Taylor Ann Spencer is the assistant food editor at Delish, where she develops recipes, creates recipe videos, and styles food. With a background in writing and theater as well as professional cooking, she enjoys sharing her love for global flavors and all things baking through informational posts, hosted videos, and just plain everyday conversations. When she's not cooking, she's brainstorming her next culinary mash-up. Mac 'n' cheese chili rellenos, anyone?
Here at Delish, we love celebrating special occasions with easy-to-make holiday treats, and our Easter bunny twists are no exception. Made with store-bought puff pastry and a quick cinnamon sugar filling, these adorable bunny-shaped pastries will delight everyone at the Easter dessert buffet. Oh, and did we mention the cream cheese frosting bunny tails?
These twists are quick to assemble, but if you want yours to bake up into perfectly shaped Easter bunnies, there are a few key points to keep in mind.
- Keep the puff pastry cold. For best results, thaw the pastry in the refrigerator overnight so it’s cold but not still frozen when you’re ready to roll out. Fill and shape the bunnies as quickly as possible, then chill them again before baking.
- Use a ruler. It sounds ridiculous, but measuring the puff pastry squares will ensure they’re exactly the same size so they stack neatly on top of each other. A ruler will also help you cut the stacked pastry squares into identically even strips.
- Brush the seams with water. The edges of the puff pastry square don’t get buttered or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, but they still won’t stick together without help. Brushing these edges with cold water will ensure they don’t split apart in the oven, turning your neat bunny ears into weirdly wild tree branches.
- Give the twists their space. Puff pastry does, well, puff in the oven, so it’s essential that the twists have room to grow. You should be able to fit 8 shaped twists on a 16"-by-12" sheet pan. If your pan is smaller or you don’t have two pans, bake in batches rather than trying to crowd too many twists together.
Made these? Let us know in the comments below.
- Yields:
- 16
- Prep Time:
- 10 mins
- Total Time:
- 1 hr 20 mins
Ingredients
Bunny Twists
All-purpose flour, for surface
- 1
(17.3-oz.) pkg. frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 3 tbsp.
unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp.
granulated sugar
- 1 tsp.
ground cinnamon
- 1 tbsp.
cold water
Cream Cheese Buttercream Tails
- 3 oz.
cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tbsp.
unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 c.
(115 g.) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 tsp.
pure vanilla extract
Pinch of kosher salt
- Nutrition Information
- Calories4091 Fat274 gSaturated fat100 gTrans fat2 gCholesterol246 mgSodium1661 mgCarbohydrates364 gFiber9 gSugar144 gProtein42 gVitamin D2 mcgCalcium179 mgIron14 mgPotassium462 mg
- Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.Powered by
Directions
Bunny Twists
- Step 1Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each puff pastry sheet to a 10"-by-10" square.
- Step 2Brush one sheet with melted butter, leaving a 1/2" border on right and left sides. In a small bowl, stir granulated sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over buttered puff pastry, leaving unbuttered border bare. Brush border with cold water.
- Step 3Brush second pastry sheet with remaining melted butter, leaving a 1/2" border on right and left sides. Place on top of cinnamon-sugar sheet, buttered side down. Slightly press down to encourage sheets to stick together. Using a fork, crimp the 1/2" borders on either side to seal.
- Step 4Using a sharp knife, cut sheets in half horizontally, from crimped end to crimped end, to create 2 (10"-by-5") rectangles. Cut each rectangle horizontally into 8 long strips. Arrange one strip on a prepared baking sheet on its side in a U shape (so the stripe of cinnamon sugar is visible). Keeping the loop at the bottom, twist the 2 top strands around themselves twice.
- Step 5Arrange ends of strips so they split away from top of twist in a V shape, creating bunny ears. Repeat with remaining strips, filling baking sheets with 8 twists each. Refrigerate bunny twists at least 15 minutes or up to 30.
- Step 6Meanwhile, arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 400°. Bake bunny twists, rotating sheets top and bottom after 10 minutes, until puffy and golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool.
Cream Cheese Buttercream Tails
- Step 1In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined.
- Step 2Spoon buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a swirling nickel-sized bunny tail into round center of each bunny twist.
- Step 3Make Ahead: Buttercream can be made 3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.