Home › Recipes › Holiday Recipes
Sweet Easter Bread
By Snejana Andreeva
on Apr 14, 2022, Updated Feb 23, 2024
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.
- Why You’ll Love Sweet Easter Bread
- Ingredients
- Nonna’s Tip
- Variations and Substitutions for Sweet Easter Bread
- Best Served With
- Similar Easter Recipes
- Common Questions
- Sweet Easter Bread Recipe
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
- 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 .
Variations and Substitutions for Sweet Easter Bread
- 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 fresh yeast.
- 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 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
Easter Bunny Bread
35 mins
Cadbury Chocolate Chip Cookies
22 mins
Deviled Egg Chicks
25 mins
Roasted Leg of Lamb (Foolproof)
4 hrs 45 mins
Simple Green Salad
15 mins
Chocolate Easter Nests
45 mins
Common Questions
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.
To properly activate the yeast, make sure the milk and butter are warm-not too hot and not too cold. Everything should be lukewarm.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Absolutely! First, cool the loaves to room temperature, then wrap them really well in plastic wrap before storing them in a Ziplock freezer bag.
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.
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.
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.
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.
While 1 cup of flour weighs 160g in my kitchen, it might weigh anywhere from 120 to 180g in your kitchen and there’s a few reasons for that. The weight of ingredients may vary due to the brand of ingredients, the brand and style (wet vs dry) of measuring cups and spoons, and the technique for measuring into cups: scooping and leveling versus spooning the ingredients into the cup measure. For best results, go by the weight listed in the recipe.
A New Recipe Card!!
- Check off each step in instructions!
- Add ingredients to your shopping list!
Video
Equipment
- ▢ Stand Mixer
- ▢ Baking Sheet
- ▢ Parchment Paper
- ▢ Pastry Brush
- ▢ Meat Thermometer
- ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
- ▢ Liquid Measuring Cup
- ▢ Mixing Bowls
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
- ▢ 1 egg
- ▢ 1 tablespoon milk
- ▢ 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
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.
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.
- ▢ 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.
- ▢ 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.
- ▢ 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.
- ▢ 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.)
- ▢ 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.
- ▢ 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.
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.
- ▢ 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!
Nonna’s 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.
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Sweet Easter Bread
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
- Pastry Brush
- Meat Thermometer
- Measuring Cups + Spoons
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Mixing Bowls
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
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.)
- 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.
- 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.
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.
- 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
Sweet Easter Bread https://themodernnonna.com/sweet-easter-bread/ April 14, 2022
Home › Recipes › Cookies & Snacks
Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
By Snejana Andreeva
on Dec 15, 2022, Updated Nov 08, 2023
My lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies melt in your mouth . This recipe is one of those recipes that you’ll need to triple, because it’s THAT good. 🍋Whether you’re a lemon lover or simply looking for a unique and delicious cookie, these Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies are a must-try. They’re perfect for any occasion, from a casual afternoon tea to a fancy dessert spread.
- Why You’ll Love Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
- How to Prepare
- Nonna’s Tip 🍋
- Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Variations and Substitutions
- Other Holiday Recipes
- More Holiday Cookies
- Common Questions
- Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Why You’ll Love Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
These lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies are ideal for anyone who cannot tolerate 🥚 eggs as they are completely egg-free . The dough takes 5 minutes to whip up, so these cookies are easy enough for anyone who is not even a baker. They’re only 5 ingredients , which you probably already have on hand. I can honestly say that this is one of those cookie recipes that you cannot get enough of.
How to Prepare
🥣 Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer and bowl to cream butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes until smooth.
🍋 Add sugar and lemon extract and mix until smooth . Then add flour, and mix until a sticky dough forms. Scrape down the sides to fully incorporate any remaining flour.
🧊 Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
🥄 Remove dough from the refrigerator, use a small ice-cream scooper to portion the cookies, rolling each in a touch of flour to prevent sticking.
