Now that spring has arrived, sweet treats are taking a more fruity and light approach. I, myself, like to incorporate a lot of whimsy into my baking because with the coming of spring more colors and animals start to appear in my daily life, and I love to incorporate those things into my baking. From turning cookies into ladybugs and brownies into a sky landscape, here are five spring-centered recipes that I like to bake around the house.
Ladybug Sugar Cookies
When I think of spring, the first thought that comes to mind is a ladybug. As they are now rising from their hibernation, and with the temperatures rising, so are they. With that in mind, I took a regular sugar cookie recipe and put my own spin on it. Using the regular, unseparated dough from the original recipe, make sure to then split the dough separately into two parts, one part red and the other part black, making sure you leave more red dough than black. Put the two different colored doughs into two bags. First pipe out the body of your ladybugs into oval-like shapes using the red dough. Then, using the black dough, pipe out the head and spots of the ladybug. You should end up with around 9-10 ladybugs.
Small Batch Spring Scene Brownies
These small batch spring scene brownies are the perfect thing to bring during a small get-together with friends. The top of these brownies can feature any cute spring scene that you want. For this batch of brownies, I decided to do a cute picnic scene with green grass and a blue sky. In order to do this, I used dyed and tempered white chocolate. I separated it into multiple small bowls in order to mix my colors then I put them into piping bags and piped my scene onto the brownies.
Flower-shaped Donuts
Colorful blooms are one of my favorite things about spring.And thinking about that,I decided to bake flower-shaped donuts to bring the blooms to my kitchen. Using a basic donut recipe, the only thing that really needs to be changed is the shape. When shaping the donuts, use a small circle cutter to indent the middle on both sides, then grab a knife and make 6 small cuts around the center to create simulated petals. Make sure to then round the corners. One of my friends that tried this treat, Kerstyn Lagutap, said, “The donut wasn’t very sweet which was what made it delicious, it had an undertone of sweet and had a great texture.”
Rainy Day Dirt Cups
During a rainy day, this is the perfect treat to have while watching movies with your siblings or friends, dirt cups are a childhood favorite that most people have had. This recipe is all completed and perfect for those spring drizzles where you’re sitting inside. This dirt cup includes layers of both crushed up “dirt” oreos and creamy chocolate pudding. Even the people around me, like Lucky Hennigan, have said “I have loved dirt cups, though we called them worms in dirt, since I was a kid. They’re the perfect cool, chocolatey treat for a warm, rainy day.”
Lucky Charm Rice Krispies
On Saint Patrick’s Day, for a little bit of luck, I decided to make these Lucky Charms Rice Krispie Treats. Using three different types of cereals: Lucky Charms, Rice Krispies, and Fruity Pebbles, and packing them into a big square of rainbow deliciousness as the recipe calls for. The lucky charms just seem to give that spring vibe that I need, though Christopher seems to associate this treat with spring for different reasons: “I feel like the fact that it is Lucky Charms and the mascot is a leprechaun gives it that spring vibe because St. Patrick’s day is a spring holiday and is marketed with a leprechaun.”
