Hoppy Easter Pancakes

I saw a photo on Facebook the day before Easter and decided that I had to make these for the kiddos on Easter morning! It was a cute and fun breakfast, and it didn't take much longer than it does to make "normal pancakes." I used the following recipe for pancakes, but you can make yours from a mix if you prefer. For a healthier version, you can also substitute whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour or use a 50/50 mix of the two. There are lots of possibilities for making these pancakes bunnies!

{Bunny pancakes made my kids "hoppy!"}

Pancakes (Makes 8)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons oil (I like EVOO.)

1. Combine ingredients in a large bowl and blend well. (Tip: For fluffier pancakes, you can first sift your flour. I usually skip this, though.)
2. Preheat griddle. I use the medium setting which is 300*.
3. Once griddle is heated, pour batter in 1/4 cups measurements. Wait for the bubbles to form and then flip the pancake over. Cook the second side and remove from the griddle, checking to make sure that it is cooked all the way through.

How I Made "Bunny Pancakes"

1. I poured a small circle for the head and a larger circle for the body. Next, I made two oval shapes, smaller than the head. These became the feet. Then, I poured two "dribbles" that were long and skinny to make the ears. 
2. I assembled the bunny from the top down. First ears, then head on top, body on top of head, and then the two feet. It looked like we had just missed the Easter Bunny and he was hopping out of sight.
3. I didn't have any shredded coconut on hand for the tails, and I considered making some whipped cream, but decided it wasn't worth it. I could have used marshmallows for he tails, but in the end, I opted for some fresh raspberries.
4. For the toe pads, I placed three sliced almonds on each foot. Then, I added a dollop (about 1/4 teaspoon) of real maple syrup to complete them. The photo I had seen used sliced bananas which was perfect, but I was out of bananas that morning, and it's always smart to use what you have!
5. Serve while warm, and you're sure to make "somebunny" quite "hoppy."

{Hoppy Easter, everyone!}

P.S. If you enjoyed this recipe, you'll probably want to write it down. Check out my giveaway where you can enter to win your own blank recipe book (or any of the other handy blank books offered by Path Publishing)!