Easy Easter Bunny Cinnamon Rolls are made from scratch or a can, your choice! These cute rolls are a perfect Easter brunch recipe or a themed baby shower.
They are so easy and they are a great recipe to make with the kids.
Easter Bunny Cinnamon Rolls
It’s no secret that I like cute Easter recipes like a Carrot Shaped Cheese Ball, a Bunny Carrot Cake Cheese Ball, Cottontail Cupcakes or Bunny Butt Cake – but these Bunny Cinnamon Rolls are so easy, even kids can make them!
You can make them from a can, with crescent rolls, from frozen rolls, or even better – from scratch using my Bakery Cinnamon Roll or Orange Roll recipe.
They’re perfect for a Saturday morning, Easter brunch, Mother’s Day brunch, or even a Woodland Baby Shower!
Instead of rolling, you make a couple tweaks to make these adorable treats that are oh so memorable! Find my favorite 25 easy Easter dessert ideas in this fun recipe collection!
Bunny Cinnamon Roll Ingredients
- Milk – Whatever you have on hand.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted, whatever you have on hand. Reduce salt in the recipe should you use salted butter.
- Flour – All purpose flour.
- Sugar – White Granulated sugar.
- Salt – Brings out all the other flavors in this easy recipe.
- Active Quick Rise Yeast – The leavening agent that keeps these rolls quick and simple – in under an hour. To substitute, 1 envelope active dry yeast = 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast OR 1 envelope active dry yeast = 2¼ teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
- Egg – The dough for these rolls comes together quickly and easily with the aid of a stand mixer. Use unsalted butter for this dough, if you do use salted, you may want to decrease the amount of salt added.
- Brown Sugar – You can substitute white sugar, if needed, but brown sugar is traditional for cinnamon rolls and caramelizes when baked.
- Cinnamon – Adds a little warmth and traditional flavor.
- Heavy Cream – This is poured on top of the rolls before they are baked in the oven. The secret ingredient (and step) that make these rolls stand above the rest! Covering them with heavy cream makes these thick, fluffy rolls so moist!
For the Icing
- Cream Cheese – Whatever you have on hand, softened to room temperature. Learn how to soften cream cheese.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted.
- Powdered Sugar – Really fine sugar also known as confectioners sugar. If you don’t have any, you can simply puree granulated sugar in a food processor until fine. It gives the icing a smooth consistency.
- Heavy Cream – You can substitute milk, if needed, to thin the icing.
How to Make Bunny Cinnamon Rolls
- Make Cinnamon Rolls – If you’re using a can, unroll 2 rolls in lieu of this step. If you’re making them from scratch, keep reading! Roll the dough in a rectangle as you normally would and cut into 2/3 and 1/3. Spread melted butter on top. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on top. Refrain from sprinkling cinnamon and sugar at the edges if you’re making them from scratch.
- Cut, Roll and Form Ears – Cut into strips, roll and seal (pinching your fingers with water) the larger side into a roll. (Both can and homemade) Cut the smaller portion into strips folding each side to meet in the middle as shown above. Seal by pinching with water. Do the same to adhere both pieces together creating bunnies. If making them from scratch, allow dough to rise again.
- Place in Baking Dish, Cover in Heavy Cream and Bake – Cover in cream before baking to make them extra moist!
- Cover in Icing – Top with Cinnamon Roll Icing or Cream Cheese Icing for Cinnamon Rolls!
Can You Make Bunny Cinnamon Rolls Ahead Of Time?
If you are organized and want to get ahead with things for your Easter brunch, you can shape the rolls and then cover them with plastic wrap and keep them in the fridge overnight. In the morning preheat your oven, pour over the cream and bake.
You can also bake these rolls ahead of time and keep them covered in the fridge. Gently reheat them in the oven and spread over the frosting before serving.
Tips
Variations
- Canned Dough – Make these cute bunny cinnamon rolls with a canned dough to save time. I’ve given you the instruction below to make the dough from scratch if you prefer.
- Crescent Rolls – You can make these with crescent rolls using my Easy Cinnamon Roll recipe!
