Easter is one of the most important holidays in the Christian calendar. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is typically marked with various traditions, such as decorating Easter eggs and attending church services. Another tradition that many people around the world partake in is eating Easter bread.
Why Do We Eat Easter Bread on Easter?
Easter bread is a rich, sweet bread that is typically made with ingredients such as eggs, butter, sugar, and milk. It is often flavoured with spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, as well as dried fruits and nuts. The bread is usually shaped into a round loaf or braided into a wreath or a braid, and sometimes decorated with dyed eggs or sprinkles.
The origins of Easter bread can be traced back to ancient times when bread was a staple food in many cultures. As Christianity spread throughout Europe, the tradition of baking special bread for Easter emerged as a way to celebrate the holiday. In many cultures, the bread was also given as a gift to family and friends during the Easter season.
Making Homemade Easter Bread
If you’re interested in making our homemade easter bread recipe, we have created a step-by-step recipe and recipe video for you to try at home this Easter!
This recipe takes some time, but is actually super easy to make! This bread goes great with our Perfect Easter Ham recipe!
If you have leftovers, our homemade easter bread recipe is perfect to make french toast the next day!
Easy Homemade Easter Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Kitchen Aid Mixer or Similiar
- 1 Bread Attachment
Ingredients
- 2 Packages active dry yeast
- 1/2 Cup Warm water
- 1 1/2 Cups 2% milk, warmed
- 3 Large eggs
- 1/4 Cups Butter, softened
- 1/4 Cup Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Salt
- 7 Cups All-purpose flour
- Sesame seeds
Egg Wash
- 1 Egg
- 2 Tbsp Water
Instructions
- In your KitchenAid mixture or similar, dissolve the yeast in warm water.
- Add in milk, eggs, butter, sugar, salt and 3 cups flour. Keep the remaining 4 cups of flour for later.
- Turn the mixer on medium speed and mix until smooth.
- Now it's time to mix in the remaining flour until the dough is soft and smooth.
- Put dough on a floured surface and knead until smooth. This usually takes around 8 minutes of constant kneading.
- Place dough in a greased bowl and turn over to grease both sides.
- Cover and let rise in a warm place. It should double in size! Let rest for at least 2 hours.
- After it rests, punch down the dough on a floured surface and divide into 6 even portions.
- Roll each portion into 14-inch logs.
- This recipe makes 2 loaves. For each loaf, you will braid 3 logs together. Refer to the recipe video on our braiding technique.
- Once you have formed your loaves, cover them with a kitchen towel.
- Let rise in a warm place for about 50 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 375° and cook for 35 minutes or until golden brown!
- Serve with soft butter 🙂
