![\"growing_jane-hot_cross_bunnies-10937\"](\"http:\/\/www.raisingjane.org\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/growing_jane-hot_cross_bunnies-10937.jpg\")
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HOT CROSS BUNNIES
\nPREP TIME: 30 MINUTES, PLUS 2 HOURS, 15 MINUTES RISING
\nCOOK TIME: 30 MINUTES
\nMAKES: 16 BUNNIES<\/p>\n
1\u00bd\u00a0 cups buttermilk
\n\u00bc\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 cup honey
\n1\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 t salt
\n1\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 packet active dry yeast
\n3 1\/3 cups flour, divided, plus more for dusting
\n\u00bc\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 cup golden raisins
\n2\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 T dried cranberries
\n1\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 orange
\n1\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 t butter, melted
\n1\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 egg white
\n2\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 t water
\n2\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 ozs cream cheese, softened
\n\u00bc\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0cup powdered sugar
\n2\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 t milk<\/p>\n
1. In a small saucepan, heat buttermilk, honey, and salt over low heat. When the mixture is warm (it shouldn\u2019t feel hot if you place a drop on the back of your wrist), stir in the yeast and let it sit for 3-5 minutes.
\n2. In a medium bowl, add 3 cups of flour, raisins and dried cranberries. Zest the rind of the orange into the bowl with the flour. Stir to combine.
\n3. Slowly pour in the buttermilk mixture. Continue to mix until a sticky dough forms, then sprinkle in the remaining flour.
\n4. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes; dust the dough with flour, place in a medium bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for 1\u00bd hours.
\n5. After rising, lightly butter a cookie sheet. Punch the dough down and shape into 16 ovals. Using kitchen shears, cut two ears at the top of each oval. Make a depression in each ear with a toothpick, and poke two eyes in each bunny. Loosely cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
\n6. Preheat oven to 350\u00b0F. In a small bowl, whisk egg white and water together. Remove plastic wrap from buns and brush with the egg mixture. Bake buns for 30 minutes, or until they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Transfer to a cooling rack.
\n7. To prepare the icing, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk in a small bowl. Transfer to a pastry bag and pipe an X onto each roll.<\/p>\n
Gather ingredients.<\/p>\n
\nAdd 1\u00bd cups of buttermilk to a small saucepan.<\/p>\n
\nAdd \u00bc cup of honey.<\/p>\n
\nAdd 1 t of salt.<\/p>\n
\nHeat the buttermilk mixture over low heat. When the mixture is warm (it shouldn\u2019t feel hot if you place a drop on the back of your wrist), stir in 1 package of active dry yeast and let it sit for 3-5 minutes.<\/p>\n
\nAdd 3 cups of flour, \u00bc cup of golden raisins and 2 T of dried cranberries to a medium bowl.<\/p>\n
\nZest the rind of 1 orange into the bowl with the flour. Stir to combine.<\/p>\n
\nSlowly pour in the buttermilk mixture.<\/p>\n
\nContinue to mix until a sticky dough forms, then sprinkle in the remaining 1\/3 cup of flour. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8-10 minutes.<\/p>\n
Dust the dough with flour, place in a medium bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm place for 1\u00bd hours.<\/p>\n
\nAfter rising, lightly butter a cookie sheet with 1 t of melted butter.<\/p>\n
\nPunch the dough down and shape into 16 ovals. Then, use kitchen shears cut two ears at the top of each oval.<\/p>\n
\nMake a depression in each ear with a toothpick.<\/p>\n
\nPoke two eyes in each bunny with the tip of a toothpick.<\/p>\n
\nLoosely cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
\nPreheat oven to 350\u00b0F. Add 2 t of water to 1 egg white and whisk together.<\/p>\n
\nRemove plastic wrap from bunnies and brush with the egg mixture. Bake buns for 30 minutes, or until they are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.<\/p>\n
\nTo prepare the icing, add 2 ozs of cream cheese to a small bowl. Add \u00bc cup of powdered sugar. Add 2 t of milk. Stir to combine, transfer to a pastry bag and pipe an X onto each roll.<\/p>\n
Enjoy!<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Making these bunnies is a great activity for Easter! Have you met our funny bunnies? These three in particular, had some personality when they emerged.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Meet (from left to right) kitty bunny, curious bunny, and sad bunny. Happy Easter!\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I meant to run Ashley’s hot cross bunnies recipe this morning so you’d have time to work it into your Easter menu. I’ll leave the chili up just in case someone saw the luscious photos and decided it was perfect … Continue reading