Walking On Sunshine Recipes

Join me as I help you get dinner on the table every night for your family. I love to share decorating ideas, gardening tips and amazing recipes!

Bread Holidays Recipes Spring

Italian Easter Bread – a Family Tradition

An Italian Family Tradition is to make Homemade Easter Bread to celebrate the Easter holiday.  It’s not that difficult to make and the kids always enjoy the colored eggs in the center of the bread.  Enjoy some fresh from the oven or the day after toasted with a little butter…it’s such an amazing bread recipe!

Easter Bread with Colorful Eggs is a Family Tradition.

Do you have a family tradition for Easter? For years my sister has been making Easter Bread for her family and always shares a small loaf with us to enjoy. I love Easter Bread.  It’s so festive and makes such a pretty presentation and lovely gift to bring to the hostess for Easter Sunday dinner.

Last year was the first year I made it for my family and I definitely plan on making it again this year. I’m going to try to make smaller round loaves shaped like a wreath this year with one egg in the center of each wreath.  I’ll be sure to take photos and update this post with new photos. 

Italian Easter Bread

The recipe I’m sharing with you below is my sister’s recipe.  There are quite a few recipes out there that use a sweet glaze or icing to spread over the Easter bread, but that makes it more like a dessert and not bread.

It’s really important that you use RAW colored eggs with this recipe.  The eggs will cook in the oven while the bread bakes.  Do not use already hard-boiled eggs as they might explode in the oven and you’ll have a huge mess to clean up.

How to Make Italian Easter Bread

Make sure you print out the recipe below and save it for later!

Ingredients for the Bread 

  • 1 cup warm milk 105 – 115 degrees
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 5 cups flour; more if needed
  • 1 cup butter melted COOLED butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp grated Lemon Zest
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • Easter Egg Coloring Kit

Ingredients for the Egg Wash/Glaze

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp water

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine the heated milk with the package of dry yeast and 2 tbsp sugar. Set aside until the mixture is foamy.
  2. In a mixing bowl with the dough hook attached, add 4 cups of the flour along with the remaining ingredients.
  3. Once the yeast mixture has “proofed” add it to the mixing bowl as well and begin to combine everything together.
  4. If the dough becomes too sticky or wet, add more of the remaining flour.
  5. Once the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and come together, set your kitchen timer for 8 minutes and let the machine “knead” the dough for you.
  6. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl to a floured surfaced and knead by hand for a few minutes.
  7. Place the dough in another clean mixing bowl that has a little bit of oil rubbed over the entire bowl.
  8. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel…set aside to rise until doubled in size.
  9. While the dough is rising, dye 3 to 4 eggs…keeping them RAW.
  10. After the dough has doubled, punch it down and transfer to a floured surface.
  11. Divide the dough into two balls and slowly work them into long ropes.
  12. Braid the two ropes into one loaf and place on a baking tray that is lined with parchment paper.
  13. Insert the RAW colored eggs into sections of the braided loaf of bread.
  14. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to double again.
  15. Make the egg wash using the yolk only of the remaining egg and 1 tbsp of water.
  16. Carefully brush the bread with the egg wash.
  17. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

This post contains affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but I earn a commission when you shop through them. For more information, click here.

Let’s Get Cooking! 

After the dough has risen once, divide into two balls.


Work the dough into two long strips or ropes or as the kids like to call them, “snakes” and begin to braid.


Insert the RAW colored eggs into sections of the braided dough. Don’t worry, the eggs will cook in the oven as the bread bakes. Cover with plastic wrap loosely and allow the bread to double in size. 


Brush with the egg wash and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. You can definitely eat the eggs or use for egg salad.  


