Today I'm sharing with you my Grandma Santelli's recipe for Traditional Easter Bread. This is a sweetened bread dough with colored Easter eggs in the center.
My sister and I make this recipe every year to celebrate Christ's resurrection and all things Spring.
I have quite a few variations of this traditional Easter bread recipe posted on my site. A few are shortcut recipes to help take advantage of family traditions, but without all the time involved.
Check out all my recipes for Easter Bread Recipes for even more deliciousness!
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One of my new favorite ways to make this traditional bread recipe is to use either frozen bread dough and make Individual Bread Rings.
I also like to take advantage of my bread machine to make Bread Machine Easter Bread.
Table of Contents
- Easter Bread Tradition
- Looking for help with Easter Preparation?
- 🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
- 📋Ingredients
- Top Tip
- 🥣Step-by-Step Instructions
- Knead the Bread Dough
- How to Shape the Dough
- How to Form the Bread Circles
- Add the Colored Easter Eggs
- Expert Tip
- Baking Instructions
- LOVE this recipe? SAVE it for Later!
- Storage Tips
- Freezing Tips
- Thawing and Reheating Tips
- Recipe FAQ's
- More Recipes to Love
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
Easter Bread Tradition
Baking Easter bread is a tradition in our Italian family, but my mother wasn't the one who usually baked homemade bread.
That honor belonged to my grandmother and Aunt Carmel. Then, my sister starting baking Easter bread and I soon followed.
Now, I'm sharing this beloved family recipe that's been a part of our Easters for generations with my daughter and with my readers!
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!
🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
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📋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!
- Warm Milk – heat the milk in the microwave in 30 second intervals until it reaches 100 to 105 degrees.
- Butter - melted
- Eggs - for this recipe, you'll need 4 eggs for the dough and then an additional 3 raw colored eggs to stuff the bread dough circles.
- Sugar – this is a slightly sweet dough recipe.
- All Purpose Flour
- Salt – for flavor.
- Yeast
- Almond Extract
- Egg yolk - to brush on the bread rings before they bake.
- Colorful Easter Sprinkles
Top Tip
Whenever proofing yeast, cover the bowl with a plate to trap the heat of the liquid. This will help the yeast proof quicker.
🥣Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Microwave the milk in 30-second increments until it reaches 105°-110°F. Use a digital meat thermometer to check the temperature and avoid overheating.
Step 2: Add the yeast and 2 tablespoons of sugar to the warmed milk. Cover with a plate and wait 5-10 minutes for the mixture to activate – you'll know it's ready when it turns bubbly. If the yeast mixture is not bubbling, the yeast is not alive. Try again.
Step 3: Combine 2 cups flour, the rest of the sugar, 4 eggs, melted butter, and almond extract in the bowl of your KitchenAid mixer.
Knead the Bread Dough
Step 4: Sprinkle in the salt. Let the machine mix everything on low speed, then pour in the yeast and milk mixture.
Step 5: Slowly incorporate the remaining flour, adding it ½ cup at a time. Let the machine knead the dough for about 5 minutes. It's ready when it pulls away from the bowl's sides.
Step 6: Lightly dust a surface with flour. Remove the dough, knead it by hand for a minute until smooth, then place it in a bowl lightly coated with about 1 tablespoon of oil.
Step 7: Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm spot until it doubles in size. This will take around 1 ½ hours
How to Shape the Dough
Step 8: When the dough has doubled in size, gently remove it from the bowl and place it on a piece of parchment paper on your counter. Divide the dough into three equal pieces. Next, cut each of those pieces in half, giving you a total of 6 smaller dough pieces."
How to Form the Bread Circles
Step 7: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll each dough piece into a 16-inch rope. Braid the ropes, pinch the ends together, and create a circle with the braid.
Add the Colored Easter Eggs
Expert Tip
Brush a little vegetable oil on the bottom of each colored egg to prevent "bleeding" when the bread bakes.
Step 8: Gently place a raw colored egg in the center of each dough circle and let them rise for another 60 minutes. Then whisk together an egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of water and brush this mixture over each bread circle. Finally, sprinkle a generous amount of colorful Easter sprinkles over the top for a festive touch.
Step 9: Then whisk together an egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of water and brush this mixture over each bread circle. Finally, sprinkle a generous amount of colorful Easter sprinkles over the top for a festive touch.
Baking Instructions
Step 10: Bake in a preheated 350°F degree oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until the breads are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
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Storage Tips
To keep your leftover Easter bread fresh, cool it completely and store it in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Freezing Tips
You can also freeze Easter bread (without the eggs) for up to 3 months. Wrap the bread securely in plastic wrap and foil, then place it in a freezer-safe bag.
Thawing and Reheating Tips
Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and rewarm in the oven for that fresh-baked taste. I love leftover Italian Easter bread toasted for breakfast!
Recipe FAQ's
Do you eat the eggs in Easter bread?
Yes, you can eat the eggs in Easter bread. The eggs cook while you bake the bread and they are perfect hard-boiled eggs when the bread is done cooking.
Is Challah bread the same as Easter bread?
Yes, they are the same but with different meaning and tradition.
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📖 Recipe Card
Traditional Easter Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup warm milk 105°F - 110°F
- 1 package yeast; 2 ¼ teaspoons
- ½ cup sugar; divided
- 5 - 6 cups all-purpose flour; divided
- 1 cup butter; melted
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 raw colored eggs; not hard-boiled
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon water
Method
- Heat the milk in the microwave in 30 second intervals until it reaches 105° to 110° F.
- Then add the yeast and 2 tablespoons of sugar to the warmed milk. Cover with a plate and let stand until bubbly; about 5 to 10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a KitchenAid mixer with the dough hook attachment, add 2 cups flour, remaining sugar, 4 eggs, melted butter, salt and almond extract.
- Allow the machine to combine everything on low speed and then add the yeast and milk mixture.
- Slowly stir in the remaining flour, ½ cup at a time. Allow the machine to knead the bread dough for about 5 minutes until the dough is no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and on a lightly floured surface knead by hand for a minute until the dough is smooth. Then transfer the dough to a bowl with about 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled; about 1 ½ hours.
- Once the dough has doubled in size remove it from the bowl and place it on a piece of parchment paper on the counter. Divide the dough into three even pieces.
- Then divide each piece in half so you have 6 pieces total.
- On a baking sheet that’s been lined with parchment paper, roll each piece into a long rope about 16 inches long. Then braid the rope pieces to form one long braid. Pinch the ends together and form a circle.
- Place a raw colored egg in the center of each circle.
- Allow the bread circles to rise another 60 minutes. Then brush each bread circle with a beaten egg yolk mixed with 1 teaspoon of water.
- Sprinkle the colorful Easter sprinkles on top of each bread circle.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F degree oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until the breads are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.
Nutrition
Notes
- Make sure you use raw eggs. Don't worry, they will bake along with the bread in the oven and become perfectly hard-boiled eggs.
- Brush a little vegetable oil on the bottom of each colored egg to prevent “bleeding” when the bread bakes.
Barbara says
Looks so pretty with the egg in it's bread dough nest! Thank you for sharing at Share Your Style, Lois!! I am happy to share your post at this week's SYS #338 for you. Happy almost spring!
Hugs,
Barb 🙂