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No Knead Easter Bread (Easy)

By Snejana Andreeva

on Jun 06, 2025

This No Knead Easter Bread requires a few pantry staples, and a healthy dose of patience. The result: a golden, pillowy sweet bread that requires absolutely zero muscle 💪.

Why You’ll Love No Knead Easter Bread
Ingredients
Nonna’s Tip 🥛
Variations and Substitutions for No Knead Easter Bread
Best Served With
Similar Recipes
No Knead Easter Bread Recipe
Common Questions

Growing up in Bulgaria, Easter wasn’t complete without the smell of freshly baked Kozunak filling the kitchen. Traditionally, my grandma made a version of her sweet bread from scratch, kneading it with practiced hands. But since I’m the MODERN Nonna, I wanted to share a more modern take that’s both foolproof , and beginner-friendly.

Unlike the traditional version, there’s NO kneading necessary 🙅🏻‍♀️! In fact, the dough rises overnight so it’s mostly hands-off . Keep in mind it does require some patience to pull off. Ok…a lot of patience 🧘‍♀️. Which actually makes it perfect for prepping ahead of time while you check other tasks off your to-do list 📝. It’s perfect for Easter morning or anytime you want a sweet treat. I promise, it’s worth the wait!

Three thick slices of golden, crusty No Knead Easter bread with a fluffy, airy texture are arranged on vintage-style printed parchment paper over a wooden surface. - 3

Why You’ll Love No Knead Easter Bread

My No Knead Easter Bread is easy enough for beginners and beautiful enough for your table centerpiece! Orange 🍊 and honey 🍯 fill your home with the smell of holiday memories and all the sweetness of a warm Spring day ☀️. The soft, pillowy crumb and shiny, golden crust are the stuff of carb-fueled dreams. And the best part? There’s no kneading involved! For this recipe, you’ll let the dough rise overnight, so it’s PERFECT for making ahead of time. The hard part? Waiting until it cools to indulge in a slice 🍞! Remember, patience is a virtue 😇.

Ingredients

Milk: Warm milk activates the yeast and helps your dough rise properly. However, you need to make sure it’s at the perfect temp – not too hot or cold – for good results.
Yeast: When mixed with warm milk, it makes the dough rise and gives it that light, fluffy texture.
Flour: You can’t have bread without flour! I use all purpose for a soft, tender crumb, though you could use bread flour for a slightly chewier texture.
Honey: This glorious nectar adds a bit of sweetness, moisture, and depth of flavor. It’s the unsung hero that will take your bread from good to great!
Eggs: The egg acts as a binder and holds all the ingredients together. Adding an egg wash gives your bread a beautiful golden crust.
Sugar : It sweetens the dough and feeds the yeast.
Orange : Orange zest adds a clean aroma and gives the bread its signature citrusy flavor.
Butter : This wholesome fat gives your bread rich flavor and tenderizes the crumb. Instead of butter, you can also use oil.
Salt: Salt balances the sweetness and keeps the yeast under control so it doesn’t rise too quickly.

Nonna’s Tip 🥛

Check and see if the yeast has expired. Make sure the milk is warm, if the yeast doesn’t foam up, do NOT proceed.

A hand holding a thick slice of golden, fluffy brioche bread with a soft, airy texture. A loaf and more slices are visible in the background on a rustic paper-lined wooden surface. - 4

Variations and Substitutions for No Knead Easter Bread

You can make this bread with your favorite add-ins , such as chocolate 🍫 or cinnamon and raisins.
I used all purpose flour for this recipe, but you could also use bread flour for a chewier bite. If you have dietary restrictions, opt for a 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute.
Instead of dairy milk, use your favorite plant based milk, such as almond milk, soy milk or oat milk 🌾.
I love the look of this bread loaf 🍞, but you can also bake this recipe into different shapes . Additionally, braid it and bake it on a cookie sheet. Form mini rolls or buns. Or create a show-stopping Easter wreath as the centerpiece of your holiday table.
Top this sweet bread with a citrusy lemon or orange glaze 🍊 or a dusting of powdered sugar.

A golden-brown loaf of bread with a sugar-dusted top cools on a black wire rack in a cozy kitchen setting with wooden utensils and jars in the background. - 5

Best Served With

Sweet bread 🍞 and jam are a match made in heaven! Instead of store-bought try my recipe for The Healthiest Jam .
Serve this with my foolproof Roasted Leg of Lamb and a Simple Green Salad 🥗 for a traditional holiday meal.
Enjoy with a warm cup of coffee or afternoon tea 🫖.
Pair with a bowl of fresh berries 🫐🍓 for a yummy snack.

