Anyone can can make pancake shapes, including you. Earn "Best Parent Ever" status by making bunny pancakes this Easter. Get three easy tips and check out the video tutorials below!
If you're looking for a new holiday tradition, try a little Easter pancake art with your family this spring. Below you'll find tips and pancake shapes tutorials on how to create Easter egg pancakes, bunny pancakes, and baby chick pancakes (sort of—ha).
3 TIPS FOR MAKING EASTER BUNNY PANCAKES
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I've been looking online for ideas on how to celebrate the change of season, and I admit to feeling a bit overwhelmed. There are thousands of activities you can do with your kids. I was staring at my Pinterest feed when I remembered Roost Books had sent me a copy of The Artful Year by Jean Van't Hul to review.
I started to flip through the pages and this insight stood out to me...
It's not about doing more. It's about making choices, fostering creativity, and building family connection.
It is notabout doing more.
This really got me thinking about our family's Easter traditions. I've been asking myself, "What kind of special memories do I want them to hold on to over time?"
I realized I want a special Easter breakfast to be part of our family's annual tradition. What I love is that this simple tradition can GROW with my girls. In The Artful Year Jean explains,
We can modify or discard traditions that are no longer working for our families and even audition a few new ideas each season. We can and should take a deliberate approach to the cycle of our family year and the traditions we develop together.
Read the full book summary.
I love her approach to celebrating the seasons. Right now, my girls are eight and ten and "a special Easter breakfast" means making pancake art together. Perhaps when they are twenty-one, it will mean champagne mimosas at breakfast.
Shall we get cookin'?
Wondering how to make pancake shapes with the kids without an epic fail? Here are a few basic tips for making fun, shaped, cute pancakes:
- When we do bunny pancakes, we always use this pfannkuchen recipe for the batter. It is nice and thin, tastes great, and is easy to work with. Be sure to whisk all the lumps out of your batter. I recommend using an electric mixer when making pancake shapes!
- Set your griddle at 375 degrees to allow yourself a little time to work your magic. This temp allows the batter to set properly, but still gives you leeway to play.
- I recommend using using plastic squeeze bottles for your colored batter. You can order bottles online or usually find them in either (a) the kitchen section or (b) the cake decorating section of your local store.
- I scoop batter into a liquid measuring cup, add the food coloring, stir until mixed, and then pour the colored batter into the plastic squeeze bottles. We like Wilton Icing Colors because of the variety of shades.*If you're not keen on using food coloring, be sure to check out the end of this post for a natural dye suggestion.
Don't be nervous! You've got this, my friend. Your kids are going to think you're AWESOME. Here are five tips to help you feel more comfortable the first time you make Easter pancakes together.
1. Yes, bunny pancakes are adroable, but start simple with this no-fail Easter pancake design.
Any time you're learning a new skill, it is always a good idea to start simple.
Before you make a rabbit pancake, begin with an Easter egg design. Honestly, you could make a solid plain pancake oval, call it an egg, and your kids would be ecstatic. Relax. You've got this.
This doesn't have to be Pinterest-worthy, you simply need to make cute pancakes that bring a smile to your child's face. And ya know what? I am guessing, if you're smiling while doing this, they'll be smiling, too.
Here's how to create an Easter egg pancake...
2. When making bunny pancakes, start with the outline first.
When making a bunny pancake you always want to create an outline and then fill the space.
Be patient.
If you watch the Easter egg pancake tutorial above you'll notice the polka dots were added, allowed to cook briefly, and then the space was filled. This stops the colors from bleeding together. You'll see this again below in the bunny pancake tutorial with the Easter bunny's facial features.
3. Avoid a batter explosion when making pancake shapes with gentle squeezes.
If you're working on a bunny pancake and the batter gets stuck, don't attempt to squeeze the blockage through (see video below—ha).Instead, switch to a different color to finish the pancake you're working on and fix the plastic squeeze bottle after the rabbit pancake is finished.
You simple want to put your finger on the top of the spout and shake the container to try to break up the flour clump. Don't try to do this mid-pancake. It is a recipe for disaster!
Again, the best thing about making pancake shapes, is you can eat your mistakes. My kids thought this was HILAROUS.
Let the kids help make bunny pancakes too!
If your child is an appropriate age, let them do some pancake art, too. Of course, be cautious of how hot the griddle is!
Again, don't jump right into bunny pancakes, have them start with an egg pancake or maybe even a spring flower shapped pancake.
My daughters loves to do a variety of shaped pancakes.
The best part? If you make a mistake, you just eat it and move on.
Don't be afraid to experiment when making bunny pancakes.
If you're not a fan of using arfitifial coloring, experiment with natural options when making these cute Easter bunny pancakes.
In The Artful Year there is an awesome recipe for Fruity Spring Pancakes that uses pureed strawberries and blueberries as natural dye (and flavoring) for creating pancake art. How cool is that?!? I can't wait to try out the adorable flower pancakes in the book.
Bunny Pancakes + Family Traditions
What other spring traditions will you start with your kids this year?
The Artful Year has become my go-to resource to cut through the clutter and find meaningful projects my children will adore. I continue to recite Jean's insightful words over and over:
It's not about doing more. It's about making choices, fostering creativity, and building family connection.
She reiterates multiple times in the book that there is no pressure to get through this collection of ideas. It is simply a source for inspiration. Love that.
Check out the book on Amazon
5 out of 5 Stars | Read the Reviews
I hope you have fun with the bunny pancakes and you try some other pancake shapes too for Easter. If you have questions about the pancake art or the book, let me know in the comments below.
Love this bunny pancake post? Sharing it would make our week. ?
It would make our week if you took a second to share these Easter bunny pancakes on your favorite social media spot. (That's how we know we're on the right track and should continue writing more posts like this!)
Pin pancake shapes tips for later:
The quotes above are from The Artful Year, by Jean Van't Hul, © 2015 by Jean Van't Hul. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications Inc., Boston, MA. www.roostbooks.com
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. I am not only a fan of Jean over at the Artful Parent, but also proud to be her friend. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsem*nts and Testimonials in Advertising.”
