I always feel very drawn to holiday special edition versions of chocolates. I mean, a Reece’s cup is exciting, but when it’s in the form of a tree, an egg or a pumpkin? So much more thrilling. I think maybe it’s partly because of the limited-time quality they have, I feel the strong need to try them while I can. It also recalls some of the joy of childhood easter egg hunts, but in a cookie form.
I made these little cup-cookies with M&M milk chocolate eggs, but you could use any candy coated chocolate eggs you like. Or with any regular, boring non-egg candy coated chocolates. I also added some toasted milk powder, which is an easy way to boost some of the toasty, nutty ‘baked’ flavours in your baking. It’s a bit like using malt powder or caramelized white chocolate. They all add extra toasty, caramely, nutty toffee flavours of baked goods, and generally add pleasant complexity and depth of flavour. It’s because they are essentially capturing processes that happen already in baking that make cookies and cakes taste good and amplifying them; the milk solids in butter in your cakes and cookies will brown a bit while they bake and create that toasty flavour. By pre-toasting some milk solids, you can capture this baking alchemy and dial it up to 11. Skim milk powder is a great ingredient to keep on hand to add extra depth of flavour to your baking. It lasts forever in the pantry and it can be used toasted or untoasted to improve flavour and texture in breads, cookies and other doughs. A bit of milk powder will also help with browning; adding a tablespoon to pizza dough will help you get a golden crust.
Note: I became obsessed by making these have at least one visible egg on top of each cookie, however when I baked them the cookies would puff up and swallow the cute eggs. Why bother using charming speckled easter eggs if they are going to be hidden? After experimenting, I found the solution was to almost entirely bake a tray of cookies, then pop an egg or two into each cookie, pressing it about halfway down into the cookie and then finish baking for the last 2-3 minutes. This is totally unnecessary but if cookie cuteness is important to you, hand placing each egg is the way to go.
easter egg & toasted milk cookie-cups
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
⅔ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
¼ cup skim milk powder
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup candy coated easter eggs
A pinch of flaky salt (optional)
In a dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the milk powder, stirring constantly. The mixture will slowly gain colour, turning from pale ivory to golden to nut brown. Watch over the milk powder and stir vigilantly, as the milk powder can burn very easily. When you reach a toasty nut brown colour, set milk powder aside off the heat.
Heat oven to 350° F. Grease the cups of a mini muffin tray with butter or baking spray.
Cream sugars and butter in a stand mixer on medium speed until very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time beating between additions.
Add dry ingredients and beat on low speed until well combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure that you incorporate any unmixed flour.
Add chocolate and easter eggs mix briefly until evenly distributed.
Scoop 2 teaspoon-sized balls of dough into each prepared muffin cup. Sprinkle a little salt over each ball if desired. Bake for 11-14 minutes, take them out before they look completely set so they stay chewy. Err on the side of slightly underbaking.
Between rounds of baking cookies, let muffin tins cool, wipe out any crumbs and re-grease.