Chocolate bunny cocktails are a fun and creative way to turn ordinary chocolate rabbits into adorable, edible cups. While many Easter cocktails focus on springtime fruit flavors, chocolate bunny cocktails are all about sweet and creamy ingredients like chocolate liqueur, Irish cream and Kahlua. You can even use chocolate bunnies to serve kids’ drinks like chocolate milk!
How to Serve Drinks in Chocolate Bunnies
Anyone can turn a chocolate bunny into a chocolate bunny cup. Choose a hollow chocolate rabbit, then use a warm knife to carefully slice off the ears. The edible cup will add chocolate flavor to the drink, so it’s important to choose a cocktail that pairs well with it—like one of my favorites, a classic mudslide. The rich Irish cream and coffee liqueur in this drink are perfect to serve in a milk chocolate cup. And there are more sweet and creamy drink ideas below.
Choosing the Right Chocolate Bunny
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You’ll want a high-quality chocolate bunny, of course. Our Test Kitchen had the enviable task of tracking down all the best-tasting chocolate bunny brands, and found three that stood above the rest. To turn it into a cup, your chocolate bunny also needs to be structurally sound.
Choose a hollow bunny with chocolate walls thick enough to hold the drink without leaking, and strong enough to slice through without breaking. The bottom of the rabbit needs to be perfectly flat so that it can stand up on its own when filled. Finally, look for a chocolate bunny that has a wide, rather than narrow base, so that it’s less prone to tipping when filled. For my bunny drinks, I chose Russell-Stover’s 6-ounce hollow bunnies, which have plenty of room inside for the cocktail, and are strong and sturdy.
Ingredients
- Chocolate bunny: Choose a hollow chocolate rabbit with upright ears that can stand up on its own. It should be large enough to hold about 6 ounces (3/4 cup) of liquid.
- Irish cream: To make a creamy mudslide cocktail, pick up a bottle of silky-sweet Irish cream. Or, use your own Irish cream made with or without alcohol.
- Kahlua: The sweet coffee flavor of store-bought or homemade Kahlua is delectable with Irish cream and chocolate.
- Vodka: Using the best vodka (like Tito’s) will make your bunny cocktail taste like a true mixologist made it.
- Cream: Give the drink an extra-creamy finish with either cold heavy whipping cream or cold half-and-half.
- Garnishes: Pick up colorful paper straws for sipping your bunny cocktail. Optional decorations include dollops of whipped cream, ribbons in Easter pastel shades or fresh garnishes (try edible flowers or chocolate peppermint leaves).
Directions
Step 1: Cut off the chocolate bunny ears
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Lay the chocolate bunny on a cutting board. Run a sharp kitchen knife under very hot water until the blade is warm, then dry it off. Hold the bunny with one hand and use the other to slice off the ears with the hot knife—do this slowly, using very gentle pressure while drawing the blade back and forth through the chocolate until it slices through. Be careful not to press too hard, or the chocolate walls could break and collapse.
Editor’s Tip: Check for potential leaks! Once the ears have been removed, hold the bottom of the rabbit up to the light and look inside—if light shines through any cracks or holes, brush some melted chocolate on the outside to patch them. Allow the chocolate to dry.
Step 2: Prep the cocktail
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Pour 1-1/2 ounces each of Irish cream, Kahlua and heavy cream into a cocktail shaker. Add in 1 ounce of vodka. Add ice, cover and shake the ingredients until they’re completely chilled.
Step 3: Fill the bunny and serve
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Stand the chocolate bunny up and carefully strain the chilled drink into it.
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Add a straw, along with optional garnishes like whipped cream around the top (and on the backside to make a bunny tail!). Ribbons, edible flowers or mint leaves would be cute too. Serve the bunny cocktail immediately.
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Chocolate Bunny Cocktail Variations
- Make it a sweet martini: The coffee flavor of an espresso martini is delicious with a chocolate bunny, as is a double chocolate martini made with two chocolate liqueurs. A tiramisu martini adds tropical, creamy RumChata. Or, use Irish cream and amaretto to make a sugar cookie martini.
- Try a brandy Alexander bunny: Pour an old-fashioned but delicious cocktail into your chocolate rabbit. A brandy Alexander is made with crème de cacao, sweet brandy and a little nutmeg.
- Serve a chocolate bunny aperitif: Instead of a cocktail, serve a straight shot of creamy liqueur in a smaller hollow bunny. Try Irish cream, Kahlua, Amarula or bourbon cream.
- Make a nonalcoholic version: For an alcohol-free celebration or to make the recipe kid-friendly, serve drinks like chocolate milk or coffee milk inside a chocolate bunny. Or, fill a bunny with a frosty treat—like a strawberry milkshake, thin mint milkshake or peanut butter milkshake. (Blend extra milk into the shakes to make them pourable.)
- Go with white chocolate: For an even sweeter cocktail, use a hollow white chocolate rabbit.
Tips for Making Chocolate Bunny Cocktails
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Can chocolate bunny cocktails be made in advance?
Yes, the components of chocolate bunny cocktails can be prepped ahead of time. Slice the ears off the chocolate rabbits, then place the bunny cups inside a sealed container or food storage bag to keep them fresh. Store them at room temperature. You can also mix the cocktail ingredients together and store the mixture in the fridge for up to three days. Wait to add the cocktail to the chocolate bunny until just before serving it.
What’s the best way to cut a chocolate bunny for chocolate bunny cocktails?
For the easiest cut, your chocolate rabbit should have ears pointing straight up. I like to slice the ears off just above the head, but you can also slice further up to leave some of the ears intact. Finally, a slightly angled cut looks better than cutting straight across. Just remember to use a hot, dry knife and take your time so the chocolate doesn’t break. And if cutting the ears off chocolate bunnies seems like too much work, try a cottontail margarita instead!
How do you make a chocolate bunny cocktail without making a mess?
Depending on the hollow chocolate bunny you use, the opening to pour in the cocktail may be generous or narrow. To avoid spills or drips down the outside, use a funnel to pour the drink into the chocolate rabbit. Also, before adding the drink, remember to check the chocolate bunny for holes or cracks, and patch them with melted chocolate. Keep a napkin handy, as the chocolate may melt a little from the warmth of your hands as you hold it.
