20 Traditional Easter Bread Recipes

When our family gets together for Easter dinner, there’s always a big element everyone loves–and these 20 Traditional Easter Bread Recipes, well, this is where I get my ideas for that piece of our family tradition!

If you’re in the market for more than just brownies for Easter, though, be sure to check out the best Easter Cupcake Ideas. You won’t be sorry you did.

But back to these awesome easter bread recipes. I love that there are so many options for different flavors and variations on this absolute staple for the Easter meal. I can’t wait to try some of these year!

Table of Contents

How Do You Know If You’ve Kneaded the Bread Enough?

Kneading is often the biggest question for me when making bread by hand, whether I’m making fancy Italian easter bread or just a french loaf for a regular dinner.

But the biggest rule of thumb I try to follow is to smoosh my bread a little with my finger. I know the kneading is done when the dough springs back immediately when I smoosh. Then it’s time to cover with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled!

Can You Over-Knead Bread?

Absolutely. That’s why I stop kneading after just a minute or two and test. Then knead and test. Repeat testing ever few times and you know you’re gonna catch that “sweet spot”.

But, if it’s possible you’ve gone overboard and over-kneaded, stop and let your bread rest for 10 minutes. You might end up with a tougher bread, but there’s not much you can really do about it, if you’ve truly gone overboard.

So, let it rest, then form it and get your hands off as quick as you can.

Why Is My Bread So Dense?

Now, there’s another problem you might run into…if you have a really soft dough, but then your bread is super dense–what is up with that?! So, you might not have kneaded enough. This is why you want to do the checking–make sure the dough has been kneaded enough, but not too much.

How Long Does Easter Bread Last?

Easter bread lasts about 3-4 days. If you’re making it ahead of time, if you want to prevent mold, you can keep it on the counter in an airtight container.

How Can I Keep My Easter Bread Fresh?

Don’t put your easter bread into the fridge. I know that’s the first thing that I turn to when I want something to last longer. But no–that makes bread go stale. So, what you want to do with your easter bread is freeze it in an airtight container. Frozen, you can pull it out and thaw on the counter with fewer issues than if you put it in the fridge.

What Can I Add to Easter Bread to Make It Last Longer?

This is an old, old trick. But, if you want your easter bread to last longer, you could try the world’s oldest preservative–honey! Just replace the sugar in your bread’s recipe with honey and it will help keep the bread fresh!