Sweet Easter Bunny Bread Rolls (Hopping Bunnies)
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These sweet Easter Bunny Bread Rolls are deliciously soft, tender, and buttery with a fool-proof homemade yeast dough. They’re also super cute, easy to make, and will delight your Easter dinner guests!
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What I Love About Easter Bunny Bread Rolls
I love these Sweet Easter Bunny Bread Rolls because they bring a touch of whimsy and joy to the Easter table. Their soft, fluffy texture with hints of sweetness makes them a delightful treat. Shaping them into adorable bunnies adds a festive charm that kids and adults alike can’t resist.
Special Easter breads have long been a part of Easter traditions across many cultures, symbolizing renewal, abundance, and the joy of the season.
If you love Easter bread baking, Paska Easter Bread is one of my favorites. My grandmother’s family, who were Germans living in Ukraine, made this every year along with bunny shapes for the many, many children.
Ingredients for Easter Bunny Bread Rolls
This easy, foolproof, homemade yeast dough will make Easter’s most delicious dinner rolls. Here’s what you need:
- Yeast: Both active dry yeast and instant yeast work equally well. If using active dry yeast, proof it in warm water for a few minutes; if using instant yeast, add it directly to the dry ingredients.
- Milk: Whole milk delivers the best flavor and texture
- Flour: You can use either bread flour or all-purpose flour in this recipe.
- Butter: Both salted and unsalted butter are fine. If using salted butter, reduce the salt in the recipe a little.
- Sweetness: I add granulated sugar to bring a hint of sweetness to the bread rolls.
- Eggs: Provide structure and moisture to the rolls
- Citrus: Because my German from Russia grandmother always made Easter bread with orange juice and zest, I continue the tradition. It adds a beautiful depth of flavor that I find irresistible. You can eliminate it if preferred or substitute it for another citrus.
How to Make Easter Bunny Bread Rolls
These rolls are simple to make and fun to shape! Below, you will find both methods I used; the Twist Bunnies and the Curlicue Bunnies. But first, let’s start with making the bread roll dough and it’s first rise.
Step 1: Make the yeast dough
If using active dry yeast, proof it in 1/4 cup of warm water and 1 teaspoon of the sugar for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it’s foamy and active. If using instant yeast, skip this step and add it with the flour. Meanwhile, blend warmed milk, sugar, melted butter, and salt and let cool until lukewarm. Cool till lukewarm.
Then, add 2 cups of flour to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and stir in the warm milk mixture. Add the eggs and mix well before stirring in the yeast mixture, along with orange juice, zest, and remaining flour to make a soft dough. Let rest for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Knead the dough and let it rise
Knead the dough in a stand mixer with the dough hook for 5-7 minutes or by hand for 8 to 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface. Cover; let rise in a warm place until double (about 1.5- 2 hours). Deflate the dough, cover, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
How to Shape the Easter Bunny Rolls
This is the fun part! If you have children or guests nearby, it’s a great way to involve them in the baking. We’re making two shapes: Twist bunnies and Curlicue bunnies. The twist bunnies are the quickest and easiest, but the curlicue bunnies are awfully cute, too! Make one or the other, or both!
Begin by prepping the dough. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick on a lightly floured surface for both shapes. Cut the dough into strips about 1/2 inch wide and roll them between your hands to smooth and form a rope. Shape the bunnies into curlicues or twists as directed below.
After the shapes are made and they’ve risen until almost doubled, apply an egg wash to the dough just before baking. Whisk together 1 egg with 1 teaspoon of water (or 1 egg white with water for a lighter finish) and brush the tops of the dough using a pastry brush.
Bake the bunny bread rolls in a preheated 375℉ oven. For a shiny crust, make an egg wash by whisking 1 egg (or egg white for a lighter finish) with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush the risen rolls with the egg wash and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
How to Shape Twist Bunnies
For each, cut a 14-inch strip of dough with a knife or pizza cutter. Then, cut a small piece of dough from the stip. Roll the small piece into a ball.
On a parchment-lined baking sheet, lap one end of the long dough strip over the other to form a loop; then, bring the end underneath up and over the top end, letting one extend to each side for the ears.
Shape the ends into points for the bunny ears. Insert the ball of dough into the loop to form its tail. Cover and let rise until almost double (about 40-60 minutes).
How to Shape Curlicue Bunnies
For each cut, a 10-inch strip of dough that will form the body and a 5-inch dough strip that will form the head. Loosely roll each strip (like a cinnamon roll) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the smaller swirl (the head) close to the larger swirl (the body). As they rise, the two swirls will grow together.
