Candy Chicks in Sugar Cookie Nests

Happy Spring peeps!

After the Christmas holiday I scooped up a box of Ferraro Collection chocolate on sale.  I've been meaning to try this brand of chocolates forever so half price was as good a reason as any.   In general I don't buy them because they are made with nuts and 2 out of 3 of mine have peanut and tree nut allergies.

But they are very tasty and I love they make a few different versions and of course I had to make something with them.  So bring on the chicks!

I thought the chocolates would make cute little spring chicks sitting in little cookie cup nests - and they do! Adding the detail to the chocolate was super simple.  Candy coated sunflower seeds are used for beak and comb and small dabs of black and white candy melts used for the eyes.

I love the way they look - the dark chocolate one's look especially no nonsense! My own version of angry birds.

And if you want to see what the chocolates look like inside (I always do) you can take a peak below. The coconut ones are my favs and they don't have any nuts in them.

Here's the official company description:

• ROCHER - tempting combination of luscious, creamy, chocolaty filling surrounding a whole hazelnut, within a delicate, crisp wafer all enveloped in milk chocolate and finely chopped hazelnuts.
• RONDOIR- fine dark chocolates are a unique combination of a creamy dark chocolate surrounding a hazelnut within a delicate, crisp wafer topped with crunchy dark chocolate morsels.
• RAFFAELLO - confections are a unique blend of select ingredients: an almond surrounded by a fine milk cream, then covered with a crisp, delicate wafer and sprinkled with tender shredded coconut.

The nests are made from store bought refrigerated cookie dough.  Add some to mini muffin pans with flaked coconut on top.  Bake until just golden.

I also toasted some coconut and added some more on top of the cookie nests after adding a generous squirt of melted chocolate on top of each one.

Then add your chicks

Sprinkle with extra toasted coconut to look like nesting material.

Pretend you didn't notice that I added the chicks the wrong way (red comb was supposed to be on top!)

Ok thats better! Combs on top again!

Now if the weather would cooperate and stay warm instead of flip flopping cold one day and warm the next.  

Although I do love the winter season - I'm very ready for Spring to stay around.

Lot's of birds in the yard today like robins and blue jays searching for worms and a couple flower buds even starting to poke through the dirt so I'm taking that as a good sign!  Happy Spring to you and have an awesomely awesome week! 

Candy Chicks in Cookie Nests

by Michelle Clausen March 28 - 2017

Ingredients

• Box of Ferrero Collection (includes Ferrero Rocher, Ferrero Raffaelo, and Ferrero Rondnoir)
• Red and Yellow candy coated sunflower seeds
• 1 cup of chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup of white chocolate chips
• 1 roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 1 cup of sweetened coconut flakes

Instructions

1. For birds: Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and add to a freezer bag.  Snip an end and pipe small amount onto end of sunflower seeds.  Attach as nose and feather to the Ferrero candies. Pipe small eyes.  Use white chocolate chips for the Raffaelo candy.
2. For nests: Spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick spray.  Add about 2 Tablespoons of cookie dough to each section, pressing down to make a nest shape.  Bake at 350 degrees until just lightly brown.  Let cool and pop out of muffin tin.
3. Add coconut to non stick pan.  Toast on medium heat until coconut is just browned.
4. Using leftover melted chocolate chips, add some melted chocolate to each nest and sprinkle toasted coconut on top.
5. Add more melted chocolate to bottom of "bird" and attach to nest.

Prep time: 45 minutes Yield: about 12-15 cookie nests