I had so much fun making these! I wish I knew how to make bunnies when my kids were …well… kids! But it’s never too late to practice for grandchildren. Or, for an all-adult method, I just make “S” shaped cookies.
As for the flavour, two ingredients make these irresistible. Orange zest and “mastic” tears. If you cannot find “mastic” (it’s the tree resin used in a lot of Greek and Middle eastern cooking), be a bit more generous with the vanilla.
To make the bunnies, it couldn’t be easier and if you have kiddos, get them involved. They will love it. Just take a little bit of the dough and roll into a 20 cm rope. Then cut about 1cm (tail) from one end and 4 cm (ears) from the other end. Take the 4cm piece and cut half way, length wise, to create the ears. Twirl the longest bit into a snail. Attach the ears and the tail and bake. Have fun! You will 🙂
Easter bunny cookies
Ingredients
- 1 large unwaxed orange, peeled (without the white pith)
- 240 grams granulated sugar,
- 2 tsp vanilla extract or 2 sachets of vanilla powder
- ¼ tsp mastic seeds
- ½ tsp salt
- 250 grams of butter softened
- 2 medium eggs + 1 for brushing
- 60 grams fresh orange juice
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp brandy or cognac
- 700 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- In a small blender, add the orange peel (make sure there is no white part of the peel because it is bitter) along with the sugar, vanilla sugar, salt and mastic. Grind well until the sugar becomes orange in colour and aroma.
- In a mixer’s bowl, beat the butter and orange sugar very well until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the baking soda to the orange juice and when it foams, pour it to the mixer bowl as well. Add the brandy.
- Add the flour and baking powder to the mixer and mix until you have a very soft dough. Let the dough rest for about 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 160° C, fan. Line 2 or more oven trays with non-stick paper. Take 40 grams of the dough and, making a rope, shape the cookies into the shapes you want.
- To make the bunnies, take roll 40 grams of dough into a 20 cm rope. Then cut about 1cm (tail) from one end and 4 cm (ears) from the other end. Take the 4cm piece and cut half way, length wise, to create the ears. Twirl the longest bit into a snail. Attach the ears and the tail.
- Place them on the baking trays. Whisk the egg for brushing with 2 teaspoons of water. Use a pastry brush to spread the egg on the cookies. Let them dry a little (this will make the surface shinier). Bake them for 30-35 minutes and cool them on a wire rack.