For ears, pinch off 1½-inchs of dough and shape into 2 smooth ear shapes with pointed ends. Place each ear next to the head. Then, pinch another small piece of dough and roll it into a ball for the tail. Cover and let the dough rise until it almost doubles (about 40-60 minutes).
Tips for Success
Making these adorable Easter Bunny Bread Rolls is as fun and rewarding! To ensure they turn out perfectly soft, fluffy, and irresistibly golden, keep these tips in mind:
- Use Fresh Yeast – Whether you’re using active dry or instant yeast, make sure it’s fresh and not expired. If your yeast doesn’t foam when activated, it won’t give you that light, pillowy texture.
- Don’t Skimp on Kneading – Kneading helps develop gluten, giving the rolls a soft yet structured texture. Aim for about 8-10 minutes of kneading (or 5-7 minutes if using a stand mixer). The dough should be smooth and elastic.
- Let the Dough Rise Properly – A warm, draft-free environment is ideal for proofing. If your kitchen is chilly, place the dough in an oven with the light on or near a warm spot to help it rise. The dough should double in size before shaping.
- Shaping Matters – Avoid overhandling the dough when forming the bunny shapes, as too much pressing can make the rolls dense. Keep the shapes uniform so they bake evenly.
- Watch the Bake Time – Since these rolls are small and delicate, they can brown quickly. Keep an eye on them after 12 minutes, and if needed, tent them with foil to prevent over-browning while ensuring they bake through.
- Brush for a Beautiful Finish – For a glossy, bakery-style look, brush the rolls with an egg wash before baking. If you prefer a softer, sweeter finish, try brushing them with melted butter or a honey glaze after baking.
By following these simple yet effective tips, you’ll have the cutest, fluffiest bunny rolls hopping off the tray—ready to delight your Easter guests!
More Easter Bread Recipes to Try
- Italian Easter Bread with beautiful dyed Easter eggs.
- Ukrainian Kulich Easter Bread is baked in cylindrical shapes and decorated with icing and sprinkles.
- German Easter Bread (Osterbrot) is an easy but beautiful sweet bread.
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Easter Bunny Bread Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast (1 packet)
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 cup milk scalded
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5-5.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- 1/4 cup orange juice
Instructions
- If using active dry yeast, proof it in 1/4 cup of warm water and 1 teaspoon of the sugar for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it's foamy and active. If using instant yeast, skip this step and add it with the flour. Meanwhile, blend warmed milk, sugar, melted butter, and salt and let cool until lukewarm. Cool till lukewarm.
- Add 2 cups of flour to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and stir in the milk mixture. Add the eggs and mix well before stirring in the yeast mixture, along with orange juice, zest, and remaining flour to make a soft dough. Let rest for 10 minutes.
- Knead dough in the a stand mixer with the dough hook or by hand for 5 to 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface till smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface. Cover; let rise in warm place till double (about 1.5- 2 hours). Deflate the dough, cover and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Shaping the Bunny Rolls
- Roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut the dough into strips about 1/2 inch wide and roll between your hands to smooth and form a rope. Shape the bunnies into curlicues or twists as directed below.
- Twist bunnies: For each, cut a 14-inch strip of dough with a knife or pizza cutter. Then, cut a small piece of dough from the stip. Roll the small piece into a ball. On a parchment-lined baking sheet, lap one end of the long dough strip over the other to form a loop; then, bring the end underneath up and over the top end, letting one extend to each side for the ears. Shape the ends into points for the bunny ears. Insert the ball of dough into the loop to form its tail. Cover and let rise until almost double (about 40-60 minutes).
- Curlicue bunnies: For each cut, a 10-inch strip of dough that will be used for the body and a 5-inch dough strip for the head. Loosely roll each strip (like a cinnamon roll) and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place the smaller swirl (the head) close to the larger swirl (the body). As they rise, the two swirls will grow together. For ears, pinch off 1½-inchs of dough and shape into 2 smooth ear shapes with pointed ends, and place each ear next to the head. Then, pinch another small piece of dough and roll it into a ball for the tail. Cover and let the dough rise until it almost doubles (about 40-60 minutes).
- While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 375℉. For a shinny crust, make an egg wash by whisking 1 egg (or egg white for a lighter finish) with 1 teaspoon of water. Brush the risen rolls with the egg wash and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Can you make these ahead of time and freeze them?
Yes you can— I’ve frozen them ahead for Easter!