easter bread

Easy, classic old-fashioned hot cross buns are perfect for your Easter celebration! We make our version with plump currants, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a bit of lemon zest to brighten up the warm spices.

Best-Ever Hot Cross Buns

c. whole milk, warm

(0.25-oz.) packages active dry yeast

c. granulated sugar

butter

pure vanilla extract

c. all-purpose flour,

kosher salt

cinnamon

nutmeg

c. dried currants, plumped

lemon

Egg wash,

c. sugar

whole milk

Do you like to buy your bread rolls or bake them at home?

I added more cinnamon and nutmeg. I also added fresh toasted and ground anise. Despite lots of additional spices, the rolls baked well but are bland.

Can these be frozen to make ahead of time?

https://streaming.hearstdigitalstudios.com/manual_upload/58f8f212bbddbd1f28cc1a92/mp4/Hot_Cross_Buns_FINAL_V2_1492709921_4000_hd_v3.mp4

Hot Cross Buns

This is grandma's recipe for the softest and most delicious Easter Bread! Share it with your family and make your kids happy with colorful eggs.

Easter Bread

dry active yeast)

milk (102F / 39C)

sugar

all-purpose white flour

salt

(113 grams softened butter)

Add yeast, 4 Tbsp of the warm milk and teaspoon sugar to a small bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel for 10-15 minutes or until yeast is bubbly.

Sift 6 cups of white flour into your stand-mixer's bowl, add a pinch of salt, bubbly yeast, sugar, rest of the milk and softened butter cut up into chunks into the bowl and knead with the dough hook on high for at least 5 minutes or until the dough is very elastic.

Leave dough in the bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel and let rice until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Punch down the dough and divide into three equal parts.

Roll parts into long strands, pinch ends together and start braiding all the way down and then pinch other ends together.

Place on a baking sheet and form an O and pinch ends together.

Brush with a little milk and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

Tsoureki is a soft, gently sweet and aromatic bread traditionally enjoyed over Easter.&nbsp;

Tsoureki - Greek Easter bread

water (lukewarm, 60 milliliters)

tsp instant dried yeast (7 grams)

tbsp sugar

bread flour (420 grams)

tsp salt

sugar (56 grams)

tsp ground mahleb

tsp ground mastic (traditionally used, but if you miss one of spices this would be the one)

orange zest (ie from 1/2 orange, optional)

tbsp butter (56 grams, melted and cooled)

eggs

milk (60 milliliters, ideally room temp)

tbsp milk

tbsp sliced almonds

Mix together the warm water, 2tbsp sugar and yeast and leave to bubble up while you mix the rest.

In a large bowl, add the flour, salt, sugar and mahleb, as well as mastic and/or orange zest if using. Mix them together so well combined.

Add the melted butter, eggs, milk and the bubbled-up yeast mixture to the bowl and mix well. You will probably need to finish it off by hand to get the last of the dry ingredients incorporated.

Tip the dough onto a clean surface and knead for around 5 minutes to stretch the dough. It should feel pretty dry - if it's a little sticky add a little more flour.&nbsp;

Transfer the dough to a bowl that has been lightly brushed with oil and cover. Set aside in a slightly warm place for a good 2 - 3 hours until it has doubled in size.&nbsp;

Once it has doubled, knock back the dough (gently deflate it with your fingers), then divide into three pieces. Stretch out and roll each piece to give you three long 'sausages'. Put the pieces on a baking sheet or piece of parchment to make it easier to transfer. Join the three pieces together at one end then braid them together. Join the other end. Make sure you don't braid too tightly as it still has to rise again.

Set aside for around another hour to rise again - roughly double or a little less. When near the end, preheat oven to 350F/180C.

