Gluten free Easter bunny cookies are made with a simple round-cut out cookie, frosted and decorated to look like a bunny as it hops away!
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Gluten free bunny cookies are made with a simple round-cut out cookie, frosted simply, and a few candies added on top to look like, well, a bunny on its way out the door!
When you first said you wanted me to try making something like Pillsbury's “bunny butt cookies,” I wasn't sure if you had gone and lost it. But they're the star of any show, and couldn't be easier. So let's get into it!
The steps aren't complicated at all, but I try to make my instructions as specific as possible (something the Pillsbury people really weren't willing to trouble themselves with!).
I used my gluten free meltaway cookie dough because I found that it was ridiculously easy to work with, doesn't require a true rolling-out to make it into the shapes we need, and is just plain delicious.
Sourcing gluten free decoration ingredients
The candies I used are Easter-themed M&Ms, which are gluten free in the United States, miniature marshmallows (Campfire and Kraft brands are gluten free in the United States) and Strawberry Fields Tic-Tacs, carefully chopped in half (also, a U.S. safe candy).
If you don't like these candies, don't think they're gluten free enough, or they're simply not available or gluten free where you live (I understand that M&Ms are not gluten free in many other countries), you'll have to do some searching and sourcing!
But one way or another, you really should think about making these adorable little guys for Easter. They're super fancy-looking but they require essentially no real decorating. A win in my book. Happy Easter to all!
Gluten Free Easter Bunny Cookies
Gluten free Easter bunny cookies are made with a simple round-cut out cookie, frosted and decorated to look like a bunny as it hops away!
Yield: 12 cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend please click thru for full info on appropriate blends
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- ⅓ cup (48 g) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅔ cup (77 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 (25 g) egg white at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the frosting
- 10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons milk at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons meringue powder (LorAnn brand is gluten free and available on amazon.com)
- 4 cups (460 g) confectioners’ sugar
For decorating
- Strawberry Fields Tic Tacs for the toes (or similar candy)
- Easter-colored M&Ms for the foot pads (gluten free in the United States!) (or similar candy)
- Miniature marshmallows for the cotton tails
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 large and 2 small rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
Make the round cookie bases.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and confectioners’ sugar, and whisk to combine well.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, egg white, and vanilla, and mix to combine. The dough will be thick and smooth.
- Add water by the half-teaspoonful and mix it in as necessary to bring the dough together.
- Place the cookie dough between two sheets of unbleached parchment paper and roll it out about 1/4-inch thick.
- Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and cut out just 12 rounds with a round 3-inch cookie cutter.
- Transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheet, placing them about 1 1/2 inches apart.
- Set the scraps of raw dough aside. These are going to be the bunny feet.
- Place the baking sheets, one at a time, in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 8 minutes or until the cookies are set in the center and very lightly golden brown on the edges.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.
Make the bunny feet cookies.
- Divide the gathered scraps into balls of dough each about 1-teaspoonful in volume.
- Roll into balls between your palms and then place on the small baking sheets about 1-inch apart from one another.
- Shape with your fingers into ovals, or use a small oval cutter to cut out clean shapes. You'll need 24 “feet,” so plan accordingly.
- Place the small baking sheets in the preheated oven, rotating once during baking, until set in the center and very lightly golden brown on the edges (about 6 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.
Make the frosting.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the butter, milk and vanilla, and mix on medium speed until combined. Turn the speed up to high and mix until creamy.
- Add the salt, meringue powder and about 3 1/2 cups of confectioners’ sugar.
- Mix slowly until the sugar is incorporated. Turn the mixer up to high and beat until it becomes uniformly thick.
- Add the rest of the confectioners’ sugar if necessary to thicken the frosting.
Decorate and assemble the cookies
- Once the cookies are completely cool, pipe or spoon a generous amount of frosting onto the top of each cookie “foot”.
- Place two Tic Tac halves as toes and a pink M&M as a foot pad, securing each piece of candy by pressing into the frosting.
- Pipe or spoon a generous amount of frosting onto the top of each cookie round, and spread into an even layer with a wide knife or offset spatula.
- Place two feet immediately onto the bottom portion of the round, pressing securely into the frosting.
- Allow to set at room temperature until the frosting hardens a bit. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
Gluten Free Easter Bunny Cookies
Gluten free Easter bunny cookies are made with a simple round-cut out cookie, frosted and decorated to look like a bunny as it hops away!
