Go Back
–+ servings
Three loaves of Easter Bread with colored eggs.
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Easter Bread

This festive Easter Bread is similar to a brioche bread, the flavor is just a little sweeter. The dyed eggs are raw and will cook in the oven along with the loaves of bread.
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Rising Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time3 hours 25 minutes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Easter Bread
Servings: 12
Calories: 282kcal
Author: Heidi Rasmussen
Cost: 5

Equipment

  • Stand mixer with dough hook

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup milk (2% or Whole milk)
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast
  • 4 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 cup butter room temperature
  • 3 white eggs for coloring
  • 3 cups warm water
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • gel food colors pink, blue and purple
  • Sprinkles optional

Instructions

  • Heat milk and 1 teaspoon of sugar in a small bowl (microwave safe) for 1 minute. The milk should be between to 110 to 120°F. Do not heat the milk above 130°F. Add yeast and stir. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow the yeast to activate and get frothy.
    Bowl of Foamy yeast for Easter Bread. Whisk on the side.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, 1/2 cup of sugar and salt. Mix together.
    Mixing bowl with dry ingredients combined with a whisk for Easter Bread.
  • Lightly beat 2 eggs, then add to the mixing bowl along with the frothy yeast.
    Mixing bowl with dry in wet ingredients for Easter Bread dough.
  • Using a hook attachment, set on low speed and knead for 5 minutes. Keep an eye on the dough and pull it down from the hook as needed.
    Mixing bowl with Easter Bread dough without the butter. Kneading hook on the side.
  • Add room temperature butter 1 tablespoon at a time while the dough is kneading on low. Once all the butter has been added, continue to knead on low for 10-15 minutes. You will need to pull down the dough from the hook as it bunches up.
    Mixing bowl of Easter Bread dough with softened butter added by the tablespoon. Butter and knife on the side.
  • The dough will feel sticky and stretchy, but it should not stick to your fingers. If it tears easily while pulling, knead a little longer.
    Hand stretching Easter Bread dough out of a mixing bowl.
  • Grease a large bowl. Place dough in the greased bowl, cover with damp towel or plastic wrap and allow it to rise in a warm place for 1-1 1/2 hours until it's doubled.
    Greased bowl with Easter dough ball.
  • Dye white RAW eggs in Easter colors. Place 1 cup of warm water in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Add a generous amount of gel food coloring and mix. Place white egg in the bowl for about 3 minutes until it reaches the desired color. Place on a paper towel and let it completely dry.
    Hand holding spoon with dyed egg for Easter Bread.
  • Punch down the dough, place on a lightly floured working surface and divide into 6 equal parts.
    Floured cutting board with Easter bread dough ball cut into six parts.
  • Take two pieces of dough and create two 1 inch ropes that are 14 inches long.
    Rolled out Easter Bread dough ropes on a cutting board.
  • Pinch together one end and twist the two ropes together. Create a circle by pinching the two ends together. Place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
    Two dough ropes of Easter Bread twisting together on a cutting board.
  • Place a colored egg in the center of each loaf. Do not push the egg down, it will sink while it bakes.
    Baking sheet lined with parchment paper with three Easter Bread round loaves and a colored egg on top in the center of the twisted loaf.
  • Cover Easter Bread loaves with a kitchen towel and allow dough to rest for 30 minutes. Whisk 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of water together. Brush the dough with the egg wash being careful not to brush too close to the colored egg because it will bleed into the dough.
    Brushing egg wash around the outside of the Easter Bread loaf. Blue colored egg in the center.
  • Sprinkle with nonpareils or any kind of sprinkles you want.
    Sprinkles on top of the unbaked Easter Bread dough loaves.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until it's a nice golden brown. Immediately place on a wire rack to cool.
    Three loaves of baked Easter Bread cooling on a wire rack and a mini bowl of sprinkles.

Notes

  • This recipe makes three 7 inch Easter Bread Loaves.
  • The dough will be stretchy and sticky to the touch, but it won't stick to your hands. Keep kneading the dough if it is breaks while stretching or if it's too sticky.
  • It is important to add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time to help it incorporate into the dough. It has a tendency to collect at the bottom of the mixing bowl so just let it incorporate slowly.
  • Because of the eggs, store in the refrigerate in an air tight container.
  • If it gets a little stale after a day or two, slice it up and make into a delicious French Toast.
  • The nutrition does not include the colored eggs in the center of the Easter Bread.

Nutrition

Calories: 282kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 373mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 324IU | Vitamin C: 0.002mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 3mg