These vegan Easter bunnies are soft, lightly sweet and simply delicious. Made completely without eggs, butter, or refined sugar — and wonderfully fluffy all the same. Whether as breakfast, a snack, or for the Easter brunch table, these vegan sweet roll Easter bunnies are a true German classic in much a healthier version.
Easter is just around the corner — and when I think of Easter baking, I instantly think of yeast pastries. A braided loaf simply has to be part of Easter here in Germany! Over the past few weeks I've been experimenting with a healthier version: completely without butter, margarine, or oil, and without sugar.
The result? These cute and delicious vegan Easter bunnies!
Instead of vegan butter, almond or cashew butter goes into the dough, white sugar is replaced by date sugar, and for the flour I opt for a less refined type.
The result: A fluffy, sweet, and moist vegan yeast dough that you can of course shape however you like — whether little bunnies or plain vegan sweet rolls, it's entirely up to you.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Sugar-free & naturally sweetened: The sweetness comes exclusively from date sugar.
- No margarine, no oil, no egg: Instead, almond (or cashew) butter gives the dough a moist, tender texture.
- Soft & fluffy: Despite the wholesome ingredients, the bunnies turn out wonderfully light.
- Perfect for Easter: The ideal vegan Easter rolls for your brunch table.
- Easy to make: A foolproof recipe with simple preparation.
Ingredient Notes
- Flour: The original recipe uses German type 1050 flour — a medium-extraction wheat flour that sits between all-purpose and whole wheat. The best US substitute is to use ¾ all-purpose flour + ¼ whole wheat flour. You can also use all-purpose alone for a fluffier result, or white whole wheat flour for a more wholesome texture. Pure whole wheat flour will make the dough quite dense.
- Dry yeast: Make sure it hasn't expired or is close to its best-before date.
- Plant-based milk: Use an unsweetened variety of your choice. I used soy milk.
- Date sugar: For a natural sweetness without refined sugar. Make sure the date sugar is finely ground.
- White almond butter: As a substitute for eggs and margarine. Adds a little fat and makes the dough softer. "White" refers to almond butter made from blanched (skinless) almonds — milder in flavor than the darker variety. You can also use natural cashew butter.
- Vanilla & salt: For the right flavor. You can use vanilla extract, vanilla powder, or the seeds from a vanilla bean.
See recipe card for quantities.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Step 1: Gently warm the plant-based milk and stir in the yeast.
- Step 2: Combine the flour, date sugar, and salt in a bowl. Add the yeast mixture, almond butter, and vanilla, then knead into a smooth dough for about 8–10 minutes (or 5–6 minutes in a stand mixer / Thermomix).
- Step 3: Cover the dough and leave to rise for about 2 hours.
- Step 4: It should have roughly doubled in size.
- Step 5: Divide the dough into 7 equal pieces.
- Step 6: Roll 6 of the pieces into strands about 25 cm / 10 inches long. Shape the last piece into 6 equally sized balls.
- Step 7: Place one ball in the center of a strand and fold the ends around it into a "U" shape.
- Step 8: Twist the ends around each other once…
- Step 9: …and a second time. Place the shaped bunnies on a baking sheet and leave to rest for another 45 minutes.
- Step 10. Brush with plant-based milk (and optionally with maple syrup). Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 20–25 minutes, until golden brown.
Now just let the sweet little bunnies cool briefly and they're ready to serve. They taste best fresh!
Top Tip!
To save time on baking day, you can prepare the dough the evening before. After the first rise, cover the dough and place it in the fridge. Shape the bunnies the next morning.
Tips for Perfect Vegan Easter Bunnies
- Knead the dough well — It should be really smooth and supple. This gives the buns a beautiful, airy texture.
- Don't let it proof somewhere too cold — Room temperature is generally fine. In winter, find a warm spot so the dough rises properly.
- Be patient — Yeast dough needs its time, so stick to the proofing times given to ensure the bunnies come out nice and fluffy.
Serving suggestions
These vegan Easter bunny rolls taste amazing with:
- (Sugar-free) jam or compote
- Nut butter of your choice (hazelnut, almond, or peanut)
- Carrot cake syrup or coconut caramel
- Or simply on their own!
FAQ
The milk may have been too hot (above 110°F will kill the yeast), or your yeast might be too old. Try letting it rise a little longer in a warmer spot.
Yes, use about ½ cake (approx. ⅓ oz / 10 g) in place of the dry yeast packet.
They taste best fresh. After two days I recommend freezing them, as they lose moisture over time. You can microwave for 10–20 seconds to reheat and soften them.
More Sweet Easter Recipes
These tasty vegan recipes for Easter or any other day you are craving a healthier sweet treat:
I hope you’ll give this wholesome vegan Easter bunns rolls recipe a try. If you love this recipe, be sure to leave a comment, rate the recipe and tag me on instagram (#veggiejam) with your recreation.
PrintRecipe
Wholesome Vegan Easter Bunny Rolls (Sugar-Free)
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Proofing Time: 2 hrs 45 min
- Total Time: approx. 4 hours
- Yield: 6 bunnies 1x
Description
These vegan Easter bunnies are soft, lightly sweet, simply delicious. Made completely without eggs, butter, or refined sugar — and wonderfully fluffy all the same. Whether as breakfast, a snack, or for the Easter brunch table, these vegan sweet roll Easter bunnies are a true German classic in much a healthier version.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour + ½ cup whole wheat flour (300 g)*
- 1 packet (2¼ tsp) active dry yeast
- ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened plant-based milk (e.g. soy milk)
- ⅓ cup date sugar (80 g)
- 2 tbsp white almond butter (30 g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
For brushing:
- 2 tsp plant-based milk
- 1 tsp maple or date syrup (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the yeast dough:
- Warm the milk to about 100–110°F and stir in the yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes until slightly foamy.
- Add the flour, date sugar, and salt to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the yeast-milk mixture, almond butter, and vanilla. Stir, then knead into a smooth dough for about 8–10 minutes by hand (or 5–6 minutes with a stand mixer using the dough hook).
- Let the dough rise: Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and leave at room temperature for 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in size.
Shape the Easter bunnies:
- Divide the risen dough into 7 equal pieces (approx. 85 g each).
- Roll 6 of the pieces into ropes about 10 inches long. Roll the remaining piece into 6 small balls.
- Place one ball in the center of each rope and twist the ends around the ball twice (see the photo guide above).
- Place the 6 Easter bunnies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and leave to rest for another 45 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake:
- Stir together the plant-based milk and maple syrup and brush the bunnies evenly. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden brown.
- Leave to cool briefly and enjoy. They taste best on the day of baking.
Notes
*Flour note for US bakers: In the original recipe I use German type 1050 flour which has more bran and nutrients than standard all-purpose but isn't as dense as whole wheat. The ¾ AP + ¼ whole wheat blend is the closest match. White whole wheat flour (King Arthur brand is widely available) is also an excellent single-flour substitute.
This post is also available in German (Deutsch).
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