Vegan Easter
« LAST UPDATE: 25 March 2022 »
PUBLISHED: 4 April 2017
If you’re looking for information about celebrating a vegan Easter, you’ve come to the right place.
Easter is a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The holiday features celebrations with food and family activities such as dyeing eggs, egg hunts, and the gifting of chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, and other confections inside brightly decorated baskets.
Because Easter is so egg-centric, it might be confusing how to create a fun-filled vegan version of all the traditions that make Easter celebrations so special.
Don’t worry; I’m here to help. Let me show you how.
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» Category: Holiday Guides
» Minutes to Read: 15
» Recipes to Try: 72
Vegan Easter
PUBLISHED: 4 April 2017 » LAST UPDATE: 25 March 2022
If you’re looking for information about celebrating a vegan Easter, you’ve come to the right place.
Easter is a Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The holiday features celebrations with food and family activities such as dyeing eggs, egg hunts, and the gifting of chocolate bunnies, jelly beans, and other confections inside brightly decorated baskets.
Because Easter is so egg-centric, it might be confusing how to create a fun-filled vegan version of all the traditions that make Easter celebrations so special.
Don’t worry; I’m here to help. Let me show you how.
QUICK NAVIGATION
QUICK FACTS
» Category: Holiday Guides
» Minutes to Read: 15
» Recipes to Try: 72
Shopping Guide
Luckily there are plenty of vegan options to take center stage at holiday gatherings easily found at natural food markets or well-stocked grocery stores. The following plant meats are perfect for the vegan Easter dinner table.

Vegan Ham & Vegan Lamb Brands and Other Meat Alternatives for Easter
We live in the golden age of vegan products; no matter which foods are part of your family traditions, they can be recreated using plant-based alternatives.
Look for these vegan meat alternatives in refrigerated sections of health food stores and well-stocked grocers.
Also, check the freezer section, sometimes the roasts are sold frozen.
Vegan Ham Alternatives
- The Herbivorous Butcher
Hoppy Spring Feast
- Lily’s Vegan Pantry
Vegan Ham
- Loving Hut
“Cheerful Log” Vegan Ham Loaf
- Tofurky
Ham Roast with Beer Glaze
Vegan Lamb Alternatives
- Lily’s Vegan Pantry
Mutton
Stewed Mutton
Vegan Holiday Roasts
- Gardein
Holiday Roast
Do you make a vegan meat alternative that isn’t listed? Contact me.
Vegan Easter Candy & Confections
Living vegan doesn’t mean missing out on the things you love like chocolate Easter bunnies or bags of colorful jelly beans. Today, there are plenty of choices.

Vegan Easter Candy & Vegan Jelly Beans
- Amy’s
Sunny Organic Candy Bar, Dreamy Organic Candy Bar
- Clean Candy
Hard candy (6 flavors)
- Cocomel Caramels
Vanilla, Sea Salt, Dark Chocolate Covered Bites, Chocolate Covered Vanilla Bites
- Go Organic
Hard candy (7 flavors), Peppermint Pinwheels, Fruit Chews
- Go Max Go Candy Bars
Mahalo, Jokerz, Twilight, Buccaneer, Snap, Thumbs Up, Cleo Cups
- Justin’s
Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
- Newman’s Own Licorice
Black, Strawberry, Sour Strawberry, Sour Cherry, Pomegranate
- Oco Candy
Organic Coconut Bar
- St. Claire’s Organics
Fruit Tarts, Herbal Sweets
- Surf Sweets
Delish Fish, Cinnamon Bears, Fruit Chews, Fruity Bears, Sour Worms, Watermelon Rings, Lollipops
- Theo Chocolate
Peanut Butter Cups
- Treehugger Bubble Gumballs
Citrus Berry, Fantastic Fruit
- Unreal
Dark Chocolate Gems
- Yum Earth
Organic Lollipops, Organic Hard Candy, Organic Fruit Snacks, Organic Licorice, Organic Sour Twists, and Organic Sour Beans
Do you make a vegan sweet treat that isn’t listed? Contact me.
Vegan Easter Eggs for Dyeing
Making new cruelty-free traditions has never been easier.
Egg-Free Vegan Easter “Eggs” for Decorating
Easter is ubiquitous with pastel colors, and dyeing eggs for Easter is a tradition for many families. Since vegans don’t use animal products, dyeing chicken eggs isn’t an option.
You might be asking yourself, “What’s the big deal? Chickens aren’t killed for eggs!”
It’s a good question.
Here’s the sad reality: Animals do die for eggs. Lots of them.
The Male Chick “Problem”
If there is only one fact that you remember about egg production, let it be this one: Male chicks don’t produce eggs; therefore, they are useless to egg producers.
So, what does that mean exactly? For male chicks, it means culling.
Chick culling is the process of killing newly hatched chicks for which animal agribusiness has no use. Because male chickens do not lay eggs, they are killed shortly after being sexed.
The primary methods of culling are gruesome stuff and differ from region to region.
Asphyxiation is the standard in the United Kingdom, for example. While the United States uses macerating with a high-speed grinder. (1)

