Line a baking sheet with the colored sugar or other coating so you can pipe in assembly-line fashion -- the piping process goes quickly.

Fill rimmed baking sheet or small bowls with about 1 1/2 cups sugar. If desired, color white sugar by stirring in luster dust or sparkle dust a little at a time. Pipe shapes onto sugar. Bunnies and chicks must be completed one at a time.

For bunnies, pipe a 1 1/4-inch mound about 1/2 inch tall onto sugar. Pipe a small mound on one side for the tail; pipe a larger mound for the head on the opposite side. With a damp finger, pat down any  spikes formed from piping the body, tail, and head. Pipe the ears, starting from the top of the head, and pipe onto the body, pulling forward and off to finish. Pat down the spikes on the ears. Working quickly so the marshmallow surface does not dry, use a spoon to cover the entire surface with sugar. Allow a few minutes for the shape to set, and lift out of sugar with a spoon or small offset spatula. Pipe on royal-icing faces with a 1/32-inch (#1 Ateco) icing tip; place in a parchment-lined airtight container until ready to serve, or up to 2 weeks.

For chicks, pipe an oval shape about 1 inch wide, tapering the end and pulling upward to finish with the tail. On the opposite end, for the neck and face, pipe a mound about the width of the body, pushing toward tail and up. Pull away from the face to form the beak. Working quickly so the marshmallow surface does not dry, use a spoon to sprinkle sugar over the surface. Allow shape to sit a few minutes to set; lift out of sugar with a spoon or small offset spatula. Make large and small chicks by changing the dimensions.

Pipe on royal-icing eyes with a 1/32-inch (#1 Ateco) tip; place in a parchment-lined airtight container until ready to serve, or up to 2 weeks.