Host an Easter Egg Hunt and Brunch Your Guests Won’t Forget

Ring in Easter with a combination of two classic traditions—a fresh, colorful brunch and a spirited Easter egg hunt—for a holiday they won’t forget.

Plan to set up the brunch buffet before guests arrive, so that you can plan to sit down to a bountiful table full of springtime dishes and spend plenty of time catching up with your loved ones. After brunch, let children hunt high and low for eggs while adults spend time catching up and watching the fun. If the idea of hosting not one but two events sounds intimidating to you, don’t worry: Our timeline and planner will guarantee you can pull it all off.

Raise a toast to spring with a light and floral sparkling cocktail: a Lemon Blossom Spritz, made with our yuzu-Meyer lemon cocktail mixer. Or, for a nonalcoholic option, we love this lemon verbena lemonade, with fresh lemon verbena leaves and tart lemon juice.

Choose a main course you can prepare ahead, like this Breakfast Strata Lorraine, inspired by the ingredients in a classic quiche Lorraine. You can assemble it the night before and refrigerate, then bake the next morning. On the side, celebrate spring’s new bounty with a shaved carrot salad topped with candied pecans and roasted asparagus with lemon. Twice-cooked smashed potatoes are crisp on the outside but tender inside—simple, but wonderfully satisfying.

For something sweet, serve a cake that bridges breakfast and dessert. This blackberry coffee cake is topped with a crumbly pecan streusel for a delicious balance of sweet, tart and nutty.

• 1 to 2 weeks ahead: Decorate and dye your Easter eggs! Assemble Easter baskets for hunting.
• 1 to 2 days ahead: Hide the Easter eggs for the hunt. Assemble the strata, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Make the candied pecans for the carrot salad, and prepare and bake the coffee cake.
• Day of: Bake the strata. Make the asparagus and potatoes. Finish the carrot salad. Make the cocktail and/or lemonade.

Mind the weather. Spring temperatures can be unpredictable (and April showers are famous for a reason). If there’s a chance of rain, consider hiding eggs indoors—there are still plenty of nooks and crannies to work with. If you are hunting outside, a backyard is the best option; you won’t have to worry about traffic or safety. Be sure to set clear boundaries and explain them beforehand so no one runs into off-limits areas.

Offer prizes. Turn the hunt into a fun game for kids by offering a prize to the person who finds the most eggs. (Easter candy makes a sweet reward!) Alternatively, you can organize it so that different colored eggs correspond to different prizes or gifts for an added challenge. Tip: a good rule of thumb is to plan for about 10 to 12 eggs per child. Don’t forget to count your eggs before you hide them so you can be sure all of the eggs have been found.

Organize activities. Make crafts such as Easter Egg Lollipops, or set up lawn games, like an egg toss. Consider different activities—and different hunting zones—for kids of different ages so that everyone is occupied.

Build a basket. Easter baskets are helpful for hunting, and they also double as party favors when filled with candy. Use Easter grass to add volume to a basket without weighing it down. Not everything in the basket needs to be edible, either; our collectible Steiff bunnies will last long after the last piece of candy is gone.

Set a cheerful table. Add color to a table or buffet with pops of yellow, green and soft springtime pastels. Arrange extra decorated Easter eggs on the table as decor, if you like. Set out clear vases or jars of white tulips and fresh greenery, and use patterns featuring playful bunnies and other animals to create a whimsical vintage touch.