Sweet Easter Bread

4.79 from 76 votes

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From my Easter table to yours, this beautiful Sweet Easter Bread will be the star of the meal. Baking Sweet Easter Bread is so nostalgic for me as it symbolizes tradition, family and my childhood in Bulgaria and Greece with family gathered all around the🥚Easter table. Bread was always a centerpiece to the delicious traditional meals I grew up enjoying. Many cultures have their own way of making sweet Easter bread, and this is mine. You don’t need the excuse of a holiday to make this bread—I can eat sweet bread every week, and it’s one of my favorite things to bake.

Close-up of a braided challah bread topped with sesame seeds, resting on brown parchment paper. The bread has a golden-brown crust with a soft, textured appearance.

Why You’ll Love Sweet Easter Bread

This Sweet Bread recipe is such a delicious traditional recipe to incorporate into your Easter meal, or any meal, really! Don’t be intimidated by making bread; I promise this one is a cinch. The ingredients list is super simple and the dough comes together in the mixer, so it requires minimal hands-on work. PLUS, this recipe makes two loaves! When it comes out of the oven, you’ll have a fluffy and soft loaf that pulls apart to reveal buttery, subtly sweet layers that simply melt in your mouth.

Ingredients

A flat lay of baking ingredients on a white surface, including eggs, olive oil, milk, flour, butter, sugar, vanilla, yeast, lemon zest, and sesame seeds, each in individual bowls or directly on the surface.
  • Yeast: This is what makes the dough rise. I always recommend checking the expiration date and waiting until it foams up before proceeding to the next step to ensure your dough rises properly. 
  • Sugar: In addition to adding sweetness, sugar helps feed the yeast. 
  • Milk: Warm milk activates the yeast and helps create a beautiful golden crust when added to the egg wash. 
  • Avocado oil: This neutral oil creates a soft and pliable dough without overpowering the flavor. I use avocado oil, but any neutral oil will work. 
  • Eggs: This ingredient is the hardest worker in the room. They bind the dough together and give the loaf a beautiful golden color when used as an egg wash. 
  • Lemon Zest: Fresh lemon zest gives brightness and subtle flavor to the loaf. 
  • Vanilla extract: This aromatic adds warmth and depth of flavor. I like to use pure vanilla extract, but you can also use vanilla bean paste.
  • Butter: Unsalted butter adds softness to the crumb and gives it a rich flavor. 
  • Flour: I use all purpose flour, but feel free to use bread flour or a 1:1 gluten-free substitute. 
  • Sesame seeds: I like to sprinkle this loaf with sesame seeds for added crunch and a beautiful, bakery-style presentation.  

Nonna’s Tip

Be sure to keep an eye on the loaves as they bake as baking times will vary depending on your oven and how tightly your loaves are braided. If you’re unsure, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the loaf. The bread is ready when the interior reaches 190F.

Hands pulling apart a fluffy piece of braided bread topped with colorful candy eggs and sesame seeds, showcasing its soft texture. The background features a gray surface and a white cloth.

Variations and Substitutions for Sweet Easter Bread

  1. You can absolutely use instant yeast and you do not need to proof it. Since instant yeast does not need to be activated, you can simply add all the ingredients to the mixer and go!
  2. If you want to use fresh yeast instead, I would recommend using 🥄1 tablespoon of fresh yeast. 
  3. I have not tried using dairy-free milk 🥛in this recipe, but as long as the liquid is warm, it should still activate the yeast. Warm water should also work, however, the loaf may not turn out as tender and rich. Let me know if you try it out!
  4. Gluten-free flour should work but I haven’t tried it in this recipe. If you’re experimenting with it, be sure to use 1-1 gluten-free baking flour and let me know the results.

Best Served With

  • Enjoy Sweet Easter Bread with a cup of hot coffee ☕ or tea 🫖.
  • Serve with a bowl aof fresh fruit 🍇 and my Yogurt Fruit Dip.
  • Slice a piece and serve toasted with butter 🧈 and my recipe for The Healthiest Jam.

