Bunny-Shaped Pancakes
These Bunny-Shaped Pancakes transform classic fluffy pancake batter into adorable Easter breakfast treats using simple pouring techniques. Decorated with fruit, whipped cream, and chocolate for facial features, they create a festive morning meal that's perfect for holidays or whenever you want to bring extra fun to the breakfast table.
Ingredients
For the Pancake Batter
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
For Decorating
- Banana slices for ears
- Blueberries for eyes
- Strawberry slices for nose
- Chocolate chips for eyes or whiskers
- Whipped cream for tail
- Maple syrup
- Optional: shredded coconut for fluffy tail
- Optional: sliced almonds for ears if not using bananas
Instructions
- Prep your batter. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon (if using). In another bowl, whisk the milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined. A few lumps are fine—overmixing is the enemy of fluffy pancakes.
- Let it rest. Allow the batter to rest for about 5 minutes while you heat your pan or griddle over medium heat. This gives the baking powder time to activate and results in fluffier bunnies.
- Heat your canvas. Lightly grease your skillet or griddle. Test if it's ready by sprinkling a few drops of water on the surface—if they dance and sizzle, you're good to go.
- Create the bunny body. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto the griddle to make a round pancake for the bunny's body. Let it cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the bunny head. Pour a smaller amount of batter (about 2 tablespoons) slightly overlapping the first circle to create the bunny's head. Think of it as a small circle attached to the top of the larger circle.
- Craft the ears. Using a squeeze bottle if you have one (or a spoon if you don't), add two elongated drops of batter extending from the head for the ears. These should be skinny and long.
- Flip carefully. Once bubbles form across the surface and the edges look set (about 2-3 minutes total), carefully flip the entire bunny pancake using a large spatula. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer to a plate and keep warm while you make the remaining bunnies. If making several, you can keep them warm in a 200°F oven.
- Time to decorate! This is where the magic happens:
- Place banana slices or sliced almonds at the top of the ears:- Add blueberries or chocolate chips for eyes- Use a strawberry slice for the nose- Add a dollop of whipped cream (or shredded coconut) for the tail- Create whiskers with chocolate syrup using a toothpick to draw them
- Serve with fanfare and let everyone admire your breakfast artistry before devouring these cute creations.
Notes
- For colored pancakes, add a few drops of food coloring to the batter. Pink or pastel colors work well for Easter bunnies.
- If the batter is too thick, add a tablespoon of milk at a time until it reaches pourable consistency.
- For even fluffier pancakes, separate the egg and whip the white until soft peaks form, then fold into the batter at the end.
- Make a double batch of pancakes on the weekend and freeze them. On busy mornings, just pop them in the toaster and add fresh toppings.
- To make ahead, prepare the dry ingredients the night before so you just need to add the wet ingredients in the morning.
- For gluten-free bunnies, substitute your favorite gluten-free flour blend (just check if you need to adjust the liquid ratio).