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Easter Bunny Bread
By Snejana Andreeva
on Apr 12, 2022, Updated Feb 28, 2024
This Easter Bunny Bread is one of the cutest culinary ideas I have ever had. I wanted to make something fun and festive for Easter, and this bread surpassed all expectations. This bread recipe is as easy as it gets: all you need is 2 ingredients and about 30 minutes. The ⭐ star of the show is creamy Havarti which is so incredibly delicious. Serve these as an appetizer or as the centrepiece of an Easter feast.
- Why You’ll Love Easter Bunny Bread
- How to Prepare
- Nonna’s Tip🐇
- Variations and Substitutions for Easter Bunny Bread
- Similar Easter Recipes
- Best Served With
- Common Questions
- Easter Bunny Bread Recipe
Why You’ll Love Easter Bunny Bread
Did I mention this 🐰Easter Bunny Bread uses ONLY 2 ingredients and takes only 30 minutes?! It cannot get any better than that. Plus, it’s a versatile base recipe that you can adapt depending on what you have in the fridge, or adjust to make it a sweet treat (hello, Nutella filling!). Everyone at the table will love pulling apart the tender and fluffy rolls. These are so soft and pillowy …the perfect little bite!
How to Prepare
🔥 First, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
🧑🍳 Next, unroll the dough from the Pillsbury packs and then connect all the pieces together by gently pinching all the sides to form one large rectangle.
🔪Now, using a knife or pizza cutter , cut five lines lengthwise and six lines horizontally. You should now have 30 small squares of dough.
🟡 Next, place a small piece of creamy Havarti cheese into each square. Take each square and pinch it together so that the cheese is sealed and then roll the stuffed dough into a ball.
🐰 Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and then arrange the cheese-stuffed balls into the shape of a rabbit head. You will need 14 dough balls to make a circular face and 8 dough balls for each ear. Sprinkle some sesame seeds onto the ears for decoration, if desired.
⏲ Finally, bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Let cool and enjoy!
Nonna’s Tip🐇
This Easter Bunny Bread recipe will make 30 dough balls. When assembling, you will need 14 dough balls to make a circular face and 8 dough balls for each bunny ear.
Variations and Substitutions for Easter Bunny Bread
- This recipe can easily be made into a dessert by swapping out cheese for a dollop of 🍫 Nutella, sweetened cream cheese, or pistachio cream.
- You can absolutely use store-bought, frozen and defrosted pizza dough instead of croissant rolls.
- Add a small piece of cooked ham, pancetta or bacon to the filling before baking.
- Make a pizza roll-style by filling the dough with mozzarella cheese, sprinkling on some grated parmesan and serving with a simple marinara sauce.
- For gluten-free Easter Bunny Bread, you can use your favorite gluten-free pizza dough.
- Turn this into a garlic loaf appetizer, by brushing the uncooked, assembled bunny bread with melted butter, finely minced garlic and fresh herbs .
Similar Easter Recipes
Sweet Easter Bread
2 hrs 45 mins
Cadbury Chocolate Chip Cookies
22 mins
Deviled Egg Chicks
25 mins
Roasted Leg of Lamb (Foolproof)
4 hrs 45 mins
Best Served With
- Using Easter cookie cutters , cut some hard cheese into shapes and decorate the plate with the cooled Bunny Bread.
- Simple Green Salad 🥗
Common Questions
I find that adding a touch of oil to my clean countertop helps to prevent the dough from sticking. Otherwise, you could try rolling the dough on a piece of parchment paper .
You could sprinkle with poppy seeds, herbs, or even grated parmesan would be delicious on top of this Easter Bunny Bread!
Make sure that the cheese cubes are not too big, less is more here because the cheese will melt when it hits the oven. Also, when forming the dough balls, make sure to completely encase the piece of cheese. Pinch tightly!
Nothing beats this bread coming right out of the oven. But, you can absolutely have it all assembled and kept refrigerated until you’re ready to bake.
Have fun trying different cheese fillings. Brie or camembert would be rich, creamy and delicious, while cheddar or mozzarella would give a milder cheese flavor to the rolls. Smoked gouda would be nice, too!
