Indulge in the delightful tradition of Easter baking with these charming Individual Easter Italian Bread Rings.
Made with frozen Rhodes Bread Dough, dyed eggs and a powdered sugar glaze, this recipe is the perfect blend of convenience and tradition.
Whether enjoyed as a morning treat alongside a steaming cup of coffee, as a centerpiece for your celebration or to give as a gift for your gracious host.
Don't miss out on checking out the rest of my Easter Bread Recipes for even more delicious holiday ideas!
Whether braided into a traditional loaf or formed into individual rings, Italian Easter bread is not only delicious, but also a symbol of renewal and celebration, embodying the spirit of the religious Easter festivities.
Looking for more traditional Easter Recipes? Try my Hot Cross Buns, Italian Lemon Easter Bread and my Italian Easter Bread made with a homemade yeast dough.
Table of Contents
- Easter Bread from Frozen Dough
- How to Unthaw Frozen Bread?
- 🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Looking for help with Easter Preparation?
- Recipe Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Baking Instructions
- Expert Tip
- Glaze for Easter Bread
- Before You Begin!
- How to Store, Freeze and Reheat
- More Recipes to Love
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
Easter Bread from Frozen Dough
Using frozen bread dough for this recipe saves time and still results in delicious bread to enjoy during the holiday festivities!
The bread dough will not be sweet as the traditional yeast dough recipe, which is why I add the sweetened powdered sugar glaze with a touch of almond extract on top of the cooled bread rings.
This recipe turned out perfectly, and I'm sure you'll love it, especially if working with yeast dough is hard for you. I adore the charming look of the individual Italian Easter bread rings!
You can even give them as gifts...everyone gets their own delightful treat at the end of the celebration!
How to Unthaw Frozen Bread?
- Remove the frozen bread dough loaves from the packaging.
- Place the frozen dough on a greased baking sheet or in a greased baking dish, leaving some space between each loaf.
- Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel to prevent drying out.
- Allow the dough to thaw at room temperature for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Once the dough has thawed. it's ready to be used in your favorite recipes, whether it's for baking bread, making rolls, or crafting other delicious treats!
🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
- The no-mess, easy-to-clean solution to egg decorating. Add a PAAS Color Tablet, water and vinegar to these unique cups and watch your eggs change color. Children will be delighted to use our magic crayon to personalize their eggs
- Enjoy the fun and sweet taste of pastel rainbow nonpareil sprinkles with our bulk 2.7 pound bag - perfect for all your sweet creations!
Looking for help with Easter Preparation?
Click here now to check out my Let's Do Brunch Easter Celebration Digital Cookbook! prepare for a delicious celebration!
It's the ultimate guide to crafting your dream Easter brunch featuring 11 easy-to-make recipes, Prep-Ahead Tips, Planning Checklists, and Fun Kid's Activities!
Recipe Ingredients
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. Find the exact amounts and click the Instacart button to easily add them to your cart – all in the printable recipe card below!
Substitutions and Variations
Ready-to-Bake Dough: Some grocery stores offer ready-to-bake bread dough options that are fresh and ready to use. These doughs may come in various flavors or styles, such as whole wheat, multigrain, or artisanal, which can add an interesting twist to your Italian Easter bread rings.
Homemade Bread Dough: If you prefer to make your own bread dough from scratch, you can use your favorite homemade bread dough recipe instead of frozen dough. Just make sure to prepare the dough according to the recipe instructions before shaping it into individual rings for baking.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Divide each loaf of thawed bread dough into three equal parts until you have six pieces total. Roll each piece of dough into a 12-inch rope.Form the dough into 12-inch ropes.
Step 2: To form the twisted braid, begin overlapping the two ropes of dough and gently intertwine them, creating a woven pattern that resembles a braid.
Step 3: Bring the two ends of the raw dough together to form the circle. Pinch the ends together.
Step 4: Place a small glass bowl in the center of the bread dough rings to help maintain its shape as it rises. This way you'll get a perfectly formed dough ring.
Baking Instructions
Step 5: While the dough is rising, color the eggs following the directions on the back of the Easter egg decorating kit.
Step 6: Once the dough rings double in size, place dried colored eggs in the center. Brush with an egg yolk wash, avoiding the eggs. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes until golden. Cool before decorating.
Expert Tip
Make sure that you use raw eggs when dyeing. Rest assured, the eggs will cook along with the bread dough in the oven. Using pre-boiled eggs could result in them exploding during the baking process.
Glaze for Easter Bread
Step 7: As the bread rings cool, mix powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract in a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Once cooled, glaze the rings and top with multi-colored nonpareils sprinkles.
Before You Begin!
If you make this recipe, please leave a review and star rating. This helps my business thrive and continue providing FREE recipes.
How to Store, Freeze and Reheat
Room Temperature: Place the glazed bread in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Store the bread at room temperature for up to 2-3 days.
Freezer: Once cooled, remove the eggs from the center of the bread rings and wrap the bread tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to protect it from freezer burn and to maintain its moisture. You can freeze it for up to 1-2 months.
