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This recipe makes 2 beautiful loaves; one for you and one for the neighbors. My friend and fellow nursing student, Annie, shared this recipe with me. It’s a very close match to Ukrainian Easter Bread; kinda like a paska, and it’s not too difficult to make.
It does create a base for the most phenomenal french toast (click here for the french toast recipe). Back to this beautiful and sweet Easter bread. I made a 4-strand braid which my Mom had to demonstrate for me several times with towels, so I’ll try my best to explain it. If it doesn’t make any sense to you, by all means, make a regular 3-strander and pardon my attempt at artsy fartsy.
I mixed a bunch of white raisins into dough which added a nice contrast to the sweetness of the bread. It may be a great way to share the love of Christ and good news of what Easter is all about.
Ingredients for Sweet Easter Bread:
1 and 1/2 Cups very warm milk
1 cup white sugar + 1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp salt
2 envelopes active dry yeast (1 and 1/2 Tbsp)
3 eggs, well beaten
6 1/2 Cups unsifted all-purpose flour *measured correctly
1 egg
1 tsp water
3/4 cup to 1 cup white or brown raisins + 2 cups boiling water
How to Make Sweet Easter Bread
1. Place 1 cup white or brown raisins in a bowl with 2 cups boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain well and set the raisins aside.
2. Pour 1/2 cup warm milk (heated 30 seconds in micro) into a large measuring cup. Add 1 tsp sugar and sprinkle yeast over the top. Stir and let it stand to proof until bubbly and doubled in volume, about 10 minutes.
3. Combine 1 Cup of very warm milk (1 minute in micro), with the 1 Cup sugar, softened butter and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Stir until most of the butter is melted.
4. Stir in 3 well-beaten eggs, then yeast mixture into the butter mixture. Using the dough hook attachment (or a wooden spoon if mixing by hand), Beat in 6 1/2 cups flour, one cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Knead for 8-12 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
Dough will still be a little sticky and will stick to the bowl, but should not stick to your fingers. If kneading by hand, turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead 8-12 minutes (using only enough flour necessary to prevent sticking to your hands).
5. Stir in the raisins until evenly distributed. Transfer the dough to a large buttered bowl, turning it to bring the buttered side up. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place, away from draft, about 1 and 1/2 hours or until double in volume.
(I set my oven to low, then turned it off and let the dough sit in a warm oven; about 100°F).
6. Punch dough down. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half. Divide one half into four equal pieces and form about 15″ strips with each quarter.
7. Pinch the four strips together on one end and let the braiding begin
8. Cross the far right strip over it’s neighbor.
9. Tuck the far left strip under it’s neighbor and over the next strip. Repeat step 8 & 9 until you finish the braid, then pinch together the other end.
10. Place each braid in a buttered baking dish (the would have expanded even better if I had used a large baking pan). Cover loosely with a towel and let them sit for 30 minutes.
11. After the braids have been sitting for 30 minutes, now pre-heat the oven to 375 °F. It’s hard to tell, but they did rise!
12. Beat together 1 egg and 1 tsp water. Generously brush the top and sides of the bread with the egg mix just before baking.
13. Bake each loaf separately for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown
Happy Easter!! Is there something special you are planning to cook or bake this Easter? I’d love to hear about your traditions!
Portuguese Easter Bread
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 Cups very warm milk
- 1 cup white sugar + 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 envelopes active dry yeast, 1 and 1/2 Tbsp
- 3 eggs, well beaten
- 6 1/2 Cups unsifted all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp water
- 3/4 cup to 1 cup white or brown raisins + 2 cups boiling water
Instructions
- Place 1 cup white or brown raisins in a bowl with 2 cups boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain well and set the raisins aside.
- Pour 1/2 cup warm milk (heated 30 seconds in micro) into a large measuring cup. Add 1 tsp sugar and sprinkle yeast over the top. Stir and let it stand to proof until bubbly and doubled in volume, about 10 minutes.
- Combine 1 Cup of very warm milk (1 minute in micro), with the 1 Cup sugar, softened butter and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Stir until most of the butter is melted.
- Stir in 3 well-beaten eggs, then yeast mixture into the butter mixture. Using the dough hook attachment (or a wooden spoon if mixing by hand), Beat in 6 1/2 cups flour, one cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Knead for 8-12 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Dough will still be a little sticky and will stick to the bowl, but should not stick to your fingers. If kneading by hand, turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead 8-12 minutes (using only enough flour necessary to prevent sticking to your hands).
- Stir in the raisins until evenly distributed.
- Transfer the dough to a large buttered bowl, turning it to bring the buttered side up. Cover with a tea towel and let rise in a warm place, away from draft, about 1 and 1/2 hours or until double in volume. (I set my oven to low, then turned it off and let the dough sit in a warm oven; about 100 degrees F).
- Punch dough down. Tur out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in half. Divide one half into four equal pieces and form about 15" strips with each quarter.
- Pinch the four strips together on one end and let the braiding begin!
- Cross the far right strip over it's neighbor.
- Tuck the far left strip under it's neighbor and over the next strip. Repeat steps until you finish the braid, then pinch together the other end.
- Place each braid in a buttered baking dish (the would have expanded even better if I had used a large baking pan). Cover loosely with a towel and let them sit for 30 minutes.
- After the braids have been sitting for 30 minutes, now pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
- Beat together 1 egg and 1 tsp water. Generously brush the top and sides of the bread with the egg mix just before baking.