I love baking to a theme, so I would do a Christmas tree or heart for Valentine’s Day as fun twists.
I haven’t tried that specifically, but I don’t see why not. I think it would work to bake the rolls nestled into loaf pans (15 dough balls in each). Just watch the oven!
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Video
Equipment
- ▢ Easter Cookie Cutter Set
- ▢ Pizza Cutter
- ▢ Cutting Board
- ▢ Nakiri Knife
- ▢ Parchment Paper
- ▢ Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 teaspoon canola oil , (or any neutral oil)
- ▢ 200 grams havarti cheese , (I used Castello’s Creamy Havarti Cheese)
- ▢ 2 packages Pillsbury Crescent Rolls , (8 ounces or 225 grams each)
- ▢ sesame seeds , (optional)
Instructions
- ▢ Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Add a touch of oil to your clean countertop so that the dough doesn’t stick.
- ▢ Unroll the dough from the Pillsbury packs and connect all the pieces together by gently pinching all the sides to form one large rectangle.
- ▢ Cut five lines lengthwise and six lines horizontally. You should have 30 small squares of dough. Place a small piece of creamy Havarti cheese into each square. Take each square and pinch it together so that the cheese is sealed and roll the stuffed dough into a ball.
- ▢ Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the cheese-stuffed balls into the shape of a rabbit head. You will need 14 dough balls to make a circular face and 8 dough balls for each ear. Sprinkle some sesame seeds onto the ears for decoration, if desired.
- ▢ Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Let cool.
- ▢ If you’d like, using an Easter-themed cookie cutter, cut some hard cheese into shapes. Once the bread is cool, transfer it to a serving platter. Decorate the plate with the cut-out cheese. Enjoy!
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Easter Bunny Bread
Equipment
- Easter Cookie Cutter Set
- Pizza Cutter
- Cutting Board
- Nakiri Knife
- Parchment Paper
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon canola oil (or any neutral oil)
- 200 grams havarti cheese (I used Castello’s Creamy Havarti Cheese)
- 2 packages Pillsbury Crescent Rolls (8 ounces or 225 grams each)
- sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Add a touch of oil to your clean countertop so that the dough doesn’t stick.
- Unroll the dough from the Pillsbury packs and connect all the pieces together by gently pinching all the sides to form one large rectangle.
- Cut five lines lengthwise and six lines horizontally. You should have 30 small squares of dough. Place a small piece of creamy Havarti cheese into each square. Take each square and pinch it together so that the cheese is sealed and roll the stuffed dough into a ball.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the cheese-stuffed balls into the shape of a rabbit head. You will need 14 dough balls to make a circular face and 8 dough balls for each ear. Sprinkle some sesame seeds onto the ears for decoration, if desired.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Let cool.
- If you’d like, using an Easter-themed cookie cutter, cut some hard cheese into shapes. Once the bread is cool, transfer it to a serving platter. Decorate the plate with the cut-out cheese. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Easter Bunny Bread https://themodernnonna.com/easter-bunny-bread/ April 12, 2022
Home › Recipes › Cookies & Snacks
Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
By Snejana Andreeva
on Dec 15, 2022, Updated Nov 08, 2023
My lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies melt in your mouth . This recipe is one of those recipes that you’ll need to triple, because it’s THAT good. 🍋Whether you’re a lemon lover or simply looking for a unique and delicious cookie, these Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies are a must-try. They’re perfect for any occasion, from a casual afternoon tea to a fancy dessert spread.
- Why You’ll Love Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
- How to Prepare
- Nonna’s Tip 🍋
- Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Variations and Substitutions
- Other Holiday Recipes
- More Holiday Cookies
- Common Questions
- Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Why You’ll Love Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
These lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies are ideal for anyone who cannot tolerate 🥚 eggs as they are completely egg-free . The dough takes 5 minutes to whip up, so these cookies are easy enough for anyone who is not even a baker. They’re only 5 ingredients , which you probably already have on hand. I can honestly say that this is one of those cookie recipes that you cannot get enough of.
How to Prepare
🥣 Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer and bowl to cream butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes until smooth.
🍋 Add sugar and lemon extract and mix until smooth . Then add flour, and mix until a sticky dough forms. Scrape down the sides to fully incorporate any remaining flour.
