Every spring, as the days grow longer and the air carries the first hints of warmth, I find myself drawn to the comforting ritual of baking Easter Bread. This sweet yeast bread—Osterbrot, as we call it in Germany—has been part of my life since childhood.
I recall making Easter Bread with my mother, the aroma of citrus and yeast filling our kitchen. We eagerly awaited the dough to rise. On Easter morning, we savored thick slices spread with butter and jam.
The Easter Bread I grew up with is soft, lightly sweet, and delicately flavored with lemon zest. Sometimes we’d tuck raisins into the dough or sprinkle almond slivers on top for a bit of crunch. In Christian tradition, this bread symbolizes new life and renewal, echoing the Resurrection we celebrate at Easter. But its roots go even deeper—back to ancient springtime rituals where bread was offered as a symbol of fertility and abundance.
Each region in Germany has its own version of Easter Bread, shaped by local customs and family traditions. Some loaves are braided, others are round and adorned with colored eggs. Mine is a simple braid, brushed with egg wash and crowned with almonds. It’s a recipe that invites creativity and connection, and I’m delighted to share it with you.
Easter yeast bread ingredients 
Knead sweet yeast dough for 5 min. 
Knead the dough. Let rise for 1 hour or more 
Separate sweet yeast dough 
braiding Easter bread 
You could place braided dough in a pound cake form 
Brush with egg wash and sprinkle almonds slivers on top 
Optional: Cover Easter bread with Streusel and bake for 25 min at 350 F 
Bake Easter bread for 25 to 30 min (190 F internal temp.) 
Covered with almond slivers baked in bread baking pan 
Hefezopf, Easter bread 
Easter bread with Streusel 
Easter bread with hail sugar 
Osterbrot or Easter bread 
Table is set with the Easter breakfast
🥚 How I Make My Easter Bread
To begin, I warm ½ cup of milk—just enough to take the chill off—and stir in ¼ cup of sugar until it dissolves. Then I add 1 packet of dry yeast and let it sit for about 5 to 10 minutes, until it begins to foam gently. This little bloom of bubbles always feels like magic to me—the first sign the dough is coming to life.
While the yeast activates, I prepare the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, I combine 4 to 5 cups of white flour, a dash of salt, and 1 teaspoon of diastatic malt (if I have it on hand—it helps with browning and texture but is entirely optional).
In a separate bowl, I whisk together 2 eggs, the zest of 1 organic lemon, 2 tablespoons of sour cream, and ¼ cup of butter, softened to room temperature. The lemon zest gives the bread its signature brightness, a little burst of sunshine in every bite.
Once the yeast mixture is bubbly, I make a well in the center of the flour and pour it in, stirring gently to moisten the flour. Then I slowly add the egg and butter mixture, a little at a time, working it in until the dough begins to come together. If I’m feeling festive, I’ll fold in ½ cup of raisins at this stage, though they’re entirely optional.
Next comes the kneading—a meditative process I love. I turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for about 5 to 10 minutes, until it becomes soft, smooth, and elastic. If I’m using my KitchenAid, I let it run for at least 5 minutes, watching as the dough pulls cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.
I then place the dough in a clean, lightly oiled bowl, turning it once to coat. Covered with a damp tea towel, it rests in a warm, draft-free spot for about an hour, until it doubles in size. This is when the kitchen starts to smell like home.
Once risen, I gently deflate the dough and transfer it to a floured surface. I divide it into three equal pieces and roll each into a rope. After letting them rest under a damp towel for 5 to 10 minutes, I roll them again until they’re about 24 inches long. Then I pinch the ends together and braid them loosely, forming either a straight loaf or a ring.
After shaping, I let the braid rise again for 45 minutes to an hour, until it’s puffy and nearly doubled. Just before baking, I brush it with an egg wash (1 beaten egg mixed with a splash of water) and sprinkle ½ cup of slivered almonds over the top.
I bake the bread in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 25 to 30 minutes, until it’s golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. The internal temperature should reach 190°F (88°C). Once baked, I let it cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
🌼 A Slice of Celebration
This Easter Bread is more than just a recipe—it’s a celebration of spring, of faith, and of family. Whether you serve it with butter and jam for breakfast, or as part of a festive brunch with friends, it brings warmth and joy to the table.
I hope this recipe brings as much comfort and delight to your home as it has to mine. Let’s keep these traditions alive, one beautiful loaf at a time.
Easter Bread baking tips:
The secret ingredient is Diastatic malt powder. Savvy bread bakers use it to promote a strong rise, great texture, and lovely brown crust. Just 1 tsp for 3 cups flour
The sweet yeast bread can be baked with or without the eggs. The lemon/zest can be substituted with 1 tsp vanilla. Besides Almonds, other possible add-ins are dried Cranberries and Pistachio nuts
You also can also prepare Eierweck or Eierhörnchen (yeast dough rolls/croissants) with the dough.
“Hail Sugar” or Sugar Crystals can found on Amazon. You also could cover the yeast braid with some Streusel Crumbs
Easter Bread or Sweet Yeast Bread
Ingredients
- 1 organic lemon (zest)
- 4 to 5 cups white flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- dash of salt
- 1 pack dry yeast
- 1 tsp diastatic malt (optional)
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1/2 cup almond (slivered)
- Raisins (optional)
———-
See how to braid the Easter bread in the YouTube on your right.
When making a true braided Easter bread or wreath, you would take several uncooked painted (food paint) eggs and lay them gently on top of the dough wreath towards the middle before baking. Brush some egg wash around the colored eggs, being careful not to touch them. The eggs will be done while baking.
Diastatic Malt to improve texture and crust can be bought here on Amazon
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the warm milk with the sugar until dissolved.
- Add the yeast and set the mix aside until it begins to foam slightly, about 5-10 min.
- When the yeast starts bubbling, mix together flour, salt and diastatic malt (optional) in a large bowl. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, zest/juice of 1 lemon, the sour cream and almost soft butter (room temperature). Set aside.
- Add the yeast, milk and sugar mixture in an indentation to the middle of the flour, stirring until moistened.
- Add slowly the remaining ingredients (egg mixture) to the dough, a little at a time, mixing until the dough comes together.
- Add 1/2 cup raisins or other add-ins, see description (optional)
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until soft and smooth.
- If you have a Kitchen Aid, knead at least 5 minutes until dough removes itself from the blades.
- Place the dough in a clean oiled bowl, turning to coat the dough with oil.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel, and set in a warm (70-75 F), draft-free place and let rise for 1 hour.
- Wait until had doubled in size, then place the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
- Divide the dough into 3 equal piece and form three ropes.
- Place the 3 ropes on the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Cover the ropes with a damp towel and let rest for 5-10 minutes until the dough springs back.
- Then try rolling them with your hands again into to 24″ long ropes.
- Pinch one end of all three ropes together and braid loosely. (Watch the Youtube below)
- Let rise for another 45 minutes.
- If making a ring, let the rise until puffy and nearly doubled, 45 minutes – 1 hour.
- Gently brush the ring with the beaten egg and water egg wash, and place the almond slivers on top
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes, until the golden and sound hollow when tapped gently (internal temp. 190F).
- Let the bread cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Can be eaten with butter and jelly/jam
“Hail Sugar” or Sugar Crystals can found on Amazon. You also could cover the yeast braid with some Streusel Crumbs
Watch the YouTube below the recipe on how to braid the Hefezopf Easter bread
Hagelzucker or coarse Decorating Sugar can be bought below:
If you choose to make the yeast rolls or croissants, you would bake them at 425 F, 20 to 25 minutes.