Egg Alternatives
Family traditions can be an important part of growing up, and parents might worry that their kids are missing out as wee vegans.
Luckily there are plenty of fun alternatives to help you ditch the chicken eggs while still keeping your treasured family traditions.
Here are a few egg-free eggs that are a great alternative and ideal for vegan Easter baskets or decorated egg plates.
- Unpainted Wooden Eggs
- Eco-Eggs
- Homemade Papier Mache Fillable Eggs
- Fillable Soft Fabric Egg
- Salt Dough Easter Eggs
Now, let’s talk about what to use to dye these egg-ternatives (sorry, I couldn’t help myself).

How to Make Homemade Food Coloring
The unofficial colors of Easter are pretty and pastel. Not just limited to eggs, these colors are everywhere you look; from cookies to cakes to cupcakes, too. Generally speaking, these food and drinks get their colors from artificial food colors.
I am not a fan of artificial food colors.
These toxic chemicals masquerading as food, artificial food colors are possible through the wonder of chemistry and the industry of oil drilling. Studies have shown various adverse health effects from ingesting them. And, did you know that artificial food colors undergo animal testing to ensure their safety as a food additive?
It’s true.
Relatedly, animal testing sucks and can yield dangerous results when physicians treat patients using medicine based on the results of these studies.
Artificial Food Colors Are Everywhere
Every time a holiday approaches, the artificial colors go on sale. Magazines, blogs, and videos feature impossibly cute and creative treats made with a variety of unnatural colors achieved through the magic of artificial colors.
There’s a better way; make bright, vivid colors at home.
A Better, Plant-Powered Rainbow
Look at those colors! Yellow, red, purple, green, and even blue. Easy to make, these colors come from everyday ingredients found in your fridge or pantry. Trust me, it’s not complicated or expensive.
Click here for the full step-by-step homemade food coloring tutorial.
Buying Vegan Food Dyes
Here are a few dyes that are colored with vegetable juice or spices, and contain no synthetic dyes.
Color Kitchen Food Colors from Nature
This brand started popping up at my local markets, so I picked up a few packets to test out on my favorite sugar cookies. I’m a fan.
First, the colors come packaged in individual packets, which means I don’t over-buy. Second, the colors mix easily and create beautifully, even colors. I don’t even mind that they’re more pastel than bright. Lastly, they’re budget-friendly. Here’s a 10-pack, Color Kitchen Food Colors from Nature, that makes a perfect starter pack.
McCormick Nature’s Inspiration Food Colors
By far, these colors from McCormick are the cheapest and the most widely available in mainstream grocery stores everywhere. These plant-based powdered colors come in a pack of three colors (Sky Blue, Berry & Sunflower), which you can mix for an infinite amount of color options. And I know this is a small thing, but I really like how they’re packaged in resealable dry powder pouches. That makes for easy storage, and more importantly, easy re-use.
I bought this McCormick Nature’s Inspiration Food Colors pack for these unicorn sugar cookies, and I love how vivid the colors turned out. I would absolutely buy these again.
Natural Earth Paints
Natural Earth has a full line of products to choose from. They come in biodegradable packaging made from pure, natural earth and mineral pigments and organic ingredients. This natural egg dye kit is perfect for those who are looking to dye artificial eggs.
Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Affiliate Policy for more details.
Buying a Real Easter Bunny or Baby Chick
There are many things to consider before bringing home a live animal for children. Here are a few of the most important things to know about living with bunnies and baby chickens to help you make informed choices.

