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Published: | Last Updated: | Author: Lois

Italian Easter Bread – a Family Tradition

An Italian Family Tradition is to make Homemade Easter Bread with colored eggs 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. This is such an amazing bread recipe you might even use it all year long! 

Italian Easter Bread traditional recipe.

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.

If you’re looking for a shortcut version of this recipe using frozen bread dough, check out my new recipe for Individual Easter Bread Rings. If you find yourself a little too busy to make a homemade bread recipe, so this is a nice alternative. 

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 Easter 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 for the Easter Bread

  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.

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Let’s Get Cooking! 

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

Two loaves of bread dough for Easter Bread

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

Two long ropes of bread dough for Easter Bread

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. 

Italian Easter Bread with 3 colored eggs on baking pan not baked

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.  

Italian Easter Bread with colored eggs on parchment paper baking tray.

Other ways to Form the Easter Bread Dough

  • Usually I will form the Easter bread dough into a traditional long loaf as I did above. However, sometimes it’s fun to be creative.
  • You can form the bread dough into a large ring and insert more colored eggs. 
  • Or you can make individual rings out of the dough. This size and shape is always fun if you want to give the Easter bread to neighbors or as a hostess gift.  

Large Italian Easter Bread dough ring with colored eggs on baking tray

Three Italian Easter Bread rings with colored eggs.

How to Make Easter Bread using Frozen Bread Dough

Yes, it can be done! I have a recipe here on my site that uses frozen bread dough to create a “shortcut” version of the traditional Italian Easter Bread. I made a sweet glaze out of powdered sugar and decorated the individual mini rings with fun colorful sprinkles. 

Mini Italian Easter Bread Rings

More Delicious Easter Recipes

Italian Easter Bread

Italian Easter Bread

Yield: 1 loaf of bread
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

A family tradition to celebrate Easter with this delicious bread that has colored eggs braided through the dough.

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.

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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

Italian Easter Bread before and after baking.

Italian Easter Bread recipe with colored eggs.

 
 

 
 

 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

About Lois

Originally from Queens, NY, Lois now calls northeastern PA home. You can find her blogging over at Walking on Sunshine where she shares a little of her life, but more importantly what’s for dinner at her house tonight.

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Comments

    • Lois says

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

      Reply

  9. Catherine says

    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

  11. Rose FineCraftGuild says

    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

  12. Cathy McInnes says

    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

  13. Diane Roark says

    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

  14. Diane Roark says

    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. Ronda Eagle says

    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

  24. Maria says

    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

  26. FoodtasticMom says

    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

  27. Wendy Klik says

    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

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