Made with my super soft cut-out sugar cookies recipe, these Easter Bunny Cut Out Sugar Cookies are a nod to the classic Peeps marshmallow candy! They have a buttery soft, tender inside with a slightly crisp outside, topped with marshmallow buttercream frosting, sparkling sugar, and chocolate piped on dots for their eyes and nose.
Using your hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the unsalted butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy.
1 cup Unsalted Butter
Turn off your mixer and add in the powdered sugar. Blend it together with the butter over low speed until it's almost combined.
1 cup Sifted Powdered Sugar
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then on medium-high speed, add in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well blended.
1 Large Egg, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, ½ teaspoon Almond Extract
Switching the mixer speed low, gradually add in the whisked dry mixture until fully incorporated. The cookie dough should start to form a ball and pull away from the sides.
Transfer the sugar cookie dough onto a clean work surface, then shape it into a ball and divide it into 2 sections. Roll out the first section of cookie dough to a ¼ inch thickness slab on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper (or wax paper). Place onto a baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Repeat with the second section, placing it on top of the first layer. Refrigerate the cookie dough slabs for a minimum of 1 hour.
After chilling is complete, adjust your oven rack to the 2nd level position (just above center) and preheat your oven to 375ºF. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Flour your bunny cookie cutter then cut out your cookies. Place each bunny cookie 1 ½" apart on the cookie sheet. If you're only using sanding sugar or sprinkles, now is the time to add them. Place any cookies not yet baked into the refrigerator or freezer to chill while the first set bakes.
Bake the cookies for 7-8 minutes at 375ºF or until the edges are a light golden brown. Allow them to cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them with a spatula (or server) to a wire cooling rack. Let them cool completely before decorating them with the royal icing. If baking the cookies in advance, keep them stored in an airtight container with a slice of bread for up to 3 days. You can also freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely before placing into a well-sealed container or freezer bag.
marshmallow buttercream frosting
Using your hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the unsalted butter and marshmallow creme together until well blended and no chunks of butter appear in the mixture.
½ cup Unsalted Butter, 3 ½ oz Marshmallow Creme
With the mixer stopped, add in the powdered sugar. Mix together on low speed until the frosting begins to form, then add in the heavy cream and mix until fully incorporated. It's best to start with just 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and see if this is the consistency you prefer. For piping the frosting onto the bunnies, I found using 2 tablespoons to be the best.
1 ¼ cup Powdered Sugar, 2 tablespoon Heavy Cream
decorating the Easter bunny cookies
Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave safe measuring glass for 1 minute at full power. Stir, then heat once more for 30-45 seconds at full power. Stir, then transfer the melted chocolate to a Wilton candy making decorating bottle or a small piping bag fitted with a coupler and a Wilton 4 decorating tip. Set to the side.
3 oz Dark Chocolate Chips, 2 teaspoon Coconut Oil
Fill a large piping bag fitted with a coupler and Wilton 10 decorating tip with the marshmallow buttercream frosting. Outline the bunny cookies with the frosting then continue to pipe along the inside to fill them in.
Smooth out the frosting with a small offset spatula, then coat the frosted cookie in either the blue, pink, yellow, or purple sanding sugar. Repeat until all the cookies have been decorated, then pipe on the chocolate eyes and nose on each bunny cookie. See notes for alternative ways to decorate your bunny cookies.
Cookies can be stored in a well-sealed food container with a slice of bread to keep them nice and soft for up to 10 days. It's best to separate each layer of cookies with either parchment paper or wax paper. The cookies can also be kept in individual cookie bags that are sealed. Already baked and iced cookies can be stored for up to 3 months when placed and sealed into individual bags.
Notes
This Easter bunny cut-out sugar cookie recipe yields approximately 18 bunny cookies using this 4 inch Easter bunny cookie cutter. This will vary based on the size of your cookie cutters and how thick you roll out your dough.To decorate these cookies using vanilla buttercream frosting, visit my Chocolate Cut Out Sugar Cookies recipe.To decorate these cookies using royal icing, visit my Super Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookies recipe. Please note for this cookie recipe, you will need to reduce the amount of royal icing needed.To skip the frosting or royal icing all together, you can easily sprinkle some sanding sugar onto the tops of each cookie before baking.Recipe bake times are approximate and will vary based on your oven. Always begin to check on your recipe at the first recommended bake time listed.Total decorating time for these super soft cut-out sugar cookies will vary based on how many cookies are made (based on size of cookie cutter shapes) and experience level.This cut out sugar cookie recipe is a family recipe that was given to me by my late Grammy. The marshmallow buttercream frosting recipe is adapted from my Small Batch Gingerbread Cupcakes recipe.