30 Easy Easter Recipes Kids Will Actually Eat

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Planning an Easter dinner for kids with plenty of easy side dishes helps to ensure that even the pickiest of eaters at your spring table will dine happy.

A photo collage shows some of the delicious Easter recipes kids love.

I have great sympathy for kids who don't like Easter ham. Even now as an adult, I'm not a fan of a big thick slabs of it on my dinner plate.

It took me a long time to realize that thinly sliced spiral-cut ham covered in a sweet pineapple-mustard glaze is actually a super-delicious way to celebrate Easter.

But, there just would have been no convincing me of that when I was a kid.

Now that I prepare Easter dinner for my family, I try hard to make sure that there are several dishes on the table I know the kids will eat.

After all, it is a whole-family holiday, it doesn't hurt to add in a few things you know will be surefire winners!

Tips for Planning an Easter Dinner for Kids

I don't cater to my children with cliche kid recipes like hot dogs or pb&j. I simply try to work around what their aversions are and find new ways to use the seasonal flavors that they will love.

Be Flexible:

If your kid really doesn't like Easter ham? Why not switch to a roast pork or fish this year?

I have several perfect spring recipes for these main dishes that may be just the change your family needs this year.

Load Up on Easter Side Dishes:

The side dishes are a great place to add a wide variety of offerings to your Easter buffet. It's ok if your kids don't like one or two items if there are plenty of options available to sample.

If your kids turns up their noses at potatoes? There are always hot cross biscuits or scones.

If your kids groan at asparagus? You could switch to a citrus salad or roasted peppers!

You could challenge the kids to try at least 2 or 3 things that get passed to ensure they have a little variety.

Easy Easter Dinner Recipes

From traditional spiral-cut Easter hams to more unique macadamia crusted halibut, these elegant and easy main dishes are perfect for your Easter dinner.

Mustard Glazed Ham

This mustard glazed ham was the winning recipe that convinced adult-me that Easter ham is delicious. The roasted pineapples on top are amazing but can be served on the side for picky eaters.

Mustard Glazed Ham with Pineapple
This sweet and juicy mustard glazed spiral ham is the perfect Easter or holiday recipe. The roasted pineapples add sweetness to the glaze and are delicious on the dinner platter next to the savory slices of ham.
4.98 from 46 votes
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Slices of pineapple glazed ham sits on a platter next to the roasted pineapple slices. A tray of colorful Easter eggs sits in the background.

Crockpot Spiral Ham

If my glazed ham seems too fussy, you can actually make a very similar recipe right in the slowcooker!

My easy Crockpot spiral ham had nice thin slices of ham with a delicious brown sugar glaze that kids love.

Crockpot Spiral Ham with Brown Sugar Glaze
This easy Crockpot spiral ham recipe is the perfect way to cook your holiday dinner while your family is out of the house at church on Easter morning or Christmas eve. Come home to a hot ham ready to be glazed and broiled for the picture perfect finish in just 10 minutes. Choose a traditional sweet brown sugar and mustard glaze or use hot honey for a delicious sweet and spicy spin on a holiday classic.
4.98 from 48 votes
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The spiral ham is on a roasting rack so it can be broiled to make the brown sugar glaze crispy.

Ooey Gooey Ham Sliders

If you must have ham but your kids can't stand the whole roast, gooey ham sliders are a fun twist on the traditional dinner. They are also great for using up leftovers of the spiral ham the next day.

Gooey Ham and Cheese Sliders
These totally easy, utterly delicious, Hawaiian roll ham and cheese sliders are perfect for making for your next party. Make a big pan in minutes and watch them disappear.
4.93 from 38 votes
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A filled baking pan of mini ham sliders with butter dripping off the top and a sprinkle of poppyseeds on each one.

Ham Pot Pie with Biscuits

Another great way to incorporate ham in a way that is friendly to kids--all chopped up and hidden inside ham pot pie with biscuit topped crust.

