I’ve held onto a clipping from 1999, torn from the Philadelphia Inquirer, for Chef Peppi’s Bunny Bread by Lombardo & Bui, which was a cartoon recipe column that ran for years in the paper’s food section. And I’ve made it for just about every Easter since.

But this year, I thought I’d switch it up by adding in whole wheat pastry flour, giving it a lemon twist and tweaking some other ingredients’ measurements to cut a few calories.

The results? Still Easter table worthy!

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Bunny Sweet Bread

Get your kids to help you to make this Easter bunny sweet bread this year.

• Author: by Deanna Segrave-Daly, RD
• Yield: 16 - 20 slices

Ingredients

• 1 envelope regular yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup sugar, divided
• 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup low fat milk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 eggs
• Raisins or other dried fruit for eyes, nose and mouth

Instructions

1. In a large bowl (or a stand mixer bowl) add yeast, water and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes until all the yeast is absorbed.
2. Mix in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, lemon zest and salt.
3. Add milk, butter and eggs.

   Mix thoroughly with spoon or using dough hook with mixer stand.

4. Slowly add in remaining whole wheat flour (1/4 cup at a time.) Knead until elastic (dough will be slightly sticky), about 5 minutes.
5. Form into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
6. Remove dough and divide into 5 parts for 2 ears, head, body and tail of bunny. Form bunny and place on greased baking sheet. Use dried fruit to make eyes, nose and mouth.
7. Cover with a dishtowel and let rise for 45 minutes in a warm place.
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

   Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped.

9. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack.

Notes

This bread tends to dry out quickly so store in plastic wrap and eat within 2 days.

Did you make this recipe?

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And due to my 4 year old daughter’s questionable stellar ear, body, tail dough shaping techinque, we even had a little left over for a mini bunny head.

Do you have a favorite Easter or Passover food tradition?