Bunny Buns (Easter Treats)

Next on our list for the Easter Egg Hunt was a fun treat Bunny Buns that I found on Melissa's Cuisine. These turned out so cute, now mine were a little on the fluffy bunny side ... but that is the way this lady rolls ... lol. No literally it was my rolling technique didn't make them skinny enough .. hehehe (what a little baking humor didn't kill anyone). 

These were pretty easy to make and didn't take to much time.  I thought since they weren't something decorated they may not be a big hit. I was happy to see almost all were gone with in 20 minutes!  They were so yummy I probably could eat them all day long ... you know if I didn't want my jeans to ever zip up again!

Makes 14 buns

Ingredients:

2 cups milk

1 heaping Tablespoon yeast

5-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup vegetable shortening

1/4 cup butter, melted

1.  Pour milk into a small microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute, until warm.

2.  Sprinkle the yeast on the warm milk and set it aside to proof while you mix the other ingredients.

3.  In the bowl of your stand mixer, use the paddle attachment to mix the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar.

4.  Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal.

5.  Pour the milk and yeast mixer into the dough and mix using the dough attachment until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

6.  Divide the dough into 15 equal sized pieces.

7.  Roll each piece of dough into a long rope (like you're making pretzels).  Set aside 1 strip to use for the bunny tails.

8.  Form a bunny with each piece of dough by twisting the top of the dough together and leaving a "keyhole" at the bottom.

9.  Divide the reserved dough strip into 14 equal pieces and roll them into balls to use for the bunnytails.  Place the tails in the opening at the bottom of the buns.  

10.  Cover the bunnies with plastic wrap and set aside to rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

11.  Remove the plastic wrap and bake the buns at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes, until golden brown.

12.  Brush the hot rolls with melted butter after removing from the oven    

Any Easter Plans?

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Bunny Puffs (Sweet Easter Treats)

Every year my friend holds a 1,000 egg hunt, it's something we look forward to every year. This year she had moved out of state, we all were very sad not only to see her go but our annual party. Then surprise surprise she fly's back in to visit and hold the party!  It was great to have this early so we could attend!  I flew back in Friday PM / Saturday AM so I was a little jet lagged but was able to make a few things for the party on Sunday.

I had these Bunny Puffs from Pillsbury saved on Pinterest and gave them a try.  NOW I went for the regular sized peanut butter cups. So mine were a little on the chubby side probably be better with the mini peanut butter cups. But over all they were cute!

Ingredients

1

can (8 oz) Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

8

miniature chocolate-covered peanut butter cup candies, unwrapped

8

white miniature marshmallows, cut in half

4

pink miniature marshmallows, cut in half

16

blue miniature candy-coated semi-sweet chocolate baking bits

Step

• 1 Heat oven to 375°F. Line large cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper; spray paper with cooking spray.
• 2 Unroll dough and separate into 8 triangles. Place 1 peanut butter cup in center of 1 triangle. Gently stretch corners closest to and farthest from cup together at top of cup, pinching edges together to seal around cup. Pull up third corner; firmly pinch edges to seal. Place on cookie sheet; twist 2 longest tips of dough to make ears. If desired, bend down longer ear. Repeat with remaining dough triangles and peanut butter cups, shaping and trimming dough as needed for desired shape.
• 3 Bake 8 to 9 minutes or until puffs begin to brown. Place 2 white miniature marshmallow halves and 1 pink marshmallow half on center of each for bunny nose. Bake 1 to 2 minutes longer or until puffs are golden brown and marshmallows are slightly puffed.
• 4 For eyes, immediately place 2 blue baking bits on white miniature marshmallows for pupil; remove puffs to cooling rack.

ALEXIS NOTES: I picked up jumbo crescent rolls and large peanut butter cups. I used large candy eyes and some black decorating gel for whiskers. I couldn't find pink marshmallows so I used mini white ones.

Any Easter Plans?

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Easter Treat ... Easter Bunny Bread (Made with Basic Bread Machine White Bread)

Next on our Easter list to make was a fun treat to take to the annual 1,000 Egg Egg Hunt my friend host.  I showed you the Bunny Nutter Butter Cookies last week I made for the party.  I saw this Easter Bunny Bread on Pinterest and I knew I had to give it a whirl.  Their's was super cute and I must say I was pretty happy with the one I created.  I must say I can bust out cookies or cakes, NOW molding a bread into a shape was a WHOLE new ballgame for me.

The recipe on Taste of Home called for Frozen Bread.  I decided that I rather make a homemade bread.  I found a Basic Bread Machine White Bread that I MUST say is the BEST bread I have ever made! 

What You Need:

1-POUND LOAF    INGREDIENTS2/3 cup                       water
4 teaspoons                sugar
3/4 teaspoon              salt
4 teaspoons                nonfat dry milk powder
4 teaspoons                butter OR margarine
2 cups                          bread flour
1-1/2 teaspoons         Bread Machine Yeast OR RapidRise Yeast
Directions
Add ingredients to bread machine pan in the order suggested by manufacturer. 

For the Bunny Bread I started with homemade bread, BUT you can use frozen if you would like.  If you want a great bread machine bread follow recipe above and just set for dough setting.  I doubled the recipe, since I was just doing the dough I knew my machine could handle the 2 lbs.  NOW if you're baking my would only handle 1 1/2 lbs.

What you Need for the Bunny:

Ingredients

• 2 loaves (1 pound each) frozen bread dough, thawed
• 2 raisins
• 2 sliced almonds
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Dip of your choice

Directions

• Cut a fourth off of one loaf of dough; shape into a pear to form
• head. For body, flatten remaining portion into a 7-in. x 6-in. oval;
• place on a greased baking sheet. Place head above body. Make narrow
• cuts, about 3/4 in. deep, on each side of head for whiskers.
• Cut second loaf into four equal portions. For ears, shape two
• portions into 16-in. ropes; fold ropes in half. Arrange ears with
• open ends touching head. Cut a third portion of dough in half; shape
• each into a 3-1/2-in. oval for back paws. Cut two 1-in. slits on top
• edge for toes. Position on each side of body.
• Divide the fourth portion of dough into three pieces. Shape two
• pieces into 2-1/2-in. balls for front paws; shape the remaining
• piece into two 1-in. balls for cheeks and one 1/2-in. ball for nose.
• Place paws on each side of body; cut two 1-in. slits for toes. Place
• cheeks and nose on face. Add raisins for eyes and almonds for teeth.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30-45
• minutes. Brush dough with egg. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes

For the Dip I just made a quick Ranch Dip.  I had a small dish that I cut a hole int he bunnies belly and placed it in there and added the Ranch dip inside.  I cut up celery and had mini carrots that I placed around the bunny.

Any Easter Parties or Plans?

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE.