cake Energy Balls

A healthy no-cook Easter treat in just 10 minutes? These carrot cake inspired energy balls are the ideal finger food for baby and the perfect snack to take with you on that Easter Sunday stroll.

Makes: 30 balls

Ingredients

• 110g pecans
• 125g soft dates
• 200g carrots, grated
• 80g desiccated coconut
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¾ tsp ground ginger
• 100g raisins
• 50g oats
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

1. Measure all of the ingredients into a food processor. Whiz until finely chopped. Shape into 30 balls.
2. Place on a plate. Chill for an hour in the fridge until firm.

Mini Bunny Quiches

These delicious yet simple savoury creations might even tempt the most dedicated of chocolate fans away from the egg hunt! Get little ones helping to decorate by adding the bunnies’ ears, eyes, nose and chive whiskers.

Makes: 6 quiches

Ingredients

• 8 mini tortilla wraps
• Olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 150 ml double cream
• 150 ml milk
• 120g Gruyere cheese, grated
• Carrots, chives, spring onions (To Decorate)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C Fan. Grease 6 size 1 ramekins with oil. Trim the tortilla wraps to 14cm diameter circles. Line the ramekins with the wraps, pushing them into the bases and up the sides.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a saucepan. Cook the onions for 10 minutes until soft. Spoon into the ramekins. Sprinkle with the thyme, mix the eggs, cream and milk together in a bowl. Season. Divide the Gruyere between the cases. Pour the custard on top. Bake for 20 minutes.
3. Cut out the bunny ears from the remaining 2 wraps. Brush the ears with oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake alongside the ramekins for 8 minutes until golden.
4. When the custard is set, remove from the oven and inset the ears into the quiche. Decorate with carrot for the bunnies’ nose, chives for whiskers and spring onions for the eyes.

Easter Egg Frittatas

An Easter egg but not as you know it! This is a fantastic recipe to ensure all family members can be involved in the big day. Suitable for baby, toddler and the whole family, why not cook up a batch of these Easter egg frittatas to keep everyone fuelled in preparation for the much-anticipated Easter egg hunt!

Makes: 6 Easter egg frittatas

Ingredients

• 8 eggs 
• 2 tbsp milk
• 6 spring onions 
• 50g Cheddar cheese, grated
• 8 cherry tomatoes, chopped
• Chives

Method

1. Beat the eggs and milk in a large bowl. Add the spring onions, Cheddar cheese and tomatoes. Mix well then pour into the tin.
2. Bake for 20 minutes until just set and lightly golden.
3. Leave to cool slightly, then stamp out 6 oval Easter egg shapes.
4. Arrange on a plate and decorate the eggs with chives.

Easy Easter Sheep Cupcakes

This is definitely one get your little lambs in the kitchen helping to prepare. Whether it’s weighing out ingredients, whisking, measuring or decorating, children of all ages can play a part in creating these easy Easter sheep cupcakes.

Makes: 6 cupcakes

Ingredients

(Cupcakes)

• 125g softened butter 
• 125g caster sugar
• 125g self raising flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

(Buttercream Icing)

• 100g softened butter
• 200g icing sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp milk

(Decoration)

• White mini marshmallows
• 6 Mini Creme Eggs
• Ready-made white and black fondant or edible eyes
• Black icing pen
• Ready-made brown fondant icing

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160C Fan / 180C / 350F / Gas Mark 4. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases.
2. Measure all of the cake ingredients into a bowl. Whisk until light and fluffy. Spoon into the cases. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until well risen and lightly golden. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
3. Measure all of the icing ingredients into a bowl. Whisk until fluffy.
4. Take one cupcake and remove the paper case. Turn it upside down and sandwich together on top of another cupcake using buttercream. This will make the sheep’s rounded body. Completely cover with buttercream and add marshmallows to make the sheep’s woolly coat, leaving a space for the head.
5. Decorate the Mini Creme Eggs with edible eyes (or using ready-made black and white fondant icing) and make little ears from the ready-made brown fondant. Add a nose and mouth with the black icing pen. Add the head to the sheep’s body using extra buttercream.

Lemon Bunny Biscuits

These biscuits are bunnylicous! Perfect for any playdates or parties, task little ones with decorating their own little bunny friends.

Makes: 10–15 biscuits

Ingredients

• 75g softened butter
• 75g caster sugar
• 1 medium egg, beaten
• 240g self raising flour
• Zest of ½ lemon
• 1 tsp vanilla

(Decoration)

• Selection of writing icing pens
• 200g icing sugar
• 3-4 tbsp water
• Food colouring of your choice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C Fan. Line 2 baking sheets with non-stick paper.
2. Whisk the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy using an electric hand whisk. Add the egg and whisk again. Add the lemon zest and vanilla, then incorporate the flour into a dough.
3. Knead and then roll out to ½ cm thickness.
4. Cut out bunnies using bunny cutters.
5. Place on the baking sheets, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
6. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes until lightly golden and firm in the middle.
7. Mix the icing sugar and enough water together in a bowl to make a spreadable consistency icing. Add food colouring and mix.
8. Leave to cool before icing using the water icing and icing pens to decorate!