Through the years we've adapted some for the kids to carry on these fun traditions to instill those same values but make it fun using peeps are other delicious easy ingredients.
Growing up mom and grandma always made Easter bread, cassata, and many kinds of cookies one especially that were soft wedding-style Italian cookies with colorful frostings.
One thing I learned over the years is variety is the spice of life and everyone is so different so we have learned to cut recipes in half and make almost everything you will see today.
The dessert tray is always a huge assortment at Easter time.
We also start a week ahead of time making some of the fun candies the kids love and help with.
You may also like to visit our Best Easter Italian Food Roundup, those are several meals we prepare at Easter.
Scroll through these recipes with links backs to all the recipes we make and the family can't miss a year making at Easter time in our Italian family household.
Italian Pastry Filled Tarts
These are in Italian called pastaciotti, simple cookie style dough filled with various cream filling IE vanilla pastry cream, chocolate, lemon, or just about any pie fillings.
Pusties
Fried Tubes Filled
These cylinder shapes pastry is filled with a ricotta creamy confection surrounded by a flakey pastry fried dough.
Italian Cannoli
Easy Easter Bread
We actually use two recipes for Easter bread, one is Grandma's old vintage recipe and now a quick easy version that requires less kneading both come out perfectly delicious.
Easy Italian Easter Bread
Pastel Cookies
This is a simple soft cookie found on many Italian wedding trays, they can be frosted with any colors to make the theme of the party. Grandma called these wedding tray cookies.
Italian Wedding Tray Cookies
Ricotta Filled Cheesecake Dessert
Here is another dessert mom would make in large quantities called cassata and give away to neighbors and friends. We now make another smaller same recipe version made in cupcake tins we decorate them with little rabbit cutouts and for a smaller family.
Italian Easter Cassata
Some Special Candies for the Kids
Here is a simple candy we make every year and they're so easy the kids can help make them and a perfect way to teach kids to get creative in the kitchen.
Peanut Butter Candy
Cream Puff Filled Italian Pastries
Sometimes St. Joseph's day falls around Easter so we have these special pastries filled with a smooth creamy custard.
St. Joseph's Day Pastry
A Carrot Cake Everyone Loves
This is a cake everyone loves and super fast because it starts out with a cake mix and tastes like scratch.
Carrot Cake Cake Mix Cake
Other Fun Recipes We Love You May Like To Try
Peep Fun Ideas
Sugar Cookie Mix Easter Egg Cookie Candy
Peanut Butter Krispie Eggs
25 Best Holiday Cookie Roundup
Easter Bird Nest Candy (Asian Noodle version)
Fun Platter Garnishing Ideas
- colorful pastel candy-covered Jordon almonds
- jelly beans
- miniature assorted colorful marshmallows
- chocolate covered eggs
- malted milk eggs
- tinted coconut on the platter before adding your desserts(years ago mom used colorful fake grass but with animals or little ones we have made colorful tinted coconut instead
- surrounded the platter with marshmallow chicks and rabbits
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A Fun Easter Project for the Whole Family
Here is a fun project and makes great memories, our little ice cream cone Easter Baskets!
How To Make Ice Cream Cone Easter Baskets
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2010. It was edited and re-published in 2021.