Gluten free No Bake Chocolate Nests are a fun way to get your kids in the kitchen to celebrate spring.
Easter is just around the corner and the kids are buzzing with excitement. This weekend we went shopping together for baskets, plastic eggs, and craft supplies to make decorations. We made an Easter egg bouquet that the kids loved, and while prepping for the holiday I realized we didn’t have a simple kitchen activity planned for the little ones. A quick search on Pinterest turned up plenty of ideas, and I settled on gluten free no bake chocolate nests — they’re cute, easy, and perfect for little hands.
I adapted a conventional recipe to make it safe for our family by substituting a few key ingredients. Instead of using wheat and dairy, I made the nests with dairy-free chocolate, almond butter, shredded coconut, gluten free cookies, and allergen-free pretzel eggs. On Sunday we all gathered in the kitchen and made a batch together. It’s a bit messy, but the kids had a blast and the nests turned out delicious.
This treat isn’t meant to be health food, but it’s gluten free, non-GMO, vegan, and free of artificial dyes. It’s a festive, hands-on recipe that kids of all ages can help with — even toddlers. Below is the cleaned and streamlined recipe with simple instructions so you can try it at home.
Gluten Free No Bake Chocolate Nests
10 minutes
30 minutes
40 minutes
6
204 kcal
Jereann Zann – Celiac Mama
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips (dairy free)
- 3 heaping tablespoons almond butter (smooth)
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 2 Enjoy Life gluten free vanilla graham cookies
- 18 No Whey Pretzel Veggs (gluten free & top 8 allergen free)
Instructions
- Pour the chocolate chips into a small saucepan and heat on low. Stir every 30 seconds until melted and smooth.
- Remove from heat and transfer the melted chocolate to a bowl.
- Add the almond butter to the hot chocolate and stir until it melts and combines.
- Add the shredded coconut and mix until well coated. If the mixture has cooled enough, let kids mix it by hand for a hands-on activity.
- Crush the two cookies into crumbs using a food processor or by placing them in a sealed bag and breaking them with hands.
- Stir the cookie crumbs into the coconut-chocolate mixture until evenly combined.
- Fill a muffin pan halfway with the mixture. A silicone pan works well for easy removal. Refrigerate.
- After 10 minutes, press the centers down with your thumb to form nests for the eggs.
- Return the pan to the refrigerator for another 20 minutes to fully set.
- Once solid, remove the nests from the pan and place three pretzel eggs on top of each nest.
- Serve and enjoy!
