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Homemade Easter Egg Bread has a special charm. It’s festive and beautiful, bringing a touch of tradition to your holiday table. This Easter egg bread is soft, fluffy, and lightly sweet, with a rich buttery flavor and a tender crumb. It tastes as good as it looks.

Each loaf is shaped into a twisted ring with a pastel-colored egg in the center. The bread looks cheerful and perfect for spring. Serve it at Easter brunch, as dessert, or on your holiday table, and it will definitely stand out!

Easter Egg Bread: a golden brown braided loaf with a pastel-colored egg nestled in the middle.

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Here at my house, Easter is pretty low-key, but one thing is for sure: there will be baskets of candy and colorful eggs. And of course, a few of them will be tucked into these cute little braided Easter egg bread loaves.

It was so much fun to make these little beauties! The dough comes together easily and is really nice to work with. I based it on the traditional Italian Easter bread, also known as Pane di Pasqua.

They bake up light, soft, and buttery, with a hint of aromatic vanilla and orange blossom, which, to me, is just so perfect for Spring. I love the subtle flavor, and it really brings out the bread’s natural sweetness.

Here’s Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Soft, fluffy, and lightly sweet.
  • Beautifully festive for Easter and spring celebrations!
  • Made with simple pantry staples.
  • Orange blossom water gives it a delicate, special flavor.
  • Each loaf is topped with a colorful egg for a gorgeous presentation!
  • Perfect for gifting, sharing, or displaying on a holiday table.

Ingredients You’ll Need

The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you’re cooking.

Easter Egg Bread: golden brown braided loaf with Easter eggs and a sweet butter sculpture in the shape of a bunny.

For the Easter Egg Bread

  • Warm milk: Helps activate the yeast and adds richness to the dough.
  • Active dry yeast: Gives the bread its rise and soft, fluffy texture.
  • Unsalted butter: Adds moisture, tenderness, and a rich buttery flavor.
  • Granulated sugar: Lightly sweetens the dough and helps create a tender crumb.
  • Eggs: Enrich the dough and contribute to the bread’s structure and softness.
  • Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and rounds out the flavor.
  • Orange blossom water: Adds a delicate floral note to the bread. Orange zest can be used instead for a more citrusy flavor.
  • Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor.
  • All-purpose flour: Forms the structure of the dough. You may need a little more depending on the humidity and how sticky the dough feels.
  • Dyed eggs: Tucked into the center of each loaf for that signature Easter look.
  • Egg wash: Brushed on top to give the loaves a shiny, golden finish.
  • Sesame seeds: Sprinkled over the top for a pretty garnish and a little texture.

For the dyed eggs

  • Boiling water: Used as the base for the dye baths.
  • Distilled white vinegar: Helps the color adhere to the eggs.
  • Gel paste food coloring: Creates those bright, cheerful pastel shades.
  • Uncooked eggs: Dyed first, then baked right into the bread for a traditional finish.

How To Dye The Eggs

Step 1: Prepare the dye baths

Divide the boiling water evenly between 4 small bowls. Stir 1 teaspoon of vinegar into each bowl, then add 1 drop of gel paste food coloring to each.

Step 2: Dye the eggs

Put one uncooked egg in each bowl and gently turn it to coat. Let the eggs sit until they reach the color you want, then take them out and let them dry on a wire rack.

How To Make Easter Egg Bread

Step 1: Proof the yeast

Pour the warm milk into a large bowl and add the yeast. Let it sit for about 10 minutes, until it looks foamy on top. This means the yeast is active.

Step 2: Mix the dough

Mix in the softened butter, sugar, beaten eggs, vanilla, orange blossom water, and salt. Add the flour slowly, about half a cup at a time, until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the bowl.

Step 3: Knead until smooth

Knead the dough for 5 to 10 minutes, until it’s smooth, elastic, and soft. You can knead by hand or use a stand mixer with a dough hook.

