16 Insanely Pretty Make-Ahead Dessert Recipes for Easter
Preparing for Easter can take days. Weeks. Months, if you're really serious. There are creative Easter eggs to decorate, baskets to fill with candy, and a lot of food to assemble for Easter brunch — even if it's just your fam. There are only so many hours in the day, and it's easy to let your grand dessert plans fall by the wayside in favor of, you know, sleeping. So do yourself a favor: Make your desserts ahead of time so you can kick back with an Easter-themed cocktail while your boo does the dishes and the kids are hunting for eggs. Here are the prettiest treats you can get ready ahead of Easter.
DIY Pastel Peanut Butter Cups
Yes you can tackle these pretty pastel PB cups even a few days before your Easter brunch. (via Brit + Co)
Spring Pastel Confetti Cake
Even if the flowers aren’t in full bloom, this cake will compensate. Cutting into this beauty is like an explosion of springtime — and it’s tasty to boot. (via Brit + Co)
Cadbury Creme Egg Rocky Road
This festive treat requires melting chocolate and adorning it with crushed graham crackers, marshmallows, Easter candies, and Cadbury Creme Eggs. (via Brit + Co)
Peeps Rice Krispies Eggs
Your peeps won’t be able to get over how cute these Peeps Rice Krispies eggs are. The mock egg shells are made from melted white chocolate coated with a layer of glitter sprinkles. (via Brit + Co)
No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecakes
The joy of the no-bake dessert is saving valuable time and oven space. You can prep these no-bake strawberry cheesecakes up to two days ahead — all you need is a heart-shaped tray. (via Brit + Co)
Creme Egg Truffles
These Easter egg cookie truffles are stuffed with Cadbury Creme Eggs. Just try not to eat them all before your guests arrive. (via Brit + Co)
Cactus Peeps
Kids and adults alike will go wild for homemade Peeps marshmallows. We turned them into cactus, but go with your fave shapes. (via Brit + Co)
Checkerboard Cake
This cake is something the great British baker, Mary Berry, would call a “showstopper.” Just look at it. How do you even do that? We’ll show you with full instructions that are actually much easier than you’d think. (via Brit + Co)
Gilded Watercolor Cake
This colorful cake blurs the line between food and art, literally. Put paintbrush to cake to create a pastel sponge-painted look. Don’t forget the gold leaf. (via Brit + Co)
Chick Sandwich Cookies
These macarons are like little bites of spring itself. Once you learn how to bake these for Easter, you’ll use any excuse to make them over and over again. (via Brit + Co)
Watercolor Funfetti Easter Egg Cakes
These fondant-covered cake bites get their pizzazz from watercolored fondant. (via Brit + Co)
Strawberry Donuts
These aren’t your typical fast-food donuts. Bake them, then seal these cake donuts in an airtight container after they cool. Then, on the day of, simply dip these babies in a festive pink strawberry Greek yogurt icing and let set. (via Brit + Co)
Easter Egg Cake Balls
Avoid an Easter candy hangover by assembling these darling Easter egg cake balls that let you get your sugar fix without going crazy. (via Brit + Co)
Four-Ingredient Truffles
Knowing you only need four ingredients to make these truffles takes their decadence to a whole other level. They're just as delicious as a more labor-intensive dessert — it's a win-win. (via Brit + Co)
Lemon Lavender Champagne Cake
This cake wins Easter. The tasty dessert doubles as an eye-catching centerpiece, and an easy how-to gives you full instructions on recreating this beauty at home. (via Brit + Co)
Cactus Garden Cake
Celebrate the season’s blossoms with this vibrantly hued layer cake. Since it involves multiple batches of icing and cake, it’s worth making it all a day or two in advance and assembling before Easter. (via Sugar Rebels)
Feeling creative? Check out our Cake Decorating class to make your Easter dessert one-of-a-kind.
This post has been updated.
