3 Tasty Ideas For An Easter Egg Hunt That's Also Fun For Adults

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Easter can be a fun day of play and family time, but for the grown-ups working behind the scenes to pull the festivities together, it can feel more like hippety-hop till you drop. Here at Tasting Table, we think adult Easter-celebrators should be able to play, too. That's why we've rounded up a trifecta of ideas for stuffing your Easter eggs with surprises grown-ups will get a kick out of — some of which work just as well for kiddos. In between stuffing Easter baskets with sweet treats like chocolate bunnies and Peeps marshmallows, don't forget to give grown-up guests something to look forward to during the annual holiday egg hunt.

Pro tip: However you choose to fill those eggs, a surefire way to spice up your Easter party is by hosting the egg hunt at night. All it takes is the help of glow-in-the-dark eggs. These multicolored plastic eggs by JOYIN come with mini glow sticks. Right before the egg hunt, simply crack each glow stick, pop it inside the plastic egg, then hide 'em. The eggs will stay illuminated while children and grown-ups hunt in the dark.

The chief limitation (or creative challenge, depending on your mindset) when it comes to stuffing plastic Easter eggs is their size. Happily, jello shots fit snugly within those restricted parameters. After making the mixture on the stovetop, just pour 'em into individual plastic lidded portion cups, like these from Freshware. The airtight seal will keep that jello shot fresh and ready while the grown-ups search (an especially fun scene after a few jello shots, hunting in the dark).

These artisanal pistachio-amaretto jello shots bring a pale green hue and a light, sweet flavor ideal for Easter festivities. Whatever flavor you prefer, just keep in mind that there's an ideal ratio of alcohol for successful jello shots that aren't too strong, but still kick. Still thirsty? Try whipping up a kid-friendly batch of this bunny trail punch mocktail to serve on the party food table. Or, these lemon sunshine cocktails topped with chamomile make a perfect sipper for the adult table at your Easter brunch while the kiddos run around the yard hunting eggs.

Loving candy is a lifelong affair that knows no age. But, for grown-ups, a hit of nostalgia can make a plastic egg filled with treats feel even sweeter. This Easter, bring back retro favorites for a touch of tender sentimentality. You could stuff those eggs with individually-wrapped Bazooka bubble gum, Bit-O-Honey, Big League Chew, cheerful rainbow Wonka runts, Tootsie Rolls, Laffy Taffy, or Goetze's caramel creams, among other options. On the modern side, we're also digging technicolor Nerds gummy clusters and Haribo berry clouds. This route also makes a great excuse for taking a day trip to your local vintage candy shop.

For quirky White Elephant party vibes, you could accompany those nostalgic sweets with a playful assortment of miniature odds and ends. If you have any buffalo nickels or $2 bills collecting dust somewhere, now is the time to bust 'em out. Scratch-off lotto tickets can be neatly folded to egg-size (and those dollar scratchers might even be cheaper than shelling out for a bulk bag of candy). The only limitation here is your imagination. Try tossing in a poker chip, a glass marble, or even a lucky plastic baby figurine, a la Mardi Gras king cakes.

Beyond the thrill of the search, the tradition of the Easter egg hunt is all about the candy. As such, a grown-up Easter egg hunt wouldn't be right without grown-up candies. Enlist the help of fancy chocolates like Lindt truffles or dark chocolate covered cashews. You could also stuff those eggs with elevated homemade treats, like peanut butter buckeyes wrapped in cellophane. You could even incorporate plastic-wrapped shards of this playful triple-chocolate Easter marshmallow bark with dried raspberries. At the end of your Easter gathering, while the kiddos play and brunch or dinner digests, these treats could function especially well for slowly nibbling on with coffee.

Alternatively, for a booze-inspired candy that doesn't contain any actual alcohol, confectionery giant Jelly Belly makes a variety of spirit-themed jelly beans, such as champagne, rosé, and assorted flavors modeled after classic cocktails. These jelly beans put a grown-up spin on a classic Easter egg filler.