Easter Breads Recipe

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This Easter Breads recipe produces a billowy soft, beautifully golden and lightly sweet bun with a perfectly cooked egg. And the ingredients here are so simple. My baby girl loved munching on her Easter bun :).

Easter breads are a wonderful way to share the real story of Easter. This recipe was shared with me 6 or 7 years ago by Annie, a fellow nursing school student. I remember when she first gave me one of these Easter Breads and explained how the cross symbolizes the crucifixion and Christ’s sacrifice, the bread symbolizes the tomb and the white egg symbolizes the resurrection and our new life in the Lord. Isn’t that awesome? I hope you make these for someone and share the best news in the world with them :).

Ingredients for Easter Breads:

2 envelopes (1 1/2 Tbsp or 15 grams) active dry yeast – I used Red Star brand
1 1/2 cups very warm milk (I used whole milk)
1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar + 1 tsp (5 grams)
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp (5 grams) salt
3 large eggs, well beaten
7 cups (875 grams) unsifted, all-purpose four, *measured correctly
12 large white eggs, room temp, uncooked with shell-on
1 large egg
1 tsp water

*To measure flour correctly, spoon it into your measuring cup and scrape off the top
**You don’t have to have a mixer for this recipe. It is ok to mix and knead by hand. If kneading by hand, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and use just enough flour to keep from sticking to your hands.

*Watch our easy video tutorial on how to measure correctly

How to Make Easter Breads:

1. Pour 1/2 cup warm milk (heated 30 seconds in the microwave) into a small bowl. Add 1 tsp sugar and sprinkle yeast over the top. Stir and let sit until bubbly (10 minutes).

2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine 1 cup very warm milk (heated 1 min in micro), with 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt and 8 Tbsp softened butter. Stir until most of the butter is melted. Note: If your butter isn’t melting because it was too cold or you let your milk cool, no prob – just set the bowl over a very warm water bath and stir.

3. Stir in 3 beaten eggs, then proofed yeast mixture. Using the dough hook, beat in 7 cups flour (measured correctly – see above), one cup at a time until a soft dough forms then knead 8-12 minutes. Dough will be smooth, elastic, a little sticky to the touch and to the bowl but will not stick to your dry fingers. 

4. Transfer dough to a large buttered bowl and turn it once so the surface of dough is buttered. Cover with tea towel and let proof in a warm draft-free place until doubled. I set it in a warm 100˚ oven for 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down.

5. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and divide into 14 pieces. Form 12 round buns, about 3/4″ thick, spacing them out onto 2 large buttered baking sheets or you can use a large 3/4 sheet to fit all of them. Press down the center of each bun with a tablespoon to make a hollow and gently press an egg into each hollow.

6. Shape remaining dough into two long thin rolls about 13″ long. Cut each into 12 pieces and shape each one into a very thin strip about 6″ long. Form a cross with two 6″ long pieces over each egg, tucking the tails under each egg.

7. Just before baking, beat 1 egg with 1 tsp water then generously brush the bun and carefully brush the cross (the egg is prettier if it’s not splattered with egg wash). Bake at 375˚F in the center of the oven for 18-20 minutes (mine took 20 minutes for the eggs to fully cook through).

These are best enjoyed and shared the day you make them. We refrigerate leftovers because of the egg. Enjoy and have a happy Easter!

Easter Breads

5 from 4 votes

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

This Easter Bread recipe produces a billowy soft, beautifully golden and lightly sweet bun with a perfectly cooked egg.

SaveSaved Pin Review Print

Prep Time: 2 hours hrs

Cook Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Ingredients 

Servings: 12 buns

• 2 envelopes, 1 1/2 Tbsp or 15 grams active dry yeast - I used Red Star brand
• 1 1/2 cups very warm milk, I used whole milk
• 1 cup 200 grams granulated sugar + 1 tsp (5 grams)
• 1/2 cup 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp 5 grams salt
• 3 large eggs, well beaten
• 7 cups 875 grams unsifted, all-purpose four, measured correctly*
• 12 large white eggs, room temp, uncooked with shell-on
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp water

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Instructions

• Pour 1/2 cup warm milk (heated 30 seconds in the microwave) into a small bowl. Add 1 tsp sugar and sprinkle yeast over the top. Stir and let sit until bubbly (10 minutes).
• In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine 1 cup very warm milk (heated 1 min in micro), with 1 cup sugar, 1 tsp salt and 8 Tbsp softened butter. Stir until most of the butter is melted. Note: If your butter isn't melting because it was too cold or you let your milk cool, no prob - just set the bowl over a very warm water bath and stir.
• Stir in 3 beaten eggs, then proofed yeast mixture. Using the dough hook, beat in 7 cups flour (measured correctly - see above), one cup at a time until a soft dough forms then knead 8-12 minutes. Dough will be smooth, elastic, a little sticky to the touch and to the bowl but will not stick to your dry fingers.
• Transfer dough to a large buttered bowl and turn it once so the surface of dough is buttered. Cover with tea towel and let proof in a warm draft-free place until doubled. I set it in a warm 100˚ oven for 1 1/2 hours. Punch dough down.
• Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and divide into 14 pieces. Form 12 round buns, about 3/4" thick, spacing them out onto 2 large buttered baking sheets or you can use a large 3/4 sheet to fit all of them. Press down the center of each bun with a tablespoon to make a hollow and gently press an egg into each hollow.
• Shape remaining dough into two long thin rolls about 13" long. Cut each into 12 pieces and shape each one into a very thin strip about 6" long. Form a cross with two 6" long pieces over each egg, tucking the tails under each egg.
• Just before baking, beat 1 egg with 1 tsp water then generously brush the bun and carefully brush the cross (the egg is prettier if it's not splattered with egg wash). Bake at 375˚F in the center of the oven for 18-20 min (mine took 20 min for the eggs to fully cook through).

Notes

*To measure flour correctly, spoon it into your measuring cup and scrape off the top
**You don't have to have a mixer for this recipe. It is ok to mix and knead by hand. If kneading by hand, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and use just enough flour to keep from sticking to your hands.

• Full Nutrition Label
• Nutrition Disclosure

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easter breads, easter buns

Skill Level: Medium

Cost to Make: $

Thank you so much for trying my recipes, pinning and sharing them with the people you love! Have a wonderful and blessed Easter! Do you have any special Easter traditions? I’d love to hear what your Easter week looks like!