For the pickiest of eaters, you could serve the biscuit on the side and the pot pie filling in a bowl so they can eat them separately.

Ham Pot Pie with Biscuit Topping
This rich and delicious ham pot pie is topped with crispy, buttery biscuits. It's the perfect way to use up your leftover ham from Easter or Christmas.
5 from 1 vote
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A baking pan filled with ham pot pie filling and topped with fresh homemade biscuits instead of pie crust.

Make Ahead Pork Loin

One year we swapped the ham for Easter and made this recipe for an oven roasted pork loin instead. It might be my favorite Easter dinner ever, but I get vetoed by my husband and mom for our traditional ham every year since.

You can serve the green peppercorn sauce in a pitcher at the table and just let the adults drizzle it over their servings if peppercorns make your kids anxious.

Oven Roasted Pork Loin with Green Peppercorn Sauce
Make ahead oven roasted pork loin is an easy holiday upgrade when drizzled with the simple green peppercorn sauce made right in the same skillet. This budget-friendly dinner recipe is elegant enough to serve to company but easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
4.60 from 10 votes
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The roasted pork loin is served on a platter with a drizzle of green peppercorn sauce.

Macadamia Crusted Halibut

This recipe for macadamia crusted halibut with lemon butter sauce is SO delicious that we've made it for birthdays, Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Mother's Day. If it's a party, you will likely find this on our table. It would be a perfect Easter recipe for anyone who doesn't like ham.

The light and crispy coating is a hit with kids and the whole dish can be made in advance.

Easy Macadamia Crusted Halibut with Quick Lemon Butter Cream Sauce
Macadamia crusted halibut is one of the best easy halibut recipes for a special occasion. Prep it earlier in the day and this oven-baked halibut will be ready to go in just minutes at dinner time leaving you with almost no cleanup. Serve it with a drizzle of rich lemon-butter cream sauce for a quick but decadent treat.
4.47 from 154 votes
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A filet of macadamia encrusted halibut is covered with a drizzle of lemon butter cream sauce. Fresh green asparagus and a serving of wild rice sit next to it on the plate.

Mustard Roasted Salmon

Another delicious spring recipe, mustard roasted salmon is such a happy pink color for your Easter table. My kids lovingly call it "pink fish."

The sweet mustard glaze gives an amazing texture to the flaky fish.

Broiled Mustard Glazed Salmon
Brush the mustard glaze over the salmon and broil it for a fast and easy fish dinner for your family even on a busy weeknight.
5 from 1 vote
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The salmon filet is coated in a brown sugar and mustard glaze and served on a white plate next to a bed of baby spinach.

Roasted Shrimp

Do your kids love shrimp? This simple recipe for roasted shrimp would be a quick and easy dish to accompany your ham for the kids. Don't forget to add a few yummy dipping sauces for the shrimp for kids who love to dunk.

Or, you could make a bigger batch of the recipe and feed it to the whole family with plenty of side dishes to round out a full meal.

Roasted Shrimp
This quick and easy method for cooking frozen shrimp is the perfect way to prepare shrimp cocktail or an elegant but easy shrimp dinner.
5 from 1 vote
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A blue plate with roasted shrimp next to lime wedges. Fresh parsley is sprinkled over the top. A blue napkin is under the plate.

Easy Easter Brunch Ideas

If you prefer to celebrate with an early day Easter brunch, you'll want a mix of savory Easter recipes and sweet Easter baked treats.

Eggs are the obvious answer but you could also add an item or two from the Easter dinners section, too!

Egg and Sausage Casserole

This recipe for egg and sausage casserole is also a huge hit on Christmas morning. Sprinkle some fresh spring green onions over the top of each serving rather than swirling them into the batter if you've got kids who don't like onions.

Sausage Breakfast Casserole with English Muffins
This deliciously easy overnight sausage breakfast casserole has an english muffin base topped with asparagus, red peppers, and cheddar cheese. It is the perfect easy breakfast recipe for Christmas morning or Easter brunch.
5 from 2 votes
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A white baking dish has a cheesy sausage and egg casserole with green veggies mixed in.

