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Chocolate Chip Easter Basket Cookies

  • Author: The Kitchen Whisperer

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 sticks butter, chilled (12 tablespoon)
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
  • 2 cups shredded coconut
  • 34 drops of green gel paste
  • 4 cups white chocolate, chopped – divided
  • Peanut M&M’s
  • Mini M&M’s or Jelly Beans

Instructions

  1. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment add in the butter.
  2. Beat until smooth and creamy (~2-3 minutes).
  3. Add in both sugars and beat until well blended.
  4. Add in the eggs and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated.
  5. In a separate bowl add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and corn starch; whisk to combine.
  6. With the mixer on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients just until combined.
  7. Turn the mixer off and add in 2 cups of chocolate chips.
  8. Mix just until incorporated (no more than 10-15 seconds).
  9. Place the dough in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  10. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F with the rack in the middle.
  11. Line a Whoopie Pie Pan with parchment paper. The weight of the cookies will push the parchment paper into the cavities.
  12. Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop out a 1 1/2″ ball.
  13. Place each scoop into a cavity of the pan and press down in filling up the space. You want the dough just slightly less than the top of the pan as they will rise while baking.
  14. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
  15. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 3-4 minutes.
  16. Using a spatula, gently remove the cups from the pan and place on a cooling rack. The cookies should have a slightly sunken center. If they don’t, gently push down just a tad to help make the basket shape.
  17. Melt 2 1/2 cups of white chocolate in a large glass bowl.
  18. Add in the shredded coconut and mix until well coated. The coconut should be stiff but moldable.
  19. Add in the green gel paste and stir, stir, stir until the desired grass color is achieved.
  20. Evenly divide the grass on top of the cookies making a nest where the center is just slightly lower than the sides.
  21. Place 2 peanut M&M’s in the center and garnish the edges with jelly beans or mini M&M’s.
  22. While the cookies are cooling place a piece of parchment paper on the table (can set on top of a plate).
  23. Melt the remaining white chocolate until smooth.
  24. Place half of your chocolate into a piping bag with a small tip or use a squeeze bottle.
  25. Draw out handles on the parchment paper.
  26. Allow to cool and then pipe more chocolate on top to make them thicker.
  27. Once they are completely cooled, use a spatula and gently flip the handles over.
  28. If your remaining chocolate has hardened, melt again and place in a piping back.
  29. Carefully pipe chocolate on top of the backs of your handles to make them more round.
  30. Cool completely.
  31. To attach place a dab of melted chocolate on the bottom of each handle and ‘glue’ to the cookie.
  32. Pipe a little bit of chocolate around the base of the handle on the cookie and hold in place for a few seconds.
  33. Allow to cool completely and the chocolate to harden before storing in an air tight container.
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