This Easter Bread recipe is so fun and festive! This simple sweet bread recipe is filled with flavor, and topped with sprinkles for a special treat. The Orange Almond flavor is perfect for Easter Sunday!
Easter Bread Recipe
With Easter Sunday fast approaching, I’m excited to share this easy Easter Bread Recipe with you guys. It’s a delicious sweet bread recipe with orange and almond flavors mixed in, and then we top it off with almonds and colorful sprinkles to really give it an Easter look!
This Orange Almond Bread is soooo delicious. It’s just the right level of sweet, so it fits right in with dinner AND dessert.
If you’re not a master bread maker, don’t worry! This Easter sweet bread recipe is super easy to follow, so you can have a special treat even if baking isn’t your forte. It will look so cute on the table along with all of your other favorite Easter recipes!
This Orange Almond Sweet Bread is just perfect for Easter. The added sprinkles make it so festive and fun!
Easter Sweet Bread Recipe
There’s something about freshly baked bread on the holidays that feels extra special. This almond sweet bread recipe makes the perfect Easter Bread for brunch, dinner, or just a little sweet treat. Break off a piece and share the rest with loved ones!
Orange Almond Bread
The orange and almond flavors in this bread mix together so well. It’s just a lightly sweet, fruity, nutty flavor that blends into the overall sweetness of the bread. The sliced almonds and sprinkles brushed on top give it a nice texture and just make it look extra pretty (presentation is important, after all!).
If you decide to make this sweet bread recipe for another occasion (other than Easter), you could always leave off the sprinkles. But they are a festive touch for the holiday that everyone will appreciate!
How to Make Orange Almond Sweet Bread
While this sweet bread recipe is simple enough for beginners (I believe in you!), it is a detailed process with very specific steps. I wrote everything out in the recipe card in easy-to-follow steps, so as long as you read and follow the instructions, you shouldn’t have any issues!
A few quick tips:
- This recipe requires time to rise, rest, and bake, so give yourself plenty of time to make this before you’re ready to serve it (a few hours, at the very least).
- Use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the milk/butter/almond mixture is the right temperature (120-130°F).
- Create a floured surface on your counter tops to work with the dough after you’ve made it in the mixer. Spend about 6-8 minutes kneading the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic.
- After kneading the dough, butter it and place it in a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, then put it in a warm spot to rise (it should double in size).
- To create the braided shape of this Easter bread, you’ll split the dough into thirds, and then braid them together before baking.
- When brushing the topping onto the bread, focus the almonds and sprinkles towards the middle of the loaf. The bread will expand and spread as it bakes, so that will keep it all on top of the loaf.
Check the recipe card below for the full, detailed instructions for this Orange Almond Sweet Bread recipe!
Favorite Easter Recipes
You know what’s so great about this recipe? Besides the fact that it’s just delicious, of course…
This easy Easter bread recipe works for every part of Easter Sunday. Whether you need a sweet bread recipe for Easter Brunch; some bread to serve with Easter dinner; or just something sweet and simple to add to the Easter Desserts table; this recipe works for all of it!
Here are a few more favorite Easter Recipes to try.
Easy lemon pie with sour cream topping and saltine cracker crust. Beautiful rack of lamb with an herb crust and mint yogurt sauce. Easter salad with shaved brussels sprouts, almonds, and honey dijon vinaigrette. Classic Hummingbird Cake with Dried Pineapple flowers on top. Easy eggs benedict casserole is PERFECT for Easter brunch. Delicious roasted asparagus is a great side dish!Favorite Easter Recipes
Sour Cream Lemon Pie Recipe with Saltine Cracker Crust
Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb Recipe with Mint Yogurt Sauce
Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Honey Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette
Hummingbird Cake Recipe with Dried Pineapple Flowers
Eggs Benedict Casserole with Easy Eggs Benedict Sauce
Oven Roasted Asparagus Recipe with Sun Dried Tomatoes & Parmesan
I can’t wait for you to try this fun Easter bread recipe! It will add something really festive to your holiday celebrations. Happy Easter!
See the recipe card for details on how to make this Orange Almond Easter Bread recipe. Enjoy!
If you like this recipe, try some of our other favorite bread recipes:
- Rosemary Dutch Oven Bread Recipe
- Spinach Artichoke Pull Apart Bread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Homemade Crescent Rolls
Ingredients
For the Bread:
- 1½ cup whole milk
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 1/4 ounce packages active dry yeast
- 6 cups all-purpose flour plus more for kneading the bread
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten
For the Topping:
- 1 large egg lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 cup Honey Roasted sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon pastel sprinkles or nonpareils
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, over medium-low temperature, heat the milk, butter and almond extract. The temperature of the milk mixture, using an instant-read thermometer, should be between 120°- 130°F.
- While the milk/butter mixture warms, place sugar and orange zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. With your fingertips, rub the sugar and zest together until it is well combined.
- Add the yeast, salt and 2 cups of the flour to the sugar/orange zest, and mix on low to combine.
- Add the warm milk mixture to the dry ingredients; beat on medium-low speed 2 minutes.
- Add the 3 beaten eggs and beat 2 more minutes.
- Gradually, add the remaining 4 cups flour and beat until a soft dough forms. Increase the speed to medium-high and continue beating until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 5 minutes. The dough will be sticky.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead (adding extra flour as needed) about 6-8 minutes or until the dough is elastic and smooth.
- Place the dough upside down in a lightly buttered, large bowl and then gently turn it upright making sure the entire surface is buttered. Cover the bowl, with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-1½ hours (depending on the warmth of your kitchen).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray the paper with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
- When the dough has doubled in size, punch down the dough and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Cut it into thirds and gently roll each third into a 20-inch-long rope. Transfer the ropes to the prepared baking sheet and press the ropes together at one end. Braid the ropes together and tuck the ends under. Cover the braided loaf with plastic wrap that has been lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. This will prevent the plastic wrap from sticking to the dough. Let the dough rise until doubled in size (30 minutes-1 hour).
- While the braided dough rises, heat oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, lightly beat together one egg and water. Brush the loaf with the egg wash and sprinkle the loaf with almonds and pastel sprinkles. The loaf will spread when baking, so sprinkle the majority of the almonds and sprinkles toward the middle of the loaf.
- Bake the bread 40-55 minutes or until it turns golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Transfer the bread to a cooing rack and cool 30 minutes before slicing.
- Enjoy!
Liz
This is exactly the kind of holiday recipe I love! Beautiful, tasty and versatile!!
Becky Hardin
Thanks, Liz!
Julie
Yum! I love this flavor combination and the sprinkles add a little color, which is always fun!
Becky Hardin
One of the best flavor combos. Thanks, Julie!
Erin
This is such a great bread. It is the perfect addition to our Easter meal.
Becky Hardin
Thanks Erin!
Julie
Love this! Can’t wait to make this for Easter.
Becky Hardin
You’re going to love it! Thanks!
lauren kelly
This is gorgeous and I love the flavors!
Becky Hardin
Thank you, Lauren!
Jennifer
I make this bread every year and my family loves it! :)
Becky Hardin
Love that!
Anna
This is one gorgeous loaf!
Becky Hardin
Thanks Anna!
Sommer
This will be a hit at my Easter brunch!
Becky Hardin
You can’t go wrong with this. Thanks, Sommer!
Sam
Oh my! I could eat this bread every day. Perfect for all the spring holidays and gatherings coming up.
Becky Hardin
It’s addictive. Thanks, Sam
virginia e slocum
CAN’T WAIT TO TRY SOME OF THESE RECIPES!! THANKS!
Becky Hardin
You’ll have to let me know which ones are your favorites! Thank you.