Cinnamon Roll Bunnies

Cinnamon Roll Bunnies

These cinnamon rolls shaped into a bunny face with ears apart from being very cute, are an ideal Easter breakfast treat!

Method:

Preparation of the Cinnamon Rolls:

1. Warm milk to around 43 degrees Celsius. You can do this by placing milk in the microwave for around 40 seconds. Transfer milk to the bowl of your Kenwood kitchen machine and sprinkle yeast on top. Add in sugar, egg, egg yolk and melted butter. Mix until well combined. Next stir in flour and salt until a dough begins to form.


2. Place dough hook on your Kenwood kitchen machine and knead dough on medium speed for 8 minutes. Dough should form into a nice ball and be slightly sticky. If it's too sticky (meaning it's sticking to the bottom of the mixer, add in 2 tablespoons more bread flour.)


3. Transfer dough ball to a well-oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel. Allow dough to rise for 1 hour to 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in size.


4. After dough has doubled in size, transfer dough to a well-floured surface and roll out into a 14x9 inch rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough, leaving a ¼ inch margin at the far side of the dough.


5. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar and cinnamon. Use your hands to sprinkle mixture over the buttered dough, then rub the brown sugar mixture into the butter.


6. Tightly roll dough up, starting from the 9-inch side and place seam side down making sure to seal the edges of the dough as best you can. You will probably need to cut off about an inch off the ends of the dough as the ends won’t be as full of cinnamon sugar as we’d want it to be.


7. Cut into 1 inch sections with a serrated knife or floss. You should get 9 large pieces.


8. Place cinnamon rolls in a greased 9x9 inch baking pan or round 9 inch cake pan. (I also recommend lining the pan with parchment paper as well, in case any of the filling ends up leaking out.) Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel and let rise again for 30-45 minutes.


9. To create the bunnies: Place 1 whole cinnamon roll on prepared baking sheet for the body. Rotate dough so outer spiral of dough is bottom of body and end of cinnamon roll spiral is pointing to the right. (The end of the roll will become the bunny's legs.)


10. Unroll a second cinnamon roll, and cut off one-fourth of dough (about 4 inches), and roll up to form tail.


11. Roll up remaining dough piece to form head, leaving bottom 4 inches unrolled. Cut lengthwise through unrolled portion of head piece to form ears.


12. Rub off any cinnamon coating from tail and head pieces, dab water on dough, and press pieces onto body to attach. Spread out ear strips, and pinch dough at tips to shape.


13. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Remove plastic wrap and towel and bake cinnamon rolls for 20-25 minutes or until just slightly golden brown on the edges.


14. You want to underbake them a little so they stay soft in the middle, that’s why we want them just slightly golden brown.


15. Allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes before frosting.

Preparation of the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. In the bowl of your Kenwood kitchen machine, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and fluffy.


2. Spread over cinnamon rolls and serve immediately.


3. Add chocolate chips where the eyes would be. Enjoy!

Makes:

• Around 4 (depending on size)