What to Know About Bringing Home an Easter Bunny
The Easter Bunny is perhaps the most well-known holiday character after Santa Claus. Not only is he prominent in many family traditions, but he also makes appearances in Easter baskets everywhere in the form of chocolates or stuffed toys.
Many well-intentioned parents may also bring a real, live Easter bunny home to excited children. While these intentions may have been good, often bringing home a rabbit ends up badly for both the children and the rabbit. Sadly, after cats and dogs, more rabbits are abandonded or surrendered to animal shelters than any other animal.

It’s a Long-Term Commitment
Many people who purchase bunnies at Easter don’t realize that caring for a rabbit is a ten-year commitment. Including:
- house-training (rabbits can be litter box trained)
- bunny-proofing your house (rabbits like to chew on wires, boxes, papers, among other things)
- several hours of daily playtime
- spaying or neutering
Contrary to popular belief, rabbits are not the perfect small animal for children. Rabbits like the ground and become frightened when held or restrained. This fear can lead to kicking and scratching, which can cause injury to whoever is holding them. They also have incredibly fragile spines. If dropped the rabbit could break their back or worse.
Raising Rabbits is a Lot of Hard Work
Caring for a rabbit can be a lot of work. In fact, rabbits can take just as much time, attention and care as a dog or cat would.
Sometimes, when people realize they’re in over their heads, they’ll release their family pet rabbit into the wild. This is an extremely dangerous choice since domestic rabbits are not the same as their cousins and most won’t survive outside on their own.
Because well-intentioned people can unknowingly make bad decisions, it’s important to do plenty of research. Before making a lifelong commitment to a rabbit, take some time to read the information at rabbitron.com.
One last thing: If you’ve done all the research and still want a rabbit, please don’t shop, adopt. Contact your local animal shelter or a rescue organization like Hug-a-Bunny Rabbit Rescue, the House Rabbit Network, or Rabbit Rescue.

Candy-Colored Easter Chicks
Brightly colored newborn chicks might seem like the perfect festive Easter gift for an excited young person, but nothing could be further from the truth.
In reality, dyed chicks is a cruel practice that turns live birds into nothing more than playthings that are quickly discarded by children with short attention spans.
Caring for Baby Chicks
These birds have many of the same needs as rabbits do — plenty of attention, room to roam and roost, veterinary care — and they face many of the same problems, too. Much like rabbits, people can become overwhelmed by the idea of caring for a baby chick as it grows into adult chickens, which can lead to abandonment or worse.
Unfortunately, these young birds have no knowledge or the experience of foraging or evading predators, making death an inevitable possibility. For those that do survive, they can ban together into feral colonies, disrupting native wildlife populations. Once the communities become unmanageable, cities will enact mandatory culling of the birds.
Easter chicks surrendered to animal shelters (if you can find one to take them) don’t fare any better either. In spring, many shelters and humane societies become overburdened, and finding suitable homes for them can be a real challenge.
The sad truth is, many of these chicks will eventually be euthanized because there are not enough adoptive homes for them.
Other Ethical Problems
In addition to the problems of caring for young chicks, the practice of tinting animals is also problematic for other ethical reasons. According to the New York Times, about half of the United States currently have laws against dyeing animals.
The process is unnecessary and invasive.
“You take regular food coloring and inject it into the egg on the 18th day of incubation,” said Peter R. There, a retired poultry rancher who lives outside Lampasas, Texas. “They take 21 days to hatch. Put a little dab of wax on top to cover the hole up, and put it back in the incubator.”
But this is only one method; others are even crueler.
Another tinting process begins with newborn chicks inside a large bucket or container. A worker will pour food dye over the chicks before shaking them — similar to tossing a salad — to obtain an even coat.
Some don’t survive the process, while others sustain injuries like broken bones. None of the birds make it out unscathed from the process.
Please remember, baby chicks might seem like a cute gift, but they grow up into adult chickens who will need time, attention, and veterinary care. Instead of offering children brightly colored chicks as real, live toys choose a cute stuffed toy for their vegan Easter basket instead.
Vegan Easter Recipes
Plan the perfect vegan Easter meal to share with friends or family this holiday with these recipes.

