I love how this Italian Easter Bread turns out golden, glossy, and braided around colorful eggs like the centerpiece every Easter table deserves. One slice reveals a soft, sweet crumb that makes this family favorite impossible to pass by.

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I’m obsessed with Italian Easter Bread because it looks festive but eats like the kind of sweet, tender bread I keep sneaking from the counter. The braid, the glossy top, the dyed eggs tucked in like edible decorations, it all feels extra without tasting fussy.

I love the soft pull of the crumb, the little hit of fresh lemon zest, and that sweet finish that makes a slice disappear fast. And yes, I go back for the piece with colored sprinkles.

Always. But what gets me is how this bread turns a holiday table into the thing I remember first.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour gives the bread its soft, sturdy bite.
Active dry yeast brings the rise, so it’s fluffy, not heavy.
Warm whole milk adds richness and helps the dough feel tender.
Granulated sugar makes it lightly sweet, not dessert-level sweet.
Eggs add color, structure, and that classic Easter bread feel.
Butter keeps the crumb soft and a little bakery-style.
Salt balances the sweetness.
Basically, don’t skip it.
Vanilla gives a cozy, sweet smell you’ll notice right away.
Lemon zest makes everything brighter without tasting too sharp.
Hard boiled eggs make it festive, pretty, and old-school Italian.
Powdered sugar turns into that simple, sweet glaze everyone loves.
Milk or lemon juice thins the glaze and tweaks the flavor.
Plus sprinkles add crunch, color, and major holiday-kid energy.

Ingredient Quantities

All purpose flour, 4 cups (about 500 g)

Active dry yeast, 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet)

Warm whole milk, 3/4 cup (180 ml), about 100 to 110°F

Granulated sugar, 1/3 cup (65 g)

Large eggs, 3 for the dough plus 1 for egg wash

Unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons (60 g), softened

Salt, 1 teaspoon

Pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon

Fresh lemon zest, 1 tablespoon

Hard boiled eggs, 3 to 6, dyed if desired (for weaving into the braid)

Powdered sugar, 1 cup (120 g) for glaze

Milk or lemon juice, 1 to 2 tablespoons for thinning the glaze

Colored sprinkles or nonpareils, 2 tablespoons optional

How to Make this

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1. Warm the whole milk to about 100 to 110°F and stir in the granulated sugar and active dry yeast; let sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.

2. In a large bowl combine the all purpose flour, salt and fresh lemon zest.

3. Whisk together 3 large eggs, softened unsalted butter and pure vanilla extract, then add the yeast mixture.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir until a shaggy dough forms.

5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding a little flour if too sticky.

6. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

7. Punch down the dough and divide into three equal strands; roll each into ropes about 12 to 16 inches long. Arrange 3 to 6 hard boiled eggs along the center of one rope if weaving them into the braid, then braid the three ropes around the eggs to enclose them, tucking ends under.

8. Transfer the braid to a parchment lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise until puffy, about 30 to 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

9. Beat the remaining egg and brush over the risen loaf. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden and cooked through, tenting with foil if browning too quickly. Cool on a rack.

10. Make the glaze by whisking powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or lemon juice to desired consistency, drizzle over cooled bread and sprinkle with colored sprinkles or nonpareils if desired.

Equipment Needed

1. Digital instant read thermometer
2. Large mixing bowl
3. Whisk
4. Measuring cups and spoons
5. Wooden spoon or sturdy silicone spatula
6. Clean floured work surface or pastry board and bench scraper
7. Parchment lined baking sheet
8. Pastry brush and wire cooling rack

FAQ

How long does the dough need to rise?

First rise 1 to 1 1/2 hours at warm room temperature until doubled. After shaping and braiding, let the loaf rise 30 to 45 minutes until puffy before baking.

Can I use instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?

Yes. Use about 2 teaspoons instant yeast. Mix directly into the flour and reduce the first rise slightly if your kitchen is very warm.

How do I weave the hard boiled eggs into the braid so they stay in place?

Braid the dough into three strands, tuck each dyed egg into the outer curves of the braid, then pinch dough over the edges of each egg to secure before the final rise.

What if my dough is too sticky or too dry?

If sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until manageable. If too dry, add warm milk 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough is soft and slightly tacky. Aim for a smooth, elastic dough.

How long and at what temperature do I bake it?

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown and a thermometer in the center reads about 190°F. If browning too fast, tent with foil.

How should I store leftover bread and how long will it keep?

