Easter Bird Nest Cookies

Chocolate, coconut and jellybeans make for great Easter cookies and bird nests

They look like bird nests and with jelly beans inside, the kids will get a kick out of these Easter treats. One recipe will make more than 30 nests so this could feed a whole flock of guests. This is a tweet sweet you will want to use over and over again.

Ingredients

4 cups sweetened flake coconut
3 to 4 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
4 ounces (about 1/2 cup) mini jelly beans
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar 1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon coconut extract

Directions:

Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in small bowl.
Beat together butter, cream cheese and brown sugar in large bowl until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Beat in egg yolk and coconut extract.
On low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture in 3 batches until well blended.
Stir in 3 cups of the coconut.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap; chill 1 hour until firm enough to handle.
Spread remaining coconut on waxed paper.

Heat oven to 350 degreesUsing level tablespoon, shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in remaining coconut.
Place on ungreased baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.

Bake at 350 degrees in oven 10 to 15 minutes or until firm to touch.
Cool on baking sheet or wire rack for 1 minute.
Then press indentation into center of each cookie, using back of 1/2-teaspoon measuring spoon.
Spoon about 1/4 teaspoon mini chocolate chips into each indentation.
Top with 3 jellybeans to mimic eggs in the bird's nest.