A traditional festive Italian Easter Bread recipe that’s easy to make! This holiday bread with an egg in the middle is fun to decorate with family and makes a great gift for loved ones.
This Italian Easter bread is a fun and festive recipe similar to a challah egg bread. It’s a slightly sweet yeast-leavened baked treat that yields soft and tender slices with colorful sprinkles on top. You can work through each step, mixing, proofing, shaping and have time in between to decorate Easter eggs.
The eye-catching egg in the center will have your guests saying “oohs, and ahhs” about your beautiful creation. This recipe has been a family tradition starting with my husband’s grandmother Rose who made this every holiday. I love the vibrant colors and the fact this bread can be shaped in a variety of designs.
What is yeast?
This Italian Easter Bread is made from a yeast-raised dough, the yeast acting as the leavening agent. Yeast is living organisms, so just like us, they need food to grow. During fermentation, the yeast eats the sugars in the dough, and the result (by-product) is the creation of alcohol and carbon dioxide. The alcohol evaporates during baking and the carbon dioxide assists in leavening giving you airy bread.
How do you make yeast-leavened bread?
I use Fleischmann’s RapidRise instant yeast, which is added directly to the dry ingredients. The advantage of using instant yeast compared to active dry is you need only one rising step after shaping the bread into wreaths. This cuts preparation time in half!
I like to make my own homemade oven proofing box to create a warm and moist environment for the dough to elevate and expand. Just simply place the dough in a pan and cover with plastic wrap then place it in the oven.
How do you shape and decorate Easter bread?
This recipe yields three large wreaths, or you can make six mini wreaths with the dough. Two long ropes of dough are rolled out and then twisted to form a ring. A simple egg wash is brushed on each wreath just before baking to achieve the perfect golden brown color and shine on the Italian Easter bread.
Oh yeah, and don’t forget the sprinkles! The added pop of colors not only makes the finished product look beautiful, but it also adds just a touch of extra sweetness to each bite.
Do you need to cook the eggs before baking?
No need for hard-boiled eggs since they will cook in the oven during the baking process. However, the eggs will be medium-hard with a soft center once baked. If you want a hard boiled egg, use the steam or boil method, or Instant Pot eggs work great too.
How do you decorate the eggs for the bread?
While the dough rises at room temperature, this is an excellent opportunity to color eggs, so they have plenty of time to dry. I use 24 Karat Easter Egg Coloring Kit which is a paint that sticks better to the shell, or Paas Golden Egg Decorating Kit from Target which is a traditional dye.
Raw eggs can be used, but make sure to remove them if you plan on saving the bread to be eaten the next day (food safety first!).
How to not kill the yeast
Yeast is living organisms, sitting dormant when dried. When rehydrated with warm liquid, the yeast wakes up, become active, and starts to eat and ferment. Yeast dies at temperatures above 138°F (59ºC). In this recipe, warm milk is added at between 120 to130°F (49 to 54ºC). Any higher and the yeast will die, and the bread will not rise!
Italian Easter Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) milk
- ⅓ cup (74 g) unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- 2 ¼ teaspoons rapid rise instant yeast, 1 package
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 4 cups (568 g) all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for kneading
- 1 large egg, beaten plus 1 teaspoon water
- 3 dyed easter eggs, raw or hard boiled
- colored sprinkles
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add milk and butter. Heat to 120 to 130°F (49 to 54ºC), stirring until the butter melts. Do not allow the milk to go above 130°F (54ºC).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine yeast, salt, and sugar. Add the eggs and whisk together. Add the warmed milk and butter mixture. Add 2 cups of flour.
- Attach a dough hook to a stand mixer and combine on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides with a spatula as needed to incorporate the flour.
- Slowly add the remaining 2 cups of flour to the mixer on medium-low speed and scrape the sides as needed. Knead until the dough is stiff and slightly sticky, about 12 minutes.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured board and hand knead for about 3 to 4 minutes, adding a little more flour to prevent sticking. Do not use more than ¼ cup of flour.
- Shape dough into a ball, cover with a dish towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Divide into 6 pieces. Roll each piece to form a 1-inch wide rope, about 14-inches long.
