This adorable Bunny Cinnamon Rolls recipe transforms ordinary canned cinnamon rolls into festive Easter treats that will delight both kids and adults alike. With just a few simple tweaks to the shape, some icing, and decorative candies, you’ll create breakfast pastries that are almost too cute to eat – perfect for Easter morning or spring celebrations when you want something special without spending hours in the kitchen!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Incredibly Simple: Uses store-bought cinnamon rolls as the base, making this a nearly foolproof recipe even for beginner bakers.
- Adorably Festive: These little bunnies bring instant joy to your breakfast table – they’re guaranteed to make everyone smile!
- Quick Preparation: From start to finish, these cute treats take just over 20 minutes, leaving you more time to enjoy your holiday celebrations.
- Kid-Friendly Activity: Shaping and decorating these bunny rolls makes for a fun cooking project that children can help with – creating memories while making breakfast.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pillsbury Grands Refrigerated Cinnamon Rolls: The star of the show and the perfect base for our bunnies. The pre-made dough saves tremendous time while still delivering that fresh-baked taste everyone loves.
- Pastel Sprinkles: These add festive color and a bit of sweetness to our bunny rolls. They create that spring-like appearance that makes these treats perfect for Easter.
- Pastel M&Ms: These candies create the adorable bunny faces. The pastel colors maintain the Easter theme while providing the perfect size for bunny features.
- Icing: The package comes with icing that serves as both delicious topping and “glue” to hold your decorations in place.
Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Variations
Holiday Adaptations
Transform this concept for other holidays – make ghost shapes for Halloween, heart shapes for Valentine’s Day, or wreath shapes for Christmas.
Flavor Twists
Try different flavored cinnamon rolls like caramel or strawberry cream cheese for unique flavor variations.
Decoration Alternatives
Use different candies like mini chocolate chips for eyes, pink jelly beans for noses, or colored frosting to pipe on faces if you prefer.
Homemade Option
If you have extra time, use your favorite homemade cinnamon roll recipe instead of canned dough for an elevated version.
How to Make Bunny Cinnamon Rolls
Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it to prevent sticking.
Step 2: Shape Your Bunnies
Open your can of cinnamon rolls and separate them. For each roll, gently uncoil about 2 inches of the outer end. Use this uncoiled piece to form two bunny ears above the main roll. Press firmly between and around the edges of the ears to secure them to the round portion, creating a bunny head shape.
Step 3: Bake
Place your shaped bunnies on the baking sheet, making sure to leave enough space between them as they’ll expand during baking. Bake according to the package instructions, typically 12-14 minutes for Grands rolls. Keep an eye on them – if the ears start separating during baking, quickly open the oven and pinch them back into place.
Step 4: Decorate
Allow the rolls to cool slightly (about 5 minutes) after baking. Drizzle or spread the included icing over each bunny. While the icing is still warm, sprinkle with pastel sprinkles. Use the pastel M&Ms to create faces – two for eyes and one for a nose on each bunny.
Step 5: Serve
Serve while still warm for the best taste experience! The slightly gooey center with warm cinnamon and cute bunny appearance makes these irresistible.
Pro Tips for Making the Recipe
- Work Quickly: Once the can is opened, the dough warms up fast, making it harder to shape. Keep the rolls refrigerated until right before you’re ready to shape them.
- Secure Those Ears: Make sure to firmly press the ear connections to the main roll. If they’re not secured well, they may separate during baking.
- Strategic Decorating: Apply the icing while rolls are still slightly warm so it melts a bit, but not too hot or your M&Ms will slide right off.
- Shaping Help: If the dough is too springy and won’t hold its shape, let it rest for 2-3 minutes at room temperature to relax the gluten before trying again.
- Even Baking: Rotate your baking sheet halfway through cooking for even browning of all your bunnies.
How to Serve
Perfect Pairings
Serve these adorable bunnies as the centerpiece of an Easter breakfast or brunch alongside fresh fruit, scrambled eggs, and hot chocolate or coffee.