🍓 Place rolled cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper . Flatten each with your thumb, creating an indent, and add a teaspoon of preferred jam/preserve to the center.
🔥 Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are light and golden brown .
❄️ Allow the cookies to cool completely and optionally dust with icing sugar. They can be stored at room temperature for up to a week.
Nonna’s Tip 🍋
You MUST refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour and you have to use a touch of flour to roll each one as they will stick.
Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Variations and Substitutions
- Try adding a decorative topping like chopped nuts or a sprinkle of coarse sugar for holiday decoration.
- I have not tried this recipe with gluten-free flour , but feel free to experiment with a gluten-free 1-1 replacement and let me know how it goes!
- Instead of lemon extract , you could try almond, vanilla, orange or another you have on hand.
- Feel free to experiment with different jams or preserves , for example, you could use strawberry, raspberry, apricot or even marmalade.
- You could try dairy-free or vegan alternatives to the butter and cream cheese if you or your guests have allergies.
Other Holiday Recipes
Antipasti Christmas Wreath
10 mins
Holiday Butter Board
20 mins
Holiday Candy Cane Prosecco
5 mins
Holiday Cheese Board
20 mins
More Holiday Cookies
Looking for an even fancier-looking cookie? Try my puff pastry cookies .
Easy Gingerbread Cookies
3 hrs 23 mins
Italian Amaretti Cookies
25 mins
3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies
20 mins
Shortbread Butter Cookies
27 mins
Common Questions
Feel free to use any jam or preserve you enjoy. I love fig or apricot but you are more than welcome to use any you have on hand.
The lemon extract is optional so don’t worry if you don’t have any on hand. You can also use pure vanilla extract, or almond extract, or leave them plain. Or, if you don’t have pure lemon extract, but still want the flavor, you can also use the zest of a lemon in the recipe.
You MUST refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour and you have to use a touch of flour to roll each one as they will stick.
Feel free to freeze the cookie dough tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and shape as usual.
The cream cheese and butter must be softened in order for the cookies to bake correctly.
You can use salted or unsalted butter. I have made them with both and both results are delicious.
While 1 cup of flour weighs 160g in my kitchen, it might weigh anywhere from 120 to 180g in your kitchen and there’s a few reasons for that. The weight of ingredients may vary due to the brand of ingredients, the brand and style (wet vs dry) of measuring cups and spoons, and the technique for measuring into cups: scooping and leveling versus spooning the ingredients into the cup measure. For best results, go by the weight listed in the recipe.
A New Recipe Card!!
- Check off each step in instructions!
- Add ingredients to your shopping list!
Video
Equipment
- ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
- ▢ Mixing Bowls
- ▢ Baking Sheet
- ▢ Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- ▢ ½ cup cream cheese , softened
- ▢ ½ cup white sugar
- ▢ 1 stick softened salted butter
- ▢ 1.5 teaspoons lemon extract , optional if you don’t have any on hand
- ▢ 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour , + 2 extra tablespoons for rolling the balls
- ▢ 18 teaspoons jam , I used fig preserve
Instructions
- ▢ In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together for about 2 minutes or until smooth. You can also use a hand-held mixer and a bowl as well.
- ▢ Once creamy, add the sugar and lemon extract and mix until smooth. Add in the flour and mix until a sticky dough forms. If there’s any flour on the sides, you can scrape it down and mix again until fully incorporated.
- ▢ Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. After an hour, take out the dough, remove the plastic and use a small ice-cream scooper to scoop out the cookies. I scoop each cookie, roll it in a touch of flour as it will stick to your hands if you don’t.
- ▢ Repeat this step for all 18 cookies. Place each rolled cookie onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press each one down with your thumb to make an indent. Add a teaspoon of any jam/preserve you like to the middle.
- ▢ Preheat the oven to 350F and bake until the edges are light and golden brown. This should take 13-15 minutes depending on the oven.
- ▢ Let them cool completely and optionally dust with icing sugar. These are perfectly stored at room-temp for up to a week.
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
