Easter Bunny Breads

January back to the daycare. My room is exactly as I left it. Miss Patrice had it maintained exactly. My bulletin board. My cubbies. My carpet in the story corner. She walked me in Monday morning and said: nothing changed. I said: thank you. She said: welcome back. I went to my room and sat in the small chair and looked around at all of it and it was still mine and I was still the person who belonged in it.

Ida is with a woman in Millbrook, Darlene, who has been caring for children for thirty years and who came highly recommended by Debbie which means the highest recommendation I know of. I did the hardest drop-off of my life on Monday morning and then drove away. I did not cry until I was in the car. I cried for exactly twelve minutes and then I walked into the daycare and was present for the children who were not mine and who needed me there and being needed is the best cure I know for the hard feelings.

Tyler texted me at noon: how is it. I said: hard and good. He said: that sounds right. He was correct. It was hard and good in exactly equal measure, which is the proportion life takes when you are doing the thing you are supposed to be doing.

The small Bright Beginnings Daycare in the small downtown Prattville is the small workplace. The small toddler-room teacher role (ages 18-36 months). The small daycare-worker-salary plus the small fiancé-Cole’s small carpenter-paycheck is the small two-income engaged-couple budget. The small wedding-saving has been the small two-year-project.

Tyler Clarke (the small fiancé, 29, diesel-mechanic-from-Millbrook) works at a small trucking-company. The small wedding is planned for October 2026 with Gloria walking Savannah down the aisle. The small marriage will be the small first-stable-adult-relationship Savannah has had. The small foster-care upbringing means the small family-of-origin had been the small unstable-shape.

The small foster-care-history: Savannah went into the small Alabama-foster-care system at age six after the small mother’s incarceration and the small father’s absence. The small seven-foster-placements between infancy and age sixteen. The small last placement (Gloria and James Martin in Prattville, who became the small forever-parents) since age fourteen. The small Martin-foster-parents continued to be the small only-parents until James died in 2024 at 77 from a heart-attack mowing the lawn.

The small self-taught-Southern-cooking is the small kitchen-identity. The small no-grandmother-recipes-passed-down meant the small YouTube-and-cookbook-self-teaching from age sixteen onward. The small fried chicken, the small biscuits, the small mac-and-cheese, the small banana pudding, the small sweet tea are the small staples.

The small Gloria-Martin kitchen-mentorship (Gloria is the small foster-mom-now-mom) has been the small adult-cooking-development since the small fourteen-year-old. The small Gloria-Sunday-dinners-with-Savannah-cooking-now are the small weekly-rhythm since James passed. The small Gloria-recipes (Black-Southern-comfort-food the small chain of Gloria’s mother and grandmother) are the small heritage-by-adoption.

The small Prattville-small-town-community is the small social-context. The small First Baptist Church congregation is the small church-family. The small daycare-coworkers are the small adjacent-friend-network. The small Martin-family (Gloria, James who passed in 2024, plus the small current-foster-child Destiny age 6 in Gloria’s care) is the small chosen-family. The small Tyler’s-family-in-Millbrook (Debbie, Roy, and four-brothers) is the small in-law-family.

The small Sunday-publishing-rhythm of the recipe blog continues to be the small organizing-spine of the small week. The small Sunday-cooking happens in the small late-morning-to-early-afternoon window. The small photographing of the finished dish happens at the small three-PM kitchen-light-window. The small writing-up of the recipe happens at the small four-PM workspace at the kitchen-counter. The small final-edit happens at the small five-PM. The small post publishes at seven PM. The small ritual has been running for years.

The small recipe-development-philosophy continues to be the small small-batch-test-then-publish approach. The small first cook of a small new recipe happens on the small Saturday afternoon. The small adjustments are noted in the small kitchen-notebook. The small second cook happens Sunday with the small adjustments incorporated. The small Sunday-cook is the small version that gets photographed and published. The small two-test process catches the small recipe-flaws before they reach the small reader.