Presentation Ideas
Arrange on a pastel-colored platter with some artificial Easter grass or fresh edible flowers for a gorgeous holiday display.
Serving Temperature
These bunny rolls are best enjoyed warm. If they’ve cooled completely, a quick 10-second zap in the microwave brings back that fresh-baked feeling.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store any leftover bunny rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The decorations may bleed color over time, but they’ll still taste delicious!
Freezing
These aren’t ideal for freezing after baking and decorating, but you can freeze the shaped, unbaked rolls for up to one month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
Reheating
For the best texture when reheating, warm in a 300°F oven for about 5 minutes or microwave individual rolls for 10-15 seconds. Avoid overheating or the icing will completely melt.
FAQs
-
Can I use regular-sized cinnamon rolls instead of the Grands size?
Absolutely! Regular-sized cinnamon rolls work perfectly fine, just keep in mind that your bunnies will be smaller and may need a slightly shorter baking time. Check them about 2 minutes earlier than the package directs.
-
My bunny ears keep separating during baking. What am I doing wrong?
This is a common issue! Make sure you’re really pressing the dough together firmly when forming the ears. You can also try making the ears a bit shorter and wider at the base for better structural integrity. Don’t hesitate to open the oven halfway through baking to pinch them back together if needed.
-
Can I prepare these the night before and bake in the morning?
I don’t recommend shaping these the night before as refrigerated raw dough tends to rise and lose its shape overnight. For freshest results, shape and bake them the same morning. If time is tight, you can wake up just 30 minutes earlier – they’re that quick!
-
How do I prevent the colored candies from bleeding into the icing?
Wait until the icing has cooled slightly before adding the M&Ms and sprinkles. If the icing is too hot, the candy colors will melt and run. Also, choose quality candies with good color coating – M&Ms are excellent for this reason as their shells are quite stable.
Final Thoughts
These Bunny Cinnamon Rolls bring together the comfort of warm, gooey cinnamon rolls with the joy of holiday decorating – without any of the stress! They’re the perfect way to create a memorable Easter breakfast tradition that everyone will look forward to year after year. The best part is how simple they are to make, proving that sometimes the most delightful treats don’t require hours in the kitchen or expert baking skills. Give these adorable bunnies a try this spring, and watch faces light up when you bring them to the table!
Print
Bunny Cinnamon Rolls Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Bunny Cinnamon Rolls are a delightful and fun treat that’s perfect for holidays or special occasions! Made using refrigerated cinnamon rolls, they are transformed into adorable bunny shapes with pastel toppings and colorful candies. They’re quick, easy, and sure to bring a smile to both kids and adults.
Ingredients
- 1 can Pillsbury Grands Refrigerated Cinnamon Rolls
- Pastel Sprinkles
- Pastel M&Ms
Instructions
- Preheat the oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a large baking sheet. Spread out the cinnamon rolls to ensure they have enough space to bake. - Shape the bunny ears
Gently unroll the outer end of each cinnamon roll, creating a long strip. Use this strip to form two bunny ears above the round center of the cinnamon roll. Press the edges between the ears and around the base to secure the ears to the roll. Repeat for all rolls and arrange them on the baking sheet, ensuring they resemble bunny shapes. - Bake the cinnamon rolls
Follow the baking instructions on the cinnamon roll packaging. As they bake, check periodically, and if the ears start spreading apart, re-pinch the edges to maintain their bunny shape. - Cool and decorate
Once baked, remove the cinnamon rolls from the oven. Allow them to cool slightly. Drizzle the provided icing over the warm cinnamon rolls, sprinkle pastel sprinkles generously on top, and use pastel M&Ms to create bunny faces by forming the eyes and nose. - Serve and enjoy
Your adorable Bunny Cinnamon Rolls are ready to serve and enjoy! Perfect for festive brunches or as a fun treat.
Notes
- Substitute pastel M&Ms with jelly beans if desired.
- You can use any brand of canned refrigerated cinnamon rolls for this recipe.
- Best served fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 340kcal
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 570mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 51g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
