Who can remember the pure joy and fun of popping jelly beans into their mouth as children? No one can resist these tasty treats with soft shiny shells and dense flavorful gel filling. A star ingredient of holidays and festivities, these attractive and sweet desserts are always sure to get kids and adults excited for more.
To add to the fun of relishing these colorful candies, we’ve compiled seven delicious quick and perfect recipes using jelly beans! We start with the crisp baked cookies that can be stored and savored for several days. Then, there are the marshmallow popcorns, cute coconut nests, and mouth-watering strawberry-glazed donuts.
And to quench your thirst, we offer you a fruity mocktail. Our recipes include savory pop tarts and easy bunny cake bites.
Without further ado, let’s check out these simple but fun (most of all, they’re delicious!) recipes using jelly beans.
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1. Jelly Bean Cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 25 cookies
Ingredients:
● 1 stick unsalted butter (softened)
● ½ cup granulated white sugar
● ½ cup light brown sugar
● 1 egg (at room temp.)
● ½ tsp vanilla extract
● 1½ cup all-purpose flour
● 1 tsp baking powder
● ½ tsp salt
● 1 cup jelly beans (cut into small pieces)
Instructions:
1. Set the oven for preheating at 350° F. Also, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Now, transfer the softened butter, white sugar and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl. Mix it into a creamy consistency for a minute at medium-high speed using a hand/stand mixer.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the egg along with vanilla extract. Pour the egg-vanilla mix into the creamy butter-sugar and combine for a minute.
4. Next, sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the large bowl. Combine it with the wet mixture at low speed into a thick sticky dough (using the hand/stand mixer).
5. Add the jelly beans into the dough and mix them with a spoon/spatula.
6. Grease your palms with oil/butter, take a little dough, shape it into a small ball, press lightly to flatten, and place in the lined baking sheet. Finish shaping the rest of the dough similarly. (When placing in the tray, do leave a 2-inches gap between each raw cookie.)
7. Put the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for about 10 minutes until gorgeously golden.
8. Cool the jelly bean cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to the wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
2. Jelly Beans Popcorn
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 7-8 cups
Ingredients:
● 7 cups of popcorn (popped)
● 2 tbsp salted butter
● 2 cups mini-sized marshmallows
● 1 cup jelly beans (or as desired)
● Sugar sprinkles (optional)
Instructions:
1. Firstly, transfer the popped popcorns into a large mixing bowl.
2. Now, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
3. As soon as the butter melts, add in the marshmallows. Coat them in the butter, stir continuously until every marshmallow melts, and then remove from heat immediately.
4. Next, working quickly, pour the butter-marshmallow sticky liquid part by part on the popcorns and combine to coat nicely.
5. Add the jelly beans and fold fast while the marshmallow coating is still warm so that they stick to popcorns.
Finally, shower the sugar sprinkles, let the “popcorn jelly beans” cool for a bit, and serve!
3. Jelly Bean Coconut Nests
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Yield: 12 nests
Ingredients:
● 4 cups grated coconut
● 1 cup condensed milk
● 1 tsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
● 1 large egg white
● 1 tsp vanilla extract
● A pinch of salt
● 1 tsp lemon zest
● 1 cup lemon curd
● ½ cup speckled jelly beans
Instructions:
1. Set the oven for preheating at 325° F. Also, line a baking sheet with a silicone mat.
2. Now, transfer the condensed milk, lemon juice, egg white, vanilla extract and salt into a bowl. Mix well.
3. Add in the grated coconut and lemon zest. Mix again till nicely combined.
4. Next, scoop 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture and put it on the lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining coconut mixture while maintaining about 3 inches gap.
5. Press each scoop with the thumb to create a hollow center resembling a nest. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until they turn golden.
6. After removing the baked nests from the oven, let cool slightly, and press the center with the thumb once again as they tend to fluff up during the baking process. Then, finish cooling on the wire rack.
Finally, when the nests cool completely, add a spoonful of lemon curd in the center hollow space of each nest, and serve topped with 2-4 speckled jelly beans.