The small kitchen-equipment-inventory has the small key-pieces that show up in nearly every recipe. The small heavy-bottomed Dutch oven for the small braises. The small twelve-inch cast-iron skillet for the small sears and the small pan-roasts. The small half-sheet baking-pans for the small roasted vegetables and the small cookies. The small wooden-spoon-collection in the small ceramic-pitcher on the counter. The small chef’s-knife and the small paring-knife and the small bread-knife that are the small daily-tools.

The small grocery-shopping rhythm runs through the small Tuesday-evening trip and the small Saturday-morning top-off. The small Tuesday-trip is the small weekly-stock-up for the small staples and the small produce and the small protein. The small Saturday-trip is the small quick-fill for whatever the small Sunday-recipe requires that is not already in the small pantry. The small two-trip-per-week pattern keeps the small grocery-bill manageable and the small food-waste low.

The small meal-planning happens on the small Sunday-evening for the small week-ahead. The small dinners are mapped out across the small Monday-through-Saturday. The small repeating-meals are slotted in (the small pasta-Monday, the small taco-Tuesday or similar pattern). The small new-recipes are slotted for the small Wednesday-or-Thursday for the small variety. The small planning ahead reduces the small daily what-are-we-making-for-dinner stress.

The small weekday-cooking is the small efficient-and-fast mode. The small Sunday-cooking is the small slow-and-careful mode. The small two-modes serve the small two-different-needs. The small weekday-cooking has to be on the small table within forty-five minutes of getting home from the small work-or-school-pickup. The small Sunday-cooking can take three hours and benefit from every minute of that time.

The small recipe-archive on the small blog has grown to many hundreds of recipes over the years. The small archive is the small searchable-resource for the small weekday-meal-planning. The small reader-feedback in the small comments-section helps refine the small recipes over time.

The small Sunday-cooking-and-writing rhythm is the small thing that has held across years of life-changes and family-events and small ordinary-weekday-disruptions. The small constant is the small Sunday. The small constant is the small recipe. The small constant is the small posting-at-seven-PM ritual.

The Sunday before I went back, I needed something to do with my hands — something that required shaping and waiting and a little bit of care, which is exactly what I had to give that morning and nowhere to put it yet. These Easter Bunny Breads are Gloria’s kind of recipe: the kind where you make something small and formed and a little bit whimsical, and the making of them steadies you. I packed a few for Darlene’s, tucked into a dish towel, and I felt like I had sent something of myself along with Ida into the week.

Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 2 hr 20 min (includes rise time) | Servings: 12 rolls

Ingredients

2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (one standard packet)
1 cup whole milk, warmed to 110°F
1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tsp fine salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, room temperature
24 raisins or mini chocolate chips (for eyes, 2 per bunny)
1 egg plus 1 tbsp water (for egg wash)
Pearl sugar or coarse sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions

Proof the yeast. Combine warm milk and 1 tsp of the sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over the top and let sit 5 to 7 minutes until foamy. If it does not foam, your yeast is expired — start again with a fresh packet.
Mix the dough. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and remaining sugar. Add the softened butter, eggs, and foamy yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface.
Knead. Knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. Add flour a tablespoon at a time only if the dough is sticking to the surface. Shape into a ball.
First rise. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turn once to coat, and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm spot 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Shape the bunnies. Punch dough down and divide into 12 equal portions (about 65g each). For each bunny: pinch off roughly 1/4 of the portion for the head and set aside. Roll the larger piece into a smooth oval body. Roll the head piece into a ball, then pinch and elongate two small ears from the top. Press head against the top of the body, sealing firmly. Place shaped rolls 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined half-sheet baking pan. Press 2 raisins or chips gently into each face for eyes.
Second rise. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap and let rolls rise 30 minutes, until puffy.
Bake. Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk egg with 1 tbsp water and brush gently over each bunny. Sprinkle with pearl sugar if using. Bake 18 to 22 minutes until golden and the internal temperature reads 190°F. Rotate the pan once at the halfway mark.
Cool and serve. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 15 minutes before serving. Best the day they are made, but they freeze well for up to one month wrapped tightly.

Nutrition (per serving)

Easter Bunny Breads — The Morning I Made Something Warm Before Dropping Her Off