- Taking 2 pieces, braid the rope, pinching the ends together and then loop into a circle. Make sure the ends are securely joined together.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (2 per sheet), providing enough room to rise.
- Loosely cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap or a dish towel and allow to rise in a warm area, like a proofing box, until it doubles in size, 45 to 60 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177ºC). Set the rack in the middle position.
- Whisk together the large egg and 1 teaspoon water. Brush each braided bread with the egg wash.
- If desired, top the bread with sprinkles.
- Gently place one dyed egg in the center of each braided ring. Do not press into the dough, it will sink as it bakes.
- Bake one tray at a time until golden brown, approximately 15 to 18 minutes.
- Quickly transfer the baked bread to a cooling rack.
Special Equipment
Notes
- The recipe makes 3 Easter bread rings.
- Each ring serves 6 people.
- Six smaller rings can be made, adjust baking time accordingly.
- Raw or hardboiled and dyed eggs can be used. Raw eggs will be softboiled after baking.
I agree the smell of fresh baked bread is hard to beat. I make all my own bread and I just love the shape of your italian easter bread. I might try this wreath shape some time – thanks for sharing!
I can’t wait to hear how the bread turns out for you! I really love this recipe, it’s so versatile and you can make any shape you like, even smaller dinner rolls or buns for sandwiches. Enjoy!
I’m looking Easter Bread that is made with anise
I think you can incorporate some anise seeds into the bread dough or sprinkle on top.
It looks delicious. I Would like to try it for easTer. Have you tried freezing it?
Hi Cathy- Did you get a chance to try the bread for Easter? I cut large slices of the bread then froze it for french toast, it was delicious!
mY PARENTS WERE FROM ITALY AND MY MOM MADE SO MANY OF THESE WONDERFUL RECIPES BUT I NEVER PAID ATTENTION, REGRETTABLY. I WILL TRY MAKING THIS AND WILL BE DELIGHTED IF IT EVEN REMOTELY RESEMBLES YOURS. THANK YOU.
Good luck Adrian, I can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
I don’t have a stand mixer and dough hook. Should I mix by hand or with a hand mixer?
Hi Jessica! Mixing by hand is a great alternative, as the hand mixer won’t be strong enough to mix the dough. It may take a little more time, but it’s great practice and you’ll be able to feel the dough gain elasticity and you knead it.
This is such a creative idea! And your photos are just gorgeous!!
Thank you so much Andrea! My husband inspired me to make this recipe because it’s a childhood favorite 🙂
Just made these. Absolutely delicious! Came out exactly as pictured. Better than the recipe I’ve been using for 30 yrs! Thank you for sharing!
Hi Rosemary! Wow, you really made my day! Your comment means a lot to me, and I am so happy that you enjoyed the recipe 🙂 Happy easter!
In the tips it says add yeast directly to dry ingredients but the recipe says to add if to the wet. Which is better?
Hi Caycie- Great question! I made the bread today, so I updated the recipe slightly so it’s more clear. In general the rapid rise yeast can be added to dry ingredients like directly to flour, where as regular rise yeast you need to activate in warm milk first. For the easter bread recipe you mix the salt, sugar and yeast together, then add the liquid (eggs, milk, butter), and then gradually add the flour so it can gradually hydrate and then become a dough. This is a little bit of a combo method, and it will work as long as you don’t heat the milk and butter mixture about 130 degrees F. Please let me know if you have any additional questions 🙂
Jessica,
My first attempt at this bread (actually, my first attempt at any bread) and it came out great, texture-wise! However, we are used to a sweeter bread. Could I double the sugar and if so, would I have to add extra liquid?
