Bunny Buns

This recipe was originally printed in the April 1980 Friend magazine.  It is super easy to use your food storage items with this recipe.

1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 t. yeast)
1/4 C warm water
1 cup milk, warmed not quite to boiling (3 T. non instant milk powder + 1 C warm water OR 1/3 c. instant milk powder + 1 C. water)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening or 1/4 cup oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten (2 T. dry egg powder and NO WATER)
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
5 1/2 cups flour (I used all white wheat flour)

Plain Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup hot water, 1 teaspoon butter
Orange Glaze: 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 c. orange juice, 1 teaspoon butter, and 1 t. grated orange peel

 This instruction list 1-3 is for those using powdered milk and powdered eggs.

1) Mix yeast and warm water.
2) Add 3T non instant powdered milk + 1 cup warm water, sugar, shortening, salt, 2T egg powder, 1/4 cup orange juice, and orange peel.
3) Add about 3 cups of flour and mix. Slowly add more flour until no longer sticky. Let stand for 10 minutes.

This instruction list 1-3 is for those using fresh milk and eggs
1) Mix yeast and warm water in a separate bowl and set aside.
2) Blend scalded milk, sugar, shortening, salt; then cool till lukewarm , then add eggs, water with yeast, orange juice, and orange peel.
3) Add about 3 cups of flour and mix. Slowly add more flour until no longer sticky. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Everyone follow remaining instructions.
4) Knead dough 5–10 minutes on a lightly floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic. Place it in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover bowl with a clean towel and put it in a warm place. Let dough rise for 2 hours, or until double in size. Punch dough down and let stand for 10 minutes.
5) On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle 1/2 inch thick. Cut dough into strips 1/2 inch wide and 14 inches long. 

                                                

6) Roll  into rounded snake shapes. Roll just enough to round the edges.  Cut the shorter pieces about 1/2 long to roll into balls.

 7) Make a loop with the rolled dough piece. Twist twice then place on cookie sheet.

 8) Place a ball of dough on top of the bottom loop. Cover bunnies and let rise in a warm place for 45-60 minutes or until nearly doubled in size.                                                                                                                     

9) Bake at 375ºF (190ºC) for 12–15 minutes.

                                                     
10) For the glaze, stir powdered sugar, water, and butter together. Frost bunnies with the glaze while they are still warm.



Side note- This time around I used 100% whole white wheat flour and found that the wheat overpowered the orange taste. So next time I will either use half wheat half A/P flour, or I will use more orange zest. But they were still delicious!


If you want to enjoy this Easter morning, but don't want to spend all morning prepping them, turn these into brown and serve rolls! Make them the day before (or even a couple of days before). After the buns are shaped rise to 1/2 the way to being doubled (so not all the way doubled). Cook in a 275 degree oven for 13-15 minutes. They should be blond in color and set (when you jiggle the pan they shouldn’t jiggle with it). Cool and cover. (You can freeze them also) When you’re ready to eat them, pop them into a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes. Remove and glaze-SERVE WARM! These buns will be slightly brown on top and warmed through.