4. Jelly Bean Donuts
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 8-10 donuts
Ingredients:
● 4 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
● 1 large egg
● 4 tbsp milk
● 1 tsp vanilla extract
● 2 tbsp melted butter
● 1 cup all-purpose flour
● ⅓ cup sugar
● 1 tsp baking powder
● ¾ cup mini jelly beans
For the strawberry glaze:
● 1 cup powdered sugar
● 3 tbsp strawberry powder
● 4 tbsp milk
● 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions:
1. Set the oven for preheating at 450° F. Also, grease the donut baking tray with oil or non-stick spray.
2. Now, in the stand mixer bowl, mix the yogurt, egg and milk. Then, combine the vanilla extract & melted butter.
3. Add in the flour, sugar, and baking powder. Mix well till all the ingredients combine into a sticky thick batter.
4. Next, sprinkle the mini jelly beans and mix them gently with a spatula.
5. Fill the batter into a piping bag and pipe out the donuts into each cavity of the donut baking tray. Transfer the tray to the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
6. After baking is done, let them cool for 5 minutes in the tray and then on the cooling rack.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar along with the strawberry powder, milk and vanilla extract.
Finally, drizzle the strawberry glaze on the cooled jelly bean donuts and enjoy!
5. Fruity Jelly Bean Mocktail
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Assemble Time: 5 minutes; Yield: 2 small glasses
Ingredients:
● 2 cups peach punch
● 1 tbsp lemonade mix
● 2 tbsp strawberry syrup
● Ice (crushed)
For Serving:
● 2 fresh strawberries (halved)
● ¼ fresh mango (sliced thinly)
● 6 jelly beans
Instructions:
1. Firstly, pour the peach punch into a mixing jar. Add in the lemonade mix and keep stirring continuously till the lemonade dissolves.
2. Now, add 1 tbsp strawberry syrup at the base of each serving glass.
3. Next, fill both glasses with crushed ice. Then, pour in the peach-lemonade mix.
4. Take 2 toothpicks and skewer 3 jelly beans in each toothpick.
Lastly, top with the strawberry, mango slices, and skewered jelly beans.
Sip the chilled Fruity Jelly Bean Mocktail right away!
6. Jelly Bean Pop-Tarts
Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 8 minutes; Yield: 8-10 tarts
Ingredients:
● 1½ cup all-purpose flour
● 1 stick salted butter (softened at room temperature and cut into small pieces)
● ¼ cup cream
● 1 cup jelly beans
For Icing:
● 1 cup powdered sugar
● 2 tbsp heavy cream
● Sugar sprinkles (optional)
Instructions:
1. Set the oven for preheating at 450° F. Also, ready a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour with the softened butter using your hands into a coarse dough.
3. Now, add the cream part by part and continue to combine till it comes together into a ball.
4. Dust a rolling board with some flour and roll out the dough thinly (about 0.30 cm thickness). Then, cut into same-sized rectangular shapes (about 3-inches width and 5-inches length).
5. Lay one rectangular slice and place some jelly beans in the center while leaving out ½-inch gap on all four sides for sealing. Put another rectangular dough slice on top, seal them by joining the edges, and make some tiny holes on top to allow steam to escape while baking. Repeat preparing the rest of the raw tarts similarly.
6. Place the raw tarts on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes until the edges turn golden.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the icing by whisking the powdered sugar and cream.
After the jelly beans pop tarts filling cooling, smother them with the icing, and serve topped with sugar sprinkles.
7. Jelly Beans Bunny Cake
Prep Time: 5 minutes;
Cook Time: 20 minutes;
Yield: 10 pieces
Ingredients:
● 2 cups of chocolate cake mix (1 box)
● 1 egg
● ¼ cup olive oil
● 10 bunny marshmallows
● ¼ cup mini white chocolate chips
● ½ cup jelly beans
Instructions:
1. Set the oven at 350° F for preheating. Also, grease a baking tray with non-stick spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg. Stir in the cake mix and oil until nicely combined.
3. Now, spread the sticky thick batter into the greased baking tray.
4. Next, transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
5. Take the cake out of the oven and place the bunny marshmallows on top. Continue to bake for 5 more minutes.
6. After that, remove the cake from the oven and quickly sprinkle the jelly beans and chocolate chips on top while the cake is still hot.
Lastly, once the “Jelly Beans Bunny Cake” cools, cut into pieces, and serve!