Cheesy Egg Pie

I love quiche because you can mix and match whatever fillings your family loves most but the next best thing is a 2-crusted egg and ham pie.

You could add chunks of ham, sausage, cheese, peppers, broccoli, or onions, whatever your kids will love.

And it will all be tucked away inside the flakiest butter pie crust you've ever had.

Egg and Ham Slab Pie
This light and flaky slab pie is filled with savory ham, swiss cheese, and whipped eggs. Seasoned with a slight spicy kick, it is the perfect holiday brunch recipe.
5 from 1 vote
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A metal baking pan has an egg and ham breakfast pie with a buttery, flaky pie crust.

French Toast Casserole

For kids who want something a little sweeter at the table, how about a baked French toast casserole?

My favorite version has a pecan bourbon twist, but I included 14 flavor variations for easy swaps. You're sure to find one the kids will love.

Overnight French Toast Bake with Pecan Praline
This sweet and salty bourbon pecan French toast bake is the perfect overnight breakfast to prep before a holiday. Serve it with peppery bacon.
4.75 from 4 votes
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A serving of French toast casserole topped with pecans has slices of bacon on the side.

Blueberry Scones

This recipe for blueberry scones is easy enough the kids can make it all by themselves. You could swap the dried blueberries and use currants for a hot cross bun-inspired treat.

Easy Blueberry Scones
These super easy homemade blueberry scones are the perfect recipe for beginner bakers. Light and flaky, they are a perfect weekend brunch menu idea.
4.60 from 10 votes
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A blue plate has a pile of homemade blueberry scones on top.

Easy Quick Bread

Choose your child's favorite flavor and serve a sweet quick bread recipe sliced in a bread basket. Almond poppyseed bread is great for spring, the kids won't even taste the zucchini in the banana bread, and you could leave the almonds off the top of the peach bread if you need to.

Homemade Chocolate Croissants

These bite-sized chocolate puffs taste just like chocolate croissants but are easy enough for the kids to make. They are an adorable and easy Easter brunch idea.

Easy Chocolate Croissants
The best beginner baker recipe for young kids to make! This chocolate croissant recipe has just 3 ingredients but tastes like you've been in the kitchen all day.
4.98 from 46 votes
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A white platter of homemade chocolate croissants made from puff pastry. One has been broken in half to show the melted chocolate filling, there's a Hershey's square of chocolate next to it.

Easy Easter Side Dishes

From simple spring veggie sides to buttery and decadent biscuits and potatoes, these Easter recipes for side dishes are a huge hit with kids:

Make Ahead Mac and Cheese

Since we moved to the South, our family has adopted the tradition of serving baked mac and cheese as a holiday side dish for family gatherings.

I found the perfect make ahead mac and cheese that is easy to sneak into the oven while the ham is resting.

That way, not matter what else I serve, my kids know there will be at least one thing on the table they are super excited to eat.

Make Ahead Mac and Cheese
This easy baked mac and cheese recipe is the perfect side dish or dinner fix. Topped with plenty of crunchy breadcrumbs and perfectly cooked pasta, it will be your go-to recipe at the holidays.
4.57 from 41 votes
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A blue baking dish filled with mac and cheese with bread crumb topping. A serving spoon has removed a portion to show the creamy elbow noodles.

Roasted Pineapple & Peppers

A perfect complement to the Easter ham, these roasted pineapple and peppers are perfectly sweet and tangy and a fun twist on a veggie side for kids.

Roasted Peppers and Pineapple
This easy pan of roasted peppers with sweet roasted pineapple makes an amazing side dish for any meal.
4.24 from 17 votes
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A serving bowl of roasted pineapple and pepper chunks sits in front of a roasting pan with spatula.

Citrus Salad

This sunny citrus salad would be perfectly pretty on the holiday table. My kids gobbled it up when I served it this winter.