Thawing and Reheating Tips: Allow the bread to thaw at room temperature for several hours or overnight. Avoid microwaving to prevent sogginess. Warm in a low oven for a few minutes to refresh its texture and flavor.
I love leftover Italian Easter bread toasted with a little butter!
- KEEP BREAD FROZEN IN HOT WEATHER: Place bread in bag after it has cooled completely and it is safe to keep bread frozen in hot weather; This Bread Bag protects from freezer burn and frozen bread can be stored for about three months
More Recipes to Love
📖 Recipe Card
Individual Italian Easter Bread Rings
Ingredients
For the Bread:
- 2 loaves of frozen bread dough defrosted
- 3 raw eggs colored in different colors
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon water
For the Glaze:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoon whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ cup multicolored nonpareils
Instructions
How to Form the Bread Rings
- Divide each loaf of thawed bread dough into three equal parts until you have six pieces total.
- Roll each piece of dough into a 12-inch rope.
- Place two ropes side by side and braid them together.
- Form the braided ropes into a circle pinching the ends together and tucking them underneath.
- Place on a baking sheet that's been lined with parchment paper.
- Repeat with the other two sets of ropes so you have a total of three bread rings.
- Place a small glass bowl in the center of the bread dough rings to help maintain its shape as it rises. This way you'll get a perfectly formed dough ring.
- Cover the dough rings and allow them to rise until almost doubled in size; about 30 to 45 minutes depending on how warm your kitchen is.
How to Bake the Bread Rings
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Carefully place a dyed RAW egg in the center of each dough ring.
- Whisk together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water and carefully brush the tops and sides of the bread trying your best to avoid getting any on the dyed egg.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown on the outside.
- Remove from baking sheet and place on a baking rack to cool completely before decorating.
How to Decorate the Bread Rings
- In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk and almond extract.
- Let sit for about 5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Once the bread rings have cooled completely, spread the glaze around the tops of each ring.
- Sprinkle with the multi-colored nonpareils.
Notes
How to Defrost the Frozen Bread:
The night before, remove the 2 loaves of bread from the freezer and place in a covered plastic container that has a little flour sprinkled on the bottom. We don't want the dough to stick while it's defrosting. Place the container in the refrigerator overnight so it defrosts completely.This was originally published as a sponsored post in 2019 but has since been edited and updated.
Kerryanne English says
Lois, I love that you've taken a traditional recipe and made it quicker and easier for busy mums. Your individual Easter breads look so lovely!
Thank you for sharing your recipe at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I'm delighted to be featuring it at tonight's party and pinning too.
Hugs ~ Kerryanne
Lois says
Thank you for featuring my recipe! Love joining your parties every week!
Lyndsey says
These look so good, and they are so pretty! How fun and festive. Thank you for linking up with Happy Hearts & Homes, I hope to see you again this week.
Amy Johnson says
This looks like a fun activity to do with my grandchildren. I wonder what the history is behind this recipe.
Maria Bonacci says
My grandma used to make these every year. She always had one big one on the table and a bunch of small ones all around it. Good memories 🙂
Thank you for sharing this with us at the Senior Salon Pit Stop! I'm excited to be featuring you at Monday’s party. Congrats! Pinned
Hugs,
Maria @ kraftyplanner.com
Esme Slabbert says
Love this, its so quite.
Thanks so much for participating and sharing at SSPS 300. See you again next week!
cynthia romanoff says
My mother and I have made this for 60 years or more but we use anise. Gives it a nice flavor!
Lois says
I might try the anise this year! We've always used almond extract flavoring for this bread. Thanks for visiting!
Marisa F. Stewart says
The individual braids are adorable. I make the Italian Easter Egg Braid every year. It's such a nice tradition but wow using frozen bread dough when you don't have time is a great time saver. I'll have to pin the recipe just in case I run out of time.
Lois says
Yes, the bread definitely doesn't taste like the sweet traditional Easter Egg Bread, but the glaze more than makes up for it. Thank you for visiting.
Veena Azmanov says
These are cute and well planned for Easter. Love the info and decoration on to these given the festive feel. I am loving it.
Lois says
Thank you! My first baking these breads without homemade dough and they came out really yummy!
Jolina says
How fun are these? I like baking bread but I've never made bread that's this much fun 🙂 These are perfect for Easter. And that's a clever tip about the temporary eggs!
Lois says
Thanks Jolina.
Arlene Mobley says
How cute! Frozen bread dough makes it so easy to make recipes like this.
Lois says
Frozen bread is amazing! Thanks for visiting.
Denise says
These are so pretty and festive! I love that you are using frozen bread dough. It makes life so much easier!
Lois says
Yes, helped me this year when I thought was going to be able to get everything done. Thanks for visiting!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy says
These are super cute. My grandkids would LOVE these on Easter morning. I love making homemade bread, but using frozen dough is a quick way to do things too.