More Delicious Easter Recipes

Yield: 1 loaf of bread

Italian Easter Bread

Italian Easter Bread
A family tradition to celebrate Easter with this delicious bread that has colored eggs braided through the dough.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the Bread

  • 1 cup warm milk 105 - 115 degrees
  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 5 cups flour; more if needed
  • 1 cup butter melted COOLED butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 tsp grated lemon zest
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • Easter Egg Coloring Kit

For the Egg Wash/Glaze

  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tbsp of water

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine the heated milk with the package of dry yeast and 2 tbsp. sugar. Set aside until the mixture is foamy.
  2. In a mixing bowl with the dough hook attached, add 4 cups of the flour along with the remaining ingredients.
  3. Once the yeast mixture has "proofed" add it to the mixing bowl as well and begin to combine everything together.
  4. If the dough becomes too sticky or wet, add more of the remaining flour.
  5. Once the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl and come together, set your kitchen timer for 8 minutes and let the machine "knead" the dough for you.
  6. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl to a floured surfaced and knead by hand for a few minutes.
  7. Place the dough in another clean mixing bowl that has a little bit of oil rubbed over the entire bowl.
  8. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel...set aside to rise until doubled in size.
  9. While the dough is rising, dye 3 eggs...keeping them RAW.
  10. After the dough has doubled, punch it down and transfer to a floured surface.
  11. Divide the dough into two balls and slowly work them into long ropes.
  12. Braid the two ropes into one loaf and place on a baking tray that is lined with parchment paper.
  13. Insert the RAW colored eggs into sections of the braided loaf of bread.
  14. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to double again.
  15. Make the egg wash using the yolk only of the remaining egg and 1 tbsp of water.
  16. Carefully brush the bread with the egg wash.
  17. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.

Notes

You must use RAW eggs. They will cook in the oven while the bread is cooking.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 306 Total Fat: 14g Saturated Fat: 8g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 5g Cholesterol: 80mg Sodium: 265mg Carbohydrates: 39g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 8g Protein: 6g
The nutrition information is calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you, please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator.
© Lois
Cuisine: Italian / Category: Bread

 
 

 
 

 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

STAY UPDATED

Join my free email list to receive my Good Morning Sunshine Breakfast E-Cookbook!

Comments

  4. I am so glad I stopped by from Wednesday Whatsits. I have always wondered how you managed to get the hardboiled eggs into the loaf and now I know. I can't wait to add this addition to our Easter menu. Thanks!!

    Reply

  5. I have seen lots of versions of this and keep wondering if I should try it myself. I'm stopping over from Buns in my Oven. I like your pictures. It's helpful to see how to assemble this. Pinning and I think I might try it this year! 🙂

    Reply

  7. Your Easter bread looks great! I've made this bread a couple of times too, my husband's Italian side of the family makes it, so I started making it too after we got married! Happy Easter to you! 🙂

    Reply

  13. Hi! What a great Easter bread. I do a similar Portuguese Sweet Bread – so fun and delicious. Thanks for stopping by #TheWeekendSocial and linking up! I have pinned, stumbled and shared your link across social media. I hope to see you again next week!

    Reply

  17. Your Easter Bread is truly beautiful. Thank you for taking the time to share on Wonderful Wed. blog hop. I pinned several times.
    Blessings,
    Diane Roark
    recipesforourdailybread
    ouramericantravels

    Reply

  18. Your Easter Bread is truly beautiful. Thank you for taking the time to share on Wonderful Wed. blog hop. I pinned several times.
    Blessings,
    Diane Roark
    recipesforourdailybread
    ouramericantravels

    Reply

  19. I have always wondered how to make this! Looks great! I would love for you to share this over at my new link party Making Memories Mondays going on now!
    Cathy@threekidsandafish{dot}com

    Reply

  20. Wow. This looks officially FANTASTIC. I now have a bread machine and wonder if I could make something like this in it. Worth a try! Thank you. I am really pleased you linked this up with us at our linky party! Hugs, Rose, FineCraftGuild.com

    Reply

  22. Dear Lois, you bread looks beautiful! I must make my own sometime. My niece is hosting Easter this year and it would so nice to bring this to her. xo, Catherine

    Reply

    • I’m so happy you came to check out the recipe! It’s one of our favorite traditions. Thank you for visiting.

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

STAY UPDATED

Join my free email list to receive my Good Morning Sunshine Breakfast E-Cookbook!

Stay Connected

Lois is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com