How to Plan a Vegan Easter Meal
This guide contains more than 72 delicious vegan Easter recipes perfect for any holiday table. And for the culinary-inclined, I’ve also included a full menu of homemade candies and confections that’ll show off those cooking skills.
Browse by scrolling or select from the following categories to plan your meal:
Vegan Brunch Recipes for Easter
- Vegan Hot Cross Buns
Delightful Adventures
- Carrot Cake Waffles w/Maple Cream Cheese
Keepin’ It Kind
- Sweet Cinnamon Rolls
Connoisseurus Veg
- Vegan “Egg” Cups
Bear Plate
- Tofu Chickpea Quiche
Yup It’s Vegan
- Easter Smoothie
Vegan Dollhouse
- Vegan Breakfast Skillet
Make it Dairy Free
- No-Bake Almond Butter & Strawberry Jam Breakfast Bars
Blissful Basil
- Blueberry Oat Flour Waffles
Feasting on Fruit
- Vegetable Frittata
Sunnyside Hanne
- Tempeh Maple Breakfast Sausage Patties
The Curious Chickpea
- Tomato & Spinach Tart
Veganosity
Vegan Appetizer Recipes for Easter
- Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Yummy Mummy Kitchen
- Carrot & Coriander Fritters
Thinly Spread
- Olive Tapenade
Fried Dandelions
- Spring Pea Hummus
Veggie Desserts
- Easter Egg Hummus Toasts
Fork & Beans
- Cheese Hedgehog
Vegan Dollhouse
- Cowboy Caviar
The View from Great Island
- Cucumber Slices w/Smoky Sunflower Seed Pâté
Kitchen Treaty
- Hemp & Sunflower Seed Pâté
The Conscious Dietitian
- Creamy Avocado & Edamame Hummus
Eat With Clarity
- Crispy Mac & Cheese Bites
Vegggies Don’t Bite
- Vegan Smoked Salmon
When Sweet Becomes Healthy
Vegan Main Dish Recipes for Easter
- Seitan Roast Stuffed
Fat Free Kitchen
- Kale Spanakopita with Hairssa Mint Oil
Yup It’s Vegan
- Seitan Mushroom Roast
Keepin’ it Kind
- Lentil Salad w/Roasted Carrots + Onion
Quite Good Food
- Vegan Mushroom Wellington
Veggie Society
- Spring Vegetable Galette
Cilantro & Citronella
- Carrot Pizza w/Carrot Pizza Sauce
Veggie Desserts
- Lemon Pepper Cauliflower Steaks
My Darling Vegan
- Vegan Lentil Loaf
The Minimalist Vegan
- Asparagus & Cheese Tart
My Darling Vegan
Vegan Side Dish Recipes for Easter
- Roasted Beet Salad w/Dukkah
Happy Hearted Kitchen
- Double Cream Cheese Smashed Potatoes
Your Daily Vegan
- Spring Greens, Leek, Peas & Pesto Risotto
Cupful of Kale
- Massaged Kale Salad w/Creamy Tahini Dressing
Your Daily Vegan
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts w/Balsamic Maple Glaze
Running on Real Food
- Lemon Olive Oil Potato Salad
Eating by Elaine
- Vegan Cesear Salad
Plant Power Couple
- Herbed Scalloped Potatoes
Vegan in the Freezer
- Roasted Tri-Color Carrots
Veganosity
- Green Bean Almondine
Veggie Desserts
- Spring Root Vegetable Hash
Eating by Elaine
- Fluffy Vegan Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
The Vegan 8
Vegan Dessert Recipes for Easter
- Wild Berry Tart
Green Kitchen Stories
- Lime & Coconut Cake
A Virtual Vegan
- Lemon Millet Bliss Balls
Feasting on Fruit
- Lemon Coconut Doughnuts
Connoisseurus Veg
- Pistachio & Orange Blossom Avocado Cake
Unconventional Baker
- Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake
My Darling Vegan
- Vegan Custard Puff Pastry Napoleon
Veggie Society
- Lemon Poppyseed Loaf
Sweet Simple Vegan
- Bite-Size Coconut Macaroon Nests
Plant Crush
- Olive Oil Cake with Lemon
My Darling Vegan
- Chocolate Cake
The Plant Riot
- White Chocolate Fudge
Plant Power Couple
Vegan DIY Candies & Confections
- Easter Almond Baby Chicks
Fork & Beans
- Chocolate Caramel Easter Eggs
The Pretty Bee
- Homemade Peppermint Patties
Pickles & Honey
- Copycat Cadbury-Style Chocolate Creme Eggs
A Virtual Vegan
- Mother’s Bunny Cookies
Vegan Dollhouse
- Raw Vegan “Mini Eggs”
Radiant Rachaels
- Peanut Butter Eggs
Minimalist Baker
- Easter Bunny Treats
When Sweet Becomes Healthy
- Avantgarde Easter Chocolate Eggs
When Sweet Becomes Healthy
- Almond Joy & Reese’s Copycat Vegan Eggs
Veganosity
- Vegan Mounds Bars
Strength & Sunshine
- Chocolate Mousse & Caramel Filled Chocolate Eggs
Rawberry Fields