- Orange Rolls – Bunnies look cute and springy dressed in orange! Substitute orange zest for cinnamon and use this amazing Orange Glaze recipe to top them!
- Caramel Rolls – True to bunny color and amazing flavor!
- Classic Cinnamon Roll Icing – Not a fan of cream cheese? No problem! You’ll love this Cinnamon Roll Icing.
More Easter Inspiration
Bunny Cinnamon Rolls
This is the Best Cinnamon Roll recipe, ready to enjoy in an hour! Shaped into bunnies for the ultimate Easter brunch!
Ingredients
- ¾ cup milk
- ⅓ cup butter salted or unsalted
- 3¼ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 package active quick rise yeast
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1 egg
- ¼ cups heavy cream
Icing
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Instructions
How to Make Cinnamon Roll Dough (skip if using store-bought rolls)
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add milk and butter. Stir until melted and remove from heat.
- In a mixing bowl, combine 2¼ cup all purpose flour, sugar, salt. Add yeast and lukewarm milk mixture. Combine. Add egg until just combined.
- Using the dough hook attachment on your mixer, knead while gradually adding in 1 cup flour until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the edges of the bowl. You can also knead by hand.
- Let dough rest for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F.
How to Make Cinnabunnies from Homemade or Store Bougth Dough
- If you're using a can, unroll 2 rolls in lieu of this step. If you're making them from scratch, keep reading! Roll the dough in a rectangle as you normally would and cut into ⅔ and ⅓. Spread melted butter on top. Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle on top. Refrain from sprinkling cinnamon and sugar at the edges if you're making them from scratch.
- Cut into strips, roll and seal (pinching your fingers with water) the larger side into a roll.
- Cut the smaller portion into strips folding each side to meet in the middle as shown in the photos in the post. Seal by pinching with water. Do the same to adhere both pieces together creating bunnies.
- Cover rolls in ¼ cup heavy cream. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until slightly golden.
Icing
- Mix icing ingredients until smooth and drizzle over rolls.
Julie’s Tips
Substitutions
- Milk – Whatever you have on hand.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted, whatever you have on hand. Reduce salt in the recipe should you use salted butter.
- Active Quick Rise Yeast – The leavening agent that keeps these rolls quick and simple – in under an hour. To substitute, 1 envelope active dry yeast = 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast OR 1 envelope active dry yeast = 2¼ teaspoons rapid-rise yeast
- Brown Sugar – You can substitute white sugar, if needed, but brown sugar is traditional for cinnamon rolls and caramelizes when baked.
- Heavy Cream – Optional
For the Icing
- Cream Cheese – Whatever you have on hand.
- Butter – Salted or unsalted.
- Powdered Sugar – Really fine sugar also known as confectioners sugar. If you don’t have any, you can simply puree granulated sugar in a food processor until fine. It gives the icing a smooth consistency.
- Heavy Cream – You can substitute milk, if needed, to thin the icing.
Variations
- Canned Dough – Make these cute bunny cinnamon rolls with a canned dough to save time. I’ve given you the instruction below to make the dough from scratch if you prefer.
- Crescent Rolls – You can make these with crescent rolls using my Easy Cinnamon Roll recipe!
- Orange Rolls – Bunnies look cute and springy dressed in orange! Substitute orange zest for cinnamon and use this amazing Orange Glaze recipe to top them!
- Caramel Rolls – True to bunny color and amazing flavor!
- Classic Cinnamon Roll Icing
Video
Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 66g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 796IU | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
These are so cute and the taste is also awesome! My kids are asking for more so Iโll be making me this again this week. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing!
Oh my goodness! These are so cute! I love that you can make them from scratch or with premade. Thank you for sharing such a great idea.
Is it 2 1/4 or 3 1/4 cups of flour??? List says 3 1/4…directions say 2 1/4. Big difference! Help!
The additional cup comes in step 3. Enjoy!
These came out absolutely adorable! Itโs one of those recipes you have to share because even your 3 kids ask for more!
Making these for Easter!