🧊 Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
🥄 Remove dough from the refrigerator, use a small ice-cream scooper to portion the cookies, rolling each in a touch of flour to prevent sticking.
🍓 Place rolled cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper . Flatten each with your thumb, creating an indent, and add a teaspoon of preferred jam/preserve to the center.
🔥 Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are light and golden brown .
❄️ Allow the cookies to cool completely and optionally dust with icing sugar. They can be stored at room temperature for up to a week.
Nonna’s Tip 🍋
You MUST refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour and you have to use a touch of flour to roll each one as they will stick.
Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Variations and Substitutions
- Try adding a decorative topping like chopped nuts or a sprinkle of coarse sugar for holiday decoration.
- I have not tried this recipe with gluten-free flour , but feel free to experiment with a gluten-free 1-1 replacement and let me know how it goes!
- Instead of lemon extract , you could try almond, vanilla, orange or another you have on hand.
- Feel free to experiment with different jams or preserves , for example, you could use strawberry, raspberry, apricot or even marmalade.
- You could try dairy-free or vegan alternatives to the butter and cream cheese if you or your guests have allergies.
Other Holiday Recipes
Antipasti Christmas Wreath
10 mins
Holiday Butter Board
20 mins
Holiday Candy Cane Prosecco
5 mins
Holiday Cheese Board
20 mins
More Holiday Cookies
Looking for an even fancier-looking cookie? Try my puff pastry cookies .
Easy Gingerbread Cookies
3 hrs 23 mins
Italian Amaretti Cookies
25 mins
3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies
20 mins
Shortbread Butter Cookies
27 mins
Common Questions
Feel free to use any jam or preserve you enjoy. I love fig or apricot but you are more than welcome to use any you have on hand.
The lemon extract is optional so don’t worry if you don’t have any on hand. You can also use pure vanilla extract, or almond extract, or leave them plain. Or, if you don’t have pure lemon extract, but still want the flavor, you can also use the zest of a lemon in the recipe.
You MUST refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour and you have to use a touch of flour to roll each one as they will stick.
Feel free to freeze the cookie dough tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and shape as usual.
The cream cheese and butter must be softened in order for the cookies to bake correctly.
You can use salted or unsalted butter. I have made them with both and both results are delicious.
While 1 cup of flour weighs 160g in my kitchen, it might weigh anywhere from 120 to 180g in your kitchen and there’s a few reasons for that. The weight of ingredients may vary due to the brand of ingredients, the brand and style (wet vs dry) of measuring cups and spoons, and the technique for measuring into cups: scooping and leveling versus spooning the ingredients into the cup measure. For best results, go by the weight listed in the recipe.
A New Recipe Card!!
- Check off each step in instructions!
- Add ingredients to your shopping list!
Video
Equipment
- ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
- ▢ Mixing Bowls
- ▢ Baking Sheet
- ▢ Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- ▢ ½ cup cream cheese , softened
- ▢ ½ cup white sugar
- ▢ 1 stick softened salted butter
- ▢ 1.5 teaspoons lemon extract , optional if you don’t have any on hand
- ▢ 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour , + 2 extra tablespoons for rolling the balls
- ▢ 18 teaspoons jam , I used fig preserve
Instructions
- ▢ In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together for about 2 minutes or until smooth. You can also use a hand-held mixer and a bowl as well.
- ▢ Once creamy, add the sugar and lemon extract and mix until smooth. Add in the flour and mix until a sticky dough forms. If there’s any flour on the sides, you can scrape it down and mix again until fully incorporated.
- ▢ Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. After an hour, take out the dough, remove the plastic and use a small ice-cream scooper to scoop out the cookies. I scoop each cookie, roll it in a touch of flour as it will stick to your hands if you don’t.
- ▢ Repeat this step for all 18 cookies. Place each rolled cookie onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press each one down with your thumb to make an indent. Add a teaspoon of any jam/preserve you like to the middle.
- ▢ Preheat the oven to 350F and bake until the edges are light and golden brown. This should take 13-15 minutes depending on the oven.
- ▢ Let them cool completely and optionally dust with icing sugar. These are perfectly stored at room-temp for up to a week.
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
