I'm back and ready to roll! Talk about an eventful vacation I just had. The last two weeks spent with family in Idaho were days that I will always remember and cherish forever. With the birth of my twin sister's first baby and my little brother leaving on a church mission for two years, my heart is overflowing with joy and many other emotions. It was a wonderful time!I randomly found this recipe while looking for a butter coupon. Talk about a great find! I love cream puffs. My mother-in-law makes cream puffs occasionally for dessert at Sunday dinner and I just love them! So does my spunky and picky almost two year old. When I saw this recipe over at Land O Lakes I was so excited! Talk about a super cute and fun dessert for Easter. These are great for the kids, but I think the adults will love them just as much! I'm so excited to make these for my boys!
Bunny Cream Puffs
image and recipe via Land O Lakes
makes 12 cream puffs
Cream Puffs Ingredients
- 1 c. water
- 1/2 c. butter (Land O Lakes, of course!) ;)
- 1 c. flour
- 4 eggs
Filling Ingredients
- 1 (3.3 oz) package white chocolate instant pudding/pie filling mix (My guess is that vanilla would be delicious too! That's what my mother-in-law uses. But I'm excited to try white chocolate! Yum!)
- 1 1/4 c. cold milk
- 1 c. whipping cream, whipped
Decorations
- large marshmallows
- decorator sugar
- toothpicks
- Almond bark, melted (or your favorite vanilla-flavored candy coating)
- mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
- black string licorice, cut into thin 3/4-inch strips
- small round pink candies (Easter M&M's, mini candy-coated chocolate pieces, or something else that's round and pink for the nose)
- powdered sugar (optional)
Directions
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine water and butter in a 2-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a full boil (4 to 7 minutes). Reduce heat to low; stir in flour vigorously until mixture leaves sides of pan and forms a ball. Remove from heat. Beat in 1 egg at a time until mixture is smooth.
Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls, 3 inches apart, onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Pierce each puff gently with fork to allow steam to escape. Cool completely.
Prepare pudding mix, using 1 1/4 cups milk, as directed on package. After pudding is set, gently stir in whipped cream. Cover; refrigerate until serving time.
To create bunnies, cut off cream puff tops. Cut large marshmallows crosswise into 3 pieces. Dip cut-sides into decorator sugar for ears. Using toothpicks, attach sugared marshmallows into top of cream puff for ears. Use melted candy coating to attach chocolate chips for eyes.
Just before serving, fill bottom half of cream puff with 1/3 cup filling. Press licorice strips for whiskers and pink candies for nose into filling. Place decorated cream puff top over filling. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.
