Easter Bunny Bread is the most adorably delicious part of your Easter celebration and is surprisingly easy to make! You can make it with frozen bread dough or with most any homemade bread dough.
Bunny Bread is a longstanding tradition in our family and my kids look forward to it even more than their Easter baskets! My sesame semolina bread dough makes a lovely Easter Bunny Bread. Visit our Bread Recipes page for more fantastic homemade breads!
Bring some charming whimsy to your Easter feast with this irresistible fresh bread bunny. Kids of all ages will love it!
Around here, this is a strictly Easter dish, but I can see this going over a treat at a bunny-loving child’s birthday party or a get together for friends. You don’t have to be a bunny-bread withholder like I am. Feel free to bust out Bugs whenever the muse strikes.
Don’t let the idea of shaping bread scare you away. This does not require an art degree or sculpting skills; it’s quite simple!
While I start with approximately two pounds of homemade bread dough (I recommend this recipe!) you can your favorite standard bread dough or even thawed frozen bread dough. It’s just a matter of breaking it down into steps, and I’ve done that for you. To see just how easy it is, watch this video.
Bunny Shaped Bread
As impressive as this bunny bread looks, it is really quite easy to pull together. I’ve broken down the steps to make the process understandable and simple.
Let’s go over our ingredient and equipment lists so you know what to gather! Once you have everything together it’s just a matter of following the steps one by one.
Ingredients
- Frozen Bread Dough or Homemade Bread Dough
- Egg or Egg Replacement
- Raisins, Dried Cranberries, Dried Currants, or Dried Cherries
- Sliced Almonds
- Optional but tasty for serving: Dip plus lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, radishes, broccoli, bell peppers, or any raw vegetables.
You can use homemade bread dough like this, or use purchased frozen bread dough that you’ve thawed according to package instructions. Either will be delicious. My preference is for this semolina dough.
As for the dip, I love this Dill Pickle Dip the best, but we’ve used everything from purchased French onion dip to Hot Corn Dip or Roasted Garlic Artichoke Goat Cheese Fondue and everything in between. Use whatever makes you smile!
I find red or green leaf lettuce or butter lettuce to be the best options for lining the bunny bread’s tummy before adding the ramekin. Those three lettuces have a fresh, green, leafy look. A crunchier lettuce -like iceberg and romaine- will not be quite as nicely ruffled and will be prone to breaking.
When it comes to vegetables, add whatever makes you hop with joy. Carrots are a natural choice, but we like to add a large variety; a little something for everyone like cucumbers, broccoli florets, bell peppers, cauliflower, radishes, snow or sugar pea pods, and more.
Equipment
- Bench Knife
- Ramekin or Small Bowl for Dip
- Small Sharp Knife
- Half Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Silicone Pastry or Basting Brush
When it comes time to assemble the Easter Bunny Bread, use a small ramekin for the dip. Invert it on top of your bunny bread and slice around it. You don’t need to slice deeply, just enough to let you know the outline of the bowl.
Use your hands to scoop out the circle that you sliced and the bread underneath it to make room for the lettuce and bowl. Feel free to eat the bread you pulled out ~or~ cube it and serve it alongside the Easter Bunny Bread.
Look how easy it is to make Easter Bunny Bread!
Do you love this Bunny Bread? Check out these other wonderful treats for Easter!
Bunny Bread
To Shape the Bunny Bread
Cut your ball of dough into two pieces that are approximately 1 pound each. Set one piece aside.
Cut about 1/4 off of the remaining hunk of dough. Roll the piece into a ball and then flatten slightly on a parchment or silpat lined cookie sheet to form the bunny’s head.
Roll the other 3/4 of the dough piece into a ball and flatten into a large oval that is about 6-inches across. This will be the bunny’s body. Place the body directly below (and in contact with) the head on the cookie sheet.
Cut the second dough ball into four equally sized pieces and roll into balls. Roll two of the pieces into long, snaky ropes (about 15 or so inches long) and then fold the ropes in half.
Place on either side of the head as ears and tuck the ends slightly under the head.
