Easter Bread with Colored Eggs (Printable)
Braided light-sweet bread wrapped around vibrantly dyed eggs, perfect for spring festivities.
# Ingredient List:
→ Dough
01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
04 - 1 tsp salt
05 - 2/3 cup warm milk (110°F)
06 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
09 - 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
→ Decoration
10 - 6 raw eggs, dyed with food coloring and dried
11 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
12 - 2 tbsp colored sprinkles
# Steps:
01 - Combine warm milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Let stand 5–10 minutes until foamy.
02 - Whisk together flour, remaining sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
03 - Add yeast mixture, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest to the dry ingredients. Mix until a soft dough forms.
04 - Knead dough on a floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
05 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour until doubled in size.
06 - Punch down dough and divide into 6 equal pieces. Roll each into a rope about 16 inches long.
07 - For each loaf, braid 3 ropes together, pinching ends to seal. Form into a ring or leave as a braid and place on parchment-lined baking sheets.
08 - Tuck 3 colored eggs gently into the braid of each loaf. Cover and let rise 30 minutes.
09 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush loaves with beaten egg and sprinkle with colored sprinkles if desired.
10 - Bake for 25–28 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a rack before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The dough is forgiving enough for beginners but impressive enough for company
- Those baked eggs become creamy, perfectly cooked treasures right in the bread
02 -
- The dyed eggs will continue cooking as the bread bakes, so don't worry about them being undercooked
- Tuck the eggs into the braids after the second rise has started, or they might sink too deep during baking
03 -
- Use kitchen twine to help you get even braids if you're new to braiding dough
- If your kitchen is drafty, let the dough rise in your oven with just the light on