If you've got picky eaters, you can easily serve it in deconstructed separate dishes and let them nibble on the citrus, nuts, and cheese separately on their own.

Sunny Citrus Salad
This sunny and fresh citrus salad is the perfect side dish for salmon or your favorite fish. A great healthy family dinner idea.
4.50 from 2 votes
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A platter of sliced oranges with crumbled cheese, chopped pistachios, and seasonings.

Creamy Fruit Salads

If your kid loves Cool Whip or cream cheese frosting as much as my kids do, why not try one of these vintage fruit salads? Grandma made them for a good reason: kids LOVE them.

My creamy grape salad has a brown sugar and pecan topping, but you could skip the nuts if the kids aren't into it.

My pistachio fluff and pineapple marshmallow salad both use Cool Whip and pudding mix to coat the pineapple and orange segments hiding inside and I'm not sure who loves them more, me or the kids!

Roasted Carrots

My kids tend to prefer carrots cold, raw, and crunchy but I think they they also love them when I roast carrots since the oven makes them even sweeter.

Roasted Carrots
These delicious roasted carrots are slightly seasoned with garlic and red pepper flakes. Enjoy them as an easy side dish or use them to bulk up a salad or rice dish.
5 from 44 votes
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The oven roasted carrots have golden brown edges and are being served on a white platter with a serving spoon.

Hot Cross Biscuits

Since moving to the South, I've become obsessed with perfect biscuits. I make these hot cross biscuits once every year for Easter and they are my favorite. The kids can't resist the cream cheese cross on top.

Hot Cross Biscuits
This easy make ahead hot cross biscuit recipe is perfect for baking for Easter. Serve it as part of your Easter brunch or as a sweet treat before the Easter egg hunt begins! Tasty cream cheese frosting crosses are the perfect finishing touch to the flaky biscuits studded with sweet currants.
5 from 1 vote
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A platter of hot cross biscuits has a ceramic carrot accessory. Each biscuit has a cream cheese frosting cross on the top and currants inside.

Potato Pancakes with Applesauce

Looking for a new potato side dish for Easter? Try my make-ahead potato pancakes. Serve them with a 10-minute homemade apple sauce. Your kids can eat them together or separately.

Make Ahead Potato Latkes
Golden brown potato latkes can easily be made from scratch at home before your holiday celebration. Mix together the grated potatoes and onions with a simple egg base and fry them in oil. Once cooled, they can be stored for later and just reheated before serving.
4.45 from 45 votes
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A platter of homemade potato latkes next to cups of sour cream and applesauce with spoons.

Cheesy Cornflake Potatoes Casserole

Kids can't resist that crispy cornflake topping on these delicious funeral potatoes. This is a little like serving mac and cheese, but so much better.

Cheesy Cornflake Potatoes
This easy cheesy potato casserole has a crispy cornflake topping. Otherwise known as "funeral potatoes," it is a popular holiday side dish or church potluck recipe.
4.98 from 46 votes
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The funeral potatoes recipe has been baked and a spoon has scooped out a serving from the baker.

Hard Boiled Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs: Our Easter Bunny always hides real hardboiled eggs for the Easter egg hunt. He has since I was a little girl. I simply place a bunch of pretty ones on an egg tray for the table and it's always a hit with the kids.

Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza

One part appetizer, one part side dish. My kids gobble up this easy cold veggie pizza and you can top it with pretty spring veggies including chopped asparagus or baby peas, too.

Crescent Roll Veggie Pizza
This cold veggie pizza appetizer is a favorite party snack that is easy to make ahead the day before. Buttery crescent roll dough is spread with ranch seasoned cream cheese and topped with your favorite raw veggies.
4.96 from 41 votes
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A veggie pizza has been sliced and served with a small spatula.

Easter Dessert Recipes

If there's one thing your kids are sure to eat at Easter, it would be just about anything off the dessert table.

