Most countries around the world have their own traditions when it comes to Easter. Some involve egg hunts and picnics or brunches. In other places there is more emphasis on prayer and thanksgiving. However, most traditional customs have a heavy emphasis on sweetened Communion bread
Most of these traditions can trace back to the Orthodox Christian church. Having evolved over time, we now have a number of different recipes for Easter breads from various regions. If you’re looking to upgrade your palette and find an Easter bread you haven’t tried before, this is the right place.
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28 Easy Easter Bread Recipes – Traditional and Authentic
Whether you want a sweet bread like the Cozonac from Romania and the Kulich from Ukraine we have the recipe for you. Or maybe something savory like the Casatiello from Italy. There’s something for every mood and catering to a variety of traditions. And if you’re looking for a slightly modern version, we have that too. So check this list out and try a new recipe this year at Easter.
1. Gluten Free Italian Easter Bread
Image and recipe by glutenfreerecipebox
Call this whatever you want – sweet bread, pound cake or even a moist scone. The name hardly matters. This gluten free Easter bread recipe is inspiring and full of a rich and creamy texture. Also, it’s gluten free and can be made in 3 different flavors – lamond, vanilla and lemon. As if we needed to be so spoiled for choice. This bread is just what you need to start off your Easter celebrations, don’t you think?
2. Cozonac: Romanian Easter Bread
Image and recipe by binkusculinarycarnival
A traditional Romanian Easter bread, Cozonac is beautifully moist and buttery. It is almost laughably easy to make and contains a variety of nuts or other fillings. This recipe is teeming with flavors of lemon, vanilla, cocoa and walnuts. Now if that is an easy Easter bread recipe that we can all get behind during Easter brunch isn’t it?
3. Italian Easter Bread
Image and recipe by browneyedbaker
Flavored with orange and anise, this traditional Italian Easter bread recipe is soft, fluffy and so pretty to look at. Glazed with icing and dusted with sprinkles, you wouldn’t be wrong to mistake it for dessert. This delicious bread belongs on your Easter table nonetheless. The loaves are braided and can even be nestled with colored Easter eggs if you like. To know exactly how to make it, do check out the recipe.
4. Glazed Braided Easter Bread
Image and recipe by vintagekitchennotes
A braided bread with simple flavors, this Easter quick bread recipe is perfect to go with a cup of coffee. Sometimes, the simplest recipe can be most delicious and you will love everything about this one. You can add some cinnamon sugar to the bread before baking if you like. The almond slices on top also add a crunch to this easy Easter bread recipe.
5. Polish Easter Bread
Image and recipe by delishably
A simple and easy Easter bread recipe, this one is a must for your Easter basket. This bread is made with a hearty amount of whole milk and butter, infused with saffron to give it a wonderful look and flavor. This braided bread will look right at home yet creative enough at your Easter brunch. Eat it with a serving of jam or just on it’s own – it’s tasty either way.
6. Paasstol: Dutch Easter Bread
Image and recipe by inmyredkitchen
A traditional Dutch Easter bread recipe, this one is filled with raisins and has an almond paste center. To be honest those few words are enough to tickle anyone’s fancy. The raisins give the bread a sweet yet slightly tart flavor while the almond paste is a wonderful surprise and texture element. If you’ve been looking for a new recipe for this year’s brunch table, this easy Easter bread recipe will be a great place to start.
7. Simple Easter Bread
It is certainly a lot easier to make than you would think and tastes amazing. This type of bread is great for making bread pudding and can be eaten plain as well. So of course, it is a must for Easter supper. There are a lot of steps involved when making this easy Easter bread, but all of them are still simple to do. And the soft inside with the superior glossy crust make it all worth it.
8. Pissaladiére: French Savory Easter Bread
Image and recipe by yuppiechef
The name refers to a flatbread with a variety of toppings and you can be sure that there is a variety for sure. This Easter bread recipe is really easy to make, takes your bread experience to a whole new level and keeps with the egg theme really well. Made with spinach, quail eggs and caramelized onions, it is the perfect start to your Easter brunch. Trust us, you’re not going to want to miss out on this.
