If you’re looking for Easter dessert recipes to serve as the finale at an Easter meal, I have you covered. Light and fresh springtime flavors abound, like lush lemon, fluffy coconut, and juicy berries. And you may be surprised at how easy it is to make homemade Easter chocolates, like these peanut butter Easter eggs and chocolate buttercream Easter egg candies!
And if carrot cake is on the menu (a certain somebunny’s favorite!), I have several variations.
Easter Dessert Ideas
As a published baking cookbook author, I’ve made my fair share of seasonal and holiday treats. I particularly love Easter desserts because they’re filled with fresh flavors, florals, lots of lemon and coconut, plus plenty of pretty pastel colors.
Whether you’re planning an Easter brunch or dinner, my team and I know first-hand that hosting, cooking, and/or baking adds a lot to your plate (literally). Plus, it can feel overwhelming to select a dessert for a holiday! We want to make it easier for you to find dependable recipes that turn out right and always taste delicious.
*On the first try.*
The following list includes some of my highest-rated Easter dessert recipes—from show-stopping cakes to easy kid-approved goodies—each reviewed and loved by bakers around the world.
My favorite? Easter cookies are always a specialty, and a fun way to spend the afternoon, especially if you have young bakers looking for an activity. Break out those cookie decorating supplies!
More Spring Baking Inspiration
Fresh spring flavors when the weather warms up!
20 Favorite Easter Dessert Recipes
My Favorite Carrot Cake Recipe
This popular carrot cake sets the standard for carrot cakes everywhere. It’s deeply moist, filled with toasted pecans, and topped with classic cream cheese frosting. Most of its flavor comes from brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and carrots.
Easter Sugar Cookies
These festive Easter Cookies are soft and buttery with hints of vanilla and almond. Pretty in pastel shades, they’re decorated like PEEPS-inspired bunnies, Easter eggs, and carrots. I have a couple icing recipes you can choose from depending how detailed you want to get with decorating.
Coconut Easter Nest Cake
This beautiful springtime nest cake is easy enough for cake decorating beginners (and if you have any fledglings in your nest, they love to help). Top the subtly sweet coconut Bundt cake with creamy lemon cream cheese frosting, feathery sweetened coconut, and, of course, plenty of candy-coated chocolate eggs!
Jelly Bean Sugar Cookies
You need just 9 easy ingredients to make these soft drop sugar cookies. No rolling pin or cookie cutters required! Press a few jellybeans into the warm cookies after baking for a simple yet festive Easter treat nobunny could resist.
Hummingbird Layer Cake
This classic Southern layer cake is unbelievably moist, packed with ripe bananas, crushed pineapple, warm spices, and toasted pecans, and finished with tangy cream cheese frosting.
Easter Egg Peanut Butter Candies (GF)
Everyone’s favorite dessert flavor combination comes together in these easy no-bake chocolate peanut butter Easter egg candies! They’re like a homemade version of the popular Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs, only a bit softer and sweeter, which makes the crisp coarse salt on top a wonderful addition.
Easter Egg Buttercream Candies (GF)
A step away from the peanut butter version! You can flavor the buttercream filling with a variety of extracts, or even add shredded coconut. Give them a dunk in chocolate and let each bite completely melt in your mouth.
Lemon Blueberry Layer Cake
This super popular lemon cake is moist and soft, somewhere between a vanilla layer cake and pound cake. Silky cream cheese frosting is the perfect finishing touch to this zingy blueberry-speckled beauty—it literally tastes like spreadable cheesecake.
Lemon Bars
Learn how to make the BEST lemon bars with a buttery shortbread crust and creamy thick lemon curd filling. Everyone needs this recipe. No need to cook the filling on the stovetop, either.
Fluffy & Moist Coconut Cake
Homemade with love for coconut enthusiasts everywhere, this coconut cake is flavorful, soft, and extra moist. Not a coconut lover? This cake will convert you.
Perfect No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe
And 1 more! By following this easy no-bake cheesecake recipe, you’ll be gifted with a smooth, light, and creamy dessert that sets up beautifully in the refrigerator. (Another ideal make-ahead dessert!)
Coconut Chocolate Easter Cupcakes
These ganache-filled Easter cupcakes feature the most moist and deeply chocolate cupcake ever, and a smooth tangy coconut cream cheese frosting. Top with coconut and festive Easter egg candies.
Hummingbird Bundt Cake
With its signature flavors of banana, pineapple, pecans, and spice, this hummingbird Bundt cake is topped with a cinnamon-spiced cream cheese frosting and more toasted pecans for a truly memorable dessert.
Iced Lemon Pound Cake
This bright and cheery citrus version of pound cake is supremely moist and bursting with lemon flavor. A creamy lemon icing that sets on top is the only decorating this small-yet-stunning cake requires.
Homemade Banana Cream Pie
Creamy and smooth from-scratch custard joins bananas, whipped cream, and a buttery flaky pie crust to make one epic banana cream pie. This classic dessert is an excellent make-ahead option because the layered beauty needs to set before garnishing and serving.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake
With its caramelized brown sugar fruit topping and soft, buttery cake below, this pineapple upside down cake is a fun retro favorite. The fruit juices seep down into the cake, adding even more luscious flavor and texture.
Classic Cheesecake
This is my go-to recipe for simple, yet classic cheesecake. It’s become such a staple around here, that I also published it in my cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101!
Mini Cheesecakes
If you’re entertaining a crowd, it’s nice to individual servings already portioned out! These are very easy to throw together.
Bread Pudding with Butter Rum Sauce
My best version! Studded with raisins, cinnamon chips, and/or chocolate chips, bread pudding is a texture lover’s dream. The creamy butter rum sauce is optional, but highly recommended!
Lemon Meringue Pie
The beautiful, the timeless, the always impressive lemon meringue pie! This recipe has a billowy and toasty meringue topping, a balanced sweet/tart lemon filling, and an extra thick and flaky pie crust.
Gluten-Free Easter Dessert Ideas
Just in case you’re looking for gluten-free options, here are a few:
And don’t forget about classic hot cross buns, which can be served any time of day!