Even still, some Easter desserts are more popular with picky eaters than others. Here are some of my kids' favorites.

Butterfinger Pie

This Butterfinger Pie is a HUGE hit with my kids. This creamy, crunchy, chocolate-y pie is inspired by our favorite Easter candy.

Butterfinger Pie
This deliciously easy no-bake Easter dessert recipe is perfect for making with the kids. Cool and creamy cheesecake filling on a graham cracker crust and oodles of crushed Butterfinger candies.
5 from 1 vote
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A slice of no bake butterfinger pie sits on a floral plate. You can see the graham cracker crust and whipped topping.

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The original version of this amazing carrot cake is a 2-layer masterpiece. It is one of our very favorite cakes so I dialed it down to make it easier (and smaller) for a smaller crowd at Easter.

Easy Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This dainty single-layer carrot cake is perfect for feeding a small party. The delicious cream cheese frosting is the perfect finishing touch.
4.60 from 5 votes
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A square slice of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting sits on a blue plate with a pink fork.

Lemon Torte

This Simple Lemon torte is one of my favorite make-ahead Easter desserts. It is so light and refreshing! My youngest daughter loves to eat each layer, one at a time. Ha!

Light and Lemony Torte
This light no-bake lemon torte recipe is perfect for warm weather entertaining. Easily adjustable for sugar-free or traditional sugar use to accommodate your guests.
5 from 1 vote
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A slice of layered lemon torte sits on a blue plate. You can see the yellow lemon layer, a white whipped topping layer, and the graham cracker crust. A twirled slice of lemon sits on top for garnish.

Strawberry Lemonade Cake

This strawberry lemonade cake is Little Pea's favorite cake. She requested it twice last summer. It is so moist and delicious. In my opinion it is the best cold right out of the fridge. You can definitely make it the day before and just keep it chilled until serving.

Strawberry Lemonade Cake
This perfectly portable 9x13 pink lemonade cake is an awesome potluck party dessert. Bright and tart, it is delicious straight out of the fridge ice cold but can be served at room temperature, too.
5 from 1 vote
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A square slice of strawberry lemonade sheet cake with a fork taking a bite. The frosting is pale pink with little pastel sprinkles.

Easter Treats for Kids to Bake

7 Super-Simple Easter Treat Ideas To Bake With Kids: And if your kids really want to get in the kitchen to help, don't miss these simple ideas for sweet Easter treats the kids will have so much fun making!

Chocolate Flourless Torte

If your kids just can't get enough chocolate, everyone at the table is sure to love this rich, fudgy chocolate flourless torte. I serve it with my vanilla cream sauce, but this Amaretto cream sauce would be perfect for the adults at the table.

Chocolate Flourless Torte
This rich and fudgy chocolate flourless torte is the perfect easy gluten-free dessert to make for any special occasion.
5 from 1 vote
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A rich chocolately round torte is on a cake plate with a pink ceramic flower accent. Powdered sugar is dusted over the top.

Orange Chocolate Chunk Bundt Cake

This stunning chocolate ganache covered orange chocolate bundt cake is a huge hit with kids but adults love it because the fresh orange zest helps keep it from being too sweet.

Orange Chocolate Chip Cake
This zesty orange chocolate chip bundt cake is covered in an easy chocolate ganache. Perfect easy cake for a party.
5 from 1 vote
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A chocolate glazed bundt cake sits on a white cake plate with a blue robins egg decoration to the left.

Best Recipes for Kids

Get all the best tips for cooking with kids here:

More than 30 Easter recipes that your kids will actually eat

4 Comments

  1. Pingback: This easy carrot cake with cream cheese frosting is the just-right size
  2. Pingback: Make-ahead oven roasted pork loin with an easy green peppercorn sauce
  3. 30 Easter recipes you share are very nice and helpful to us. The recipe is quite meticulous and easy.

  4. Pingback: Watch your kids inhale the ham leftovers when you make this delicious pot pie

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