Mix together the egg and milk, beating lightly, then use this to glaze the loaf. Take care not to deflate it as you brush it. Sprinkle over the sliced almonds and then bake for approx 45 minutes, covering with a foil 'tent' after around 20 minutes to stop it browning too much. The loaf should be a golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and let it cool to gently warm before slicing.&nbsp;

https://embed.mediavine.com/videos/ydqgupmorjznzdhruyza

Tsoureki is the traditional Greek Easter bread that’s a deliciously soft, gently sweet yeast bread similar to brioche or challah but with it’s own distinctive flavor. It’s wonderful enjoyed on it’s own when fresh and leftovers make fantastic French toast.

Tsoureki: Greek Easter bread

Romanian Traditional Sweet Bread With Walnuts- Cozonac is a recipe made every year for the holidays. Flour, sugar, eggs, milk, and yeast are the main ingredients.

Romanian Traditional Sweet Bread With Walnuts- Cozonac

active dry yeast

500 ml whole milk

granulated sugar

egg egg

all-purpose flour

cup(250 grams) unsalted butter room temperature

vanilla extract

walnuts

rum rum flavor

raisins

Warm up the milk to 110F/44C, add the...

Warm up the milk to 110F/44C, add the sugar, and mix to dissolve. Add the yeast and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 5 minutes or until frothy.

Add the lemon rind and vanilla.

Separate the eggs. For the dough, we will...

Separate the eggs. For the dough, we will use only the yolks. (The egg white will be used to make the filling.)

In a small bowl, mix yolks with the...

In a small bowl, mix yolks with the salt. Salt is essential in baking. It enhances the taste of the final product. Also, in this case, the salt intensifies the color of the yolks, and the bread will have a slightly yellow, beautiful color. Set aside.

Meanwhile, sift the flour and place it in...

Meanwhile, sift the flour and place it in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Start the mixer on low speed and add egg yolks. Mix slowly while you start adding the milk mixture.

You will obtain a very soft, sticky dough....

You will obtain a very soft, sticky dough. Continue to mix while you add the soft butter, little by little. Continue to knead at low speed for 6-8 minutes or until the dough is smooth, elastic, and not sticky anymore. 

Beat the egg whites frothy, then add the...

Beat the egg whites frothy, then add the sugar and continue to beat to a soft pick. Fold the ground walnuts and the mixture of raisins and rum gently. 

Brush four loaf pans with melted butter to...

Brush four loaf pans with melted butter to grease.

Punch the center of the dough down with...

Punch the center of the dough down with your fist and turn it onto a lightly oiled surface. Knead for 1-2 minutes or until reduced to its original volume.

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Use a...

Divide the dough into 4 equal portions. Use a lightly oiled rolling pin to roll out a dough portion to an 8x10 inches(20 cm x 25 cm) rectangle.

Sprinkle a quarter of the filling evenly over...

Sprinkle a quarter of the filling evenly over the dough. Starting from a long side, roll up the dough to form a log and enclose the filling. Repeat with the remaining dough portions and filling.

Place each log into a tin. Cover with a...

Place each log into a tin. Cover with a slightly damp kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place for 1 hour or until almost doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. 

Brush the tops of the loaves with the...

Brush the tops of the loaves with the whisked egg and sprinkle with the raw sugar.

Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to...

Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 330F/170C and bake for a further 30 minutes or until cooked through and the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the top. 

Your oven could be different. Therefore you might...

Your oven could be different. Therefore you might need to bake for another 5-10 minutes or less. Stand in the tins for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool (this will take about 1 hour).

Serve at room temperature, cut into slices and...

Serve at room temperature, cut into slices and enjoy!

Soft, sweet, and decorated with colorful eggs and sprinkles, this Easter Bread recipe comes together easily with a few simple ingredients.

whole milk ((about 100°F/240 milliliters))

granulated sugar (divided (105 grams))

active dry yeast ((2¼ teaspoons 0.25-ounce 7 grams))

all-purpose flour (plus additional for dusting (540 grams))

eggs (beaten)

unsalted butter

sprinkles (optional)

Stir together the milk, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 5 to 8 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly oil a large bowl.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, remaining ½ cup sugar, and salt. Add the yeast mixture and eggs. Mix on low speed until a very soft dough forms, about 5 minutes.

