These Easter bunny donuts are an easy, kid-friendly dessert. Mini donuts made from boxed cake mix, dipped in white candy melts and decorated with almond ears, are perfect for Easter parties and family baking time.
These little Easter bunny donuts are adorable and simple to make. They’re a fun project to decorate with kids and are surprisingly quick because they start with a boxed cake mix. If you want a fuss-free treat that looks like you spent more time on it than you did, this is it. Boxed cake mix gives consistent results and keeps the process short and fun — ideal for little hands that want to help.
While I enjoy baking from scratch, for these mini donuts boxed mix is perfectly fine. The goal here is cute, fast, and kid-friendly. Using a prepared mix keeps the recipe approachable and makes it easy to enjoy decorating and eating without the long prep.
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How to Make Mini Easter Bunny Donuts
There are a few good ways to make mini donuts at home: a mini donut maker, silicone donut molds, or a nonstick donut pan. A mini donut maker is convenient because it heats quickly and is easy to watch while the donuts cook. Silicone and nonstick molds work well in the oven and are perfect if you prefer baking multiple trays at once.
Tips for Making Easter Bunny Donuts
- If kids will be decorating, make the donuts ahead of time so they are ready to dip and decorate. Fill batter into a piping bag or a zip-top bag and snip the corner for easy filling.
- Use white candy melts for the glaze and follow the package directions for melting. If you need the coating thinner, add a tiny amount of vegetable shortening or a product designed to thin candy melts, a little at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. Don’t add too much shortening or it can change the texture of the coating.
- Let the donuts cool completely before dipping to get an even coating.
- Split whole almonds lengthwise so each half has a flat surface; this makes them easier to stick to the donut as bunny ears.
- Warm the candy coating gently and keep it in a larger bowl set over warm water to prevent it from hardening while you dip.
- After dipping, give the donut a small shake to level the coating and create a smooth finish.
- Use oil-based pink candy coloring if you want to tint a little of the white candy melt for the bunny nose. Do NOT use water-based coloring — it will make the candy seize and harden.
- Adhere almond halves with a small dab of melted candy to form ears, allow to set, then dip the donut. For the nose, mix a tiny drop of pink into a spoonful of white candy melt and apply a small dot with a toothpick.
These donuts are a cheerful and simple dessert idea for Easter weekend. They’re fast to make, playful to decorate, and a great way to include kids in the kitchen. Make a batch, let them cool, and set up a decorating station so everyone can customize their bunny donuts.
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Recipe: Easter Bunny Donuts
Easter Bunny Donuts
Servings: 10 · Prep: 10 mins · Cook: 20 mins · Total: 30 mins
Author: Jamie
Rating: 5 from 9 votes
Equipment
- Mini donut maker or non-stick donut pan or silicone donut molds
- Mixing bowl and spoon
- Pastry bag or zip-top bag for filling (optional)
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
Donut Ingredients
- 1 package cake mix (any flavor)
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 egg
- 1 cup almonds, split in half lengthwise for bunny ears
Glaze Ingredients
- 1 package white candy melts
- Oil-based pink candy coloring (for the nose)
- Optional: a small amount of shortening or candy thinning product to adjust consistency
Instructions
Baking in the oven
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, oil, and egg until smooth. Transfer batter to a pastry bag or zip-top bag for easier filling, if desired.
- Lightly grease your donut pan or molds. Fill molds about 3/4 full and bake 8–10 minutes. Cool on a rack before decorating.
Using a mini donut maker
- Plug in the mini donut maker and lightly grease the molds. Allow it to heat for about 2 minutes.
- Mix the batter as above and transfer to a bag for easy filling.
- Add about 2 tablespoons of batter into each mold, taking care not to overfill. Close the lid and check after 3–4 minutes for doneness.
- Cool the donuts on a rack before decorating.
Decorating
- Melt the white candy melts according to package directions. If necessary, thin slightly with a small bit of shortening or a product made to thin candy melts, adding only a little at a time.
- Use a dab of melted candy to attach two almond halves to the top of each donut for ears. Let set about a minute so the almonds are secure.
- Dip each donut into the melted candy, lift, and gently shake to smooth the coating. Let the glaze set.
- In a small spoonful of white candy melt, add a drop of oil-based pink coloring and mix until you reach the desired shade. Use a toothpick to apply a small pink dot for the bunny nose.
Notes
- Avoid water-based food coloring when tinting candy melts — it will seize the candy and make it grainy and hard.
- If young children are decorating, pre-make the donuts and set up the decorating area with small bowls of glaze and pre-split almond ears to make the process quick and safe.
Nutrition
Approximate per donut: Calories 174 · Carbohydrates 12 g · Protein 4 g · Fat 13 g · Sugar 10 g. Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guide.
Thanks for reading — I hope you enjoy making these bunny donuts. They’re a quick, playful dessert that’s great for Easter parties, classroom treats, or simply a fun baking afternoon with kids.
