Easter Bunny Sugar Cookies are a fun and festive treat perfect for celebrating the holiday. These buttery, soft sugar cookies are cut into adorable bunny shapes and decorated with colorful icing, making them a delightful addition to any Easter gathering. Whether you’re baking for family, friends, or Easter baskets, these cookies are as delicious as they are cute!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and buttery texture – Perfectly sweet and melt-in-your-mouth.
- Fun and festive – Ideal for Easter celebrations and gifts.
- Easy to decorate – Use royal icing, sprinkles, or candies for adorable designs.
- Kid-friendly baking activity – Fun for the whole family to make together.
- Make-ahead friendly – Dough and icing can be prepared in advance.
Ingredients
(Tip: You’ll find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.)
For the Sugar Cookies:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract (optional, for extra flavor)
For the Royal Icing:
- Powdered sugar
- Egg whites or meringue powder
- Vanilla extract
- Food coloring (pastel shades work great for Easter)
Directions
Make the Cookies:
- Prepare the Dough – In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream the Butter & Sugar – In another bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg, vanilla, and almond extract.
- Combine & Chill – Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll & Cut – Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut out bunny shapes with cookie cutters.
- Bake – Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden. Let cool completely.
Make the Icing & Decorate:
- Prepare Royal Icing – Whisk powdered sugar, egg whites (or meringue powder), and vanilla until smooth. Add food coloring as desired.
- Decorate – Use piping bags or squeeze bottles to outline and flood the cookies with icing. Add sprinkles, candy eyes, or a small pink nose for extra cuteness.
- Enjoy! – Let cookies set completely before serving or packaging as gifts.
Servings and Timing
- Servings: 24 cookies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Chill Time: 30 minutes
- Bake Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Variations
- Use different shapes – Try eggs, chicks, or flowers for more Easter fun.
- Add citrus zest – Lemon or orange zest enhances the flavor.
- Use buttercream icing – If you prefer softer icing, swap royal icing for buttercream.
- Sprinkle fun – Add sanding sugar or coconut flakes for a fuzzy bunny look.
- Make it gluten-free – Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
Storage/Reheating
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing Dough: Wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw before rolling and baking.
- Freezing Decorated Cookies: Place between parchment paper layers in an airtight container and freeze for up to a month.
FAQs
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes! You can refrigerate the dough for up to 3 days or freeze it for later use.
How do I get smooth icing?
Use a piping bag with a fine tip and let the base layer dry before adding details.
Can I use store-bought icing?
Yes, but homemade royal icing gives better control for decorating.
What’s the best way to color royal icing?
Gel food coloring works best because it doesn’t thin out the icing.
Can I make these without a cookie cutter?
Yes! Use a knife or a homemade stencil to cut bunny shapes.
How do I keep the cookies soft?
Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread to retain moisture.
Do I have to use royal icing?
No, you can use buttercream, glaze icing, or even melted chocolate.
What’s the best way to dry the icing quickly?
Let the cookies dry at room temperature for several hours or use a fan for faster drying.
Can I stack decorated cookies?
Yes, but make sure they are fully dried first. Place parchment between layers to prevent sticking.
How do I add designs on top of the icing?
Use a fine piping tip or edible food markers for detailed decorations.
Conclusion
Easter Bunny Sugar Cookies are a fun, festive, and delicious way to celebrate the holiday. With their soft texture and endless decorating possibilities, they bring creativity and joy to Easter baking. Whether enjoyed as a treat, a gift, or a fun family activity, these cookies are sure to be a seasonal favorite!
Print
Easter Bunny Sugar Cookies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (+ chilling time)
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These buttery sugar cookies are shaped like adorable Easter bunnies and decorated with royal icing. They’re perfect for Easter baskets, springtime treats, or a fun holiday baking activity!
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
For the Royal Icing:
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons meringue powder
4–5 tablespoons warm water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
Gel food coloring (pink, white, black, and pastel colors)
For Decorating (Optional):
Mini marshmallows (for tails)
Sprinkles or edible glitter
Candy eyes
Pink sugar pearls (for noses)
Instructions
Make the Sugar Cookie Dough
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using), and mix until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours).
2. Cut & Bake the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out one dough portion on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thickness.
- Use a bunny-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies, placing them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden.
- Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
3. Make the Royal Icing
- In a mixing bowl, whisk powdered sugar and meringue powder.
- Add vanilla extract and warm water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing until smooth. The icing should be thick but pipeable.
- Divide the icing into small bowls and color as desired (white for the bunny, pink for ears/noses, black for eyes).
- Transfer icing to piping bags fitted with fine tips.
4. Decorate the Cookies
- Outline the cookies with white icing, then flood the center with more icing to cover. Use a toothpick to smooth it out.
- Use pink icing to draw bunny ears and noses.
- Add black icing for the eyes and whiskers, or use candy eyes.
- For fluffy tails, attach a mini marshmallow with icing or use a swirl of white icing.
- Let cookies dry completely (about 2–3 hours) before serving or packaging.
Notes
- If you don’t have meringue powder, substitute with 2 egg whites in the icing.
- Let the icing dry overnight before stacking cookies.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
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