9. Kozunak: Bulgarian Easter Bread
Image and recipe by viktoriastable
We all love a good traditional Easter bread, whether it’s brunch, dinner or supper time. So here is a sweet Easter bread recipe right from the heart of Bulgaria. It is cotton soft on the inside with a delectable sugar crust. Rum soaked raisins stud the bread throughout and along with the scent of vanilla and lemon zest. If you want a touch of tradition from East Europe at your dinner table, you must give this recipe a try.
10. Snickers Monkey Bread
Image and recipe by thegoldlininggirl
Chocolate and caramel in a sticky sort of heaven seems about right for Easter doesn’t it? This Snickers Monkey bread may not be the traditional bread recipe but it is still very tasty and full of fun. And so it’s only right we talk about it as well. You don’t really need yeast to make this bread, so if you’re looking for a shortcut, this sweet Easter bread recipe might just do the trick.
11. Romanian Easter Braid
Image and recipe by allroadsleadtothekitchen
Don’t you love the smell of light lemon zest wafting through the house while your bread bakes? Filled with a sweet nutty cream, this lovely sweet Easter bread recipe is sure to be a hit with everyone. You’re going to need some patience with the filling and the baking, but for what it’s worth, you’ve never had bread quite like this.
12. Gluten Free Paska Rolls
Image and recipe by faithfullyglutenfree
Filled with a delicious and light cream cheese filling and full of a wonderful citrus flavor, these Paska rolls are nothing short of decadence for Easter brunch. While being gluten free, there has been no compromise in the taste or texture of this traditional sweet but gluten free Easter bread recipe. You can top this Paska roll with some lemon glaze if you like or just eat them with butter.
13. Braided Lemon Bread
Have you ever wondered why lemon is so popular with bread flavors? It’s because it is the perfect taste palette for spring. And so is this delicate and sweet braided bread. It is slightly sweet, with a tender inside and perfectly crispy crust. You might even consider this a cross between a brioche and a challah. This easy Easter bread recipe is great for brunch, at dinner tables and even for making French toast.
14. Kulich: Ukrainian Easter Bread
Lightly sweetened, egg glazed and dense, this traditional Easter bread recipe is just what your brunch table needs. Kulich is usually baked in a cylindrical tin and decorated with a light icing that dribbles down the side. Adorned with sprinkles and candies, it almost looks like a cake but don’t let the appearance fool you. If you want to try this Ukrainian Easter bread recipe, do look at the detailed instructions.
15. Savory Cheddar Twist Bread
Image and recipe by aclassictwist
There aren’t a lot of savory bread recipes out there to begin with. But this delicious savory cheddar twist bread is too good to leave out. Stuffed with rosemary, butter, cheddar cheese and beautifully braided, this is the just appetizer you need. Also, it’s great to scoop up gravy from the plate too. When you have so much candy, cookies and cakes around, sometimes savory is just what you need.
16. Osterbrot: German Easter Bread
Image and recipe by thespruceeats
Here is a soft white loaf that has a beautiful boule shape, filled with almonds and currants. This traditional German Easter bread recipe is light and airy with a subtle cake like texture. Osterbrot is usually glazed with apricot jam but can be covered with sugar or milk glazes as well. If you want a light and sweet bread for brunch
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17. Portuguese Easter Bread
Image and recipe by natashaskitchen
This traditional Portuguese Easter bread recipe is just what you need when you’ve tried everything else. It includes raisins mixed in with the dough to give it a nice tartness with the sweet flavor of the bread. Moist and fluffy on the inside, it has a glossy crisp crust on the outside which will look good at any dinner table. It is the perfect type of bread to have at brunch or tea.