Yield: 12 cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 ½ cups (210 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend please click thru for full info on appropriate blends
- ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- ⅓ cup (48 g) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅔ cup (77 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 (25 g) egg white at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the frosting
- 10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons milk at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons meringue powder (LorAnn brand is gluten free and available on amazon.com)
- 4 cups (460 g) confectioners’ sugar
For decorating
- Strawberry Fields Tic Tacs for the toes (or similar candy)
- Easter-colored M&Ms for the foot pads (gluten free in the United States!) (or similar candy)
- Miniature marshmallows for the cotton tails
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 large and 2 small rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
Make the round cookie bases.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and confectioners’ sugar, and whisk to combine well.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, egg white, and vanilla, and mix to combine. The dough will be thick and smooth.
- Add water by the half-teaspoonful and mix it in as necessary to bring the dough together.
- Place the cookie dough between two sheets of unbleached parchment paper and roll it out about 1/4-inch thick.
- Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and cut out just 12 rounds with a round 3-inch cookie cutter.
- Transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheet, placing them about 1 1/2 inches apart.
- Set the scraps of raw dough aside. These are going to be the bunny feet.
- Place the baking sheets, one at a time, in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 8 minutes or until the cookies are set in the center and very lightly golden brown on the edges.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.
Make the bunny feet cookies.
- Divide the gathered scraps into balls of dough each about 1-teaspoonful in volume.
- Roll into balls between your palms and then place on the small baking sheets about 1-inch apart from one another.
- Shape with your fingers into ovals, or use a small oval cutter to cut out clean shapes. You'll need 24 "feet," so plan accordingly.
- Place the small baking sheets in the preheated oven, rotating once during baking, until set in the center and very lightly golden brown on the edges (about 6 minutes).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.
Make the frosting.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the butter, milk and vanilla, and mix on medium speed until combined. Turn the speed up to high and mix until creamy.
- Add the salt, meringue powder and about 3 1/2 cups of confectioners’ sugar.
- Mix slowly until the sugar is incorporated. Turn the mixer up to high and beat until it becomes uniformly thick.
- Add the rest of the confectioners’ sugar if necessary to thicken the frosting.
Decorate and assemble the cookies
- Once the cookies are completely cool, pipe or spoon a generous amount of frosting onto the top of each cookie “foot".
- Place two Tic Tac halves as toes and a pink M&M as a foot pad, securing each piece of candy by pressing into the frosting.
- Pipe or spoon a generous amount of frosting onto the top of each cookie round, and spread into an even layer with a wide knife or offset spatula.
- Place two feet immediately onto the bottom portion of the round, pressing securely into the frosting.
- Allow to set at room temperature until the frosting hardens a bit. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I’m Nicole. I create gluten free recipes that really work and taste as good as you remember. No more making separate meals when someone is GF, or buying packaged foods that aren’t good enough to justify the price. At Gluten Free on a Shoestring, “good, for gluten free” just isn’t good enough! Come visit my bio!
Sharon Hood McConnell says
I made these for Easter and they were amazing! If anyone is wondering about non-dairy substitutions, I made them dairy free with no trouble. I used Earth Balance in place of butter in the cookie dough and Spectrum Organic Shortening in the frosting. I also used coconut milk in place of dairy milk. I also subbed the M&M’s with Jelly Belly’s because they are dairy and gluten free. Thanks Nicole, this will be my go to frosted cookie from now on!
Erin says
I made these for Easter and they were a big hit! I’ve never been able to successfully creat frosting from scratch, so I cheated and used Betty Crocker Whipped frosting (it’s gluten free!). The dough was silky and came together very quickly using my Kitchen Aid. The finished cookies were heavenly. This is definitely a recipe that I will save for another time. Here is my finished product:
Sharon Hood McConnell says
I don’t see the recipe instructions. Am I losing it? Hoping to make these tomorrow!
Nicole Hunn says
You’re not losing it, Sharon, but I just might if WordPress keeps acting up! The instructions were allllll there when this was originally posted yesterday, and then they literally disappeared into the ether. I have just typed them all out again. Have fun, and sorry for the glitch!
Nichole Baker says
How do you shape the feet? I don’t have a cookie cutter that shape.
Nicole Hunn says
Please see the recipe instructions, Nichole.
Diane Buma says
Thanks so much Nicole! When I saw these on Instagram I could hardly wait! So excited you posted them in time for Easter! And guess what – my cookbook just came in the maill!! Classic snacks here I come!! You’re the best Nicole !!!
youngbaker2002 says
These are so CUTE!!!!!!!!