Italian Easter Bread (Traditional Recipe) + Video
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Italian Easter bread features a tender, sweet dough baked with a colorful egg in the center. Top with simple syrup and colorful sprinkles! If this is the first time that you’re making this golden brown bread, you’re going to be hooked! This recipe makes the best Easter bread! To find out how to make the original recipe, see the printable recipe card below!
Every family has their own special holiday traditions, and one of ours is making these festive and scrumptious braided Italian sweet bread loaves for Easter!!
Deliciously tender and lightly sweet, the braided baskets are like a festive present for each of your guests! We have an entire menu for your Easter dinner.
This is one family tradition that I look forward to each year. It’s amazing how a ball of dough can turn into the most delicious fluffy braided bread.
You can easily add different colors right on top of the finished bread to make it look unique and fun.
The soft pieces of dough paired with the Easter eggs are a must-make recipe.
This isn’t something that you can just head to the grocery store and bough, and why would you want to?
You can make this for Palm Sunday, or as a delicious bread to have on your dinner table.
Once the dough forms, you’re well on your way to enjoying that baked braided wreath.
Italian Easter Bread
Pane di Pasqua, which literally translates to “Easter bread,” has long been a staple on spring holiday tables across Italy.
While we prefer a sweet Easter bread, you could easily make a savory version. Vegetables, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes — the options for additions are nearly endless!
You can change the flavor of this type of bread by adding sweet toppings or fun citrus flavoring like lemon zest or orange zest.
This change gives this recipe a whole new life!
Looking for Easter cookies? Try these soft sugar cookies.
Create more traditional Italian treats at home with my recipes for struffoli (crispy honey balls), pignoli, and wedding cookies.
And if you need an entrée to steal the show, you can’t do better than Papa’s Braciole recipe!
Sweet Easter Bread Recipe Tips and Tricks
When making this break for the Easter holiday, be sure to follow these tips. You’ll have the perfect loaf of bread for Easter Sunday if so!
- Take your time.
While this sweet Easter bread recipe may be time consuming, the finished product is well worth the wait!
Don’t rush the process — a double rise is key to the delicious, tender crumb. Hold your patience after the first rise, you’re almost there!
- Use fresh yeast.
It’s important to have really fresh yeast. It’s one of the main dry ingredients needed to make this bread work and form correctly.
I keep mine in the freezer in a mason jar for optimum freshness.
- Don’t boil the eggs!
They will cook through in the oven, so all you need to do is color them first.
If chilled, set them on the counter while you prepare the Easter sweet bread dough to bring them to room temperature.
You can have the kids help with the colored eggs, and use natural dyes for the color. The eggs just fit so perfectly in the shape of a wreath!
- Serve immediately.
Every part of this Italian Easter bread with eggs can be eaten fresh from the oven. It’s literally so yummy on Easter morning!
You can top it with melted butter, or let it cool completely on a wire rack and top with something sweet. Serve with milk or a cup of cold orange juice!
If you’ll be making this recipe ahead of time, remove each egg from the center and keep them in the refrigerator.
Then, pop them right back in the middle before serving.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Stand Mixer with the dough hook attachment
- Medium Saucepan – This pan is wonderful! It heats evenly and is easy to clean too.
- Rimmed Baking Sheets lined with parchment paper
- Mixing Bowls – You will need a variety of sizes for this Italian sweet bread recipe, and this set has them all!
Easter Sweet Bread FAQ
First, gently remove the eggs and store them in the refrigerator for up to a week. Your sweet Easter bread can be kept at room temperature for 4 to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Either way, place Italian Easter bread in a zippered storage bag or airtight container to prevent it from drying out. You can also wrap the bread in plastic wrap to keep it soft. You’ll need a freezer bag if freezing. (I learned this lesson from last year when some air got into the container!)
No need to spend money at the store. Just combine equal parts water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.
Stir occasionally until it starts to bubble and the sugar is dissolved. Then, let it cool to room temperature. You can use the syrup immediately or store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Technically, yes — I would recommend making several batches at once since there’s only so much room in your mixer!
But as long as you have space in the oven, you can easily bake more than one tray of Easter sweet bread at a time.
You can make it and eat it anytime that you want. That’s the beauty of this traditional Italian Easter bread recipe. Once you make it, you can enjoy it throughout the day.
