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This cheerful Greek Easter Bunny Bread adds fun to any holiday spread with its cute shape and tasty flavor. With just the right mix of sweet and savory touches, this family recipe works as both a showstopping centerpiece and a yummy treat everyone will talk about.
My Greek grandma showed me how to make this bread when I was little. These days, my kids can't wait for Easter morning to see the golden bunny sitting on our breakfast table—it's a little way they connect with their family roots.
Ingredients
- Active dry yeast: Gets the dough going and makes it rise—you'll know it's working when you see bubbles
- Sugar: Helps the yeast work and gives the bread its light sweetness
- All purpose flour: Forms the bread's base—try to grab unbleached for extra taste
- Milk: Makes the bread soft and adds a nice richness
- Unsalted butter: Keeps everything soft and adds good flavor
- Eggs: Helps with texture, color and makes it taste better
- Salt: Cuts the sweetness and helps the dough structure
- Vanilla extract: Gives a cozy background flavor
- Orange zest: Adds bright flavor notes—get organic oranges if you can
- Anise seeds: You can skip these, but they're traditional and add a hint of licorice taste
- Raisins or currants: Perfect for making bunny eyes and adding tiny sweet spots
- Sliced almonds: Creates cute bunny teeth and gives some crunch
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Wake Up Your Yeast:
- Mix warm water, a spoonful of sugar and the yeast in a small bowl. Watch the temperature—too hot kills yeast, too cold won't wake it up. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes until you see foam and smell that yeasty smell. This tells you your yeast is alive and ready to go.
- Mix Your Dough:
- In a big bowl, stir together the leftover sugar, flour, salt, orange zest, and anise seeds if you're using them. Really rub the orange zest into the dry stuff to get all those good oils out. In another bowl, mix milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until everything's combined. Pour both the yeast mixture and wet ingredients into your dry mix and stir until you get a rough-looking dough. It'll feel sticky at first but don't worry.
- Work The Dough:
- Dump your dough onto a floured counter and knead it hard for about 5-7 minutes. This builds the gluten that makes good bread. You'll know it's ready when it feels smooth and bounces back when you poke it. Put the dough in a greased bowl, flip it once so it's coated, then cover with a damp towel. Leave it in a warm spot with no drafts for about 90 minutes. It should double in size and feel light and puffy.
- Form Your Bunny Parts:
- Gently press the dough to remove air bubbles. Cut it into pieces for all the bunny parts. Use half for the body—shape it into a long oval about 8 inches. Use a quarter for the head—roll it into a ball smaller than a baseball. Make two long ropes about 8 inches each for ears, then fold each one to make loops. Roll two small balls for cheeks, a tiny one for the nose, and a slightly flat small ball for the tail. Make sure each piece looks smooth.
- Put Your Bunny Together:
- Set everything on a parchment-lined baking sheet to make a bunny shape. Put the oval body slightly off-center. Attach the head to one end by pressing gently. Place the ear loops at the top of the head, pressing the ends into the dough to stick. Add cheeks on both sides of the head, nose in the middle front, and tail at the other end of the body. Push in two raisins or currants for eyes and stick in some almond slices for teeth. Make sure everything's firmly attached so it won't come apart while baking.
- Let It Rise Again And Bake:
- Cover your bunny with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise again in a warm spot for 30 minutes. It'll puff up a bit more. Heat your oven to 350°F. Before baking, brush the whole bunny with egg wash (one beaten egg mixed with a tablespoon of water). This gives it a nice golden color. Bake for 25-30 minutes until deep gold brown. Tap the bottom—if it sounds hollow, it's done all the way through.
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The orange zest really makes this bread special. My grandma always told me to use zest from organic oranges, saying they held what she called 'Greek sunshine.' I skipped it once and everyone noticed right away—the bread just wasn't as bright and lively tasting.
Cultural Significance
Greeks call their Easter bread 'tsoureki' and it means a lot in Orthodox celebrations. While it's usually braided with red eggs tucked inside, this bunny version keeps all the meaningful ingredients but makes it more fun for kids. The sweet dough stands for celebration after fasting, and the shape represents new life and rebirth themes. Many Greek families bless this bread before eating it, so it's both food and something spiritually important.
Storage and Serving
Wrap your bread tightly in plastic or keep it in an airtight container at room temp and it'll stay good for three days. Want to keep it longer? Freeze slices for up to a month. Just let them thaw completely before eating. The bread tastes great by itself, but try it with honey butter or orange marmalade for something extra special. It makes a perfect Easter breakfast alongside boiled eggs and some fresh fruit.
Make Ahead Options
You can break up the work to fit your busy holiday plans. Make your dough the day before and stick it in the fridge after the first rise. The cold slows down the yeast but lets flavors build overnight. Just pull it out about two hours before shaping so it warms up and gets stretchy again. Or you can shape, freeze, and partly bake your bunny weeks ahead, then finish baking it from frozen on Easter morning—just add 10 more minutes to the baking time.
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This Greek Easter Bunny Bread will quickly become a favorite family custom, mixing old-world tradition with holiday fun in every single bite.
Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I make this bread ahead of time?
You can definitely make this bunny bread a day before you need it. After it's baked and fully cooled, pop it in an airtight container and keep it at room temp. Want it warm when serving? Just heat it in your oven at 300°F for 5-10 minutes. Need to make it way ahead? Freeze it for up to a month and let it thaw completely before warming.
- → What can I substitute for anise seeds?
Don't have or like anise seeds? Try fennel seeds instead for that similar licorice taste. Or go a different route with cardamom, cinnamon, or just add more orange zest for extra citrus punch. The bread turns out great even if you skip the spices altogether.
- → How do I know when the dough has risen enough?
Your dough's ready when it looks about twice as big as when you started. Try this trick: push your finger about half an inch into the dough. If the dent stays there, you're good to go. If the dough bounces back completely, it needs more time. Just remember that rising can take longer or shorter depending on how warm or humid your kitchen is.
- → Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?
You can totally swap in instant yeast for the active dry. Use the same amount (2¼ teaspoons or one packet), but you'll save time since you can mix it right into your dry stuff without activating it first. Your dough might rise a bit faster with instant yeast, so watch how it's doing instead of just watching the clock.
- → What other decorations can I use for the bunny features?
Besides raisins and almonds, you could try chocolate chips or dried cranberries for the eyes, bits of carrot for the nose, cut-up dried apricots, or even some colorful candy decorations. Making a savory version? Try olives for eyes, bits of red pepper, or some seeds. Just make sure whatever you pick won't melt or burn in the hot oven.
- → How do I prevent my bunny bread from losing its shape while baking?
To keep your bunny looking like a bunny in the oven, make sure all the parts are stuck together well. Brush a little egg wash between pieces that need to connect. Leave enough room between the ears so they don't grow together while rising and baking. Another trick is to cool the shaped dough in the fridge for 15-20 minutes before the final rise - this helps it stay in shape better when the heat hits.