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Equipment

▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
▢ Liquid Measuring Cup
▢ Mixing Bowls
▢ Rolling Pin
▢ Loaf Pan
▢ Food Scale

Ingredients

The Dough

▢ 100 grams milk , warm
▢ 5 grams yeast , active dry
▢ ½ tsp honey
▢ 2 eggs , room temp
▢ 100 grams sugar
▢ ½ orange , zested
▢ 25 grams butter , melted
▢ 275 grams flour , until a tacky dough
▢ 3 grams salt

The Shaping

▢ 20 grams all-purpose flour , for rolling it out
▢ 25 grams softened butter
▢ sugar , sprinkled on top

Instructions

▢ Note: for best results, it’s recommended you grab a food scale and weigh everything out in grams.
▢ Warm the milk on the stove until lukewarm, make sure the butter is melted in a separate pot as well.
▢ To a mixing bowl , add the yeast, warm milk, and honey. Let it foam up and activate. If it doesn’t activate, you need to start this step all over.
▢ To another big bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and orange zest until it looks pale and foamy. Next, sift in the flour and salt.
▢ Now, pour in the activated yeast mixture and mix well until a tacky dough.
▢ Note: the dough should be tacky (not dry and not wet) cover it with plastic wrap and let it sit for 45 min.
▢ After 45 minutes, with a wet hand, grab the bottom of the dough, gently stretch it up and fold it over. Rotate the bowl 45 degrees and repeat this step until fold all four sides making sure to always grab from the bottom folding each piece over the top.
▢ Cover it again, repeat this process 2 more times. So in total, you will stretch the fold 3 times making sure to wait 45 minutes in between (a total of 2.25 hours). Example: wait 45 min, stretch and fold. Cover and wait 45 min again, stretch and fold. Lastly, cover, wait 45 minutes, stretch and fold and proceed to the next step below ⬇️.
▢ Now, pour out the dough onto a lightly floured counter. You can flour the top a little as well. You don’t need a lot of flour, just a light dusting so that it doesn’t stick.
▢ With a rolling pin , roll it out into a circle ⭕️ making sure it’s thin.
▢ Once rolled out, spread on the softened butter 🧈 Note: feel free to add raisins, chocolate or any other filling as well.
▢ Once the butter is spread, grab the bottom of the dough and begin to roll it away from you forming a long rope.
▢ Now, grab the rope in the middle with your hand and make a two piece braid by intertwining each side.
▢ Place the braided dough into a big loaf pan , cover it and let it rise all the way to the top. This can take anywhere from 5-8 hours. I like to leave mine in a warm spot away from drafts overnight so that I can bake it the following morning.
▢ When the bread has filled up the loaf pan and risen to the top, uncover it, sprinkle with sugar and bake in a preheated 350F (180C) degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until light brown.
▢ Once baked, take it out of the oven, let it rest and enjoy!

Nonna’s Notes

Add-ins: You can make this bread with your favorite add-ins, such as chocolate or cinnamon and raisins.
Flour substitutions: I used all purpose flour for this recipe, but you could also use bread flour for a chewier bite. If you have dietary restrictions, opt for a 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute.
Milk alternatives: Instead of dairy milk, use your favorite plant based milk, such as almond milk, soy milk or oat milk.
Bread shapes: I love the look of this bread loaf, but you can also bake this recipe into different shapes. Braid it and bake it on a cookie sheet. Form mini rolls or buns. Or create a show-stopping Easter wreath as the centerpiece of your holiday table.
Glaze: Top this sweet bread with a citrusy lemon or orange glaze or a dusting of powdered sugar.

My Notes

Nutrition

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

Common Questions

There are a couple of reasons why your dough didn’t rise. Check to make sure the yeast isn’t expired and your milk is warm. If the yeast doesn’t foam up when mixed with the warm milk, you’ll need to toss it out and start again before proceeding to the next step.

Yes! Use a 1:1 gluten free flour of your preference.

For this recipe, we will do 4 separate rises. The first three are 45 minutes each, and the final rise will take 5-8 hours, or overnight.

No, you do not need to punch down the dough. For this recipe, we will do a stretch and fold method.

You’ll know your bread is done when it is golden brown on top and makes a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.

Absolutely! Feel free to use your favorite plant based milk as a substitute.

You can braid and bake this dough free-form on a parchment lined cookie sheet if you prefer.