In what country did the concept of Easter bunny originate?

The Easter bunny tradition originated in Germany.

The earliest known references describe an Easter hare, called the Osterhase, associated with hiding colored eggs for children. The custom was recorded in German-speaking areas during the 17th century and is particularly linked with regions such as the Palatinate, Alsace, and Westphalia. The original animal was generally a hare rather than the small domestic rabbit suggested by the modern English phrase.

German immigrants carried the tradition to Pennsylvania in the 18th century, where the figure became known as the Easter Bunny or Easter Rabbit. Children were encouraged to prepare nests so the hare could leave eggs. Over time, baskets replaced nests, and chocolate and candy replaced—or joined—the traditional decorated eggs.

The Easter bunny is not directly described in the biblical Easter accounts. It is a later folk custom that became attached to the Christian holiday. Its connection with eggs reflects older European spring symbolism and the seasonal appearance of hares, but the documented bunny tradition itself is specifically German in origin.