Take a third dough ball, split into two equally sized pieces and roll into balls. Position one ball on either side of the base of the bunny’s body like back paws.
Use a bench knife or butter knife to cut two slits at the outside edges of the back paws to form bunny toes. What? They have toes.
Divide the last remaining portion of bread into 3 equally sized pieces. Roll two of the pieces into balls and place against either side of the upper third of the bunny’s body to serve as front paws.
Take the remaining dough and cut off 1/4 of the dough. Roll the tiny piece into a ball and position on the bunny’s head to serve as the nose.
Cut the final piece of dough into two equal pieces. Roll those pieces into balls and position under the nose for the bunny’s cheeks.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and almost doubled in bulk (about an hour in a warm room.)
To Bake the Bunny Bread
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Remove plastic wrap, brush lightly with beaten egg and push the two pieces of dried fruit into the bunny’s head for it’s eyes.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the bunny is golden brown and lovely.
- Let rest on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
To Serve the Bunny Bread
- Transfer the cooled bunny bread to a serving platter or return to the sheet pan on which you baked it.
- Cut a hole equal to the size of the bowl you will use for your dip from the belly of the bunny.
- Nestle the bowl of dip into the space you made in the bunny bread.
- Arrange vegetable sticks and crudités around the bunny and serve!
Notes
You can, alternatively, line the hole in the bunny’s belly with lettuce leaves and put the dip directly into it. We prefer to put the bowl of dip in to better salvage any leftover dip after we devour the bread. This would also be preferable if you think you may have leftover bread.
Easter Bunny Bread
Rate RecipeEquipment
- 1 Chef Knife
- 1 half sheet pan
- 1 sheet of parchment paper
- 1 bench knife
- 1 ramekin or small bowl for the dip
- 1 small sharp knife
- 1 serving tray (or you can use the same sheet pan you baked your bread on for serving
Ingredients
- 2 pounds homemade bread dough [or 2 loaves frozen bread dough, 1 pound each, thawed]
- 1 egg beaten
- 2 pieces of dried fruit raisins, currants, cherries, blueberries, etc…
- 2 slivered almonds
For serving:
- Your favorite dip
- Vegetable sticks or florets carrots, celery, cucumbers, pea pods, cauliflower, broccoli, etc…
Instructions
To Shape the Bunny Bread
- Cut your ball of dough into two pieces that are approximately 1 pound each.
- Set one piece aside.
- Cut about 1/4 off of the remaining hunk of dough.
- Roll the piece into a ball and then flatten slightly on a parchment or silpat lined cookie sheet to form the bunny’s head.
- Roll the other 3/4 of the dough piece into a ball and flatten into a large oval that is about 6-inches across. This will be the bunny’s body.
- Place the body directly below (and in contact with) the head on the cookie sheet.
- Cut the second dough ball into four equally sized pieces and roll into balls.
- Roll two of the pieces into long, snaky ropes (about 15 or so inches long) and then fold the ropes in half.
- Place on either side of the head as ears and tuck the ends slightly under the head.
- Take a third dough ball, split into two equally sized pieces and roll into balls.
- Position one ball on either side of the base of the bunny’s body like back paws.
- Use a bench knife or butter knife to cut two slits at the outside edges of the back paws to form bunny toes. What? They have toes.
- Divide the last remaining portion of bread into 3 equally sized pieces.
- Roll two of the pieces into balls and place against either side of the upper third of the bunny’s body to serve as front paws.
- Take the remaining dough and cut off 1/4 of the dough.
- Roll the tiny piece into a ball and position on the bunny’s head to serve as the nose.
- Cut the final piece of dough into two equal pieces.
- Roll those pieces into balls and position under the nose for the bunny’s cheeks.
- Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until puffy and almost doubled in bulk (about an hour in a warm room.)
To Bake the Bunny Bread
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Remove plastic wrap, brush lightly with beaten egg and push the two pieces of dried fruit into the bunny’s head for it’s eyes.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the bunny is golden brown and lovely.
