Easter Bunny Bread Rolls

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Easter Bunny bread rolls are a charming spring tradition. Assembled with a delicious yeast dough, they’re soft and tender with a hint of sweet. Enjoy the rolls with warm honey butter. The perfect side for Easter brunch or dinner.

📌 Pin Easter Bunny Bread Rolls

Batch of Easter Bunny bread rolls assembled from homemade yeast dough.

🥣 Why This Recipe’s a Keeper

  • Simple homemade goodness. Bunny rolls are made with an easy yeast dough recipe – just like Grandma’s rolls made from scratch. But instead of a round shape, the rolls are formed into adorable Easter bunnies.
  • A bakery classic for less than half the cost. Prior to stay-at-home times, I’d order Easter Bunny bread from a bakery. But when things closed down, I made them from scratch at home. I’ve since continued this tradition, saving money and feeling good about making them myself.
  • Perfect for Easter. Enjoy them for breakfast, brunch, tea time or dinner. Serve them with fluffy whipped butter.
  • Sweet or salty – your choice. For brunch make them sweet – decorate the tails with mini nonpareils. Use a simple paste frosting for piping on eyes and smiles, and for accenting the ears. For dinner rolls make them a bit salty – decorate the tails with coarse salt. Use a flour paste (instead of sweet frosting) to decorate the bunny faces.
  • You can enjoy them plain too. When the rolls come out of the oven, brush them with honey butter and leave them undecorated – an ideal way to serve them as dinner rolls.
  • Fun to serve and eat. Fluffy bunny rolls bring smiles, along with feelings of comfort and gratitude. A fun way to celebrate the season.
A hand reaching for an Easter bunny bread roll.

This Easter bread recipe yields 12 bunny rolls that are soft and fluffy with the perfect crumb. I recommend making a double batch so there’s enough for brunch and dinner. Take them to potlucks, picnics and church socials.

Easter Bunny roll sliced in half horizontally.

🛒 Ingredients

Bunny Bread Dough

  • Whole Milk: The fat in rich whole milk adds moisture to the dough, making the bread soft and sweet. If you don’t have it on hand, use 2% milk or even water. Warm the liquid to 100°F to 110°F so the yeast blooms properly.
  • Honey: Adds sweetness to the dough and is food for the yeast.
  • Active Dry Yeast: Helps the bunny rolls rise, and gives them a classic yeasty flavor and aroma.
  • Butter: Adds fabulous richness and a buttery flavor.
  • Large Egg + Egg Yolk: They give the bread structure and further enrich this delicious dough.
  • Kosher Salt: Balances the flavors while tamping down sweetness.
  • Bread Flour: Helps create the dough for the rolls. I’m using bread flour because it has a higher percentage of protein – which results in a sturdier, chewier bread. But if you don’t have this type on hand, use classic all-purpose flour instead.
Ingredients for making Easter bunny bread rolls.

For Assembling Easter Bunny Rolls

  • Egg + Splash of Water: This egg wash for brushing helps give the Easter bunny rolls a shiny golden exterior.
  • Mini White Nonpareils: Are used for the bunny tails. But you can also use white (coarse) sparkling sugar, sanding sugar, or pretzel salt.
  • Butter: For creating honey butter.
  • Honey: A honey butter glaze helps give the bunnies a sweet and shiny look and taste.
  • Powdered Sugar: Is used to create a paste for the bunny features. But you can use a store-bought tube of royal icing instead. In a pinch, use flour to create the paste.
  • Heavy Cream: The same as “whipping cream.” It helps thin out the paste to a pipeable consistency.
Ingredients for brushing and garnishing Easter bunny bread rolls.

📖 Recipe Steps

Make Bunny Bread Dough

Making bunny rolls is a process, but once you get the hang of it – it’s super simple. I’ve included very detailed instructions and step-by-step images so it’s easy to create a batch of these Easter Bunny rolls in no time flat.

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the warm milk and honey. Sprinkle yeast over the top. Set the bowl aside until the yeast is foamy on top – about 5 minutes.
  2. Once the yeast has bloomed, add the melted butter, egg, egg yolk, and salt. Whisk to combine.
  3. Add 3 cups flour. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed. Slowly add the remaining 3/4 cup flour – just until the dough comes together into a ball and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl.
  4. Knead the dough on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it’s smooth and slightly sticky. If at any point the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl, add another tablespoon of flour.

