How to Make Bunny Bread Rolls

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: November 2, 2025 References

The next time you have to serve up bread rolls, why not take things a step further and make some cute bunny-shaped bread rolls instead? They are perfect for Easter, but can be served any day of the year. You can try making them using the recipe in this wikiHow, or you can use your favorite dinner roll recipe instead!

Ingredients^{[1]
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⅓ cup +1 tablespoon (100 milliliters) water
⅓ cup (80 milliliters) whole milk
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 cups (250 grams) bread flour
½ cup (50 grams) cake flour
¼ cup (50 grams) sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
Extra milk for brushing

Serves 16

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Making the Dough

Stir together the water and milk in a small saucepan. Heat it over the stove to 108 to 110°F (43 to 44°C). You can also heat it in the microwave, but be careful not to let the solution get too hot. It is it over 110°F (44°C), it will kill the yeast and prevent the dough from rising.^{[2]
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Add 2 teaspoons of active yeast and 2 teaspoons of sugar into the milk and water solution. Let it sit for 5 to 8 minutes. As it sits, the yeast will start to bubble.^{[3]
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Pour both of the flours into a large mixing bowl. Add in the rest of the sugar and the salt. Stir everything together to combine.
Once the yeast mixture has turned bubbly, pour it into the flour mixture. Stir it in until it forms a dough. You can do this by hand, or in a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment.
Cut the butter up, and add it into the flour mixture. Stir it in, then mix the dough for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it turns smooth and stretchy. Give it a stretch. If you can stretch it out really thin, it's ready. If it snaps and breaks, keep mixing it.^{[4]
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Place the dough into an oiled bowl, then cover the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap. Let the dough sit on the counter until it doubles in size. This will take about 40 to 60 minutes, depending on the temperature in your kitchen.^{[5]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Forming the Bunnies

You can do this by scooping out 16 pieces from the dough. You can also roll it out into a tube, then cut the tube into 16 portions.^{[6]
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2
Roll each piece into a ball. Hold a piece of dough in a cupped hand. Pinch the dough towards the center so that it forms a ball-shape with a seam. Place the ball on the counter, and cup your hand over it. Using a circular motion with your hand, gently roll the dough into a ball.^{[7]
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- This technique is used by bakers and is known as "bouling".
- If you are having difficulties, you can simply roll the pieces into balls with your palms. The resulting bunnies may not be as smooth however.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper first, then set the balls on top. Cover the balls with a sheet of plastic wrap, then let them sit for 15 minutes.^{[8]
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4
Cut bunny ears into each ball. Remove the plastic wrap first. Hold a pair of kitchen shears horizontally against the bunny's back. Cut two triangular slits into the front of the ball. The slits should be close together but not actually touching. They will look a little like an M.
- If you'd like to, you can roll the balls into more oval/egg shapes first.
5
Round the tips of the ears. Use your finger to gently soften and round the tip of each ear. This is very important; if you don't do this, you will end up with cats instead! You can also stretch the ears out a little to make them longer, but be careful not to make them too thin. If you'd like to, you can give the center of each ear a slight dent using a dowel or paintbrush handle for a more realistic touch.^{[9]
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- Keep the ears tucked against the bunny's back. Don't stand them straight up. If you do, the edges may brown too much.
6
Make the eyes. Use a skewer or the end of a paintbrush handle to poke two small eyes into the front of the bunny's face, just below the ears.^{[10]
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Research source} You can also insert two, round pepper grains instead.^{[11]
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- If you can find pepper grains, you can use cloves instead.
This is not absolutely necessary, but it's a nice touch. Make a small upwards snip on the bunny's bum. Pull the flap of dough out, then roll it under itself back towards the bunny.^{[12]
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8
Let the bunnies rest for 40 minutes. Cover the bunnies loosely with a sheet of plastic wrap. Let them rest for 40 minutes. During this time, the bunnies will poof up even more and double in size.^{[13]
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- Do not wrap the ends of the plastic wrap around the baking sheet, or it will squish the bunnies as they rise.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Baking the Bunnies

You can do this while the bunnies are almost done poofing.
This is not absolutely necessary, but it will give the bunnies a little shine. You can also use a beaten egg with a little water instead.
They are ready when the tops turn a golden-brown color.^{[14]
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Once the bunnies are done baking, transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before you serve them.

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Tips

It may take a few tries to get the technique right. Don't get discouraged!

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You can use your own dinner roll recipe instead.

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These bunny rolls are perfect for Easter, but you can use them for other occasions too!

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