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    5 Easter Treats that Aren't Chocolate Bunnies

    By | Shine Food – Thu, Mar 29, 2012 10:22 AM EDT

    Photo: Hawthorne & WrenPhoto: Hawthorne & WrenBy Lynn Andriani

    Easter is the second most important candy-eating occasion of the year for Americans, who consumed 7 billion pounds of candy in 2011, according to the National Confectioner's Association. But these baked goodies make a strong case for breaking with tradition...at least until all the standard stuff goes on sale April 9.

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    Instead of marshmallow chicks, try...
    Hawthorne & Wren's Donut Muffins. These cinnamon-sugar bombs have the same light, sweet coating as a marshmallow chick or bunny (they also freeze just as well), but are free of the finger-dying neon color. The company sends 20 in a basket lined with a green linen napkin, and is offering free shipping on all Easter orders.

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    Instead of jelly beans, try...
    Magnolia Bakery's Easter Cookie Basket. This beautiful basket delivers the same color punch as bowl full of jelly beans, consisting of miniature meringues in pastel green, pink, blue, lavender, yellow and cream, plus a dozen lemon shortbread cookies, half dipped in chocolate, the other half rimmed in purple sugar.

    Instead of a chocolate bunny, try...
    Rocq's Sweetheart Macaron Collection. A plastic-wrapped chocolate bunny is nice, but just doesn't have the same "oh la la" factor as a pearly white box filled with 24 Parisian cookies. The package includes four varieties: dark chocolate, raspberry, peach mango and red velvet, and shipping is free.

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    Instead of hot cross buns, try...
    Nudo's Colomba Easter Cake. Similar to the pannetone Italians serve at Christmas, this olive oil-infused cake is flavored with amaretto, studded with candied orange peel, topped with sugar and almonds and shaped like a dove.

    Instead of candy coated mini eggs, try...
    Donsuemor's French Almond Cakes. There's no hard candy shell, but these two-bite treats have crisp edges that give way to a rich and nutty sweet almond center.

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