🧑🏼‍🍳 NO STAND MIXER? No problem. Simply mix the dough as directed in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or a dough whisk. Then knead the dough by hand for 5 to 7 minutes.

How to make the yeast dough for Easter Bunny bread rolls: 4 images.
  1. Transfer the dough to a lightly-oiled bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Place it in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size – about 1 1/2 hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Punch down the dough, then transfer it to a lightly-floured board. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, cut off 1/3 of the dough.
  3. Roll the large piece of dough into a log that’s approximately 3 inches long and 3/4 inches wide. Divide the small piece of dough in half.
  4. Take one of the halves and roll it into a ball. Stick the ball onto one end of the log – this will be the head.

👩🏻‍🍳 RECIPE TIP: If you want to make plain rolls (not bunnies), shape the dough into 12 balls. Place the balls into a buttered 9×13 baking dish. Brush with egg wash and bake at 350°F for 20-23 minutes or until golden blonde.

How to shape Easter Bunny bread rolls, step by step.
  1. Roll one piece of the remaining dough into a ball and stick it on the other end of the log. This will be the bunny’s tail. Divide the remaining piece of dough in half.
  2. Roll the 2 tiny pieces into ropes 1 1/2″ inches long. Shape each rope into a “U”. Working with 1 piece at a time, pinch the open ends together to seal them into an oval shape. These are the bunny’s ears.
  3. Arrange the ears on the top of the head. Pinch all the pieces of dough together so the body parts (head, tail and ears) don’t fall off in the oven.
  4. Transfer bunny to the prepared baking tray. Repeat assembly process with the remaining dough to create 11 more bunny rolls. On the tray, leave plenty of space between the bunnies.
How to form Easter bunny bread rolls and bake them.

Bake & Decorate Easter Bunny Bread Rolls

  1. In a ramekin, whisk egg with a splash of water. Working with one bunny at a time, brush the entire body with egg wash. Immediately sprinkle the tail with white nonpareils or pretzel salt.
  2. Bake bunny rolls for 20 to 23 minutes, or until golden blonde. While the bunnies are baking, whisk together melted butter and honey. In another small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and heavy cream until it creates a smooth paste. Transfer paste to a small zip-top bag with the end cut off. This will be used to pipe on the bunny faces.
  3. As soon as the bunnies come out of the oven, immediately brush their backs and ears with honey butter. DO NOT brush the tails or faces – or the sprinkles will fall off and the frosting won’t stick! Let the bunnies cool on the tray. Do not pipe features onto the bunnies until they have cooled – or the paste frosting will not stick.
  4. Pipe 2 small eyes and a smile on each bunny’s face. Optional: pipe frosting onto the ears as well.
How to bake and garnish Easter Bunny bread rolls.

🐰 How to Serve Bunny Rolls

Serve this Easter bread plain, or with a pat of butter. My family prefers them with honey butter, or soft spreadable butter and jam. Slice them in half horizontally to create the widest surface for spreading.

An Easter Bunny roll sliced in half horizontally, and spread with jam.

👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQ

These are the most commonly-asked questions for the BEST Easter Bunny bread rolls and the most helpful answers for recipe success.

Can I use store-bought bread dough for bunny rolls?

Yes, you can. Look for premade bread dough in the freezer section of the grocery store. Feel free to make the bunny rolls plain, if desired – without decorated tails, and frosted eyes, mouth and ears.

Can bunny rolls be made in advance?

Freshly-made rolls served the same day are always the best option. But yes – you can make them a day or two in advance if desired. Just do not decorate the tails or apply paste frosting to the faces. Apply the features just before serving, after the rolls have been rewarmed.

How to store Easter Bunny bread rolls?

Line an airtight container with parchment paper. Arrange bunny rolls inside and attach the lid. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Easter Bunny Bread rolls on a wooden serving board lined with parchment paper.

🐇 More Easter Recipes

These Easter favorites deserve to be added to your recipe box. They make celebrating the holiday extra special. To save the recipes online, 📌 pin them to Pinterest.

