Easter Bunny Cinnamon Rolls (Printer-friendly)

Fluffy cinnamon rolls shaped like cute bunnies with sweet glaze

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 3/4 cup warm milk (110°F)
06 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 2 large eggs

→ Filling

08 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
09 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Icing

11 - 1 cup powdered sugar
12 - 2 tbsp milk
13 - 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

→ Decoration

14 - Mini chocolate chips or raisins for eyes
15 - Pink sprinkles or colored sugar for noses

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine warm milk and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add sugar, melted butter, eggs, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix well. Gradually add flour, mixing until a soft dough forms.
03 - Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 6 to 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
04 - Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
05 - Punch down the dough and roll into a 16x10 inch rectangle. Spread softened butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.
06 - Roll up the dough tightly from the long side and pinch the seam to seal.
07 - Cut into 12 equal pieces. Unroll each piece slightly and pinch one end to form ears, leaving the center rounded for the face.
08 - Place shaped rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes.
09 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown.
10 - Mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle over warm rolls. Add chocolate chips or raisins for eyes and pink sprinkles for noses, if desired.
11 - Let cool slightly before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The moment these emerge from the oven, all pillowy and fragrant, your kitchen transforms into the coziest place on earth
  • Shaping them into bunnies turns ordinary cinnamon roll baking into the kind of memory that kids talk about for years
  • The dough is incredibly forgiving, so even if your bunny ears look more like elf shoes, they will taste absolutely perfect
02 -
  • If your dough is not rising, your kitchen might be too cold, so I sometimes turn my oven light on and let the dough rise inside the warm oven
  • The bunny ears puff up quite a bit during baking, so pinch them thinner than you think you need to, or your bunnies will look like they have seen a ghost
  • These are best served warm, but they reheat beautifully in the microwave for about fifteen seconds if you have leftovers, which is rare in my house
03 -
  • Use dental floss or unflavored thread to cut your dough log instead of a knife, which squishes the dough and gives you messy spirals
  • If your icing is too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time, and if it is too thin, whisk in more powdered sugar until you reach the perfect drizzling consistency

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