You are awesome Cathy! I’m so happy to hear that your first attempt and yeast leavened bread was a success 🙂 I have not tried doubling the amount of sugar, although 1 cup seems like it would be a lot. If you want to go to the “extreme” you could try that amount, then if the dough seems very dry as it’s mixing, you could add a tablespoon of extra milk at a time until it gets closer to the original recipes texture. You may need a little extra flour as you are shaping the dough because the dough may be more sticky from the sugar. You could also try adding 3/4 cup sugar as a slight increase and see if that’s enough sweetness for you. My only concern with the high amount of sugar is if the outsides would possibly become really dark and caramelize, but it’s worth a try! If adding sugar doesn’t work, maybe you can do a powdered sugar glaze on top of the bread after it is baked and cooled instead? Let me know how it turns out!
hi Jessica I was just wondering how early can you make the Easter bread
Hi Lucille! It tastes the best when you make it fresh the same day. If you don’t add the egg or sugar than you can make it 1-2 days before and just reheat before serving.
This is super pretty. I hope my new range is here before Easter so I can make this. I love everything you do Jessica. Your recipes are always hits.
Thank you Judy! I hope you love it 🙂 It’s a family favorite!
Don’t know what I did wrong but my eggs were not done but the bread was great.
Hi Nadine- I’m glad to hear that the bread tasted good! Let’s figure out the issue with the eggs. What was the texture? Was it soft boiled? I have tried baking already hard boiled eggs but they cracked. I’m wondering if it needs about 10 more minutes bake time, but we don’t want the bread to over bake. Maybe soft boiling the eggs before you dye them, and then bake as the recipe indicates in the bread to get a hard boiled texture.
Have you ever doubled or tripled the recipe?
I haven’t just because of the size of the dough and mixing required. I would probably make separate batches instead of combining it all together and to stagger rising and bake times.
What beauties. Thank you Jessica. That would definitely make a table so delicious to sit down to.
The Italian Easter bread would be a lovely centerpiece!
I’ve always been afraid of yeast. Lol.
But I have to say the recipe turned out great and I will try to be more adventurous in the near future.
Thanks for the easy recipe.
Delicious too.
I’m so impressed Jean! Now you don’t have to be afraid of yeast leavening, what’s the next baking project?
Hello! I want to make this, but only have active dry yeast on hand and the thought of running my 2 kids into the store the day before Easter makes my skin crawl. How can I substitute this?
Thanks!
Hi Sara- You can use active dry yeast, but you will need to do a proofing step for about 1 hour when you first mix the dough, and then another proofing step after the dough is shaped until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
Love this recipe! I’ve made a few different variations over the years and like this one the best. The only thing different is leave out the egg in the middle because they never get eaten at my house. I instead, but a (washed) plastic egg with candy in the middle!
Thank you for making the recipe, Sara! I love the use of the stuffed plastic egg after the bread is baked.
Wow. So great to find you this am. 1st time up for sunrise service. (at home). And a reak and certified person. I, too, am self-certified danger to self and others. I subscribed.
Thanks for this recipe Jessica! The bread would certainly be a hit in our home, though I will have to send the recipe to my husband, who is not afraid of yeast and is our breadmaker 🙂
I can’t wait to hear how it turns out!
Could I use just regular butter and leave out the 1/8 tsp of salt,
Hi Linda- I think you can try the regular butter and omit the salt. I haven’t made it that way, it may be a little more savory. Let me know how it turns out!
Is there harm to letting the dough rise longer?
You can overproof the dough where it might deflate when baking or taste a bit sour due to the extra fermentation time.
Hi. I will be making sixteen individùal bread with colored eggs. Do I have to refrigerate as I will be making them two days before Easter.
Hi Jo- Wow, you are amazing! Since there are eggs in the center I do feel that you would need to refrigerate them. However, I’m concerned that the sprinkles and dye on the eggs will get condensation on them and potentially bleed and not look as nice. Is it possible to make them without the eggs, store them at room temperature and then reheat in a warm oven before serving?
Hello….Can I use sesame seeds on the top instead of sprinkles? Love the recipe. Heading out the door to find some yeast. I’m in NY and basically can only go out for food. I need some basics so I’ll dash down the yeast aisle to see if there is any.
Stay safe.
Yes, sesame seeds would be lovely on the bread!
I only have fresh yeast… do you know how much fresh yeast I should use and how would I use it in this recipe?
Hi Cristina- To substitute fresh yeast for instant dry, use 3 times the amount. So use 6 3/4 teaspoons of fresh yeast in the recipe. Please let me know how it goes!
Thanks!
Will do 😉