Similar Easter Recipes

Sweet Easter Bread

Sweet Easter Bread

Sweet Easter Bread is so nostalgic for me: it symbolizes tradition, family, love, and my childhood. This recipe is very easy, comes together with minimal hands-on work, and yields TWO fluffy, tender, sweet bread loaves.
4.79 from 76 votes
Course: Bread
Cuisine: Bulgarian, Greek
Makes: 20 slices
Author: The Modern Nonna
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Resting Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients 

Activating The Yeast

  • 1 package active dry yeast
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ cup milk , warm

The Dough

  • ½ cup avocado oil , or any neutral oil
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract , or vanilla bean paste
  • 1 cup milk , warm
  • ½ cup butter , unsalted, melted
  • 6 cups all-purpose flour , add more if needed
  • 1 tablespoon butter , melted for greasing the dough-ball

Before Baking

Instructions 

The Yeast

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer add the active dry yeast, sugar, and warm milk. Using a whisk, give it a quick stir, and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes or until it foams up. If it does not activate or foam up, do not proceed with the remaining recipe. You need to start this step all over. See the recipe notes below for using instant yeast.
    A metal mixing bowl with a foamy, bubbly yeast mixture being activated in water, placed on a light-colored marble surface.

The Dough

  • Once the yeast activates, add the oil, eggs, sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, warm milk, and melted butter. I melted the butter and milk together on the stove. Don’t add it in scorching hot; the butter and milk should be warm, not hot.
    A metal mixing bowl containing flour, yeast, oil, and water, with ingredients partially mixed, placed on a white marble countertop.
  • Using a whisk, stir the ingredients until the egg yolks and whites are broken up. Add the dough hook attachment on the stand mixer and, with the mixer on medium-low speed, mix while gradually adding the flour, until all the flour is included, and the dough pulls away from the sides of the mixing bowl. The dough will take 6 to 8 minutes to come together and knead.
    A metal mixing bowl containing flour and a yellowish liquid mixture, sitting on a light-colored marble surface.
  • Remove the dough from the stand mixer, shape it into ball, and lightly grease it with the melted butter or oil. Place the dough back in the bowl of the stand mixer and loosely cover with a lint-free kitchen towel or plastic wrap.
    A metal mixing bowl filled with smooth, pale yellow cake batter sits on a white marble surface.
  • Leave the dough in a warm spot for 2 hours, or until the dough has tripled in size. I like to leave mine in the oven with the door closed. Do not turn the oven on; just leave it in there to rise in a draft-free environment. While the dough is rising, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
    A metal mixing bowl filled with smooth, risen dough sits on a light marble surface. The dough appears airy and slightly sticky, ready for further baking preparation.
  • Once risen, punch the dough down and place it on a clean counter. Cut the dough in half and cut each half into 3 equal pieces. You should have 6 equal pieces of dough. (I weighed my pieces and they were 283 g each, but weighing is not a required step.)
    Six round balls of dough are evenly spaced on a light marble surface, ready for baking or further preparation.
  • Form each dough piece into a ball and then roll each ball into a 14 to 15-inch-long rope. Line up 3 of the the ropes in parallel lines and pinch the tops of the 3 pieces together to bind them. Then, braid the 3 ropes to form a loaf. Pinch the bottom of the 3 ropes together to seal the braided loaf.
    Three long, evenly spaced ropes of raw dough are placed parallel to each other on a light marble surface, ready for further shaping or braiding.
  • Make the second loaf with the remaining 3 pieces of dough, following the same pinching and braiding method. Once the two loaves are braided, transfer them onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheets, cover them with a lint-free kitchen towel or plastic wrap, and let them rise in a warm spot for 1 hour. After 45 minutes, place a rack in the center of the oven, then preheat to 350F.
    A raw, braided loaf of dough rests on a sheet of parchment paper on a baking tray, ready to be baked.

Before Baking

  • After the loaves have risen, uncover them and brush with egg wash. Sprinkle on sesame seeds (or your topping of choice) and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden. You may need to bake the loaves one at a time depending on if they fit on one baking sheet or if two baking sheets fit on one shelf of the oven.
    A braided loaf of unbaked challah bread dough, brushed with egg wash and sprinkled with sesame seeds, rests on parchment paper atop a light surface.
  • My loaves took 35 minutes to bake. Keep an eye on them as they bake, as the baking time will depend on the model of oven and how tightly the loaves are braided. If you are unsure if your loaves are done, you can insert an instant-read thermometer in the center of the loaf. The bread is ready when it is 190F in the interior.
  • Transfer the loaves to a cooling rack and let cool completely. At this point, you can decorate the loaves with some mini eggs, if you like. Once the loaves are cool, serve or wrap well in plastic wrap to ensure they stay nice and fresh for the following day. This sweet bread is perfect even after a few days; all you have to do is toast it and add some butter on top. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