Rate This Recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Flavor testers say this is the BEST bunny bread recipe. They adore the buttery flavor of these bakery-style rolls, and appreciate the fluffy texture.

If you agree this is a must-make Easter recipe, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with friends. 📌 Pin it to Pinterest.

Gold Line: Sprinkles of Inspiration | confettiandbliss.com
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Batch of Easter Bunny bread rolls assembled from homemade yeast dough.

Easter Bunny Bread Rolls


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.9 from 10 reviews

  • Author: Denay DeGuzman
  • Total Time: 2 Hours 40 Minutes
  • Yield: 12 Servings 1x
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Description

Easter Bunny bread rolls are a festive side dish for Easter brunch or dinner. A soft and fluffy yeast roll is topped with warm honey butter, and decorated with a face, big ears and a perfect cotton tail.


Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Dough

  • 1 cup whole milk, warmed to 100-100°F
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg yolk (no white)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 3/4 cups bread flour

For Assembling Bunnies

  • 1 egg, beaten with a splash of water
  • 1 tablespoon mini white nonpareils
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon heavy cream

Instructions

RECIPE PREP: Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or reusable silicone mats.

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together warm milk and honey. Sprinkle yeast over the top. Set the bowl aside until yeast is foamy on top – about 5 minutes. Once the yeast has bloomed, add melted butter, egg, egg yolk, and salt. Whisk to combine.
  2. Add 3 cups flour. Using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed. Slowly add remaining 3/4 cup flour – just until the dough comes together into a ball and no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Knead on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it’s smooth and slightly sticky. If at any point the dough sticks to the sides of the bowl, add another tablespoon of flour.
  3. Transfer dough to a lightly-oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Place it in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size – about 1 1/2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Punch down the dough. Transfer it to a lightly-floured board. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, cut off 1/3 of the dough. Roll the largest piece of dough into a log 3″ long and 3/4″ wide. Divide the small piece of dough in half.
  5. Take one of the halves and roll it into a ball. Stick it onto one end of the log – this is the head. Roll one piece of the remaining dough into a ball and stick it on the other end of the log. This is the tail. Divide remaining piece of dough in half. Roll each piece into ropes that are 1 1/2″ long. Shape each rope into a “U”. Working with one piece at a time, pinch the open ends together to seal the “U” into an oval shape. These are the bunny’s ears. Arrange the ears on the top of the head.
  6. Pinch all the pieces of dough together so the body parts (head, tail and ears) don’t fall off in the oven. Transfer bunny to the prepared baking tray. Repeat assembly process with the remaining dough to create 11 more bunny rolls. On the tray, leave plenty of space between the bunnies.
  7. In a ramekin, whisk egg with a splash of water. Working with 1 bunny at a time, brush the entire body with egg wash. Immediately sprinkle the tail with nonpareils or pretzel salt.
  8. Bake rolls for 20-23 minutes or until golden. While bunnies are baking, whisk together the melted butter and honey. In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and heavy cream until it’s a smooth paste. Transfer frosting to a zip-top bag, and cut off 1 end.
  9. When bunnies come out of the oven, brush backs and ears with honey butter. DO NOT brush the tails or faces – or the sprinkles will fall off and the frosting will not stick! Allow the rolls to cool on the tray. DO NOT pipe features onto the bunnies until they have cooled – or the frosting will not stick. Pipe 2 eyes and a smile on each bunny’s face. Optional: pipe frosting onto the ears as well.

Notes

👩🏻‍🍳 RECIPE TIP: If you want to make plain rolls (not bunnies), shape the dough into 12 balls. Place the balls into a buttered 9×13 baking dish. Brush with egg wash and bake at 350°F for 20-23 minutes or until golden blonde.

No stand mixer? No problem. Simply mix the dough as directed in a large bowl with a wooden spoon or a dough whisk. Then knead the dough by hand for 5 to 7 minutes.

  • Prep Time: 45 Minutes
  • 1.5 Hours: Rise Time
  • Cook Time: 25 Minutes
  • Category: Bread
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
Gold Line: Sprinkles of Inspiration | confettiandbliss.com

Easter Bunny Bread Rolls 👉🏻 Join the Convo

Would you like to serve bunny rolls for brunch or dinner? Will you add coarse salt to the tails or mini white nonpareils? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Share them below.

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