If you know me and have been following my blog, you know I love traditions. I think there is something so special about family traditions for holidays and making memories with your friends and family each year that last a lifetime. While some may say that traditions don’t change year after year, I disagree. You add newcomers to the story. You remember past relatives. As time goes on, you create new memories and family stories that are passed on to new generations. I don’t care what anyone says, but everyone has a tradition or memory connected to each holiday that brings you happiness.

I have many fond Easter memories, from egg hunts at home when I was a kid to even dressing up as the Easter Bunny for the local nursing home as a pre-teen. Easter was always a special time for me because it meant my grandmother and aunt would come out to visit and bring along a family tradition of our own: homemade chocolate peanut butter and coconut cream Easter eggs.

I was a lucky kid growing up in a family with a background in pastry making and catering. It not only created my love for baking, but it is also the culprit for my sweet tooth. And let me tell you – these peanut butter eggs are my addiction. They’re sweet and creamy and oh so delicious that you don’t want just one. And they’re 100 times better than anything store bought.

The best part about these eggs is our family’s tradition and the stories that they tell. The recipe actually belonged to my great grandmother Lillie and were the hit of our family, as well as the neighborhood. These tasty little eggs were also the reason my dad got an A+ on his Penn State senior year management project when he created a business plan around her Easter Candy. He hired her baking services, paying her minimum wage for her labor, and made over $2,000 profit. It’s no wonder he works in sales and marketing for a bakery ingredient distribution company!

Besides her baking and cooking, the even more amazing story about great grandma Lillie is that she only had one hand, after losing it in a corn husker at three years old! That didn’t stop her from doing all the things she loved most – crocheting, knitting, cooking, baking, and making my favorite Easter candy!

The key to the peanut butter eggs is using a jar of Reese’s Peanut Butter. There’s nothing better! The key to the coconut eggs is adding enough sweetened shredded coconut so they are the perfect texture (and not just creamy filling!) While we kept the eggs undecorated, feel free to decorate them with pastel sprinkles or melted chocolate stripes for a more traditional “Easter Egg” look. Last but not least, ENJOY! I hope these recipes are as much of a hit in your household as mine!