How to Plan a Vegan Easter Meal
This guide contains more than 72 delicious vegan Easter recipes perfect for any holiday table. And for the culinary-inclined, I’ve also included a full menu of homemade candies and confections that’ll show off those cooking skills.
Browse by scrolling or select from the following categories to plan your meal:
Vegan Brunch Recipes

1. Vegan Hot Cross Buns
Delightful Adventures

2. Carrot Cake Waffles w/Maple Cream Cheese
Keepin’ It Kind

3. Sweet Cinnamon Rolls
Connoisseurus Veg

4. Vegan “Egg” Cups
Bear Plate

5. Tofu Chickpea Quiche
Yup It’s Vegan

6. Easter Smoothie
Vegan Dollhouse

7. Vegan Breakfast Skillet
Make it Dairy Free

8. No-Bake Almond Butter & Strawberry Jam Breakfast Bars
Blissful Basil

9. Blueberry Oat Flour Waffles
Feasting on Fruit

10. Vegetable Frittata
Sunnyside Hanne

11. Tempeh Maple Breakfast Sausage Patties
The Curious Chickpea

12. Tomato & Spinach Tart
Veganosity
Vegan Appetizer Recipes

1. Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip
Yummy Mummy Kitchen

2. Carrot & Coriander Fritters
Thinly Spread

3. Olive Tapenade
Fried Dandelions

4. Spring Pea Hummus
Veggie Desserts

5. Easter Egg Hummus Toasts
Fork & Beans

6. Cheese Hedgehog
Vegan Dollhouse

7. Cowboy Caviar
The View from Great Island

8. Cucumber Slices w/Smoky Sunflower Seed Pâté
Kitchen Treaty

9. Hemp & Sunflower Seed Pâté
The Conscious Dietitian

10. Creamy Avocado & Edamame Hummus
Eat With Clarity

11. Crispy Mac & Cheese Bites
Vegggies Don’t Bite

12. Vegan Smoked Salmon
When Sweet Becomes Healthy
Vegan Main Dish Recipes

1. Seitan Roast Stuffed
Fat Free Kitchen

2. Stuffed Seitan Roast w/Shiitakes & Leeks
The PPK

3. Kale Spanakopita with Hairssa Mint Oil
Yup It’s Vegan

4. Seitan Mushroom Roast
Keepin’ it Kind

5. Lentil Salad w/Roasted Carrots + Onion
Quite Good Food

6. Vegan Mushroom Wellington
Veggie Society

7. Spring Vegetable Galette
Cilantro & Citronella

8. Carrot Pizza w/Carrot Pizza Sauce
Veggie Desserts

9. Lemon Pepper Cauliflower Steaks
My Darling Vegan

10. Vegan Lentil Loaf
The Minimalist Vegan

11. Asparagus & Cheese Tart