Increase the speed to medium, and gradually add the butter, about 1 tablespoon at a time, to the dough. Wait until each piece of butter is fully incorporated before adding the next tablespoon. Once all of the butter is incorporated, continue kneading on medium until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to the greased bowl. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Punch down the risen dough, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 28-inch-long rope. Braid the 3 ropes together, pinching each end to seal. Place the braid on the lined baking sheet and shape the braid into a circle making a braided wreath. Pinch the ends together to seal.

For the Dough:

Place the dyed eggs around the braided wreath. Loosely cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30-45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350°F while the wreath is rising.

Once risen, brush the wreath with the beaten egg and top with sprinkles, if using.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully transfer the bread on the parchment paper to a wire cooling rack. Let cool for at least 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

For the Topping:

Cozonac is a classic, simple, sweetened yeast bread with origins in Romania. Traditionally made during Easter and Christmas, this citrus-scented sweet dough is twisted around a nutty filling, creating a spiral design when baked. The result is a festive loaf bread with a tender and soft crumb.

Romanian Easter Bread Cozonac

milk

butter (170 grams, cut up)

bread flour (6 cups)

active dry yeast (8 grams)

orange zest (grated)

lemon zest (grated)

eggs (room temperature)

walnuts or almonds (finely ground, about 2 cups)

orange extract

orange zest

espresso powder

cocoa (dutch processed)

egg (lightly beaten)

turbinado sugar

In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the milk and sugar.

Add the butter and stir until butter is almost melted. Remove from heat and set aside.&nbsp;

In a large mixing bowl of stand mixture, with the paddle attachment, combine about 1½ cups of flour with the yeast.

Add the milk mixture and combine on low speed for 2-3 minutes. Note: liquid ingredients should be lukewarm

Allow the mixture to rest for a few minutes.

In the meanwhile, grate the orange and lemon zest and set aside.

With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs. Scrape down bowl and mix for about 1-2 minutes.

Add the vanilla extract, rum and salt.

Switch to dough hook.

Add the rest of the flour and knead for a few minutes.

Add the citrus zests and continue to knead for about 6-8 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. NOTE: If you find that the dough is still sticky, add a few more tablespoons of flour.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl (with butter). Make sure to turn the dough over in order to completely coat the dough with the grease.&nbsp;

Cover with plastic wrap.

Allow to rise for about 2 hours or until double in size.

In the meanwhile, prepare the filling.

The dough:

Over medium heat, in a small sauce pan, whisk together the milk and sugar.&nbsp;

Add the almonds and stir until a paste-like consistency is reached. This should take about 15 minutes. Stir often.

Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to stir until a paste like consistency is achieved.&nbsp;

Set aside to cool.

The filling:

Preheat oven to 350° F.&nbsp;Place oven grate to bottom third.&nbsp;Line 2 (9 x 5 inch) loaf pans with parchment paper.

Punch down the dough and divide into four equal parts.

On a lightly floured wooden board, roll out each section into a large rectangle (about 11 x 14) and spread out the nut mixture to within 1/2 inch from the ends.

Starting from the long end, roll the dough to form a log. Repeat with the rest of the dough and filling. Pinch the ends and the seams together.

Twist two pieces of log together and place in prepared loaf pan.&nbsp;

Brush the tops with a beaten egg and allow to double in size. This can take 45- 60 minutes.

Sprinkle a little sugar over the top and bake for about 45 minutes. Feel free to place a piece of aluminum foil loosely over the tops to prevent over browning.&nbsp;

Allow to cool completely before slicing into them.