Step 4: Let the dough rise

Put the dough in a greased bowl, cover it, and let it rise until it doubles in size, about 1 hour.

Step 5: Shape the loaves

Punch down the dough and split it into 4 equal pieces. Cut each piece in half, then roll each half into a 10-inch rope. Twist two ropes together, pinch the ends, and form a ring.

Step 6: Add the eggs

Put each twisted ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place a dyed egg in the center. Repeat with the rest of the dough and eggs.

Step 7: Rise again

Cover the shaped loaves loosely and let them rise for 30 minutes.

Step 8: Brush and bake

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Brush the loaves with egg wash, avoiding the dyed eggs. Sprinkle on sesame seeds, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and puffed.

Easter Egg Bread: a golden brown braided loaf with a pastel-colored Easter egg nestled inside, and a sweet little molded butter in the shape of a bunny.

Helpful Tips and Tricks

  • Make sure the milk is warm, not hot: If it’s too hot, it can kill the yeast. It should feel warm, not hot, to the touch.
  • Add the flour gradually: Humidity changes how much flour you need, so add it slowly until the dough is soft and easy to work with.
  • Do not overflour the dough: This bread should be soft and tender, so don’t add too much flour when kneading.
  • Twist the ropes gently: Gently twisting the ropes gives the loaves a nice braided look without making the dough too tight.
  • Be careful with the egg wash: Brush it around the dyed eggs, not over them, to keep the colors bright.
Easter Egg Bread: such a lovely way to celebrate Spring! This bread is buttery, eggy, and a little sweet, with a hint of vanilla and orange blossom and the prettiest Easter egg nestled inside! food bread easter

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Easter Egg Bread

Servings: 4 small loaves
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Celebrate Easter with this gorgeous Easter egg bread!  Soft, moist, and golden, with a buttery-sweet taste and a pastel-colored egg baked right inside!
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Ingredients

For the Easter Egg Bread

For the dyed eggs

  • 1 1/3 cup (333.33 g) boiling water
  • 4 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
  • 1 drop each of Rose Pink, Violet, Royal Blue, and Grass Green gel paste food coloring
  • 4 large eggs, uncooked

Instructions
 

To make the Easter Egg Bread:

  • Place the warm milk in a large mixing bowl, and stir in the yeast.  Allow it to prove until foamy (about 10 minutes).
  • Stir in the softened butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, orange blossom water, and salt.
  • Stir in the flour, a half cup at a time, until the dough forms a ball and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
  • Knead the dough until smooth and elastic (5 to 10 minutes).
  • Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to prove until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
  • Punch down the dough and divide it into 4 equal balls.
  • Divide each ball in half and roll each half into a rope about 10 inches long.
  • Pinch 2 ropes together at one end, and twist them together.  Pinch the other end together and bring the twist around into a circle shape.
  • Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and nestle a dyed egg in the center.
  • Repeat with the remaining dough balls and eggs.
  • Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and lightly brush the loaves with egg wash, taking care to avoid the eggs.
  • Sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.

To make the dyed eggs:

  • Divide the boiling water equally between 4 small bowls.
  • Place 1 teaspoon of vinegar in each bowl.
  • Place 1 drop of gel paste food coloring in each bowl, and stir to dissolve.
  • Place 1 uncooked egg in each bowl, turning to coat evenly with dye.
  • Allow the eggs to sit in the dye until desired color is reached, then remove and drain on a wire rack.
Calories: 894kcal, Carbohydrates: 122g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Cholesterol: 311mg, Sodium: 702mg, Potassium: 319mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 19g, Vitamin A: 1140IU, Calcium: 135mg, Iron: 7.6mg
Cuisine: Italian
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack
Tried this recipe?Mention @bakingamoment on Instagram or tag #bakingamoment.

Author

  • Allie is the creator and owner of Baking a Moment. She has been developing, photographing, videographing, and writing and sharing recipes here since 2012.

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