My Darling Vegan
Vegan Side Dish Recipes

1. Roasted Beet Salad w/Dukkah
Happy Hearted Kitchen

2. Double Cream Cheese Smashed Potatoes
Your Daily Vegan

3. Spring Greens, Leek, Peas & Pesto Risotto
Cupful of Kale

4. Massaged Kale Salad w/Creamy Tahini Dressing
Your Daily Vegan

5. Roasted Brussels Sprouts w/Balsamic Maple Glaze
Running on Real Food

6. Lemon Olive Oil Potato Salad
Eating by Elaine

7. Vegan Cesear Salad
Plant Power Couple

8. Herbed Scalloped Potatoes
Vegan in the Freezer

9. Roasted Tri-Color Carrots
Veganosity

10. Green Bean Almondine
Veggie Desserts

11. Spring Root Vegetable Hash
Eating by Elaine

12. Fluffy Vegan Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
The Vegan 8
Vegan Dessert Recipes

1. Wild Berry Tart
Green Kitchen Stories

2. Lime & Coconut Cake
A Virtual Vegan

3. Lemon Millet Bliss Balls
Feasting on Fruit

4. Lemon Coconut Doughnuts
Connoisseurus Veg

5. Pistachio & Orange Blossom Avocado Cake
Unconventional Baker

6. Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake
My Darling Vegan

7. Vegan Custard Puff Pastry Napoleon
Veggie Society

8. Lemon Poppyseed Loaf
Sweet Simple Vegan

9. Bite-Size Coconut Macaroon Nests
Plant Crush

10. Olive Oil Cake with Lemon
My Darling Vegan

11. Chocolate Cake
The Plant Riot

12. White Chocolate Fudge
Plant Power Couple
Vegan DIY Candies & Confections Recipes

1. Easter Almond Baby Chicks
Fork & Beans

2. Chocolate Caramel Easter Eggs
The Pretty Bee

3. Homemade Peppermint Patties
Pickles & Honey

4. Copycat Cadbury-Style Chocolate Creme Eggs
A Virtual Vegan

5. Mother’s Bunny Cookies
Vegan Dollhouse

6. Raw Vegan “Mini Eggs”
Radiant Rachaels

7. Peanut Butter Eggs
Minimalist Baker

8. Easter Bunny Treats
When Sweet Becomes Healthy

9. Avantgarde Easter Chocolate Eggs
When Sweet Becomes Healthy

9. Avantgarde Easter Chocolate Eggs
When Sweet Becomes Healthy

10. Almond Joy & Reese’s Copycat Vegan Eggs
Veganosity

11. Vegan Mounds Bars
Strength & Sunshine

12. Chocolate Mousse & Caramel Filled Chocolate Eggs
Rawberry Fields

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