Honey Bunnies
Submitted by giantswife
Honey Bunnies are sweet yeast rolls shaped like rabbits, brushed with a honey-butter glaze, and decorated with raisin eyes. A fun Easter or holiday baking project.
YIELD
1 BatchPREP
40 minCOOK
15 minREADY
2 hrsThese adorable bunny-shaped yeast rolls are a holiday baking project that kids will actually want to help with. The honey-sweetened dough gets refrigerated for up to 24 hours, then rolled into ropes and coiled into bunny shapes: a big spiral for the body, a smaller one for the head, plus tiny coils for ears and a tail. After a quick rise, they bake golden and get brushed with a warm honey-butter glaze while still hot.
The overnight refrigerator rise is your friend here. Cold dough is firmer and much easier to roll into long ropes and shape into bunnies without it springing back or sticking to your hands. If you try to shape it right after mixing, the soft, sticky dough will fight you the whole way.
Raisin eyes go on after baking and glazing, pressed gently into the warm surface so they stick.
Kitchen Tips
- Roll the ropes on a lightly floured surface, but don’t add too much flour or the coils won’t stick to each other.
- Keep the body and head coils loose, not tight. They expand during the rise and baking, and tight coils puff into lumpy blobs.
- Brush the glaze on while the bunnies are still warm so it soaks into the crust and turns glossy.
Variations
- Add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the dough for a spiced version.
- Use dried cranberries instead of raisins for brighter red eyes.
- Shape the dough into simple round rolls instead of bunnies for everyday honey dinner rolls.
Ingredients
Directions
To prepare batter, combine 1½ cups flour, undissolved yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl; set aside.
In a skillet, heat evaporated skim milk, water, ½ cup honey and ½ cup margarine until very warm 120 to 130 degrees.
Gradually add to dry ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed. Add eggs and ½ cup flour.
Beat 2 minutes at high speed.
Place in a mixing bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
Refrigerate 2 to 24 hours.
On lightly floured surface, divide dough into 15 pieces.
Roll each into a 20-inch rope. Divide each rope into: 1 12-inch (body), 1 5-inch (head), and 3 1-inch (ears and tail) strips.
Coil pieces to make body and head; attach ears and tail to head and body.
Place bunnies on baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 20 to 25 minutes.
Bake at 375 for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove to wire racks. Meanwhile to prepare glaze, combine remaining honey and margarine in a saucepan until margarine has melted.
Brush bunnies with glaze while warm. Then, decorate with raisins for eyes.
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