- Let rest on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
To Serve the Bunny Bread
- Transfer the cooled bunny bread to a serving platter or return to the sheet pan on which you baked it.
- Cut a hole equal to the size of the bowl you will use for your dip from the belly of the bunny.
- Nestle the bowl of dip into the space you made in the bunny bread.
- Arrange vegetable sticks and crudités around the bunny and serve!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and #hashtag it #foodiewithfamily so I can check it out!
Originally posted April 22, 2011, Text, photos, and tutorial video updated March 2017, 2018, and 2020 and April 2023.
Reader's Thoughts...
Megan @ MegUnprocessed says
Adorable! Great presentation!
Liz says
It’s the fudge lamb at our house! I think I should shake things up as your adorable bread bunny comes with veggies 🙂
Marly says
So. Friggin. Adorable! How fun would it be to share this at the family dinner!
Rebecca says
HA! Thanks, Marly! My kids look forward to this more than the candy in their baskets.
Josh | Oakhurst Kitchen says
HA! This is wonderful Well equal parts wonderful, funny, and bizarre.
Karen says
If you were to use 1 pound of dough to make a smaller bunny, are there any other changes you would make? Possibly to temperature or baking time? I have a smaller family, but I would still like to give this a whirl!
Rebecca says
I’d keep the same temperature, but start watching the bunny for doneness earlier. Just watch it as it bakes. When it looks like the bunny in the picture (golden brown and lovely), I’d pull it!
Bekah says
Oh my, this is just too cute!! What a fabulous Easter centrepiece 🙂
Jancey says
Thanks for this recipe. Do you make a single recipe of the linked to bread dough or a double? I appreciate your help, and look forward to making this.
Rebecca says
Hi Jancey- I use a single batch of the dough to which I linked!
Millie | Add A Little says
Oh my! This is so cute Rebecca – i’m sure everyone would go crazy for this!
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
How cute! This bunny is what memories are made of. Your children will always remember their easter bunny.
Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps says
This is pretty much the cutest thing I’ve ever seen!
Wenderly says
Darling! Hoppy Easter to you & yours!
Rebecca says
Elise- Thank you for the heads-up. Did I fix it?
Kathryn- Honey bunnies? Do tell!
Karen- Have you tried Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free all-purpose baking mix? My sister makes wonderful bread with it!
Bellini- Adorable or disturbing? 🙂
Alice- I sure hope you get a chance and like it!
Alice says
Hi!
I’m de-lurking to say thanks for this recipe and post! I was really inspired by your tradition, and can’t wait to make this for my family, and establish our own tradition.
Thanks so much,
A
bellini says
This is an adorable tradition!!!!
Karen says
I tore that same bunny out of Taste of Home years ago. Made it with my toddler for years – but no gluten this year, so no bunny bread (gluten free popovers instead)
Kathryn says
This looks less time consuming and just as cute as the honey bunnies I’ve made for Easter. I’ll have to try this one.
Elise says
Love the new title banner (loved the old one too) but the right side gets cut off on my monitor – don’t know if it is just my settings or what but there you go 🙂
bunny shaped hot cross buns are my family’s tradition
Yasmin says
Honest and for true…hmmm. Was it Bugs Bunny?
Bunny bread looks delicious! Happy Easter to you…
Rebecca says
Well, ya know, Melissa… You could halve the recipe… Or halve the bunny, which would lend a whole new hilarity to it. And if you do the bowl of dip, you could freeze leftover bread. Peer pressure. Peer pressure. Peer pressure.
Stef- You’re MORE than welcome!!
Yasmin- You are officially extra super cool. At least to me and my kids. 🙂 It WAS Bugs.
Stef says
This is GREAT! I wanted to do something special with bread this year. Thanks for the GREAT idea!!
Stef at TooMuchToDoSoLittleTime.com
Melissa says
“Which is better than a fragment. Oh dear.”
Har. Har.
Now, you know I ain’t makin’ this for just the two of us, but anyone considering it? Listen to the bread queen: do not fear shaping the dough. Shaping risen bread dough is a cinch. And the hilarity of this on your table would be SO. WORTH IT.