Cool completely, then store wrapped at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze wrapped in plastic and foil for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature.

Traditional Italian Easter Bread Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour:
- Bread flour: use 1:1 for a chewier, taller crumb due to higher protein
- 00 flour: use 1:1 for a finer, softer crumb and more tender texture
- Gluten free all purpose blend: use 1:1 and add 1 tsp xanthan gum if your blend does not include it
Warm whole milk:
- Warm 2% milk: use 1:1 for similar results with slightly less richness
- Warm unsweetened almond milk: use 1:1 for a dairy-free option; add 1 tbsp melted butter or oil for richness
- Warm half and half diluted with water (equal parts): use to approximate whole milk richness
Unsalted butter:
- Salted butter: use 1:1 and reduce added salt by about 1/4 tsp
- Neutral oil (vegetable or canola): use about 3 tbsp oil for 4 tbsp butter; texture will be slightly less rich
- Margarine or vegan butter: use 1:1 for a dairy-free substitute
Large eggs:
- Extra large eggs: use 2 for every 3 large eggs in the recipe, or weigh to match total grams
- Egg replacer powder: follow package directions to replace each egg for a vegan version; may affect braid structure slightly
- Unsweetened applesauce: use 3 tbsp applesauce per egg for binding in non-yeasted variations, though texture will be denser

Pro Tips

1. Proof the yeast in milk that is truly 100 to 110 F; if the milk feels barely warm to your wrist it is fine, but if it feels hot you will kill the yeast. If the mixture does not get foamy in 10 minutes, start over with fresh yeast.

2. Bring eggs and butter to room temperature before mixing. Warm ingredients incorporate more easily, give you a softer, more elastic dough and reduce the kneading time.

3. Use feel, not stopwatch, when kneading. The dough should become smooth, slightly tacky but not sticky. A quick windowpane test is helpful: stretch a small piece thin enough to see light through it without tearing.

4. If you are weaving hard boiled eggs into the braid, nestle them onto the center strand and gently wrap the other strands around them, tucking the ends underneath to anchor the eggs. Chill the braided loaf for 10 minutes if the dough gets too soft while shaping; it makes handling easier.

5. Brush the loaf evenly with the egg wash for a deep golden color and tent with foil if it browns too quickly in the last 10 minutes. Only glaze the bread once it is fully cooled so the glaze stays glossy and does not melt into the crumb.

Traditional Italian Easter Bread Recipe

Recipe by Toni Baldesera

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

296

kcal

Equipment: 1. Digital instant read thermometer
2. Large mixing bowl
3. Whisk
4. Measuring cups and spoons
5. Wooden spoon or sturdy silicone spatula
6. Clean floured work surface or pastry board and bench scraper
7. Parchment lined baking sheet
8. Pastry brush and wire cooling rack

Ingredients

All purpose flour, 4 cups (about 500 g)
Active dry yeast, 2 1/4 teaspoons (1 packet)
Warm whole milk, 3/4 cup (180 ml), about 100 to 110°F
Granulated sugar, 1/3 cup (65 g)
Large eggs, 3 for the dough plus 1 for egg wash
Unsalted butter, 4 tablespoons (60 g), softened
Salt, 1 teaspoon
Pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
Fresh lemon zest, 1 tablespoon
Hard boiled eggs, 3 to 6, dyed if desired (for weaving into the braid)
Powdered sugar, 1 cup (120 g) for glaze
Milk or lemon juice, 1 to 2 tablespoons for thinning the glaze
Colored sprinkles or nonpareils, 2 tablespoons optional

Directions

Warm the whole milk to about 100 to 110°F and stir in the granulated sugar and active dry yeast; let sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
In a large bowl combine the all purpose flour, salt and fresh lemon zest.
Whisk together 3 large eggs, softened unsalted butter and pure vanilla extract, then add the yeast mixture.
Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding a little flour if too sticky.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Punch down the dough and divide into three equal strands; roll each into ropes about 12 to 16 inches long. Arrange 3 to 6 hard boiled eggs along the center of one rope if weaving them into the braid, then braid the three ropes around the eggs to enclose them, tucking ends under.
Transfer the braid to a parchment lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise until puffy, about 30 to 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Beat the remaining egg and brush over the risen loaf. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until golden and cooked through, tenting with foil if browning too quickly. Cool on a rack.
Make the glaze by whisking powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or lemon juice to desired consistency, drizzle over cooled bread and sprinkle with colored sprinkles or nonpareils if desired.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.