Italian Easter Desserts and Fun Recipes

Thursday, April 1, 2021
Easter Holiday desserts are a yearly tradition and several are must-makes in an Italian family, these are all of our favorite vintage and some new recipes.


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.




this is a collage of Easter desserts Italian style







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



cookie  pudding filled pastry for Easter



Fried Tubes Filled



These cylinder shapes pastry is filled with a ricotta creamy confection surrounded by a flakey pastry fried dough.


Italian Cannoli




cannoli filled with ricotta cheese and mini chocolate chips



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



easter bread with an easter egg inside



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



pastel frosted cookie for Easter




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




ricotta filled cheesecake



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



easy peanut butter easter candy for the kids and young at heart



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



pastry filled with custard cream



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


this is carrot cake for easter



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

  1. colorful pastel candy-covered Jordon almonds
  2. jelly beans
  3. miniature assorted colorful marshmallows
  4. chocolate covered eggs
  5. malted milk eggs
  6. 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
  7. surrounded the platter with marshmallow chicks and rabbits



Pin for later



this is a pin for later Easter dessert roundup of recipes



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




these are easter cupcakes made into an ice cream


Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2010. It was edited and re-published in 2021.

Buona Pasqua



24 comments

  1. These are beautiful, Claudia! I am sad to say that I have never tasted these, but am inspired to try to make one.

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  2. Looks like you've been cooking a lot for Easter, and those are adorable, will go to perfection with a cup of tea or coffee after lunch ends...at 6PM! happy Easter!

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  3. Easter at my Italian grandmother's house was almost bigger than Christmas-sounds like your house, too! I love your holiday recipes, just looking at the photos and reading the recipes brings back so many great memories.

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  4. Gorgeous! Happy Easter to you!

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  5. What a great post Claudia, thanks for re-posting. These desserts remind me of the days back home. Anisette bread and cannoli are two of my favorites.

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  6. I haven't seen or tasted these but am so tempted to try them! Looks so moist and yummy!Happy Easter, to you and your family, dear Claudia :)

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  7. I haven't seen or tasted these but am so tempted to try them! Looks so moist and yummy!Happy Easter, to you and your family, dear Claudia :)

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  8. Thanks so much for giving me the link that lead me to so many beautiful, traditional Italian recipes! You make me want to go clean off the counters and put some comfy shoes on and start whipping up something special for EASTER!

    I will bake something special, I just haven't decided what.

    You have a wonderful cooking blog here.

    Email me some time at:

    CookingUpAStorminCA@gmail.com

    Polly Motzko

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  9. happy easter,claudia!your desserts are gorgeous!

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  10. I love all of these and spending a few days in the kitchen to make pastries you only make once a year make them even more special. Delizioso, Claudia - as always.

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  11. Never heard of these before, but they look great.

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  12. I love your blog!
    You have so many great recipes and ideas. I've been a fan of great Italian food because of the wholesome "realness" about it. You only need to take a look at the Italians and Greeks to see how long and healthy they live. Great blog!

    http://www.cooking-made-easy.com/easy_pasta_recipes.html

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  13. Thank you Claudia! I am going to make that cheesecake! Everything looks delish!

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  14. YUM! Those pastries look so good!

    I'm your newest follower and would love for you to stop by my blog today and link up to So Sweet Sundays with these delicious treats!

    morrowsunshine.bogspot.com

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  15. How Cute and Adorable are these. And I adore anything Italian!!!

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  16. This desserts looks totally delicious.ill definitely try to make it

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  17. I will try this delicious desserts in my upcoming events.

    Lamb Recipes

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  18. Loving all the ideas for Easter, we have decided to go with the Easter bread and carrot cake! Will let you know how we get on!

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  19. Oh wow, these all look gorgeous - what beautiful ways to celebrate Easter. But which one to try first?!

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  20. Totally drooling over all the Italian Easter desserts! My favorite - cannoli!

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  21. Those Italian desserts are amazing! Only if I could have all of them on my holiday table and taste all of them!

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  22. Loving all these Italian Easter dessert. So tasty and delicious. I'd love to try them. Happy Easter!

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Remember to use the search option for a recipe you're looking for and thanks for all your kind words and support. We love our readers all the best Claudia