Bird's Nest Cookies

{recipe & pic from} Baked Perfection

Bird's Nest Cookies

adapted from M&M's Recipes

1 bag M&M'S® Brand Milk, Peanut, Almond or Crispy Chocolate Candies for Easter {or mini cadbury eggs}

2 sticks butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups flaked coconut

1/2 cup green candy melts {or icing}

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spread coconut on non-greased cookie sheet. Toast in oven, stirring every five minutes, until it turns light golden, about 20 minutes. Remove coconut from cookie sheet and set aside.Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees. In large bowl, add butter and sugar and whip until light and fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Blend into creamed mixture. Form dough into 1-1/4-inch balls. Roll heavily into toasted coconut. Place coconut cookies 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Make indentation with thumb in center of each cookie. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove cookies and cool completely (if your indentation is no longer visible, just use the back of a spoon to recreate it while the cookies are still warm). Coat indentations with some of the melted green candy melts (this will secure the M&M's and it looks like grass) and fill with M&M's.Makes 3 dozen cookies.

{** I thought you could probably use tinted icing for the nest and even mini cadbury eggs instead of m&m's...I love those!}