- Bake each loaf separately for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown.
Hi Natasha, I baked this beauty last night for today breakfast. I used dried cranberries because I didn’t have raisins. t is delicious. Thanks a lot for this wonderful recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed your breakfast.
Hi Natasha I have a question I am making the Portuguese Sweet Bread recipe and the yeast I dont have any store bought yeast. My son made home made yeast and wanted to know if that would work for that and how much I would need to add it to the recipe.
Thanks
Hi Leslie, it is hard to say without knowing what he used or what kind it is. I imagine it would work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Made this recipe and it was amazing would not change a thing
Love all your recipes
Thank you so much, Angie! I love your short but sweet review.
Loved this recipe! I’ve never made bead before but your instructions were great and it turned out amazing. This is now my new easter tradition. Reminds me of my Mom. Thanks for sharing this.
We love traditions! That’s so great! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Wow! This bread is so easy and so pretty when baked. I added dried cranberries too!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Beth! Thank you for the wonderful review!
My family used to make this bread and I’ve decided to give it a whirl. I came across your recipe and was amazed with your directions. You make it look so easy. With the recent times it’s been hard to find yeast. The only kind of yeast I was able to find is the instant kind. The directions say no need to dissolve the yeast and to just add to the dry ingredients. Would you mind walking this, never baked in my life wife, through what to do when using instant yeast? Much appreciation!
Hi Heather, I haven’t tested this with instant yeast but that should work fine – I would just combine all of the liquid ingredients. Stir the instant yeast into the first cup of flour and add it to the mixture. With instant yeast, there is no need to proof it and that is correct, you can just add it to the dry ingredients.
Absolutely delicious, the recipe was very easy to follow and the whole house smelled delicious during the baking process. Loved it!!!
I’m so glad and happy to hear that, Alla! Thank you for sharing that feedback with me!
Sooo good. I’ve made it twice now. I did added lemon zest since that is the way my Portuguese Mamma makes it. I lov-ah you Mae”.
Thank you Natasha.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Oh Hi Maria, just wondering how much lemon zest you used to make this bread.
I will try to make tomorrow for Easter:)
Thanks
I use 1/2 – lemon extract or peel-
From my Portuguese Nana’s recipe!
Trish
Hi Maria
How much lemon zest did you use for this bread
Thank you
I just baked this bread and it tastes delicious! We couldn’t wait to try it. Besides the house smells good and warm perfect for this weather. Thanks Natasha.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for that amazing review.
Thank you***
Hi Natasha
Could you show us a video on how you braid your 4 strand Easter bread please.
Thanks so much
Hi, since it is post Easter, I don’t have any plans to do Easter recipes until we get closer to the next Easter. I will keep that in mind for next year. Thanks for the suggestion!
Awesome!
Looking forward to it!
I love to bake and try new recipes. However most of the really awesome looking cakes and breads come out looking like Pinterest fails 😂
Your instructions are very clear and I love the pictures. I didn’t have any issues following the “how-to” on the braiding it was just maneuvering the the dough.
I’m very pleased with how they came out. They taste amazing!
I used a large cookie sheet to bake them on and I ended up with large loaves.
Thank you, Natasha for your wonderful recipes and instructions.
Hi Kammy! I’m so happy to hear that was helpful! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Hi Natasha, I am very excited to try this recipe! Can i try to make the dough in the bread machine?
Hi Tatyana! I haven’t tested that in a machine so I cannot advise. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Easily the best bread recipe I have ever tried — and I’ve tried a few. I’ve made this a dozen times now when we have family get-togethers, and people actually fight over it. I don’t like raisins in my baking, so have done it once with citrus peel (good), and washed then chopped candied ginger the other times, which is the hands-down favourite in my family. I also added a tbsp of honey to the egg wash because I like my sweet bread to be sweet. Anyway, I feel funny as a guy commenting about a baking recipe on a website geared primarily towards women, but I am so fond of this recipe that I had to let you know. Thanks for posting it.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Dale! & Thank you for that awesome review!! 🙂
Dale: The Golden raisins are so delicious and with a very mild flavor and very tender ..You may like these!
I made your baklava for Easter and it was to die for, and easy to make (with a second set of hands).
Made the braided bread loaves today and they Are so delicious. Thanks for perfectly tested and written recipes!
I’m happy to hear how much you’re enjoying the recipes Mary! Thanks for following and sharing your wonderful reviews!
Could this be made in loaf pans?
Hi Christine, I think that would work well. I haven’t tested it myself so I’m not sure if it would fill 3 pans or 4. If you experiment, let me know how it goes 🙂
I made it is delicious, again all your recipe are perfect!!!. I never have doubts when I start to make any of your recipes, they never fail
Thank you so much! I’m happy to hear how much you are enjoying the recipes! Thanks for following and sharing your fantastic review! 😀
Can keep the dough in the refrigerator?
Hi Marimar, I haven’t tried that but I imagine you could and then just bring it back to room temp to rise before baking.
Made this for Easter today and it turned out amazing! I’m usually such a chicken when it comes to making bread but this turned out so great!!
Thank you!!
-Alena
You’re welcome! I’m glad to hear that! 😀
I remember having this Portuguese Sweet Bread made into French toast when we were in Hawaii!! I couldn’t get enough of it!! Thanks for the recipe, I can’t wait to try it.
So you already know!! It is just amazing and such a treat! 🙂
You’re welcome Peggy! Please let me know what you think!