It’s even good the next day, just keep that in mind. I like to follow the recipe card, knowing that I’ll get to enjoy this recipe for a few days as long as I store it properly.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Easy Easter Recipes
Italian Easter Bread
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, (1 packet)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, divided
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 cup simple syrup, (see Notes)
- Nonpareil sprinkles, for garnish
- 6 large eggs, hard boiled and dyed
Instructions
- PREPARE MILK MIXTURE: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine 1 1/4 cups whole milk and 4 tablespoons unsalted butter. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until the butter is melted and the milk is warm, not hot. It should feel like warm bath water, about 110-120°F. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- ACTIVATE YEAST: Sprinkle 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast and ½ cup granulated sugar over the top of the warm milk mixture. Stir gently. Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy and bubbly on top. It should smell lightly sweet and yeasty, like fresh bread dough.
- PREP EGGS: In a small bowl, beat 2 large eggs until smooth. Pour the beaten eggs into the stand mixer bowl. Set the remaining egg aside to use as an egg wash after the 2nd rise.
- START DOUGH: Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer. Add 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract, 2 cups all-purpose flour, and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until combined and shaggy.
- BUILD DOUGH: With the mixer on low, add more all-purpose flour, ½ cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough should feel soft and slightly tacky, but should not stick to clean fingers. Mine takes a total of 3 1/2 to 4 cups.
- KNEAD DOUGH: Increase speed to medium-low and knead for 5 minutes. The dough should look smooth and elastic and bounce back slowly when pressed.
- FIRST RISE: Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in the microwave and coat a large bowl. Transfer the dough to the bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel. Let rise in a warm spot for about 60-90 minutes, until doubled in size. It should look puffy, airy, and feel light when touched.
- SHAPE DOUGH: Punch down the dough to release air. Divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 12 to 14 inches long and about 1 inch thick.
- FORM RINGS: Twist 2 ropes together, pinch the ends, then shape into a circle and seal the ends. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- SECOND RISE: Cover loosely with a towel and let rise again for 60 minutes, until doubled again and very puffy. The dough should slowly spring back when gently pressed.
- MEANWHILE, PREPARE FOR BAKING: Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk the remaining 1 large egg with 1 tablespoon water to make the egg wash. Set aside. Brush each dough ring with the prepared egg wash. Gently press 1 dyed hard boiled egg into the center of each ring.
- BAKE: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. The tops should be shiny, lightly crisp, and sound slightly hollow when tapped.
- FINISH: Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Brush each warm bread with ½ cup simple syrup and sprinkle with nonpareil sprinkles.
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published April 2012. Updated and republished February 2025
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Bread machine to make dough?
It is said "and Video".
I cannot FIND where I can view a video…
Where is it? Is there really a video?
Thank you,
Joe
This has been a family favorite since I was a little girl. ( I'm eighty!) I add the zest of an orange to the dough, and some juice to the simple syrup. I use pasteurized eggs because I let the dyed eggs sit at room temp so that they are dry when I put them in the dough. This way the y don't sweat and have the color run into the dough.
I love making bread, and this one is so cute! I loved making this recipe, and will definitely save it for further use.
have made this bread for years and have always felt a little on the dry side ……any suggestions on how to eliminate this challenge? thanks
Hi Julia – try this tip I found on King Arthur’s site: you can substitute 1/2 cup of dried instant potato flakes for 1/4 cup of the flour to make you dough more tender. I’ve tried it and it really works magic in bread dough!! Happy baking!
Italian Easter Bread celebrates Spring Renewal and the Reserection.
The bread represents the crown of thorns worn by Jesus. Rope Bread represents the Holy Trinity. Eggs represent new life . ❤️🇮🇹
What’s the point of placing the egg in the center? The egg cooks while the bread cooks but then do you pull it out and peel it? It doesn’t seem like a hard boiled egg would go with the sweet bread.
It’s for show really or u can crack it with another egg with another person. Who’s egg doesn’t crack they keep it for 12 months for good luck 🤞 it’s a Greek thing for us. For the persons eggs cracks they can eat it if they wish. Thayer is hat we do on Greek Easter 🐣 it’s fun.
My first time ever making this bread and it turned out delicious! Soft and slightly sweet. Really nice. A bit time consuming, but worth it.
My first time making this bread and it is absolutely delicious! Followed instructions step by step! I have never been able
To make bread but this one came out perfect! Thank you for this recipe.
Hi Angela,
We are so happy to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you so much!
TSRI Team Member,
Holli
wowza, what a treat! Made this Italian Easter Bread yesterday and it was a total hit with the family. Thanks, Donna and Chad!
Hi Sophia!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn