30 Easter Party Ideas for a Sunny Celebration
Updated: Mar. 04, 2024
Is it your turn to host this year? We've got plenty of Easter party ideas to wow your guests—from fun and games to unexpected desserts.
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If you’re hosting Easter this year, you know you’ve got to stock up on eggs and plenty of chocolate bunnies before guests arrive. But why not make your celebration bigger and better than ever? We’ve got Easter party ideas that’ll thrill your loved ones, from the littlest egg hunters to the big bunny himself.
Build an Easter Candy Charcuterie Board
Everyone loves a good charcuterie board. With a twist to it with the perfect Easter idea, why not hit pause on the classic meat and cheese combo and bring in the Easter candies (bunnies and marshmallow chicks, chocolate eggs and more).
To create an Easter nibble board, lay a base of paper Easter grass (skip the plastic stuff). Then add in plenty of your favorite store-bought candies as well as homemade treats like pinwheel mints, cutout cookies and candy bunny tails.
Braid an Easter Bread
Many countries have a braided bread tradition for Easter. Whether you prefer the Polish paska, Greek tsoureki or Italian pane de Pasqua, our Test Kitchen agrees that they’re such a rewarding (and tasty!) part of the holiday season.
Make a New Twist on a Bunny Cake
We’ve all seen the classic Easter bunny cake made with two round cakes. We still love this dessert, but if you want to try something a little different this spring, try a layered rabbit cake.
To make this cake, frost a layer cake (use our recipe or your favorite layer cake), then pipe on a bunny face. The ears are made with white chocolate candy coating coated in sparkling sugar.
Dip Homemade Peanut Butter Eggs
We’ve all had (and loved) Reese’s peanut butter eggs before. While they are delicious, why not take it one step further this Easter and make your own peanut butter eggs? And that’s just the start; we have plenty of festive homemade Easter candy recipes.
Add Springtime Flair to the Table
Sometimes the only Easter party ideas you need are a festive table to set the stage. An easy way to add Eastertime flair to your place settings is with a simple napkin fold. Pull a linen napkin up around an egg—you can use real or faux—and tie with a ribbon. So easy!
Host Brunch
After morning church services, don’t make your guests wait until dinner to enjoy a robust meal. Instead, host a decadent Easter brunch. You can make things incredibly simple with these overnight Easter brunch recipes. All that you have to do is heat them up when you arrive home.
Dye Eggs
If you have kids or exceptionally creative guests coming over for Easter, save dyeing eggs until the party. Pick up a few kits, crayons and stickers so everyone can go all out.
You can up the ante and even host an egg decorating contest. The winner can take home a special prize. Maybe that’s a big chocolate bunny for the kiddos and a bottle of bubbly for the adults. Check out our full guide on how to throw an Easter egg decorating party.
Build a Nest
This chocolate Easter torte is a showstopping dessert. If chocolate mousse isn’t for you, here’s one of our best Easter party ideas: You can take the chocolate nest portion of this torte and place it on top of your favorite Easter cake.
Play a Few Games
If you’ve got kiddos coming over, you’ll need Easter party ideas to keep them entertained after the egg hunt is over. Keep yard games and cards on hand. You can also download our free printable bingo cards for Easter. Use chocolate eggs and jelly beans as markers.
Create a Unique Centerpiece
Fresh flowers are always welcome on the table. However, if you’re looking for new Easter party ideas to keep your tablescape fresh, head to your china cabinet or local thrift shop and pick up some teacups. Fill these with a bit of floral foam and top with moss, flowers and a few springy figurines. You could even fill these cups with soil and plant a few succulents inside.
A collection looks great in the center of a table. After the party is done, you can send them home as favors.
Turn Carrot Cake on Its Head
Carrot cake is an Eastertime classic for good reason. But if you want to try something a bit different than this traditional Easter dessert, try making a vertical carrot cake.
Arrange Fresh Flowers
Easter signifies that spring has officially sprung. To celebrate, fill your home with fresh blooms. You can opt to have flowers delivered or you can arrange flowers yourself—yes, you can do it! With a few tricks, like using tape on your vase, you can create stunning arrangements. For Easter, pick vibrant blooms like Gerbera daisies, tulips and hyacinths.
Turn Easter into Teatime
If brunch isn’t for you but you want something to tide your guests over until dinner, you’ll need some new Easter party ideas. Why not try a springtime tea? Serve up tea and small bites like scones and tea sandwiches. Keep hot water at the ready with a good electric kettle (and a coffee maker for those that prefer a cup of joe).
Stir up a Signature Easter Cocktail
If you’re hosting Easter this spring, why stop at a basic mimosa? There are so many refreshing spring cocktails you can stir up for a crowd. Try a rosé sangria, a cucumber-gin smash or homemade limoncello.
Serve All Kinds of Deviled Eggs
With so many hard-boiled eggs on hand, deviled eggs are a natural fit for an Easter menu. Try some of our most devilishly delicious recipes like smoked deviled eggs and herby deviled eggs.
Make Adult Easter Baskets
While the Easter bunny fills baskets for the kids, you can create baskets for your friends. Yep, even grown-ups love Easter treats. Try a themed basket like one filled with baking goodies or crafting gear or gardening supplies. You can even just load up the baskets with classic Easter candy.
Bake an Easter Ham
If you’re new to hosting Easter, impress all your guests by making a delicious Easter ham. We’ll let you in on a secret: making ham isn’t hard! The tricky part is carving it, but with our Test Kitchen’s tips, you can learn how to carve ham in minutes.
Try a New Easter Craft
Dying eggs is the go-to for crafting this time of year, but why not take a little inspiration from something else filling Easter baskets? Cut a fresh kitchen sponge into the shape of a marshmallow Peep (you can even use one of these bunnies as a template). Dip into paint and stamp everything from tea towels to placemats to paper goods. Use a marker or paint pen to finish the faces.
Create a Towering Dessert
Think tiered cakes are just for weddings? We’re here with one of our favorite Easter party ideas: a tower of spring Bundt cakes. These sturdy cakes are perfect for stacking high.
You can frost the Bundt cakes and then top them with an edible bird’s nest, Easter candy and springtime cookies.
Use the Good China
Looking for an excuse to use your good dinnerware, stemware and vintage table linens? This is it! Loved ones will love to see Grandma’s china on the table and you’ll feel good getting some use out of long-forgotten wedding gifts.
Don’t have quite enough to fill the table? Thrift stores and second-hand shops sell vintage dishware for just a few dollars. And don’t worry about matching—the mismatched look is very au courant.
Decorate a Lamb Cake
Some families make bunny cakes and others make lamb cakes. Keep up the tradition (or start one) with a lamb pan and plenty of shredded coconut! Don’t forget to garnish with lots of jelly beans.
Create Flower Pot Favors or Place Cards
Making baskets for everyone can be pretty time-consuming. Instead, try one of our favorite Easter party ideas: Fill small terracotta or peat pots with paper shreds. Finish the favors off with Easter candy or extras like a packet of seeds.
Bake Resurrection Rolls
Sometimes called empty tomb rolls, these sweet treats are an Easter tradition for many families. Resurrection rolls are made by wrapping a marshmallow, cinnamon sugar and cream cheese in crescent rolls. Once baked, the marshmallow melts away leaving inside a gooey, cinnamon-sugar treat.
Go Back in Time
While you have loved ones visiting, why not pull out a few photo albums? It can be so much fun to look at vintage Easter photos. The pastel dresses, the hats—even the old-fashioned Easter desserts!
Dye Eggs the Natural Way
First, know that eating dyed eggs is absolutely safe. However, if you’re not interested in using classic food coloring, you can dye eggs with natural ingredients. Turmeric, coffee, beets and onion skins can all be used to dye Easter eggs. The colors are more muted but still very pretty.
Fill Eggs for Everyone
An Easter egg hunt is a must for kids. Stuff eggs full of candies and small toys. For adults, fill eggs with small gifts like Easter decorations and more sophisticated candies like dark chocolate and treats from your local chocolatier.
Bake Hot Cross Buns
We think it’s high time for these old-school treats to make a comeback. Stir up a batch of hot cross buns on Easter morning for your family. They’re the perfect addition to your Easter brunch menu.
Add a Butter Lamb to the Table
Don’t just spread any ol’ butter on your hot cross bun or Easter bread. Butter lambs are a popular tradition in parts of the US. You can find them at many grocers in the weeks leading up to Easter.
Don’t forget to keep an eye out for butter turkeys come Thanksgiving!
Try Easter Lamb
While ham gets a lot of the hype this time of year, lamb is also a traditional Easter menu choice. If it’s your first time with this protein, try a hands-off recipe like this roast leg of lamb. It’s packed with flavor and seasonal veggies but requires very little attention to create.
Send Home Care Packages
When the celebration is done, send your loved ones home with some treats. Mini egg crates are perfect for sending your pals home with a few hard-boiled eggs or just egg-shaped candies. Who wouldn’t love a few Cadbury eggs to go?
Originally Published: March 03, 2023