18. Romanian Pasca
Image and recipe by atreatsaffair
Soft, sweet and really cheesy in the center, pasca is almost like a cheesecake but with bread. The traditional Romanian Easter bread is crusting on the outside with a smooth cheese filling consisting of raisins and nuts. If you want a really something decadent at your Easter brunch table, you have to try this one
19. Kardemumma Krans: Swedish Easter Bread
Image and recipe by sumptuousspoonfuls
Do something a little different for Easter this year with a traditional Swedish bread recipe. This sweet Easter bread recipe is made with cherries and a sweet lemon glaze. Isn’t it the perfect way to welcome spring in? This is the kind of bread that people will like to talk about during dinner conversation. And it makes for a great gift too. If nothing else, you’re going to have a lot of fun telling people the name for it – Kardemumma Krans.
20. Blackberry Serrano Cornbread
Image and recipe by whitneybond
If you’re tired of the same type of recipes, this might be a good way to change it up a little. Cornbread is not a traditional Easter bread recipe, but this one is sweet, sour and all kinds of delicious. The serrano peppers balance the sweetness from the blackberries and make this a wonderful side dish for your Easter dinner. Try this easy Easter bread recipe for something different this year.
21. Buttery Rosemary Rolls
Image and recipe by goodhousekeeping
A really comforting and easy Easter bread recipe, this is the savory bread addition your dinner table needs. This one is flaky and buttery and baked with rosemary so you know it’s going to smell amazing while it cooks. The perfect accompaniment with gravies and meats, this dinner roll recipe is a must have this year.
22. Povitica: Croatian Swirl Bread
Image and recipe by loveisinmytummy
If you like the challenge of a bread that you thought you could only dream of making, Povitica is right up there. It will be a bumpy ride from the dough shaping to the filling and baking. However, when you finally cut into it, this sweet Easter bread will make everything so worth it. Also, it will leave your house smelling like a decadent bakery for hours. And isn’t that the best for celebration times?
23. Hot Cross Buns
The most traditional of all Easter bread recipes, the hot cross buns are a symbol of Easter and everything that comes with it. Although lore might differ on when and why they came to be associated with Easter, there is no denying that they have to have a place at your dinner table. This version contains plenty of sweet raisins, candied citrus peels and crossed with white icing. Comfort is a blessing too.
24. Casatiello Napoletano: Italian Easter Bread
Image and recipe by everybodylovesitalian
Here is the Easter bread that people the world over are widely familiar with. This traditional savory bread is stuffed with meat, hard boiled eggs and cheese. Casatiello is a really easy recipe to follow and you can do it the night before so it gets a longer rest time as well. If you’re planning a midday picnic, this Italian Easter bread recipe is the perfect accompaniment since it can be served both hot and cold.
25. Babka Weilkanocna: Polish Easter Bread
Image and recipe by thespruceeats
Traditional Polish babka has a lot of egg yolks in the recipe. This version has a much tamer number and is a little easier to make, but does not compromise on the taste or texture at all. If you like sweet Easter bread recipes, this one will be right at home for you. In case you want a little less sweetness, you can always omit the icing in the end. Moist and fluffy all on it’s own, babka contains raisins and a light lemon flavor that will remind of happy sunshine and spring.
26. Osterzopf: German Easter Bread
Image and recipe by mygermanrecipes
This is a really easy and delicious Easter bread recipe that deserves to have a place at your dinner table. It tastes best when freshly made and slightly warm, so you want to make this early on Easter morning. This braided German Easter bread recipe will be great for brunch. With a soft center and firm crispy crust, this perfectly golden bread might just be a favorite among your guests.
27. Glazed Italian Easter Bread
Image and recipe by myrecipereviews
Soft and tender insides with a lovely flaky top, this glazed Italian Easter bread is sweet and tender. On it’s own, this bread is not overly sweet which is why the glaze is such a nice touch to it. You can make this bread truly spring like with an orange zest flavoring and rainbow sprinkles on top. Add this to your baking list because Easter won’t be the only occasion you make this delicious bread.
28. Tsoureki: Greek Easter Bread
If you love a good traditional braided bread – rich in flavor with some citrusy flavor. Tsoureki is made with the essence of makhlépi which gives it a really nice, earthy taste. A lot of the time, one end of the bread is decked with a dyed red egg. The dough is also sprinkled with roasted cumin seeds. If you’re craving some tradition, this Greek Easter bread recipe is the one for you.