  • Yeast: You can absolutely use instant yeast and you do not need to proof it. Since instant yeast does not need to be activated, you can simply add all the ingredients to the mixer and go! If you want to use fresh yeast instead, I would recommend using 1 tablespoon of active dry yeast. 
  • Dairy-free substitutions: I have not tried using dairy-free milk in this recipe, but as long as the liquid is warm, it should still activate the yeast. Warm water should also work, however, the loaf may not turn out as tender and rich. Let me know if you try it out! 
  • Gluten-free alternatives: Gluten-free flour should work but I haven’t tried it in this recipe. If you’re experimenting with it, be sure to use 1-1 gluten-free baking flour and let me know the results.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 292kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 49mg, Sodium: 62mg, Potassium: 90mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 239IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 44mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Bread
Cuisine: Bulgarian, Greek
COOKED IT? SLAYED IT? 💅
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Common Questions

What should i do if my yeast does not activate?

If the yeast does not foam up or activate don’t continue on to the next step because your dough won’t rise. Check to make sure your yeast has not expired and that your warmed milk is not too hot before trying again.

What temperature should the warm butter and milk be?

To properly activate the yeast, make sure the milk and butter are warm-not too hot and not too cold. Everything should be lukewarm.

How do i make sure the loaves rise properly?

I like putting my dough bowl (covered with a clean kitchen towel) in the oven with the door closed and the oven off. This creates a nice and cozy, draft-free environment for your loaves to rise to perfection.

What if i don’t have a stand mixer?

No stand mixer, no problem. That just means you can make this bread recipe the traditional way. Simply mix everything in the bowl until it starts to come together, then pour it out onto a clean, floured surface and knead, knead, knead until the dough is soft, tacky and smooth.

can i make 1 loaf instead of 2?

As is, this recipe makes 2 loaves of sweet bread using 3 eggs. If you want to halve the recipe, you’ll probably need to use 2 eggs and add a touch more extra flour (depending on the size of the eggs). Continue to gradually add more flour as you knead, until you get a soft, tacky and smooth dough. It shouldn’t be too sticky or too dry.

Can i prepare the loaves in advance?

The dough can definitely be made the night before you are planning on baking. Simply cover it well and place it in the refrigerator for the first rise. The next day, take it out of the fridge and let come to room temperature. Then, you can form the braids, and continue on with the recipe as directed.

Can the bread be frozen after it’s baked?

Absolutely! First, cool the loaves to room temperature, then wrap them really well in plastic wrap before storing them in a Ziplock freezer bag. 

How should i decorate the sweet bread?

Traditionally, we always add a red-dyed hardboiled egg in our bread, but there are so many fun decorations to try! Before baking, you can sprinkle the loaves with sesame seeds, granulated sugar, or colorful sprinkles. After baking, nestle in mini chocolate eggs, or dust the whole loaf with powdered sugar.

How do i know if the bread is fully baked?

Be sure to keep an eye on the loaves as they bake as baking times will vary depending on your oven and how tightly your loaves are braided. If you’re unsure, insert an instant-read thermometer into the center of the loaf. The bread is ready when the interior reaches 190F.

Can this be formed into any other shapes/designs?

Certainly! You could braid 4 mini loaves, form the dough into a braided ring shape, or skip the braiding altogether and bake in two loaf pans. Since these variations will have different baking times, be sure to keep an eye on them while they bake.

What should i do if the top of the loaf is getting too dark?

If your loaf is getting dark before it has finished baking, you can place a sheet of aluminum foil on top for the remainder of the baking time.

Hi! I'm Sneji. Nice to meet you!

I am more commonly known as “The Modern Nonna” on social media where I create easy home cooked meals with a modern twist. I was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria and learned how to cook at the best culinary school in the world – my grandma’s kitchen. I lived in Greece on the Island of Crete with my parents for a while and then moved to Toronto, Canada when I was in grade 5. I started to really cook and experiment with food 11 years ago when I was 21 years old. Everything I currently know is a reflection of some part of my life…

Keep up to date with me on social media! Follow @themodernnonna

4.79 from 76 votes (65 ratings without comment)

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44 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Doubled this and it was so fluffy and soft. Family loved it. Could be slightly sweeter. We didn’t put the sesame seeds just the egg wash. Definitely will make it again.