To make the cozonac:

Kulich Russian sweet Easter Bread, similar to Italian Panettone. Easy recipe using bread maker dough setting. Traditionally made with raisins, but this recipe uses dried cranberries and blueberries - Kulich Easter Bread (Кулич)

Kulich Easter Bread (Paska)

sour cream

vanilla

flour (sifted)

bread machine yeast

icing sugar

Vanilla

Place ingredients, in the order listed, into your bread machine and select the dough program. Should take about 90 minutes to complete the dough cycle.

Remove the dough onto a floured surface. It will be very sticky. When you knock down the dough, to make it less sticky, add about 1/2 cup of flour and lightly work the dough. You don't want to properly knead it, but really just to keep it from sticking to the table.

Grease the cans/silicone cylinder with cooking spray. Divide the dough, so that the can/cylinder is filled only 1/3-1/2 from the top with dough (it will rise the rest of the way). Cover with cling wrap and a tea towel, place in a warm place for 1-2 hours, and allow to rise to the top of the cylinder. Be very careful not to bump, slam doors, and even keep away from drafts. This can cause the Kulich to collapse.

Place into a 180°C/350F preheated oven and bake from 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of your container. If the top is starts to burn, cover with foil and continue to cook. Using a thin wooden skewer, pierce the Kulich, and remove the skewer to test if it is done. If dough sticks on skewer, keep in oven for 5 more minutes and check again.

Allow to cool on a baking rack. When it is room temperature, Mix the icing sugar, milk and vanilla together. Pour the glaze over the Kulich and top with colorful candy sprinkles.

My recipe for Pasca, a traditional Romanian Easter Bread, has a touch of sweetness with fresh lemon zest. You&#39;re in for a treat with a sweet filling of ricotta, lemon, and raisins. Learn how to make this gorgeous sweet bread with an easy 6-strand braided edge!

Pasca - Romanian Easter Bread

water

butter (unsalted, melted)

lemon zest

ricotta cheese

egg (beaten, for egg wash)

Activate yeast:

In a bowl add the yeast and warm water, stir it a bit and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes to activate. You can also add 1 tbsp of sugar from the 1/2 cup of sugar needed for the dough, to help activate the yeast. The yeast should bubble up. If you don&#39;t see it bubble up, then the yeast is old. Do not proceed because your bread will not rise.

Combine wet ingredients:

In a sauce pan add the milk, butter, lemon zest and sugar. Heat it over medium-low heat just until the butter melts and the sugar is dissolved. Do not boil it, it just needs to be warm to the touch. If it gets too hot it can kill the yeast. Remove from heat. Whisk in the eggs.

Make the dough:

To the bowl of your mixer add the flour, the milk mixture, and the yeast mixture. Using the dough hook mix everything for about 5 minutes until everything is well blended together and the dough should come off the sides of the bowl. The dough will be a softer dough and somewhat sticky to your hands. The more you mix the dough the fluffier it will be.

Let the dough rise:

Take a large bowl and oil it with about 1 tbsp of the vegetable oil. Place the dough in the bowl and use the other tbsp of vegetable oil to rub over the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft free environment. Let the dough rise until it doubles in size, could take 1 to 2 hours. Alternatively you could let the dough rise in the mixer bowl.

Top 11 easter bread recipes from across the web

The most viewed easter bread recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Best-Ever Hot Cross Buns

Easter Bread

Tsoureki - Greek Easter bread

Romanian Traditional Sweet Bread Wi...

Easter Bread

Romanian Easter Bread Cozonac

Kulich Easter Bread (Paska)

Pasca - Romanian Easter Bread

Ukrainian Paska

Sweet Bread Recipe

Russian Kulich

Top 11 easter bread recipes from across the web

The most viewed easter bread recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Best-Ever Hot Cross Buns

Easter Bread

Tsoureki - Greek Easter bread

Romanian Traditional Sweet Bread Wi...

Easter Bread

Romanian Easter Bread Cozonac

Kulich Easter Bread (Paska)

Pasca - Romanian Easter Bread

Ukrainian Paska

Sweet Bread Recipe

Russian Kulich

The most viewed easter bread recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine